Call center software solutions are intended to help contact centers serve customers as efficiently as possible. This is largely achieved by providing call center agents with the tools to quickly check information about a customer’s history so they’ll have the knowledge to improve the overall customer experience.
Generally speaking, software solutions today will offer multiple ways for customers and agents to interact. Customers are no longer restricted to phone calls like the old days of call centers, but they can now contact support through text messaging, chat bots, company apps, and more. These options are frequently referred to as multichannel. A 2017 customer service report revealed that 47% of customers use multiple channels to get in touch with customer service representatives. And 54% of customers surveyed also stated that they had higher expectations of customer service than they had just the previous year. Clearly, offering customers as many options as possible, along with effective service, is crucial to keep their loyalty. It’s possible to take the customer service experience beyond what multichannel offers and transition to true omnichannel service. The following are just some of the key reasons that omnichannel is the future of contact centers.
A truly seamless experience
Omnichannel services, such as those offered by Bright Pattern, allow for completely seamless customer experiences. Multichannel technology may grant customers the ability to contact customer service through a variety of channels, but these channels are kept completely separate from one another. If a customer begins speaking with an agent in web chat, and they need to be switched to a phone call, the customer will be transferred to a different agent who has no knowledge of the previous conversation. The customer is effectively forced to start their journey again.
Omnichannel solutions remove the barriers between channels, so that customers can freely switch from one to another without worry. Even if a customer has to be transferred to a more qualified agent for their needs, omnichannel systems keep a record of the conversation up to that point, so a new agent is able to join the session with full knowledge of the situation. This saves everyone’s time and also makes for a much more personalized experience for the customer, so they’ll be likely to remember the situation in a positive light.
Empowered agents
Omnichannel solutions aren’t just great for customers. They’ll also help motivate agents and boost their productivity like never before. Job satisfaction is important for all employees, and this is especially true in customer service. Agent turnover is extremely high in these positions, and the tools available to agents are often cited as one of the most important factors in job satisfaction. With the best tools, you’ll be able to retain more agents, saving costly and time-consuming rehire and training efforts.
With a simple-to-use unified agent desktop, Bright Pattern’s omnichannel solution makes it easy for agents to track communications across all channels to assist customers as quickly and effectively as possible. Click to call, screen pop, real-time statistics, and a built-in knowledge base are just a few features that will help boost agent performance.
Improved analytics
Going beyond customer service, the Bright Pattern omnichannel platform also offers robust customer analytics, reporting, and quality management tools. Analyzing customer data helps determine buying habits and frequently asked questions, making it easier to predict what they’ll need from your support staff. It also can provide insights into areas of the business that may need to be improved, so you can easily focus on delivering the best experience possible.
Finally, these analytics tools make it easier than ever for supervisors to track agent performance, offer guidance in needed areas, and reinforce positive behaviors. Omnichannel solutions improve the experience for both the customers and the business.
