Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1483306
Introduction The need for fielding a contact center has never been more important, and recent technological advancements have elevated what used to be just a call center into a multifaceted, omnichannel center of customer engagement. This includes companies of all sizes leaping to the cloud due to a desire for greater business agility, faster access to new capabilities, and more rapid global expansion. Perhaps the most exciting step in contact center evolution has been the addition of maturing technologies under the umbrella of artificial intelligence (AI), which includes AI, machine learning (ML), and natural language understanding (NLU). By judiciously adding AI technologies, contact centers are gaining new insights, such as into business processes, how to automate tasks and workflows in the front and back office, and how to add intelligence to customer interaction channels. Whether it's called customer contact, customer care, customer service, customer support, or technical support, the contact center is at the heart of engaging with customers. It is central to the entire customer journey no matter where it starts or how often it is revisited. Employing the right technology creates better outcomes for the customer and the business. It's an exciting time to be in the contact center industry. With the global challenges companies and customers now face, such as global upheaval, economic uncertainty, and the ever-shifting realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, shoring up customer relationships and taking care of them in the face of impactful issues is more important than ever. Businesses have been quick to respond and, in many cases, the global events of the last three years actually accelerated innovation with regard to moving to the cloud, adding AI, and gaining a better understanding of why contact center innovation is necessary. For example, think back to how difficult it was in 2020 to inform masses about vaccine availability and appointments, receive COVID test status, purchase consumer goods online for curbside pickup, and change health information. However, even prior to recent challenges there was a growing realization that while improving the customer experience (CX) is paramount, it is not a solo goal. In reality, elevating CX cannot be separated from elevating the agent and their supporting cast—the business operations manager/ supervisor. When agents do not feel empowered, feel they don't have the right tools to quickly and effectively do their jobs, or even end up hating their jobs, a cascade of negative things can occur, such as agent churn, plummeting customer satisfaction (CSAT), and reduced revenue. However, with the right technology in place, all of that changes. The right technology begins working at the moment a customer engages with a company and it works through to when they feel they are done, employing multiple steps and tools on the side of the employee and consumer. Let's take a step back and look at the seeds of innovation planted in the past that are responsible for the amazing developments in customer care we are seeing today. Optimizing Your Contact Center Resources Uplifts the Experience for Everyone 3 All rights reserved © 2022 Frost & Sullivan | www.frost.com