You might think that it was the sudden shift to remote work in 2020 that drove a surge in implementation of contact center as a service (CCaaS), and it is partly true. But even before COVID-19 made its appearance, the pursuit of the ideal customer experience was making CCaaS a priority for companies.
Those organizations that were already utilizing CCaaS were better positioned to pivot to remote work, but it’s likely that the same commitment to customers that made CCaaS a priority also made them ready to create superior customer experiences and survive turbulent times. In other words, it wasn’t just the technology that made them resilient, but the customer-focused philosophy behind it. Here are three ways in which CCaaS and the customer experience are driving one another:
Customers Want Flexibility: In a world where communication is happening more and more over text and chat, customers want to be able to interact with companies in these formats. Rather than sit with a phone attached to their ear, waiting for their turn in the queue, customers can get an easy response to their questions with a chatbot. For more in-depth questions, a customer service agent can be reached through an email or instant message.
On-premise, legacy communications tools are limited in these functions, forcing companies to either relinquish customers to more technology-forward competitors or patch together apps to try to accommodate the communication formats their customers want.
Agents Want Rewarding Jobs: Happy contact center agents result in better customer experiences. When the technology is there to relieve contact center agents from more mundane tasks, such as providing delivery updates or answering simple questions, they are able to engage more fully with interesting customer issues. Companies retain their best agents, who provide the best customer experiences.
CCaaS solutions are also accessible from anywhere with a solid internet connection, so agents are able to enjoy working in the location they prefer. Their employers are able to offer agents better work-life balance, giving them the power to attract the best talent.
Perception Is Everything: The customer experience isn’t a set of policies that the company creates. It is fully in the perception of the customer. When a customer experiences consistent, excellent service, it’s because of a company culture that celebrates those experiences.
CCaaS is a critical tool in delivering excellence to customers. For instance, when a customer calls about an error on an invoice, the agent can see that it’s not the first time the customer has experienced an invoicing error. The agent can see the chat conversation about invoicing that occurred two months prior, all as a part of an integrated communications solution. The agent knows that how they handle the error will likely have a significant impact on whether the customer will return to do business with them again.
Delivering an exceptional customer experience takes more than CCaaS, but these two elements of your company have a way of working hand-in-hand to elevate your company’s approach to delivering excellence. Contact us at Cloud Source to learn more.