Why Prioritize Digitization In Call Centers?

Digital technology is everywhere and consumers use it every day: to work, play, communicate, buy… Therefore, it is natural that users want to have different options of digital channels in call centers. To win customer loyalty, organizations must connect with them in the digital world they already live in, providing a brand engagement. In the contact center, this means adopting a philosophy and approach of digital priority.

Digital has far-reaching implications not only for how organizations serve today, but also for the number of changes that lie ahead in the very near future. Those who “win” customer service will have to completely reinvent it, and digital will be critical to that.

Before The Pandemic, Digital Preference Was Already Gaining Momentum

As digital communication has exploded around us, it has risen to a level that is as familiar as voice and is now preferred by most users. Not only do they want digital options, but also the vast majority prefer its ease, convenience, and speed. The statistics tell a generational story:

• 90% of Gen Z use digital channels, and only 10% choose voice.
• 84% of Millennials prefer digital channels, and only 16% prefer voice.
• Almost half of GenX (49%) prefer digital channels. The other half prefers the voice, but their numbers are decreasing.
• Only Boomers go voice over digital, but that is rapidly changing.

While digital channels offer unique value for both brands and users (24/7 support), companies have not yet finished adopting them. In fact, less than 10% of the call centers surveyed have a fully integrated omnichannel strategy: only 8.4% have all channels connected, while 7.2% combine digital and voice (according to reports from Dimension Data / CX Benchmarking, 2019).

The Digital Adoption Momentum Took Off During The Pandemic

Since the emergence of the pandemic in 2020, digital adoption has accelerated tremendously. We have all been forced to adopt new means of communication, not only with each other (virtual calls with friends and family) but also with the companies with which we do business.

In an annual CX transformation benchmark study, we found that call centers experienced significant disruptions around the world – first, to move agents home very quickly, and then to handle an increase in engagement volume.

Those already using cloud contact center technology had an advantage. Cloud call centers offer scalability and a platform that allows contact center leaders the ability to add new features. As we progressed through the pandemic, call centers that were able to activate new channels had a significant advantage over those that did not, and although the pandemic is far from over, users who embraced digital communication during the pandemic have already integrated it in your daily life.

Digital channels have also helped users realize that they can solve their own problems. Giving them that skill is a game changer for all elements of the call center:

• Frees agents from repeating the same transaction over and over, allowing them to focus on more complex issues and develop new skills that deliver customer benefits and satisfaction.
• It empowers customers to solve problems, without the need to speak to an agent, and also plays an important role in the ever-evolving customer journey. According to experts, over the last year companies have shown a greater preference for offering self-service, with 43% of them selecting it as their preference.

Digitization Opens The Doors To Interactions Between Channels

A fully integrated voice / digital call center strategy provides other benefits as well. One is the “channel hopping”: customers expect smooth transfers from one channel to another and seamless interactions between channels, especially if they pause or leave an interaction on one channel and want to pick up where they left off on another.

Digital messaging options and seamless channel switching save time and effort for customers, as well as agents. Moving easily from one channel to another reduces customer effort, significantly improves call center efficiency, leads to better agent performance, and most importantly, leads to higher customer satisfaction.

Problem Solving: Digitization, Right For Complexity

Call centers report seeing an increase in both the volume and complexity of customer interactions. Since 2017, the percentage of companies that rate telephone interactions in very successful customer problem solving has decreased significantly, from 63% in 2017 to 53% in 2018 among companies.

Here, too, digital channels (email, web chat, SMS, and social media) appear much more effective and preferred, except for simpler problem solving. Details are transmitted and captured more efficiently and effectively, improving the entire problem-solving process for both customers and agents. Users want the fastest and easiest resolution possible; and agents also seek to offer the fastest resolution.

Cost Reduction Can Occur In Three Different Areas:

• Capital Expenditures: By choosing a solution that meets the needs of the contact center, you offer the ability to easily test and implement advanced features.
• Operational Expenses: Doing more with less enables agents to solve customer problems simultaneously across multiple channels.
• Personnel Costs: By improving agent productivity, there is less need to expand the workforce.

The integration of digital channels also improves the ability of call centers to generate revenue. According to a report by the Aberdeen Group, companies with a strong commitment to omnichannel support see a 9.5% annual increase in revenue compared to the 3.5% achieved by companies with weak multichannel support.

In conclusion, digitization enables organizations to provide an exceptional customer experience on any channel by acting smarter and responding faster to user expectations and giving them the ability to choose how to engage. Brands that adopt an integrated omnichannel (“digital first”) strategy ensure more meaningful customer interactions and opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling, as well as better customer acquisition, retention and growth. For example:

• Companies with a strong omnichannel customer engagement retain an average of 89% of their customers, compared to 33% of companies with a weak omnichannel customer engagement (Aberdeen Group).
• Organizations committed to transforming their CX and taking advantage of new digital capabilities, along with a human touch that is available when needed, are finding great value. According to one report, this combination increased customer loyalty by 91.6%, while 84.4% reported an increase in company profits / revenue.
• But perhaps it is branding differentiation and creating added value that remains the Holy Grail for brands doing business in a hyper-competitive environment. Many already understand that the CX is essential. In fact, 4% see the opportunity inherent in evolving their CX transformation strategies to stand out from the competition. (Dimension Data / CX Benchmarking, 2019).
• There is no downside to adopting fully integrated omnichannel strategies that seamlessly combine voice and digital channels. Regardless of the size of the industry or organization, customers expect brands to find them where they are. And where they are is in the digital realm.