There are many reasons why the Call Center did not give its place - and probably will never do - to robotic systems.
Why the Call Center remains vital to a business
• It responds better to difficult. Automation took on only the simplest
of tasks. The most complex customer requirements continue to be solved
mainly by representatives.
• It is a "bypass" in technology. As the digitization progresses, a
large volume of calls concerns technical / technological issues faced by
the customer. In this case, the phone offers a necessary "back to
basics", especially for your customers who do not have strong digital
skills.
• It is more human. In the COVID era, we have been deprived of human
"contact". A representative at the end of the line fills this gap and
creates security for us.
• It is more immediate. Despite the feeling that waiting in line can be a
deterrent, in the end, live phone contact is competitive even to live
chat. Speech remains faster than writing.
• It helps in customer experience. A polite, informed agent excels in
the experience that your customers gain, while at the same time,
creating positive emotions towards your brand.
(Pre)viewing the future of Call Centers
Some of the transformations have already started taking place, while others are on the verge of change.
The 7 trends that will dominate in Call Centers
• Increased security: The issue of security and protection of personal data is becoming increasingly important
• Voice Authentication: So far it is of little used and mainly in
sensitive banking services, but its use will become wider in the coming
years
• Advanced Analytics: Today, the use of data and analytics tools is considered a basic practice of a Call Center.
• Multi-channel call agent skills: Call agents should easily switch from
one service channel (eg telephone) to another (eg digital channel) to
assist the customer in their digital experience.
• IoT (Internet of Things): Now that our devices are starting to connect
and share information, it's not too late for them to take the
initiative to get technical support.
• Cloud: as long as we move to the Cloud, without the need for Call
Centers with ground "anchorages", Call Center agents will be able to
work flawlessly from home or from afar, applying safe (for the customer)
but also efficient ( for business) teleworking. After all, the needs of
the workers after the advent of COVID-19 in our lives are also moving
there.
• Predictive behavior routing: the way the calls are routed will become
much "smarter". Each call will "read" or predict the client's behavioral
profile and associate it with a representative of a corresponding
behavioral profile. The further use of analytics and AI (Artificial
Intelligence) will also contribute to this.
Selecting (and retaining) the call agents of tomorrow
Tomorrow's Call agents will have to handle all the new trends mentioned
above. Gone are the days when an agent only had "eloquence and
communication skills". And since automation frees them from easy,
low-demand tasks, they must have the flexibility to meet the most
complex needs of a Contact Center.
So what is the shift in the skills of call agents, from yesterday to tomorrow?
One could say that Call Centers in the future will function more as
Relationship Hubs. In other words, it will be a Department that will
carry on its back the full relationship between the company and its
public. The big challenge from now on is finding the right talents,
under these new conditions, their harmonious integration, their
education, and of course their long-term retention. ManpowerGroup, based
on its extensive experience in staffing Customer Service departments,
can help you successfully staff your own business with the call center
talents you are looking for.
Also, talent campaigns can bring excellent results. ManpowerGroup
Marketing has created corresponding, very successful, digital campaigns.
The management of your Human Resources does not stop at hiring. You need
to pay attention to the whole range of your cooperation with the
employee, until the end. Does it seem difficult and time consuming?
ManpowerGroup's 360ᵒ approach seeks to make it a little easier for you. How? Undertaking full Human Resources Management Services, facilitating you with procedural, legal, financial and technical issues from the moment of hiring until the last day of cooperation with them. Your Call Center will be much easier to manage, leaving you time and resources to invest where you want. It is your final decision. Or as we would say in a more multilingual context: it’s your Call!
