As businesses embrace digital transformation across their communications channels, we’re seeing a widespread improvement in the way they engage with customers. Their newfound ability to contextualize contact center conversations allows support agents to pull more insights from each interaction, while making their day-to-day operations more efficient.
This push for digitalization did not come from within, though. The shift in customer expectations was, and remains the true force driving digital transformations for contact centers. And it should inform your business’ customer communications strategy, too.
Unfortunately, many major businesses’ contact centers and customer support solutions are decades behind technologically. Ironically, the most pure customer-centric strategy stems from a commitment to technological advancement in customer communications. Without adequate resources to effectively communicate according to your customers’ expectations, the rest of your customer engagement plans can be significantly hampered.
There are several aspects of a digital transformation that can present immediate ROI, namely automated conversations, omnichannel integration, and actionable data.
With the ability to reduce costs and increase employee productivity, automation is a contact center’s best friend. Advancements in chatbot technology have made them a seamless communications tool for most basic customer inquiries, allowing human support agents to focus on the more challenging and complex issues presented to them.
Another key to successful customer engagement is ensuring that contact centers are using the customer’s preferred channel, rather than the other way around. Enter: omnichannel communications. Unifying multiple platforms under one umbrella, such as SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, Voice messages, Facebook Messenger, and many others, enables call centers to provide seamless customer support experiences, switching between channels at ease with the right materials to manage customer expectations.
The right technology can also provide contact center agents with a wealth of data that drastically improves the customer experience. Equipping agents with context and measurable insights from each interaction allows them to personalize each experience for customers while having predictive and actionable insights right in front of them.
With all these benefits readily available, it is a common mistake for many businesses to rush their technological investments without a thorough strategy behind it. While it is an understandable reaction, it’s important to prioritize implementation based on the specific needs of your customers, so that you don’t bombard them with unnecessary options or irrelevant information. Maintaining structure amidst the adoption of new technology can be a challenge, but this strategic approach allows businesses to maximize their benefits:
• Take note of your current processes, what works and what doesn’t
• List the most needed integrations for your business
• Use this list as your jumping-off point, and start with small projects to secure early, doable successes
• Leverage this success to fund larger projects in broader digital transformation
• Once new workflows are implemented and understood properly, continue with next steps
Digital transformation isn’t just a concept, it’s an actionable process that reduces the time spent on each customer interaction while increasing productive and positive outcomes. With a well thought out, customer-centric strategy and an open mind to digital investment, your contact center will be more valuable to you than ever before.
