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  • 3 Contact Center Industry Trends You Shouldn’t Ignore

    Over the past few years, contact center leaders have had their customer experience, technological innovation, and overall resilience tested like never before. Call center industry trends help us pave a path forward and keep up with the ever-present competition.
    The first step to success is knowing what to expect. Having the right research to back your strategic decision making will keep your operations alert, competitive, and of course, customer-oriented. Our newest report, State of the Contact Center 2022, reflects on the biggest happenings from the past year, so you can plan for the months ahead with confidence.
    Looking for the highlights? Here are three contact center industry trends you shouldn’t ignore in 2022.
    Industry Report: State of the Contact Center 2022
    1. The Hybrid Work Model is Here to Stay
    Hybrid contact centers will become the norm in 2022, with many companies realizing the value of flexible work arrangements. Not only do they better engage call center agents and improve customer satisfaction, they also allow companies to save on costs through smaller office spaces and therefore, lower rents and utilities.
    The introduction of the hybrid model led many to conclude that remote work would become the new industry standard. However, Peter Ryan of Ryan Strategic Advisory says there is evidence indicating a “growing interest in the agent community around returning to the office.”

    Evidence points to a growing interest among agents and contact center operators around returning to the office. Watch this business model continue to find equilibrium in 2022.
    – Peter Ryan, CEO of Ryan Strategic Advisory

    2. Customers Expect Convenience and Immediacy.
    The COVID-19 pandemic impacted customer behavior in many ways. One of the most notable impacts is renewed demand for convenience, and their expectations around ease of service.
    Need groceries? You can order them right to your doorstep with the tap of a button. Hungry for take-out? There are now more options for delivery than ever before. And with businesses going through revolving doors of restrictions, customers have become dependent on online retailers like Amazon, who are able to turnaround and deliver orders in just a few days.

    “[Customers] will still pay more for good service, but they now expect it to include convenience.”
    – Shep Hyken, CS & CX Expert

    Increased demand for convenience has resulted in more demanding and impatient customers. Shep Hyken, CS and CX expert of hyken.com says, “[Customers] will still pay more for good service, but they now expect it to include convenience.” During challenging times, customers now expect businesses to step up and provide products and services that are both quick and accessible. Anything less, and they won’t hesitate to switch to another provider.
    Don’t make the mistake of ignoring this trend. Customer service is now recognized as a main revenue driver, alongside sales and marketing. In other words, customer loyalty has a direct impact on your business revenue. To maintain their loyalty, your contact center must provide customers with quick resolutions and exceptional experiences.

    FACT:
    A 5% percent increase in customer retention can translate to a 10% increase in profits, according to Bain&Co.

    A contact center is a busy place, though. If inbound calls are abundant and staffing is low, it becomes difficult for agents to deliver consistent quality experiences. Two poor experiences are enough for 62% of customers in the United States to switch companies.
    Omnichannel support remains one of the best ways to aid your customers, no matter their preferred channel. You can take this approach to the next level with Conversation Scheduling, which lets you escalate customers on any digital channel – social media, email, chat support, or otherwise – to the voice channel with ease.
    3. Demand for Digital-First Experiences
    Unsurprisingly, customers are more dependent than ever on the internet and online channels. That also means they expect your business to meet them there.
    Contact centers who previously resisted the transition to digital experiences were forced to make the move within the first few years of the pandemic. In 2017, 62% of businesses had some aspect of cloud-based software. Contact center expert Nerys Corfield says she expects “2022 will see a continued [contact center] migration to the cloud.”

    “2022 will see a continued migration to the cloud. Hopefully, this shift will be accompanied by an operational move to omnichannel agent environments.”
    – Nerys Corfield, Director at Injection Consulting Ltd.

    That’s because cloud-based technology is more secure than ever before, and scales easily with growing businesses. Plus, it’s perfect for remote or hybrid contact centers and their work-from-home agents. It’s can also support omnichannel processes, allowing you to connect with your digital users on their preferred channels.
    Of course, digital-first contact center technology isn’t the only option out there. Here are some tools you may want to invest in this year:
    Voice Call-Backs – Offer callers a call-back as an alternative to waiting on hold. This helps flatten call-spikes and improves the experience for your customers immensely!
    Visual IVR – This is a simple, yet powerful add-on to your website that allows customers to schedule a call-back from an agent at their preferred time.
    AI chat bots – While it can’t replace genuine human interactions, these tools can automate tedious tasks for your agents, allowing them to focus on providing excellent service.
     The post Blog first appeared on Fonolo.

