In the customer service industry, advancements in technology have opened a number of doors to tighter competition, greater customer expectations and new business models. The hosted contact center today looks very different from the traditional call center of the last generation. Take a look ahead to the future and that look is likely to change again.

A recent Smart Customer Service post put together 10 predictions for the next 10 years in the call center space. Given the evolution of the customer care center in the last five years, the next 10 could hold significant promise. Let’s take a look at some of the points on this list and how they can impact your operation.  

It’s All About Relationships – the contact center has traditionally been a centralized approach to responding to customer issues. Agents on the phone are generally tasked with solving problems that could have been prevented. In future strategies, these agents may play a bigger role in establishing and building relationships and contributing to a healthier business.

Call Routing Will Get More Intelligent – while this capability already exists, customers expect to be matched with the right expert the first time they reach out to a company. As CRM and workflow management systems improve, complex matchmaking will be expected and outcomes are likely to be extremely profitable.

Web Chat Will Dominate – companies are already paying attention to abandonment on their websites and offering live chat in the first few seconds of arrival. With the evolution of WebRTC, such capabilities will only increase, while companies will also get smarter about when their customers want chat and when they’re just being pushy.

Channel Preferences Will Continue to Change – one of the most dangerous things management in the hosted contact center can do is to assume they have the customer base figured out when it comes to channel preferences. As customers age, however, their preferences change. If your target audience is the Baby Boomer and they prefer to use the phone, what will preferences look like for Generation X as they age?

Voice Biometrics Will Become the New Authentication – customers who tire of the security questions may welcome the idea that simply speaking will authenticate their identity. Such a level of security does require the use of voice ahead of time, but can quickly streamline the use of technology. This is one area to watch for advancements and application.

As the world of the hosted contact center continues to evolve, there are a few predictions we expect will not only come true, but will also become the norm. Success in this space can often be a moving target, however, and the predictions that seem solid today could vary from those we see tomorrow. As long as it leads to better service for the customer and profitable outcomes for the company, such progress is always positive.