How the Call Center Industry Is Evolving

Customer service and sales are the main driving forces of the call center industry. Typically, companies would hire agents to man phones and answer customer queries about their products or services, or convert people to paying customers. The employee turnover can be extremely high as agents burn out from the demands of the job, so recruiters simply keep hiring more warm bodies to fill the seats.

This practice is unsustainable in the long-term, especially if call centers wish to thrive and not just survive in today’s business climate. As the industry has matured and its veteran workers have moved on to other careers, the rise of new technologies and customer preferences have required a shift in thinking for call center operators.

Customer preferences in communication have changed

Most people now prefer other methods of communicating with a company's customer service or sales department. With their busy lifestyles, they do not have all day to wait for an agent to pick up their call. If there is an easier, more convenient way of getting their issue resolved, then a majority of customers would opt for it. So, it is imperative for call centers to adapt and devise new strategies to enhance the customer experience.

Technology has improved to aid job performance

New and better technology is now available to help monitor calls and empower agents to do an outstanding job. For example, call centers can use AI-based software to coach their agents during calls. The software can prompt agents when they forget a step in their customer resolution process or highlight information that would help close a sale. Cost-effective cloud-based platforms can also assist agents by providing them with ready access to all the tools and information they need to perform according to client standards.

Social media has changed how customers interact with companies

Social media has proven to be a game-changer when it comes to customer interactions. Now, a dissatisfied customer can simply post a complaint on the Internet and most of the world would know about it in a few hours. This poses a unique challenge for companies because it requires them to be more proactive in identifying and resolving customer issues. Call centers can do their part by dedicating specially trained agents to handle social media interactions. These agents require not only customer service training, but also skills in public relations and marketing to be truly effective at their jobs.

With the ever-evolving challenges facing the modern call center industry, companies need to make major investments in three areas:

• Technology

Outdated technology has no place in an efficient, productive call center. Consult with experts to identify the best software solutions that would meet the needs of your workforce and your clients.

• Training

Equip your people with the right skills and knowledge to make them successful and they, in turn, will reward you with hard work and high levels of customer satisfaction.

• Team morale

Finally, learn to keep your workers happy in their jobs. A high rate of employee retention is an important factor in a company's success. When workers are happy, they stay, which saves you money since you do not have to continually hire and train new people. Most important of all, happy workers are hard workers, which increases your company's overall productivity and contributes to greater income.