  • Fear of strangers

    Why are we more likely to take off our masks or avoid social distancing with a group of friends at a party instead of strangers on the train?

    Why do we drive more carefully in a new neighborhood instead of near our home?

    Why trust the advice of a doctor who looks like us, or went to the same school we did?

    Our evolved preference for familiarity often backfires. There are many signals that give us useful information about whether a situation is productive or safe. But pre-existing social networks might not be the best one.

  • PCI Pal combined two surveys to explore the future of customer service

    Having surveyed 2,600 consumers and contact centre professionals in both the UK and USA, research commissioned by PCI Pal®, the global cloud provider of secure payment solutions for business communications has found that 61% of consumers overall (81% in the UK and 40% in the US) feel that increased use of technology to handle customer service increases…
    The post PCI Pal combined two surveys to explore the future of customer service appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

  • Getting Started with Salesforce Flow – Part 82 (Send a Welcome Email with Attachments to New Users)

    Last Updated on January 19, 2022 by Rakesh GuptaBig Idea or Enduring Question: How do you automatically send an Onboarding email to new users with Salesforce Flow? Objectives: This blog post will help us to understand the following How to use Salesforce Flow to send out an email alert with
    The post Getting Started with Salesforce Flow – Part 82 (Send a Welcome Email with Attachments to New Users) appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • Top 5 Lightning Component Gems of Salesforce Spring’22 Release!

    Last Updated on January 19, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta The Lightning Web Component modern framework is a User Interface framework to develop dynamic web apps for mobile and desktop devices. As is the case with each release, the latest Spring’22 release is packed with rich features including, the newly added
    The post Top 5 Lightning Component Gems of Salesforce Spring’22 Release! appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • 45 Valentine’s Email Subject Lines Your Subscribers Will Love

    A clever, well-planned valentines day email campaign can yield some seriously positive results. To help you play cupid with your subscribers this year, here are 45 of our favorite Valentine’s Day subject lines to inspire your own.
    According to the National Retail Federation, the average American planned to spend $165 on Valentine’s Day gifts and celebrations in 2021. With so much money trading hands on Valentine’s Day, there’s no reason your customers shouldn’t receive Valentine’s Day emails from you.
    Don’t let the florists and jewelers reap all the rewards: Your business can cash in on this holiday too. By sending the right Valentine’s Day emails, with the right subject lines, you too can sweeten your bottom line this February.
    We’ve put together a list of 45 Valentine’s email subject lines your subscribers will love. Plus, you’ll find subject line tips and some examples of great Valentine’s Day email marketing that got our hearts beating a little faster.
    45 of the best Valentine’s Day email subject lines
    B2C subject lines
    Here are some of our favorite subject lines from the worlds of retail, ecommerce, and other B2C industries. You’ll notice teases for a lot of special offers like gift cards, free gifts, or even free delivery that entice readers to open.

    Society6: Valen-time’s Almost Up to Get 30% Off Everything

    Edible Arrangements: Red roses are so last year

    Starbucks: No flowers, but alllll of the chocolate

    Paper Source: Will you be our Galentine?

    Gordon Ramsay Restaurants: Make Valentine’s Day one to Remember

    Hulu: Spend Valentine’s Day with Our Favorite Couples

    Shutterfly: Personalize your Valentine’s Day gift

    Moovly: Create a Valentine’s Day video in a snap

    Sephora: Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for him?

    Birchbox: Valentine’s Day treats for you and yours

    Saxx: Hurry! Last Chance For Valentine’s Day with Express Shipping

    Ink Cards: 6 HOURS LEFT to send cards in time for Valentine’s Day delivery

    La Mer: Happy Valentine’s Day: enjoy a free sample

    Birchbox: Last chance to gift Birchbox this Valentine’s Day

    Nordstrom: Valentine’s Day gifts for her and him

    Steve Madden: It’s love

    Birchbox: This Valentine’s Day, think inside the box

    Target: Sweet deal on Valentine’s Day gifts + in-store pickup

    Nordstrom: Valentine’s Day gifts for the loves in your life

    La Mer: A last-minute miracle for Valentine’s Day

    Guess: Let us set you up this Valentine’s Day

    La Mer: Seal it with a kiss: The lip balm for Valentine’s Day

    Orbitz: Deliver your Valentine’s Day gift in person

    Anthropologie: Show your love with these great gifts

    J. Crew: Ditch the chocolates and check out these gift ideas

    Orbitz: See the ones you love, hot fares for Vday

    Bass Pro Shop: Unique gifts for a unique Valentine

    LuLu: Be mine! Our Valentine’s shop is open!

