Visualizing the Future Call Center - Business Edge, Customer Service Trends, and More

It is no secret that a call center is still the main channel of customer communication and the remote face of a business. However, gone are the days of providing customer support only through calls. Post-pandemic work culture, increasing customer service expectations, and decreasing customer tolerance have pushed call centers to use multiple communication channels to provide superior customer support.

The digital transformation and the constantly rising bar for improved customer service are two more factors contributing to this transformation. Today, several call center agents are working from remote locations. This move is just the beginning of a new era in the customer service realm. As customer service is set to become a key differentiator, the call center will remain at its forefront.

Let us now explore some trends set to transform the future of call centers.

1. Emphasis on minimizing the call resolution time

   Today, businesses are collecting customer data more than ever. In return, customers expect new and improved customer services. However, the stakes are high if this expectation is not met, as your customers may just turn to one of your competitors. An increasing number of people make a purchase solely based on the kind of customer service they receive. This makes it mandatory for businesses to ensure a seamless customer journey. Expectations are particularly high when it comes to calls and a majority of the customers hang up within a few minutes of their calls being placed on hold.

2. Embracing digital-to-call strategies

   Digitization has helped businesses track every step of their customer's journey. On the other hand, this has led to the customers assuming that businesses already know their challenges when they place a call. Advanced call center technologies help agents to predict the caller's intent. Call tracking is one such technology that captures the customer's digital journey even before they make a call and present it to the agent who answers the call. This helps agents to customize their call and serve the customer better.

3. Virtual coaching and call transcriptions to boost agent performance

   Businesses will increasingly harness the power of virtual coaching methods to improve the performance of their call center agents. Call monitoring and call transcriptions can help managers analyze the call quality and identify areas for improvement. Call tracking software like Invoca enables managers to monitor live calls and provide real-time feedback for the agents immediately, on the same call-monitoring platform, without having to wait for the next one-on-one.

4. Intent-based call transferring to increase efficiency

   High competition has pushed businesses to exceed customer expectations. Today, customers loathe even the minimal wait time that is needed for call transfers. They abandon calls and turn to your competitors. This is where intelligent call routing is expected to help contact centers minimize their call abandonment rates. Intent-based call transferring enables businesses to quickly reroute customers' calls to the most relevant agent who can precisely cater to their needs. This reduces the wait time and increases call resolution rates, which ultimately lead to increased customer satisfaction. As intelligent call transfers reduce hold times and boost customer satisfaction, this is one trend that is bound to stay.

5. Cloud-based infrastructure and remote call centers to become the norm

   As the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed businesses to embrace remote working, call centers were no exceptions. Establishing fully functional call centers requires planning and preparation. This is possible with the help of advanced cloud-based tools. So, businesses will be using cloud-based systems to track calls, monitor the performance of their agents in real-time, and provide timely feedback to their agents. The benefits will only compound, resulting in better-performing agents, reduced turnover, and access to better talent as the businesses can recruit across multiple time zones.

Summing Up

The pandemic outbreak resulted in the drastic evolution of the call centers over a short time. Remote working just opened the doors to new possibilities. Cloud-based infrastructure and advanced call center tools are supporting remote call centers. Agents are not just answering customers' calls, they are serving them across multiple platforms. Several new ideas, initiatives, and technologies are flooding the market, which are intended to help the call center industry tackle challenges and boost customer service. However, you need to cut through the industry buzz and embrace the right techniques to accomplish your business goals.

How about a quick consultation to find out which call center trend you should embrace?