The fact that a majority of companies haven’t quite perfected their digital customer support strategies isn’t a surprise to anyone who doesn’t live under a rock. The utopia of omnichannel customer support underpinned by marvelous automation and resourceful, caring human agents still seems like a punchline for a “Saturday Night Live” cold open.
Now, research backs it up. A study conducted by LiveVox and research group Omdia has concluded that the biggest barriers to customer experience and agent productivity are unintegrated and inaccessible data, too much agent complexity, and slow digital adoption.
The issue should be of great concern because of the influence the contact center wields in the success or failure of a business. The contact center has become the new digital storefront for brands and is often not only the initial touchpoint for customers, but frequently the only touchpoint – agents have an incredible amount of influence on the customer experience. But they’re being overwhelmed with ineffective and poorly integrated technology.
“Our study with Omdia revealed that agents are dealing with an unnecessary amount of complexity – too many applications, too much tech that’s hard to use, and an inability to clearly see the data they need to personalize customer interactions,” said Louis Summe, CEO and co-founder of LiveVox, in a statement. “And, these limitations harm agent productivity and morale. The next phase of digital transformation for the contact center must focus on creating a streamlined, agent-centric experience – including the use of practical AI and self-service solutions.”
Providing contact center agents with must-have tools and training to deliver digital-first, omnichannel engagements remains a challenge. The study found that only 59 percent of agents felt they had the right level of training and knowledge, less than a third (31 percent) were able to develop a holistic view of the customer journey, and only half (50 percent) were able to access data across their company’s business units. The result is that 65 percent of agents said that the customer experience differs across channels, 49 percent said that customers call back repeatedly to resolve issues, and only 37 percent said they were empowered to act in the customers’ best interest.
To solve the problem, LiveVox and Omdia suggests that call centers invest in technologies that centralize data and make it accessible and actionable to agents when and where they need it, and look for solutions that use artificial intelligence (AI) to automate routine tasks and reduce live agent workloads.
LiveVox will be exhibiting in booth #123 at ITEXPO 2022. For the latest in business communications and technology tools, solutions, and strategies that are re-shaping how businesses operate and communicate, join the conversation at ITEXPO 2022, taking place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, June 21-24, 2022. Part of the #TECHSUPERSHOW, ITEXPO combines four days of educational conference programming with a robust exhibit hall, networking events, and other activities, bringing together buyers and providers or business technology products and services. Along with ITEXPO, #TECHSUPERSHOW includes MSP Expo, IoT Evolution Expo, Future of Work Expo, The Blockchain Event, and more.
Edited by
Erik Linask
