Is Your Contact Center Stuck in the Last Decade? Trends to Watch Out for in 2020

woman on computer talking on headset

As customer needs and demands evolve, so must contact centers and customer service departments. In the past decade, we’ve seen contact centers grow and progress with advanced technologies and new processes, but as always, there’s still room for improvement. Here are the trends you can expect to see (and should adopt!) in 2020:

Artificial intelligence

In the past couple of years, businesses have started to use artificial intelligence (AI) within their contact centers. Early adopters are seeing the benefits with a more streamlined experience for both customers and agents, and we expect to see more and more companies start to adopt this technology in the future.

Digital transformation

Speaking of technology, we all know that it’s developing at a rapid pace. The most competitive contact centers have a continuously evolving digital strategy that is forward-thinking and holistic. Customers want a rewarding experience and to know that their interaction with a contact center didn’t take place in a vacuum. In 2020, having a truly digital contact center is the best way to provide this type of service, integrating technology that can provide full consumer context with each interaction for a better, more streamlined customer experience.

Advanced analytics and reporting

From real-time performance statistics to call tracking and reporting, data can aid in training, improve the customer experience, reduce costs and help identify areas of improvement. Gone are the days of relying on manual observation from supervisors and peers to provide this data. Now, even the smallest businesses and contact centers are able to utilize advanced analytics and turn that information into valuable feedback for their employees.

Mobile & omnichannel communications

It’s been reported that about 1.6 billion people shop on their phones and that number continues to rise. As more customers are relying on their smartphones to make purchases, they expect to be able to receive customer support there as well. Or on their desktop. Or, really, wherever they choose. We find that contact centers that can offer seamless omnichannel support, providing a consistently positive experience across all channels along the customer’s journey, are the most successful.

Cloud communications

We have seen cloud communications explode in the past few years. Many contact centers have already adopted some form of the cloud as part of their communications strategy; however, this will only become more of a necessity in the years to come as traditional contact centers continue to evolve, grow and become more mobile.

More meaningful customer satisfaction metrics

There are many different ways to approach customer satisfaction within a contact center, but many big players, including Amazon, use a Negative Response Rate Metric. They don’t rate representatives on-call times, but instead look at whether or not the representative has solved the customer’s issue by the end of the call. At the end of an interaction, the customer is asked if their problem was solved. Each “no” is counted as a negative response. Sure, calls maybe longer, but for good reason. Representatives aren’t worried about quickly getting customers off the phone and instead can focus on fully resolving the problem at hand.

Remote agents/call centers

Advancements in mobility and collaboration tools now allow employees to take their work anywhere. Remote contact center agents can benefit from flexible hours while the company benefits from cost savings, reduced agent turnover and a wider pool of candidates. 2019 solidified remote contact center workers as a stable trend, and it’s predicted that more and more companies will start to take advantage.

Self-service functionality

Using big data, contact centers have the ability to really get to know their customers and their needs. This allows for a unique opportunity to incorporate more self-service options into their offerings. For example, detailed FAQs and tutorials that show customers how to fix common problems on their own have proven to reduce call volume and times. Of course, these sections of a website should always include a chat box, click-to-call feature, or a phone number in case the customer prefers to speak with someone regarding his or her issue.

Social media interaction

There’s no denying the power of social media. In an age where customers turn to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more to leave quick (and very public!) feedback, businesses need to be ready to interact. Witty posts and cute graphics are great, but alone, they just don’t cut it anymore. Responding to customer comments, both positive and negative, and working with customers to help solve problems shows that your company is committed to their experiences.

Which trends do you see your contact center adopting this year? Start the conversation in the comments section below!