Contact centers are constantly evolving due to the explosion of burgeoning technologies. With this being said, how do managers implement contact center best practices to coalesce with their product and message?
First, we need to look at the framework. Contact centers have become a cornerstone in managing and implementing customer experience. The “call center” of yesterday has morphed into a much more agile avenue for companies to resolve service issues and drive sales by using a diverse compilation of solutions.
Contact centers can provide an array of different touch points, allowing companies to interface with customers over a variety of channels. This allows companies to communicate with their customers in a way that is comfortable for both new prospects and existing clients.
The modern day contact center is evolving quickly with the development of new technologies. Because of this, contact center managers find themselves searching for new solutions, and that search comes with the need to align with contact center best practices.
How do contact centers stay on the cutting edge of these technologies without overwhelming customers and agents?
Here are 3 key principles that contact center managers should adhere to.
Managing Morale
Before diving into contact center best practices in terms of company-to-client communications, we need to take a look at personnel attitude and performance.
It’s imperative that employees are comfortable with new technology, which comes from thorough training. . This means that it is vital for contact centers to implement new technologies that are user friendly for both the customer and the agents.
When looking at channels for contact center solutions, companies should try to find vendors that provide a seamless experience that can be onboarded effortlessly.
Call centers tend to have a high rate of attrition, which can be linked to the uncertainty of change. The QATC (Quality Assurance Training and Connection) reports that typical call centers experience a turnover rate of 30-45%, while some companies are averaging much higher.
The concept of the “contact center” (as opposed to traditional call centers) indicates communication possibilities outside of just phone calls. This allows for a more all-encompassing selection of touch points that can empower the agent and reassure the customer.
By providing new and agile channels, contact center agents can find solutions that fit their skill set, and management can identify which channels work best for specific agents. In addition, customers have more options available to them, decreasing mid-interaction abandonment.
Management and IT can relax knowing that Glia provides a suite of customer friendly channels that can be implemented by companies with one simple line of code. This takes the burden of technical onboarding off of the shoulders of management and IT, allowing them to focus on scaling agent training with the end goal of enhancing the customer experience.
Increasing Engagement
No matter the product or service offered, successful companies have a good grasp on their demographics.
A financial institution that is looking to ramp up retirement plans will need to have channels in place that make qualified individuals feel comfortable. For example, a fintech company may need to direct its messaging towards a younger demographic that is comfortable with online transactions.
The way to mitigate errors when it comes to customer acquisition is to provide a collection of solutions that scale across each demographic within its target.
This is where omnichannel provisions come into play.
Think about this: baby boomers are going to be more comfortable speaking on the phone because it is the channel that they grew up using. Busy, multi-tasking customers may prefer to communicate via text chat so that they can save time and get right to the point. Millennials may be looking for a more personal channel like video chat that provides an effortless experience..
Depending on a company’s services, their targeted demographics, and how the prospects within them are handled can make a world of difference. For this reason, it is important for a company to offer a wide scope of channels to ensure that every potential customer has a channel of communication that makes them feel comfortable and is relevant to the situation.
While companies can piecemeal a solution together to provide service across a wide range of channels, this can be dangerous as it won’t prevent gaps in the customer journey.
Glia provides an all encompassing suite of channel solutions that reach across all of the preferred touch points, regardless of demographic preferences. Potential clients and prospects are much less likely to jump ship in the midst of their search for solutions when they are presented with a streamlined selection of communication channels.
Being Unique
Let’s face it – it is great to have access to a global market with the power of global communication, however, more access breeds more competition.
No matter what service or product a company provides, there is likely a competitor that offers the same solution. How do companies leverage unique selling propositions to set themselves apart from all the rest of the noise?
Companies can stand out by offering something that nobody else can compete with. Despite the fact that others have tried to replicate the success of the Glia’s platform, the proprietary nature of the Glia CoBrowsing product insures that customers have access to a solution that is unique in every way, from safety measures to the simplicity and effectiveness of the product.
OmniBrowse is a platform that resonates across all demographics, allowing contact center agents to walk through resolutions and sales processes with a customer in an experience that closely resembles an in-store, face-to-face interaction.