    Touch of Modern: A Valentine’s Day gift guide you want to open

    Williams-Sonoma: XOXO Valentine’s Day favorites are here

    FabKids: What will you wear this Valentine’s Day?

    Stoneberry: Heat up this Valentine’s Day with a sale on heaters

    Uncommon designs: Bright designs for your bright love

    The Watchery: Time for love. Get these deals before time runs out

    One Kings Lane: Silky sheets and sweet dreams for Valentine’s Day

    B2B subject lines
    A Valentine’s Day email campaign isn’t just for business-to-consumer brands. More and more, business-to-business (B2B) brands are getting in on the holiday email fun as well.

    Movable Ink: Roses are red, violets are blue, this floral retailer lifted conversions – and so can you!

    WordPress: Aren’t in love with your website? Make a change

    Leo’s Tax Service: Get your taxes filed by Valentine’s Day

    Commercial Cleaners: Book before Valentine’s Day and Get $50 off

    Buffalo Web Creators: Nothing says romance like website design

    Nonprofit subject lines
    A Valentine’s Day campaign is also a great time for nonprofit organizations to drive donations, as some on your email list might want to give back this time of year.

    Petco Foundation: Join The World’s Largest #ShelterValentine

    SOS Children’s Villages: Share your love this Valentine’s Day

    The Trust for Public Land: 7 Places to steal a kiss this Valentine’s Day

    Austin Humane Society: Your furry Valentine

    United Way: Send a Valentine that sends a message

    Tips to create the perfect Valentine’s email subject lines
    Optimize your subject line for your subscribers
    A subject line should compel a subscriber to open the email. You have to choose your words wisely, especially since space is limited.
    Most subject lines are about 50 characters, so your word selection is crucial. Get familiar with the email clients and devices your subscribers are using so you can optimize your subject line length for them. You can see this information in Campaign Monitor in the Campaign Reports section under Email Client Usage.
    Here’s an example from our own Newsletter subscribers:

    Since many of our subscribers view newsletters in Gmail and on iPhones, we optimize our subject line length for those devices. An ideal length is between 41 characters (portrait view on an iPhone) and 70 characters for Gmail.
    Read more about how to determine the best length for your subject line in this post.
    Show the love in your Valentine’s email
    It might seem obvious, but you should mention the holiday in your subject line, or use words that are associated with it. You’ll notice most of the subject lines above use the phrase Valentines Day or words that coincide with the holiday, like love, sweet, or romance.
    Or, for those last-minute planners, phrases like last day, not too late, last-minute valentine’s gifts, or there’s still time will compel readers to open.
    Add an incentive to your Valentine subject line
    If you can work an incentive into the subject line, do so. For example, if you’re running an offer for free shipping or a Valentine’s Day sale, be sure to let readers know about it in the subject line. Alluding to your offer ahead of time will increase the likelihood that your subscribers open your email.
    Use an emoji to increase the

    Do you want to set your email apart from others? Consider adding an emoji. Brands using emojis in their subject lines saw a 45% increase in their unique open rates.
    The is one of the most popular emojis, and it can generate 6% more opens. What better occasion to break it out than Valentine’s Day? Several of the subject lines listed above contain a variation of the heart emoji, which means this symbol can be used for a number of email types.
    If you’re planning to use emojis, be sure it makes sense for your brand. It should fit with your brand’s overall tone. As always, it’s a great idea to a/b test subject lines to see if emojis resonate with your audience.
    To learn more about emojis and how to use them in your emails, check out our guide!
    Valentine’s Day email examples
    To go with Valentine’s Day subject lines, you’ll need a beautiful Valentine’s Day email design. Here are some of our top examples.
    Modcloth

    Notice how Modcloth focuses on the aesthetic of Valentine’s Day, rather than romance. The red background is bold and exciting.
    Society6

