CALLING
Generating Quality Customer Service From removing friction to enabling agents, how AI is turning around the reputation of the contact centre.
It’s a universal experience we all go through. Along with getting caught out in the rain and getting caught short on the train, everyone has had to call customer service. It’s fair to say that the overall experience has evolved over the last 20 years. As cloud technologies made routing calls easier, many Contact Center providers will have envisioned an improvement in the quality of experience. However, towards the start of this year, FM Outsource released data that showed that there is a lot to be desired when it comes to customer service. The research claimed that nearly half of Brits don’t feel that customer service is a widespread business priority, and a quarter (24%) felt that the standard of customer service has declined in recent years. This isn’t a sentiment that has gone unnoticed by Ben Neo, Head of Contact Center Sales EMEA, Zoom who said “As communication becomes more important there are some instances where a chatbot just doesn’t cut the mustard. “For many, calling is still the most popular way to resolve an issue, but that throws up issues with how to deal with such a large
volume of calls.” And Neo is not the only one. You can also go to Chris Mina, Head of CCaaS product at Vonage, to find a recognition that Customer centre agents still play a large role in customer service. “AI tools have already started to transform the contact centre industry,” said Mina, “and there are plenty more exciting innovations on the horizon. “But when it comes to customer complaints, human contact is often still the best solution. No one wants to be sat furiously typing at an automated chatbot when all they want to do is speak to a real person.” Pick up the phone It would appear that all we are after is the human touch. Despite the innovation seen in generative AI over the past 12 months. That doesn’t discount its value to the contact centre though, as Chris Angus, VP of Contact Centre Engagement at 8x8 says, the opportunity at the moment is to improve the service agents give to customers rather than replace the person altogether. “Voice is still king in the contact centre - for now,” said Angus. “However, the emergence and ‘glamour’ around AI and automation is now ensuring that everyone is giving serious thought and consideration to their contact centre transformation strategy and whether they’re doing the right thing. “In contact centres, there will always be the need for a human voice at the end of the phone line. It’s not about replacing voice calls and human roles with chatbots and new technologies, such as AI. “Instead, these applications aim to empower contact centre agents with the right tools and AI support to deal with individual customer needs and allow customers to communicate with businesses by using the method that they prefer.”
No one wants to be sat furiously typing at an automated chatbot when all they want to do is speak to a real person.
Chris Mina Head of CCaaSS product
vonage.co.uk
44
Powered by FlippingBook