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A Holistic Customer Service Strategy Begins with Digital Transformation
The past 18 months have essentially hit the fast forward button on digital transformation in all sectors. Businesses were forced to change the way employees work, and the customer service industry is no exception. Not all businesses were poised for digital transformation, however, and the sudden shift had a profound impact on the customer experience (CX) for many businesses.
The sudden shift to a remote, geographically dispersed approach to customer service highlights the importance of a holistic digital-focused transformation strategy for businesses. The path to a better customer experience may encompass artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, along with contextualization and empathy from human agents. The result is a holistic customer experience designed to quickly resolve questions and issues and provide a positive, satisfactory, engaged interaction with the customer.
A 2020 global study from Dimensional Research showed that 68 percent of customers indicated COVID-19 changed the way they interact with businesses. Asynchronous messaging channels like web chat and social media help facilitate continuous, ongoing conversations with customers, creating a more seamless engagement and quicker resolution times.
Self-service and automation also have a major role to play, and the use of smart virtual agents that can work seamlessly across a variety of channels is a huge asset in the digital transformation toolbox. AI also has a major role to play, particularly in helping remote human agents contextualize and personalize their customer interactions. AI assistance tools can provide quick history and support for human agents and even guide them on what to say or which questions to ask customers to create a better overall customer experience.
The Team of Experts (TEX) customer service model is another useful tool for contact centers. It is based on the theory that not all customers should be routed to agents based on their average handle time. Instead, specific "expert" agents are deployed to serve a specific segment of callers, providing a more personalized and satisfying customer experience. TEX agents are typically more satisfied, productive and accomplished with their work as well.
If COVID-19 has taught businesses anything, it's that customers are demanding better service and overall CX. Digital transformation provides a solid path to improving CX and the time for contact centers to embark on that journey is now.
Edited by Luke Bellos