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We all know about the benefits of implementing a virtual call center – cost-savings, increased productivity, and agent satisfaction – but what about when it comes to virtual customers? What about all of the call centers interacting with the rising level of mobile customers? It cannot be denied that customer mobility has been exploding as of the last few years, as seen in the introduction of tablets and newly enhanced smart phones and various other smart devices. This form of communication doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon, either. To maintain a successful call center, it will inevitably need to work to satisfy the consumer’s insatiable appetite with mobile interaction.

“Mobility has become one of the key factors in these customer interactions and with it we are seeing a proliferation in the number of different devices used and ways of interacting,” says this recent ICMI Call Center Focus article. “Customers are increasingly looking to make contact with the contact centre via a smartphone or tablet, often on their way to and from work or even when they are out in the evening. They no longer want to be restricted to voice-based interaction within the hours of 9-5 on a weekday.”

So what’s a call center to do in response to this full-speed ahead trend? Some may find it hard to evolve to keep pace with this largely growing mobile client-base. If that’s the case, here are some handy tips to help bring peace of mind.

·         Deliver Flexibility in the Cloud: It’s no secret that traditional call centers are quickly migrating to virtual, cloud-based centers. This transition works to help provide the 24x7 service that’s necessary to support a more sophisticated and modern customer-base. This move also makes it possible for operatives from across the world to help solve problems for individuals anywhere, anytime – something this article considers a “skill and need” contact center model which “helps to meet the growing expectation of customers on the move for high-quality service.”

·         Make the Most of Remote Workers: Individuals calling from a mobile device are on-the-go, requiring fast and efficient service to reflect their fast-paced lifestyle. Needless to say, providing fast and efficient answers is a call center must. “As a result, virtual contact centers need to consider making use of remote workers to ensure that a service is provided at all times.” Virtual workers provide the flexibility and added coverage which mobile customers require and desire.

·         Consider Self-Service Options: As customers increasingly embrace mobile – and most likely will continue to in the future – contact centers are expected to become increasingly ‘voiceless’ by solely focusing on electronic communication, ICMI writes. “To meet the evolving needs of customers, they will need to gear up for a new world where communication is likely to be almost entirely digital, social, through IVR or web self-service.” Accommodating mobile workers means understanding that they are at a greater level of independence than the average caller; therefore, they are usually more willing than ever to self-service, that is, if they are given the right tools to do so.

It’s important to not see the growing levels of customer mobility as a threat, but rather as an open opportunity to evolve and best accommodate to changing times. In order to do this, call centers everywhere must begin implementing the perfect contact center strategies to ensure that the most important thing is being taken care of – the customer.

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