The Importance of AI and Voice Analytics in the Call Center

In a time when AI and data analytics technologies are being increasingly tailored to improve performance in the call center, agents seem to be more out of the loop than ever. This is a major problem for most call centers, which continue to reel from productivity and efficiency challenges along with angry customers who expect an informed, omni-channel service experience and not frustrating interactions with agents.

AI promises to augment the customer experience and get those agents back in the loop, providing important customer information and transaction history to deliver better outcomes, more consistently. And voice-based data analytics can further assist with those interactions, picking up on customer and agent tones of voice and context that can help call center managers intervene before situations escalate. Voice-based analytics can also provide feedback on positive interactions to help with training and coaching of agents.

Call centers that have embraced AI and analytics will be gifted with productivity and efficiency increases, along with better overall customer interactions. One of the main ways technology can help with these improvements is by matching the best agent to each customer by quickly parsing customer history and needs. Setting up a good agent/customer match from the onset is an easy way to ensure a successful overall customer interaction with minimal frustration, call transfers or escalation.

Analytics can take customer interactions a step further by parsing voice-based data to gauge the emotional content in a customer’s voice. The results may be delivered to agents immediately, providing them with valuable cues about how to handle a particular interaction before customers become too angry or frustrated. And positive feedback is equally important, providing encouragement and acknowledgment of successful interactions. This type of data is also important for training and coaching agents, and may be used to analyze agent performance as well. This enables managers to identify if agents are speaking too quickly or stumbling over certain questions or issues they may need additional training on.

Ultimately, the most valuable characteristic of AI and voice analytics in the call center is the ability to deliver feedback and data in real time. That’s important in today’s omni-channel engagement environment, where customers want their issues resolved immediately and with the least amount of hassle possible.

To find out more about how AI and voice analytics are bringing positive changes to the call center and the workplace at large, TMC (News - Alert) is hosting a Future of Work Expo in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The event, which will take place from February 12-14, 2020, will explore how AI and machine learning may be used to improve business communications, collaboration, sales and marketing and contact centers and customer service.

Edited by Maurice Nagle