4 min
Traditional call centers are no longer as effective. As more and more call centers go through a digital transformation, you need to understand why digitization is so important in contact centers and how to start the process.
The technological evolution that has occurred in the last 15 years has moved at such a rapid rate that it is almost impossible to remember how things “used to be” before.
Why Digitize A Call Center?
The impact of a digital call center will be key for clients, since when the ability to harness communication skills is combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning; access to highly valuable information systems is gained.
Why Is It Important To Digitize A Contact Center?
There are three benefits that are a direct consequence of the digital transformation of a call center.
1) Call Center Efficiency
Speed is essential when it comes to improving efficiency, and digital forms of communication are the only way contact centers can move faster.
In a digital call center, software and Artificial Intelligence can help detect a customer’s problem by recognizing the keywords typed in a chat box and directing them to an online help resource or immediately routing a call to an agent who can manage that specific problem. This means a better experience from the customer’s perspective, as no one likes being referred from one agent to another or having to exhaustively search for the right resource.
In today’s era of COVID-19, the less direct contact between the customer and the supplier, the better, safer and easier it is for everyone. Digital communication channels also offer more security and reliability with high-level encryption software designed to minimize the risks of hacking.
2) The Customer Experience With A Digital Call Center
Today, customers want to be able to get service from any channel and digital platform, and from any device. Interacting with users on their favorite digital channels, including social media, live chat, and email, is what is now known as omnichannel support. Soon this type of support will no longer be a luxury for companies, but a necessity for those who want to maintain their customer base.
Additionally, the customer experience is no longer limited by typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours. When support is needed at 2am, customers won’t wait. Add to that 24/7/365 support and the desire of next generation customers to quickly solve problems on their own digitally through the use of a self-help center and a smart FAQ section, contact centers they will provide exactly what they need.
3) The Importance Of Data
Data is key to progress. They are used to obtain information, improve customer service and their experiences, among other aspects. Digital data is easy to collect, maintain, analyze, and understand. Having as much data as possible in digital format will allow you to make the most of it.
When the call center is digitized, every interaction, website click, chat session, or other point of contact becomes a data point that can be processed and analyzed, and retroactively referenced. In this way, invaluable information will be obtained that can help companies and optimize products and procedures. Analytics can be used by all departments in an organization, from marketing and sales to customer service and human resources.
Preparing For The Future
The day all incoming data from communication channels speaks the same digital language, the power of unified communication will transform business. With a digital call center, all the data will speak the same language and, finally, different channels will be able to communicate using a unified digital language.
Clear communication is the foundation for advancement and digital language provides the foundation for this communication. It supports a never-ending cycle of service optimization – data collection, analytics, and enrichment from AI technology so you can identify more patterns and deliver smarter, faster solutions.
What Will Be The Role Of Human Beings In A Digital Call Center?
All this digitization will not replace the human side of things. Human support agents still need to be present in the digital call center because even the smartest FAQ cannot solve all problems.
By digitizing the contact center, you are empowering agents to do their jobs better. Customers are increasingly able to meet their needs remotely, minimizing direct contact, an advantage for everyone during COVID-19. All the data collected and analyzed provides agents with increasingly relevant information, leading to more efficiency, better resolutions, and more opportunities for meaningful engagement, all of which ultimately lead to greater customer loyalty.
What To Consider When Transforming The Call Center Digitally
The transition to a digital approach to customer service requires a multi-pronged approach that must be thought through and implemented strategically. For this reason, you must have a contact center manager who is able to guide the team well through the digital transformation.
You have to start by seeing how customers interact with the business, listening to their needs and offering them the ideal digital solution. For some businesses, you may be expanding to service channels on social media first, while for others you may be enhancing self-service portals with 24/7 chats. Its objective and priority is to meet the most urgent needs of users and, at the same time, offer them the best-digitized customer experience that best suits their lifestyle.
You need to choose carefully how to implement the new call center technology so that customers and employees get the most benefit from digital transformation.
Subscribe
Ask for a demo