Technology at the customer’s service
As customer demands and expectations continue to evolve, organizations have had to adapt themselves and adopt new technologies and strategies to improve their operations and customer experiences. Here we take a brief look at the most important and newest transformations in contact centers over the past year.
Automation and use of AI
One of the most significant changes in the past year was the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in call centers and contact centers. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can handle routine customer queries and provide personalized assistance around the clock, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex tasks. Automation technologies such as RPA can streamline workflows and reduce errors, improving efficiency and productivity.
According to a study by strategic management consulting firm McKinsey, a group of companies that gained the greatest benefits from AI were the ones that outpaced their competitors in 2022 so they are making greater investments in these technologies. The main functions in demand are those for optimizing operational services.
Omnichannel approach
This is another element that we have already mentioned in previous years and posts. However, it remains a reality that today’s customers expect seamless interactions with brands across multiple channels, including phone, email, chat, social media and more. An omnichannel approach integrates all of these communication channels and provides a consistent experience across all of them.
To do this, organizations had to invest in advanced technologies that would allow them to track and manage customer interactions across all channels and ensure a seamless experience for customers. According to Omnisend, a company dedicated to offering omnichannel services, marketers who used more than three channels in a campaign obtained a 494% higher order rate than those who used only one channel.
Data collection and analysis
Another change over the past year has been the integration of data analytics and business intelligence into call and contact centers. By collecting and analyzing customer data from a variety of sources, organizations can gain valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences and needs.
This information can be used to improve products and services, in the specific case of contact centers: personalizing customer experiences and identifying opportunities for growth and innovation. According to Gartner, 70% of companies will shift their focus from big data to so-called small wide data to create hyper-personalized customer experiences. As a result, the use of cloud service providers (CSPs) was one of the most evident transformations during 2022 and will continue to expand in the coming years.
The rise of BPOs
Finally, the trend to outsource call and contact center operations has grown in recent months. Organizations continue to realize that outsourcing could bring several advantages, such as cost savings, access to expertise and improved scalability. Particularly in 2022, the concept of NearShore between Canada and the United States with Mexico was highlighted.
In conclusion, the transformations that occurred in 2022 in contact centers reflect the changing nature of customer expectations and the evolving technology landscape. In general these are trends that had been present since previous years, but the accelerated steps in artificial intelligences have set the tone for the rest of the changes over the past and current year.