Category: Customer Experience

Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news. This week, we’re looking at the results of the 4 day work week trial programme, Vodafone’s innovative new lab, Gen Z and social media’s impact on hospitality, and latest comment about the state of Twitter. Key news Zendesk have recently announced their integration of…
The post This week in CX: the 4 day week results; plus news from Vodafone & Zendesk appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

In the Northern Hemisphere, it gets dark in December.

And worldwide, people buy gifts for whatever holidays they celebrate, and a lot of them are around the corner.

For both reasons, books!

The Carbon Almanac was an Amazon Editor’s choice, a Do Lectures top 100 choice, a bestseller in every country it has been released in and ideal for anyone over the age of ten.

Several organizations are buying a copy of the Almanac for their annual gifts, and if enough of us share enough copies, the world will change. It already is.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow is a magical romp, a heartbreaking love story and a ton of fun.

The Flavor Equation is a terrific cookbook and also a useful inquiry into taste. The audiobook was free with my membership, but I confess that the hardcover is a lot more useful and a better gift too.

Kafka on the Shore is a mind-bending coming-of-age story, and the audiobook is simply perfect.

All the Birds in the Sky is poignant, fun and it will make you think. A lot.

The Very Nice Box is a lovely book with a message that will resonate.

Whether it’s by candlelight or on a beach, I hope you have a lovely end to the year.

Call center managers know that choosing effective software is key to success. With the right tools on board, your contact center can increase agent happiness and productivity, while hitting your KPIs and running an efficient operation that scales with ease.   
But how do you buy the call center software and choose from the countless options in a very competitive marketplace? For starters, today’s contact centers require flexible software that supports omnichannel integrations. Tools enhanced with artificial intelligence are a must these days, along with IVR capabilities, smart routing, real-time analytics, and immediate access to caller information and context for agents.  

READ OUR FULL SOFTWARE PROCUREMENT GUIDE:
How to Buy Contact Center Software

Some features may come bundled with Call Center Software as a Service (CCaaS) packages. And if you need more incisive, effective tools you can add specialized, third-party software like Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs, which eliminate hold-time for your callers.  
To understand your software needs, you’ll need to conduct a full audit and ask yourself what problems you’re trying to solve. For a comprehensive overview of the topic, check out our most recent report on How to Buy Call Center Software. We’ll help you piece together the puzzle as we unpack the options: identifying game-changing features, discussing procurement, and shining a light on industry trendsetters who are breaking new ground.  
How to Buy Contact Center Software
Cloud vs. On-Premises Software 
One of the first questions you’ll ask is where you should host your software. As the name suggests, the main difference between cloud and on-premises software is the location where the software lives. If your products are hosted on-premises, they are installed on your business’ own computers and servers. This requires IT support and ongoing maintenance from your tech support team. Cloud software is accessed through a web browser and hosted “in the cloud” or on your vendor’s server in a remote location.  
There are pros and cons to both models, including cost, maintenance requirements, and flexibility. It’s important to understand what each option entails before you decide which works 

DID YOU KNOW:
The Contact Center Software market size is expected to grow from US $35.2 billion in 2022 to US $93.7 billion by 2027

What is Omnichannel Functionality? 
Put simply, software with omnichannel functionality lets your customers move seamlessly across all inbound channels including phone, chat, email, and social media, while their service journey is captured and shared with agents in real time. Integrated services mean callers don’t have to repeat their questions, re-explain why they’re calling or undergo multiple security checks throughout their customer service journey. (This is important! Up to 33% of callers say that repeating their information is their biggest customer service pain point.) 
This means a customer’s question can be easily escalated from a text-based chat to a voice call without missing a beat. Fonolo’s Visual IVR helps achieve this by gathering information and offering customers a call-back at a convenient time. All the relevant customer history will follow the conversation, so the customer doesn’t have to repeat their information multiple times.   
Omnichannel integration has quickly become the industry standard and is appreciated—and expected—by today’s customers. 
What is Call Center as a Service Software?   
These robust software systems integrate many of the features and tools that all contact centers need. Usually cloud-based, these systems offer “software as a service”, which refers to a purchasing model where software is licensed on a subscription basis and remotely hosted, though many providers also offer on-premises solutions. 
CCaaS tools and features:

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Visual IVR allow customers to provide information before speaking to a live agent. 
AI-based customer sentiment analysis notices keywords like “late order” or “refund” to help direct calls. 
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) routes the call to the correct agent. 
Voice Call-Backs allows the customer to schedule a convenient call-back if all agents are busy.   
Business software integration shows agents the customer’s entire service journey and helps them address their issues thoroughly.  
Analytics track KPIs to better understand customers’ needs, monitor efficiencies, and identify roadblocks.  
Workforce management tools (WFM) promote team productivity and help with smart scheduling, workload distribution, and trend forecasting.  

