Technology is influencing our lives in more ways than we cared to notice. From the alarm that wakes us up, to the reminders that we set on our smartphone, there is no end to the little things that automation is carrying out for us on a daily basis.
With increased dependence on automation, it was only a matter of time when it became a disruptor to call center services as well.
Let us see how!
Human Interaction is Becoming Unnecessary
For now, the call center industry uses interactive service model, even though other industries have incorporated digital services. It is time for call centers to consider an upgrade if they want to adequately service the millennials, the largest consumer pool in the world. Millennials prefer to use self-service options, rather than interacting with humans. In fact, a survey revealed that 72% of Gen-Y believes that a customer service problem cannot be solved on the phone. They would rather read the FAQs or forums or chat with bots instead of making the call. Since, customers now only call when all their self-service options have been fully exhausted, the customer care representative’s job is to not service them, but to retain them. Thus, it makes sense that the call centers now upgrade their communication systems to more digital interactions.
The Cost Savings
By upgrading to automated communication systems, not only will you improve the customer satisfaction, but also beef up the bottom line. How? Here’s how.
Recruiting new resources is a huge expense for organizations. Add to it the cost of training that will only increase over time. The whole process becomes expensive not just in the short run, but in long run too. However, by automating customer service, you can keep your costs in control as you will not be required to train or retrain your resources. Also the automated systems are scalable and can be reconfigured or upgraded as per new requirements.
Anticipating Future Needs
Gone are the days when call centers offered real-time solutions. With technological advancement, it has become important to service anticipatory needs of the customers, also known as “going the extra mile.” Automation can go through previous queries, preferences, contexts and prior trends to develop smarter solutions for the customers. To offer this service, the company can employ artificial intelligence agents with conversational interface. The AI can offer real-time support or respond as a virtual assistant. Resolving customer problems even before they happen is the new way of servicing your patrons’ needs and setting new standards. It will not only improve brand loyalty, but also lower customer abandonment rate.
At the heart of automation lies 24/7 service availability, feeding information round-the-clock to ever-connected millennials. The self-reliant customers don’t need long and tedious conversations on the phones. They need quick answers, crisp service and one-time solutions. Rather than employing your techniques in upgrading your resources, automating your systems may be the way forward.
