{"id":9090,"date":"2020-06-16T13:06:53","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T12:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=9090"},"modified":"2023-01-17T10:26:07","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:26:07","slug":"part-6-call-centre-trends-customer-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/part-6-call-centre-trends-customer-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 6: Call Centre Trends: Customer Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

So far, our series dedicated to call centres has maintained a narrow focus. We\u2019ve examined the contact centre<\/a> niche and some of the principal trends within it. We\u2019ve looked at automation, omnichannel support, and cloud-based solutions, amongst others. The contact centre industry, though, isn\u2019t an island. It\u2019s subject to broader trends in the commercial world.<\/span><\/p>\n

One such trend is towards <\/span>customer experience (CX)<\/span><\/a>. Across niches and in many areas of business CX has become a hot button issue. Brands \u2013 and consumers – are increasingly seeing CX as a vital differentiator. And that broader trend has had a profound impact on the contact centre field.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, we\u2019re going to look at precisely what CX is and why it matters. We\u2019ll also examine how a focus on CX has altered the way contact centres track their performance. Finally, we\u2019ll get into what methods and systems modern centres use to monitor quality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Customer Experience & Why Does it Matter to Contact Centres?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Customer experience<\/a> (CX) is a phrase that\u2019s come to define an attitude in the business world. CX describes the view a customer has of a business as a result of their interactions with that firm. So CX is the sum total of all the touchpoints that make up the customer journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

The best CX results from a collection of positive, satisfying interactions. Poor CX can come from any single interaction proving unsuccessful or frustrating. But let\u2019s remember that consumers have been interacting with businesses for as long as businesses have existed. The bare bones of what makes up CX, then, isn\u2019t new. What\u2019s new is the primacy given to it by both brands and customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern customers have more purchase options today than ever before. In all industries, there\u2019s more choice, and it\u2019s easier to switch between brands. Consumers are increasingly viewing the experience given by firms as a vital way to choose between them. For instance, <\/span>Salesforce research<\/span><\/a> found that 80% of consumers say CX is as important as products.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Part<\/p>\n

Source: <\/b>Super Office<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, businesses have latched on to this change in consumer priorities. Across industries, firms now see CX as a way to get a leg up on their rivals. Instead of trying to compete on price or product, brands now battle to provide the best CX. Customer service and support is an essential part of the overall CX any brand offers. That\u2019s why CX \u2013 and the greater focus upon it \u2013 matters hugely to the contact centre niche.<\/span><\/p>\n

Indeed, <\/span>32% of customers would abandon a brand they love<\/span><\/a> after just one bad experience. That means a weak customer interaction has a one in three chance of losing a firm business. And as we know, the contact centre niche comprises nothing but customer interactions. Centres exist to offer channels by which customers can contact companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, contact centres must keep the quality of interactions as high as possible. The broader trend for a greater focus on CX has made this even more evident. Modern call centres are devoted to tracking and <\/span>improving the quality and value of the experience<\/span><\/a> they give.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Monitoring Quality to Improve Customer Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Of course, call centres have always assessed their agents and the quality of work they do. It\u2019s the only way that such organisations can improve processes or identify workers who need more training. However,\u00a0 what centres track, and how they do it, is changing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Traditional call centres often focussed on efficiency. Yes, when they tracked <\/span>agent performance<\/span><\/a>, they were most concerned with speed or cost-saving. Metrics such as call time, number of calls per hour, or adherence were the most essential. But the need to improve and maintain CX has changed things.<\/span><\/p>\n

You see, contact centres are now more interested in quality and value of service. And that fact rang through loud and clear when we spoke with Cymphony and FM Outsource. The people we spoke to at both firms made it clear that the quality of agent interactions was paramount.<\/span><\/p>\n

What, then, does quality monitoring at a modern contact centre look like? Well, there is a range of methods, systems, and metrics at play. Let\u2019s take a look at them and how they combine.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Methods & Systems<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Precisely how the quality of CX offered by a centre gets tracked depends on the centre in question. There are a few processes and systems, though, that persist throughout the niche. The following is a brief rundown of some of the most ubiquitous:<\/span><\/p>\n