Many of these features are also available as specialized software—like Fonolo’s Voice Call-Backs—offering enhanced functionality for better contact center solutions.  

READ OUR FULL SOFTWARE PROCUREMENT GUIDE:
How to Buy Contact Center Software

 The post How to Buy Contact Center Software: A Guide first appeared on Fonolo.

The problem with winning all the marbles is that the game is then over. And owning all the marbles is not really worth the effort if it means no one else has a chance going forward.

And quick money? It pales in comparison with money earned over time for a job well done.

The global call intelligence and speech analytics platform, Infinity, conducted a survey into customer call experiences. Out of 2000 UK consumers surveyed, nearly half (46%) have been disappointed with brand calls over the last 6 months. What’s the impact of negative brand calls? Called the ‘Moments that Matter’ survey, Infinity investigated whether brands are getting…
The post Customer calls are the moments that matter appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

Culture shifts. But it’s held in place by norms, and those are driven by status and affiliation.

No one actually needs a car that can accelerate one second faster than most other cars. But having one confers status in some circles. But what happens when a new generation of technology makes that previously fast car not the fastest anymore? Is it still a luxury good?

Mink coats used to confer some sort of prestige in some circles. What happens when a Patagonia jacket is warmer, more durable, cheaper, lighter, less cruel and easier to wear?

A big steak dinner was a way to express generosity and hospitality. What happens when you live in a community where steak isn’t seen as generous any longer?

Perhaps a master of the universe can point out that he can be at the meeting tomorrow simply by hopping on his private jet. Is there more status in being the one who can save time and overhead simply by dropping in via Zoom?

A big office may no longer be more prestigious than a resilient, productive workforce that works where it wants to. A loud factory crammed with workers might not be the sign of power and influence that it used to be. Smokestacks used to show that a city was on the move…

In many cases, luxury goods cease to have status when they make the owner look stupid.

Norms seem normal. Until they’re not.

New call center managers have a lot to wrap their minds around. Coming in fresh to a new company allows you to implement improvements and make real change happen. But with the opportunity to grow comes with, well, growing pains. Overhauling your call center operations can seem outright impossible without a little guidance and know-how. Whether you are that new call center manager or a seasoned pro who wants to pick up some new ideas, we’ve packaged everything you need to know to help you improve your call center performance.
Start with Some Self-Reflection
The success of your call center agents depends heavily on your ability to lead them to that success. Just as any great sports team is only as good as its coach, a call center team is only as good as its manager. Begin your journey to operational improvement by reflecting on your skills as a manager and developing goals to improve your management approach. Consider asking yourself these questions:
1. Have I built a good rapport with my team members?
Depending on the size of your call center, this could mean different things. If you’re in charge of a small team of call center agents and have no supervisor working under you, you must ensure you know your call center agents by name and demonstrate to them that you’re invested in their growth. Say “hello” every time you see them on their shift and try your best to get to know them on a professional but friendly level. You’ll be working very closely with them on training and development which means there needs to be reciprocal trust on both sides.
If you’re managing a larger team and have multiple supervisors reporting to you, you’ll need to develop this level of trust with them. Be sure they feel comfortable reaching out for assistance if they have questions. Keep up to date on their personal goals and the goals they have for their team.

FACT:
According to Zippia, only 48% of employees surveyed believe their company’s leadership abilities are “high-quality”. Determine what your employees think of your leadership skills with an anonymous survey. It’ll allow you to work on holes in your management skill set you may never have known.

2. Do I respond to team members’ emails promptly and in a friendly manner?
 This comes along with rapport-building. If you’re constantly missing emails or replying in short three- or four-word messages, your team will likely feel uncomfortable approaching you with any issues or questions they might have.
3. Do I know the most important key performance indicators (KPIs) and keep track of them regularly?
There are plenty of call center metrics you can use to help determine how you’re doing, the most important ones being:

Average waiting time
Average handling time (AHT)
Call volume Call abandonment rate
First call resolution
Customer satisfaction (CSat) score
Net promoter score (NPS)

Keeping a pulse on your most significant KPIs will help you determine what your contact center is excelling at and where you may need some improvement. You should also be communicating these statistics with your team regularly.
4. Are my expectations clear to my team?
If you haven’t clearly defined your expectations for your team, then you can’t expect agents to meet them. Write down a list of expectations you have and be sure to relay them to team members at a staff meeting. Make sure your expectations are realistic, measurable, and delivered politely. Include dinner for team members at the meeting and be sure to ask for feedback. Then, adjust expectations as you see fit, based on employee feedback, and send out an email that states everything in writing.
5. Have I set realistic goals for my team and encouraged them to set their own?
Goal setting is a skill in itself (one that we cover in more depth below). Setting goals keeps call center agents engaged and excited about career expansion. If you haven’t established a goal-setting process with your team members, we have you covered in our goal-setting section below.
How to Set Team Customer Service Goals
These are just a few of the essential management skills you’ll need to be a great leader. Every few months, it may be helpful for you to revisit these questions and see if you answer them any differently. Identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses makes for impressive and inspiring leadership.
Master the Basics of Call Center Operations Management
If you focus on streamlining the processes you have in place to manage daily tasks, your contact center will run smoother, agents will be happier, customer experience will break records, and KPIs will dramatically improve. Implement these changes to improve your call center operations:
Be Thorough When Hiring
Acquiring new talent isn’t as simple as it sounds. When you seek new employees, interview them thoroughly, conduct background checks, call references, and have one or two of your team members meet them before you decide to move forward. If you employ people you can trust to work efficiently and who already demonstrate the skills needed to excel at your contact center, they’ll require less training and be happier at their job, reducing churn.

