Today, end customers increasingly prefer to resolve their own issues through digital self-service entry points, such as search, text, an APP, or social media before connecting with the contact centre. Still, most businesses still view the contact centre and digital customer experience (CX) as separate operations and flows, which can create friction.
As we look ahead to 2023, the biggest opportunity to gain a competitive advantage is in creating seamless, frictionless CX across digital, self-service and agent-assisted interactions. And this applies to every sector and business size imaginable.
But where should businesses start? and how can partners help organisations to drive transformation?
Here are the three areas ripe for CX transformation and reimagination beyond the contact centre.
- Expanding CX beyond the contact centre
The reality is that less than 20 per cent of customers today start an inquiry by picking up the phone. Digital interactions are now the new normal, and search is where most customer service journeys begin. In fact, 81 per cent of people prefer to resolve their own issues through digital channels including search, social media, messaging apps, and more. And this makes digital entry points critically important.
Exceeding the contact centre means that brands can meet the customer in search and resolve an issue instantly in context.
- Turning data into insights to make self-service smarter
The reality is that most self-service is frustrating. This is because it does not leverage data from past interactions. Instead, self-service is being developed based on guesswork, gut feel and anecdotal feedback, causing more friction than resolution. The good news is that there are some quick and easy ways to up-level clunky self-service.
For example, with widespread access to customer interaction data, businesses can leverage this asset to optimise how, when, and why customer requests flow through to an agent. This includes understanding customer language and intent – everything from words they type on a website looking for information, to phases used when talking to chatbots and agents. Better still, that same data can also be used to build feedback loops that help prepare and guide agents in real time, enable proactive outreach to customers to build smarter, more frictionless self-service.
AI-powered self-service can turn data into insights that power amore personalised customer journey.
- Turning agents into superstars with AI-powered tools
It’s more crucial than ever to take a holistic approach to preparing agents to handle the most complex issues and interactions. Agents can become an excellent way to connect with customers on a personal level through empathy. However, the right support, training, and tools are essential to maximize agent engagement and performance. For example, automated assistants can provide real-time coaching to help agents deliver th e optimal service that increases satisfaction and strengthens loyalty.
Task mining can help eliminate redundant tasks and easy schedule management tools can help agents feel more autonomy, agency, and control over their work experiences—thus, improving retention.
Putting CX at the heart of every business’s digital transformation
How end customers engage with businesses continues to evolve. Enhancing customer experience means bridging that gaps that causing friction. Instead of waiting for inbound contact, businesses need to proactively meet customers wherever their journeys begin—regardless of the digital entry points—to guide them seamlessly to resolution. And when a customer talks to an agent, it’s frictionless because they are armed with the right tools to address their concerns quickly and easily.
The good news is partners can play a major role in helping businesses put CX at the heart of their digital transformation – taking them beyond the contact centre. Reimagining CX requires partners to be able to be aware of the friction created by separate operations and flows and the right tools and technologies that help businesses overcome this – while also boosting both end customer and agent experience simultaneously. And there has never been a better time to talk to end customers about the options available to them, from smart self-service to interactive voice response to real-time coaching and guidance for agents.