Contact Center AI Positively Impacts Both Agents and Customers

It’s no secret that contact center AI (CCAI) is changing the way we contact people and make customer service transactions. The technology has already had a significant effect on contact centers with several benefits for the end user, but what about agent performance?

Let's explore some ways this new form of automation can improve working in a call center.

CCAI solutions can effectively fulfil repetitive transactional requests from customers, such as checking balances, order status information, completing billing payments and account changes. Customers prefer and expect to be able handle these interactions with self-service applications and are frustrated when they cannot. Agents are often frustrated as well because these tasks are mundane, repetitive and unrewarding.   

What agents are looking for are ways to be more engaged. Automating these tasks allow them the opportunity do so while focusing on more complex customer interactions and experiences.

The key to success as a contact center agent is data. Being able work with the most relevant information and focus on your customers’ needs, rather than wasting time looking through interaction history and other backend systems, will make any interaction less stressful for both parties involved. Customers get their issue resolved quickly while you can move onto other matters or take another call from someone who might need help. 

Today’s CCAI solutions gather both real time and historical customer statistics such as sentiment analysis, intent prediction based on chat logs, email subject lines, and more, which helps prepare agents beforehand. 

CCAI can analyze massive amounts of information in real time to identify various trends that are used for training agents and adjusting business processes. AI will also determine customer sentiment, point out challenges with specific employees and showcase other issues within your organization's customers. 

This helps supervisors engage in more targeted coaching conversations based on their interactions happening right then and there. With insights into these discussions already available, you'll be able notice consistent patterns, which may lead toward changes needed at work, such as improving efficiency. 

According to research by International Data Corporation, early adopters of contact center AI have seen a 20 percent increase in agent efficiency and a 21 percent decrease in average handle time.

Story by Ken Drazin, who leads the CDW Intelligent CX Practice with over 20 years of expertise in driving strategy and implementation across a diverse set of customer experiences and collaboration solutions. As a seasoned professional services leader, Ken is passionate about advancing technology, services and customer growth. Prior to this role he led the CDW Collaboartion Practice as senior professional services manager.