TIP:
The more inclusive your hiring process, the more likely you are to find call center agents who both fit in with your team and stand out through the innovative ideas they bring.

Offer On-Going Training
The training you offer new employees is incredibly important. Especially since the move to remote and hybrid work environments, training new call center agents can be challenging. No matter how you decide to approach your employee onboarding, you must ensure it’s comprehensive and built to extend over months, not days. Trying to cram everything into a one- or two-week period can lead to burnout, overwhelm, and poor agent performance right from the get-go. This training should include:

In-depth lessons on how to locate company information quickly, as they’ll need fast access to this info during customer interactions.
Role-playing games to give newbies a glimpse into customer interactions before they start on calls.
IT training on information confidentiality and security as well as any relevant technology.
Empathy training to ensure new hires can actively listen and assist customers with their needs.

TIP:
Training should be ongoing, and available to every level of employee. This keeps agents engaged in their work and more likely to stay with the company for longer.

Encourage Staff with Coaching and Goal Setting
Actively encourage and help your employees to set meaningful individual goals that follow the SMART rule: specific, measurable, achievable, relative, and timely. For example:

Increase your CSat score from Y to Z by [this date].
Help to train one new hire by [this date].

Once you’ve established the goals with your agents, be sure to keep track of their progress with bi-weekly or monthly check-in meetings. Congratulate wins no matter how small and collaborate on resolutions to challenges they might have along the way.
Use Tools to Improve Your Scheduling
Properly scheduling your team is one of those tasks that seems easy, but every established contact center manager will assure you that it’s super complex. Besides needing to take each agent’s schedule into account, it’s also imperative that scheduling follows your call forecasting. For example, if you know Thursday mornings before noon tends to be the slowest period of the week, then scheduling fewer agents at those times makes the most sense from a costing standpoint. However, the fact that fewer agents are working on Thursday mornings means you may need to exclusively staff the period with experienced agents who can complete interactions efficiently and without assistance. Newer agents tend to need experienced agents around them, which means it’s better to schedule them during busy times when more teammates are there to help. Your call center software should have forecasting tools that can help with this process.

DID YOU KNOW:
Fonolo offers Voice Call-Backs that allow your customers to choose to receive a call-back when it’s their turn in the queue. For unexpectedly busy days where not enough agents have been scheduled, Voice Call-Backs smooths out the call spikes and take some pressure off the agents.

Employ Call Center Technology
Your team is only as efficient as the technology you provide for them and the same goes for your customers. Offering an optimized self-service customer experience is a game changer for both your customers and your agents. Tech like Web Call-Backs that sorts out your queue for you, Voice Call-Backs which give customers the freedom of choice, and omnichannel support options like chatbots and social media interactions, give your customers flexibility throughout their journey with your business. Your agents will benefit from the less overwhelming workload and have more time to offer high-quality customer service. Your customers will be happier, too.
Create Sustainable Changes That Evolve Over Time
Overhauling your call center operations is time-consuming and labor-intensive — but it’s so worth it. Make changes little by little to keep things as seamless as possible. You’ll also want to make sure you’re constantly testing your processes and strategies to improve them over time. Remember, the most successful call centers are ones that are flexible to the changing needs of clients and employees.The post A Guide to Improving Call Center Operations first appeared on Fonolo.

Hurry, sure. We need to hurry.

Hurry puts it up on our priority list. Hurry gives us urgency and focus.

But rushing is something that leads to errors and then apologies. “I’m sorry, I rushed it,” is not something we want to hear.

But hurry.

The cost of living crisis is hitting the UK hard. 77% of the population have reported that they are worried about rising costs. With Black Friday on the horizon, retailers have already spent weeks calculating the best deals they can offer. This is also whilst signing off marketing collateral to tempt customers to shop.  But will…
The post Could this year’s be the busiest Black Friday ever? appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

Amid rising living costs, economic uncertainty and global recession, customer service has become the key differentiator for success. To gain vital margins, more brands are placing a greater focus on improving the customer experience (CX). This can increase profitability by up to 2% and shareholder return by up to 10%. The economic climate is forcing business leaders to make…
The post Solving the CX challenges keeping decision makers up at night appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.