    Society6 uses artistic design to match their brand and style, and they even feature artist-made work in the email.
    Prezi

    Really Good Emails
    Prezi uses a clean, subtle Valentine’s Day design in their email, which encourages users to send a valentine with their service.
    Stocksy

    Really Good Emails
    Similar to Society6, Stocksy uses content from their site to create a beautiful, festive design.
    American Red Cross

    Notice how American Red Cross uses the holiday and authenticity to show their mission. The sweet story they share in the email above is bound to attract readers.
    Plan International

    Plan International uses images and Valentine’s Day colors to tug at readers’ heartstrings.
    Share the love this Valentine’s Day
    Are you prepared to embrace Valentine’s Day? With the tips and email subject lines in this post, you’ll be ready to create and send the sweetest, revenue-making Valentine’s emails, and that’s something everyone will love.
    Use Campaign Monitor to make your own Valentine’s Day emails. And don’t forget to check out our library of email templates that make building your campaigns a breeze.
    The post 45 Valentine’s Email Subject Lines Your Subscribers Will Love appeared first on Campaign Monitor.

  • Automate Appointment Scheduling for Salesforce [In-Depth Review]

    Bring customer engagement front and center with SUMO Scheduler, to speed up the time to conversation. Highlights Appointment, Event, and Class Scheduling solution, directly available in your Salesforce org. Connect any calendar/s to avoid double booking across calendar (Salesforce Calendars, Google, Microsoft 365, or Microsoft… Read More

  • Employee Experience: What It Is and How to Improve It

    From the moment someone applies for a job, to the moment they send their resignation letter to leave the company, they’ll experience plenty of connections and moments that determine their employee experience.
    Employee experience (EX) is not far from customer experience (CX). Just as a stellar CX drives loyalty and revenue, an excellent EX attracts top employees and increases employee engagement, commitment, and productivity.

