Customer demand and transformative technology continue to drive the consumer service industry forward. As modes of communication become increasingly prolific, business sectors, the companies that operate within them, and their customer bases are growing their international reach. Contact center solutions are continuously evolving so organizations can efficiently stay in touch with customers.
Businesses focused on adaptability and top-tier service are turning to Contact Center as a Service solutions, or CCaaS, for their contact center framework. Contact center solutions and consumer demand are mutually fueling their transformations forward. As a result, five important trends are arising as new pathways to future development. Discover how the next wave of CCaaS enhancements can provide your business with yet another means of gaining customer recognition.
1. Establishing AI’s positioning
AI is not new to customer service environments, but it is rapidly becoming more ingrained in everyday operations. Some of the ways AI is revolutionizing the customer service industry include:
- Supporting individual agents: With more digital transformation of contact centers, we have a greater ability to foresee the expectations of today’s consumer. Nonetheless, studies show that consumers have a marked degree of reluctance to use services exclusively delivered via AI, preferring to communicate directly with a person. Customer service staff can benefit from internally facing AI aides along with additional AI solutions to deliver greater productivity and customer satisfaction.
- Improving self-serve options for consumers: Although consumer preference for direct communication with a live customer service agent isn’t going anywhere, those in younger demographics value access to the tools that can remedy an issue. AI tools can improve search functionality for knowledge repositories and FAQs, assisting consumers in their search for resources that can resolve their situation. If AI cannot find the necessary information to aid the customer, the customer is referred to a live agent.
- Uncovering customer insights: Modern contact center solutions have powerful tools to gather critical intelligence regarding consumer choice and buying patterns. The sheer volume of data makes manual analysis impossible. So, AI is a logical partner in examining data and generating consumer insights that can create new business opportunities.
2. Leveraging omnichannel communication
Today’s customer wants to communicate with their preferred brands on their terms.
They want control over channels of engagement, and they expect the same caliber of consistent service on every channel, from e-mail and phone calls to social media and chat. As the social media environment is undergoing a metamorphosis, businesses must be prepared to find consumers and work with them in their preferred location.
For contact centers to perform at optimal productivity, they need a CCaaS platform equipped with the latest omnichannel integration, so agent service levels are consistent across all channels. In addition to creating a unified customer experience spanning all channels, CCaaS platforms provide customer service agents with a comprehensive perspective of consumer choices and buying habits so that service can be customized to individual customers.
Read more: Unified commerce: a single solution to revolutionize retail
3. Endowing customer confidence
Cyber-attacks that have garnered national and international media attention have caused today’s consumers to become more cautious about revealing personal details. Still, consumers will provide companies with sensitive information in exchange for improved service. Contact center solutions need to prioritize safeguarding consumer data while offering an enhanced experience that is rapid and tailored to the specific customer’s needs.
While data protection laws continue to evolve and cybersecurity attacks become more complex, CCaaS platforms are equipped with sophisticated toolkits for protecting consumer data and overseeing storage. With a clear view and mandate, companies can increase consumer trust and develop the personalized experiences customers want.
Read more: Secure your organization’s cloud database with data protection and managed backup
4. Customizing consumer engagement
The analytical abilities of AI give companies a greater extent of customer insight. A CCaaS platform that incorporates business analytics solutions compiles and evaluates large amounts of data more thoroughly than in the past. Using the additional intelligence that can be mined from these data collections, companies can create methodologies to positively engage customers, promote interactions, increase loyalty, and bolster profitability.
Concentrated marketing efforts have long been essential to assuring a marketing campaign’s financial efficiency and the power of customer retention. The modern consumer views preferred brands as an extension of their own self-identity, searching for customized experiences that reinforce that feeling. CCaaS solutions will help companies create those connections.
5. Refining contact center solutions for today’s employees
Today’s workforce prioritizes flexibility in the modern business environment. This is also true of contact center staff. Until relatively recently, it was a challenge for contact center work to be hybrid or remote due to the extensive infrastructure required by a call center. The newest versions of CCaaS make a flexible workplace a reality that also maintains the advanced operations necessitated by today’s contact center solutions.
There is a direct correlation between worker satisfaction and customer satisfaction. When staff are motivated, they also feel equipped to provide exceptional customer service. The customer experience is enhanced when investments are made in the workforce. CCaaS solutions can accommodate staff’s varying approaches to work, which employers will appreciate as they work to attract and retain top service professionals.
Read more: Seven contact center trends to enhance your digital work environment
Cloud-based CCaaS
Cloud transformation is a natural progression of today’s digital transformation. In addition to transferring files to the Cloud, the Software as a Service journey of more and more organizations also includes moving key operational infrastructure to the Cloud.
With cloud CCaaS platforms, small, medium, and enterprise-sized organizations can take advantage of corporate-level hardware, service, and assistance, simultaneously streamlining business operations and costs.
Harness CCaaS functionality to achieve peak performance with OnX
Extraordinary customer service can distinguish an organization in today’s market more than any other facet of the business. If your business hasn’t already made the switch to a cloud contact center solution, consider making the switch—or risk falling behind the competition.
By partnering with OnX, your organization can bolster its existing resources with additional expertise and support when you implement a CCaaS platform. OnX customizable solutions that are completely maintained and managed so your business continues to meet customer expectations. Get in touch with OnX today to transform your contact center operations and reach another customer demographic.
