At the end of each year, it’s common for technology vendors to examine the successes of the past 12 months and look ahead to challenges and opportunities around the corner. This often includes an examination of trends and how they can impact the organization and its customers. When considering contact center software, a focus on the next 12 months is an important process so decision makers can determine whether change is needed or if they’re positioned for positive outcomes.
A recent post in Virtual Strategy outlined the top 10 customer contact center trends for the coming year. The post is based on a DATAMARK white paper, offering keen insight into what contact centers may want to anticipate for 2014. Service expectations continue to move beyond the phone call to varying interactive channels and bilingual demands are intensifying. These and other trends will help to shape the contact center software market in the very near future.
Trends identified by DATAMARK include improved self-service resources across all customer channels. Contact centers are constantly searching for ways to reduce the number of phone calls that come into the center. At the same time, a reduction in the number of requests through other channels can also be of benefit. The company fully expects that contact centers will assess their current presence of social media and websites to ensure their self-help pages are easier to find and use. This could also mean additional investments in software platforms that help streamline the self-service experience and improve outcomes.
Mobile apps will also gain more attention as an extension of the self-service efforts. There must be a direct tie in with contact center software to ensure customers and the contact center experience the most benefit. One of the key drivers here is to keep complaints off of social media channels where too many people can have their perception of the brand impaired. Customers gain access to resources like how-to manuals and videos or can schedule a call-back if they need to be contacted by an agent.
When these tools for self-help no longer satisfy the customer or they fall short of meeting expectations, live video chat is a logical next step. Beyond the benefits associated with the live interaction, companies will also look to adopt co-browsing technologies so they can help a customer directly through a shared experience. This will be a critical step in the e-commerce space and any website that offers the customer an interactive experience.
Finally, the growing Hispanic market is presenting interesting opportunities for the contact center industry overall. Companies must make investments in contact center software and staff to support bilingual requests as simply being able to communicate is not enough. Companies will have to invest in strategies that allow insight and innovation for this customer base, recognizing the opportunities for growth.
DATAMARK has a number of other trends outlined in its white paper, stressing the importance of focusing on the market and understanding changing demands. The contact center able to do so is better positioned to dominate the market.
Edited by Alisen Downey