    Many employers know how important it is to improve the EX to adapt to a post-covid reality and to reduce employee turnover and address employee engagement challenges. But there’s still work to do in employee experience to ensure it becomes a critical part of every business’ strategy.
    What is employee experience?
    In short, employee experience includes all of the touchpoints people come across when they work for an organization. This includes hiring, onboarding, performance management, and day-to-day interactions.
    Improving the EX is a top priority for employers. However, few have developed an EX strategy that tackles all of the challenges of working in a post-pandemic world. An article by the Harvard Business Review points out that 4 million Americans quit their jobs in July 2021 alone, and resignations have been abnormally high for the last several months.
    As a result, 92% of companies say they will prioritize EX enhancements over the next three years in an effort to prevent further resignations. This figure is up from 52% before the pandemic.
    Why Employee Experience Matters
    The employee experience is the bread and butter of business performance. When you focus on creating an environment where employees can thrive before, during, and after their tenure, you’re essentially building a solid brand and improving your product.
    EX is made of all the experiences, positive and negative, that people go through while working. These touchpoints influence how people cooperate, how much effort they put out, and whether they want to challenge themselves to succeed at work.
    From an organization’s point of view, creating a better EX is a business imperative. One of Deloitte’s studies concluded that organizations with highly engaged workforces reported a three-year revenue growth rate that was 2.3 times greater than the average.
    If you can offer an excellent experience for your teams, you’ll have a higher chance of retaining them in the long run. Research from Jacob Morgan suggests that companies that invest in employee experience are 4x more profitable than those that do not.
    Milestones Of The Employee Experience
    When thinking about the employee experience, picture a continuous circle: attraction, onboarding, engaging and developing, and exiting.
    Here’s an overview of employee experience areas based on what a person learns, does, sees, and feels at each stage.
    Attraction and Recruitment
    The attraction phase of employee experience is crucial because it determines the first impression potential employees have. Things like the job description style (super formal, or more casual?), how long it takes to respond to candidates (or if you do at all!), and how smooth the interview process is all impact the quality of hires.
    The candidate recruitment phase is also an opportunity to ensure people become advocates for your organization, even if they do not join your organization. A bad experience in this phase can damage your brand’s reputation.
    Onboarding
    The onboarding phase is your chance to impress and set your employee up for success long-term. This stage is about getting an employee up-to-speed as soon as possible and about sharing your company’s culture and vision. Of course, onboarding remote employees comes with its own set of challenges, so make sure you’ve prepared.
    Engage and Develop
    Now that hires know your company’s processes, tools, and systems, great EX creates a space for them to thrive. By fostering an environment where constructive feedback, commitment, and motivation are a part of the day-to-day, you’ll have a higher chance of retaining top talent.
    The cost of replacing an individual employee can range from one-half to two times the employee’s annual salary, so you want to avoid people leaving as much as possible. During their tenure at a company, it’s crucial to offer employees the chance to grow with the role. In practice, that means, for example, offering training opportunities so that employees keep on being challenged.
    Exit
    Even with a great employee experience in place, you have to accept that most employees eventually change companies. They can retire, make a career change, or simply switch employers.
    Don’t miss your chance to learn from exiting employees. The fact that they are on the way out typically means they’ll be sincere. It’s a precious opportunity to gather feedback you can then use to improve the retention stage.
    How To Improve Your Employee Experience
    By mapping the employee experience from start to finish, you can spot the areas that need more attention. You don’t need to focus on them all at once. Instead, prioritize the low-hanging fruit first.
    Follow these tips to create a great employee experience:
    1. Start with the priorities.
    While you might be tempted to start with various projects simultaneously, it’s more efficient to think about which stage you want to focus on. By determining what’s essential for you as a company, you’ll be more efficient at improving the areas that will have the most impact first. For example, a company might focus on improving the onboarding process during hyper-growth. Use employee surveys to uncover possible areas of improvement.
    Foster a healthy culture.
    Company culture is a significant component for acquiring and retaining top employees. Needless to say, when you foster good company culture, you’ll have happier employees – and this, in turn, leads to more successful businesses.
    A culture that attracts high talent can lead to 33% higher revenue. Ensuring a routine of giving and receiving constructive feedback is part of healthy company culture.
    Design a great onboarding experience.
    A stellar onboarding is crucial to get that new hire up to speed as soon as possible and increase the chance of them staying at the company. Studies have found that up to 20% of all new hires resign within the first 45 days of their role.
    Make sure you create an onboarding process that focuses on giving employees the tools they need to work, including access to software, and clarifies the expectations on their first weeks and months. A great way to get people excited about your brand during this phase is to send them employee swag they can use, like hoodies or water bottles.
    Invest in employee wellness.
    A wellness strategy contributes to making employees happier, which improves your company’s performance. Having happy and healthy employees enhances productivity, lowers healthcare costs, and less turnover. While it can sound expensive, it doesn’t need to be. For example, you can offer wellness benefits such as flexible hours or organize lunchtime yoga sessions.
    Offer career development schemes.
    Career development is a win-win. A career development plan pays attention to the employee’s specific needs for growth and learning and offers the assistance they need to get there. Offering a training budget can be part of a career development plan.
    On the one hand, you’re giving employees the tools they need to get even better at their job. On the other hand, they can learn new skills that make them more competitive in the job market. By offering employees the chance to improve, you demonstrate that you want them to grow personally and professionally.
    Improving Employee Engagement With EX
    The employee experience encapsulates all of the moments people go through during their work at an organization. Businesses that develop an EX strategy are more successful as it fosters engaged employees. This, in turn, means more revenue.
    For your organization to master employee experience management, you need to listen to what employees say during each of those touchpoints of the employee lifecycle, paying particular attention to the areas they consider most important.
    Fostering a great culture, developing an onboarding strategy, and listening to what employees on their way out have to say, are all part of a well-rounded EX strategy.
    Sure, congratulating people on their birthday alone won’t improve the employee experience. However, this little gesture as part of a broader culture of recognizing the small things can mean a lot for employees.
    For example, consider spending time during all-hands meetings to announce work anniversaries and promotions. Then, every person involved has the chance to speak to the entire company. This accessible approach sends a powerful message: everyone in the company matters. What better experience is there?

  • The myth about the apples

    In settings where sorting is difficult, half a bushel of perfect apples is worth more than a full bushel with a rotten apple in it.

    One bad apple can spoil a whole bunch.

    We pay a significant premium for pre-selection, confidence and a guarantee.

    Sorting adds value.

  • 10 Advanced Salesforce Reporting Features

    Salesforce Reporting is one of the most powerful features, used to give users many different views into their data, and for Admins to demonstrate the value Salesforce has upon the organization’s productivity.   Building reports in the Lightning Report Builder, a drag and drop interface, is… Read More