We embarked on a fun little survey this spring to gather input on the future of the contact center. Because AI is a hot topic, we focused particular attention on this widely hyped enabling technology. We asked people to weigh in on what impact they think AI will have on contact centers in the next… Read More »
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This lovely phrase we all learned as children comes to mind when thinking about omnichannel (OC). It’s not new, or untried, but it is still an elusive goal for most centers. Some OC efforts have been held back by the low volume of new channels. But… Read More »
When customers call, they inevitably want answers or resolution, and they want it quickly and easily; agents want to give it to them too! You and your customers’ goals align: Reduce hold time and handle time Achieve first contact resolution (FCR – more simply, “closure” to them) Provide/get a speedy response that everyone can be… Read More »
It jumped out at me as big news: Lack of and/or bad desktop tools took the #1 spot on our challenges list for 2019. That data confirms what we see in countless projects. Without good desktop tools, agents find their own way, and that may not be good! Some use copy and paste, while others… Read More »
Cloud-based contact center technology is a boon for today’s centers. It provides access to the latest features and functions with increased flexibility and decreased IT burden. Attractive economics and the promise of a speedy implementation provide strong inducements for decision makers. And yet, it still takes careful planning and intentional design for the technology and… Read More »
We’ve had our fingers on the pulse of cloud-based contact center solutions since the initial offerings came to market. There’s a lot to like about them: features/functions, flexibility, agility, ongoing upgrades, reduced demands on IT, attractive economics, and so on. Vendor messaging leans heavily on “good, fast, and cheap” to draw overburdened contact center and… Read More »
With nearly 300 participants, our fourth annual Challenges and Priorities Survey gave us a brief snapshot at what’s happening in our industry. I’m excited to share the results. This year, change is the theme! While I encourage you to download the complete report, here is a sneak preview into what we found in the results:… Read More »
As we end 2018 and reflect on what’s ahead in 2019, it seems like a good time to think about what’s new and what’s next in contact center technology. My team of consultants identified the top things we see dominating contact center technology discussions. Here’s a quick summary before I dive into the commentary: Artificial… Read More »
In a recent series of articles with Contact Center Pipeline, I’ve focused on Contact Center Costs and the Role of Technology as well as strategies for calculating a Return on Investment (ROI) that might shake some funding loose for technology. As discussed in the second article, three common paths for business case development include: Efficiency… Read More »
Here’s the scene: It’s the busiest hour of the busiest day. With beefed up self-service through online and mobile applications, customers take care of the easy stuff on their own and reach out to agents when they can’t find what they need. Meanwhile, agents are overwhelmed, trying to retain knowledge on an increasingly complex and diverse… Read More »