Nothing is more instrumental to the success of an organization than the customer experience (CX). So, it’s understandable that businesses are searching for tools to outdo their competitors.
I hear from executives all the time that they’re searching for “top-rated enterprise communication tools” or “top-rated contact center solutions.” Given how quickly AI technologies are developing, business leaders know they need to keep updating their offerings in order to stay at the cutting edge.
I tell them that, if their marching orders are to seek out “top-rated solutions,” they’re off to the wrong start -- and could soon find themselves lost in the wilderness.
If your destination is the best possible customer experience, you need to begin the search asking a very different question: What tool will empower our organization to deliver the top-rated customer experience in our industry?
Here’s why the difference is so significant, and how to find the right CX software.
Just about every vendor says their offerings are highly rated – and that's usually true. But, who were the raters? What kinds of clients did they come from? What kinds of customer experiences were those clients trying to achieve? What were the specific use cases? None of this information lies in a number.
For example, clients might be thrilled with a tool’s ability to handle inbound service calls during office hours. But, that same tool might be disastrous when a customer has a complex emergency and needs off-hours support. Ratings, on their own, tell you none of this.
More importantly, these aren’t the ratings that matter most. The ones to focus on are the ones your own customers, who have different needs, ultimately give you.
The power to shape journeys
What organizations should do is think of outcomes first . What are all the use cases your organization may face? What kinds of experiences do you want to design for customers in all these potential situations?
Then, look for tools that are as designable and flexible as possible. Tools with a demonstrated record of understanding the unique needs of each customer, and pulling through for them as an individual. Tools that will allow you to shape each journey, from problem to resolution, in as few steps as possible.
To deliver a top-rated experience, the tools must know everything your company knows about each customer. That's one of the big reasons I’m such a fan of UCXMs, Unified Customer Experience Management platforms. They use AI to hold onto, process, and pull together every piece of information about every customer, across every channel. The result is an unprecedented, holistic view of the person’s pain points, preferences, and goals.
Connected resolution delivers impact
There's another big reason a UCXM beats out a traditional CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) tool. Today, organizations should connect every department into a single, customer-centric platform. That includes traditionally “back office” teams like finance, accounting, legal and more. Doing so dramatically increases the chances of resolving customer issues the first time.
As Nextiva found in its survey, The Leader’s Guide to CX Trends , “Today, multiple customer-facing and back office teams play a role in the customer journey, influencing the way users behave in-app, make buying decisions, and receive support. Survey respondents called out sales, product, digital, marketing, and a handful of other teams as part of delivering a great customer experience. Nearly three-quarters of them included traditionally ‘back office’ teams, acknowledging the reality that what happens behind the scenes has a profound effect on customer satisfaction and retention.”
In my work advising firms across a wide array of industries, I see this consistently: Acompany that unifies its internal operations ultimately delivers a more personalized and resolution focused customer experience . I’m a fan of Nextiva, but not because it gets such high ratings from customers and respected agencies . I’m a fan because it has pioneered the UCXM, and understands the reality of today’s customer experience. (I have a business relationship with the company, but my opinions are entirely my own).
As your business looks to invest in the right technology to enhance customer support, follow this path in 2016 and beyond. Seek out a platform that delivers a holistic understanding of a customer and empowers your entire staff to be part of the process. With these as your guideposts, you’ll be on your way to getting the ratings that spell success: very highly satisfied customers.
About the author: Wayne Butterfield is Partner for AI, Automation, and Contact Center Transformation at ISG . An automation pioneer, he guides businesses through digital transformation, as well as cognitive and AI automation, in ways that transform customer service. An early adopter of RPA in 2010, he created one of the first enterprise-scale RPA operations. For more than 15 years, he’s been at the forefront of new technologies and pioneering solutions. He helps ensure organizations sidestep pitfalls and swiftly harness the power of modern technologies for efficiency and growth.
Wayne Butterfield is Partner for AI, Automation, and Contact Center Transformation at ISG. Edited by
Erik Linask
