Omni-channel has hailed a game-changer for contact centres for some time now. The solution to customer experience delivery isn’t new, but has given a lifeline to businesses scrambling to maintain and exceed CX during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effects of omni-channel are incredible. Selling a product or concept through social media is one major omni-channel trend for this year. Consumers not only spend a third of their browsing time watching videos but the COVID-19 pandemic saw major shifts to the buying attitudes of customers, with a 43% spike in customers turning to online retail from September last year. Added to that, mixing omni-channel marketing with ever-improving technology will make it simpler to measure and record all customer data in terms of lifetime value. But how does omni-channel make life easier for live agents?
Filtering Calls
The answer is in many ways. One major benefit to the contact centre workforce is omni-channel’s ability to allow live agents to take on multiple chats. This is done through the integration of channels and omni-channel essentially filtering certain enquiries through to the agents. This has the effect in keeping CX and efficiency high, meaning the agent is happier in their role due to a reduced level of stress and anxiety.
Community Establishment
Personalities vary in contact centres as do strengths and weaknesses. What one live agent may find easy to deal with, another may find extremely stressful. In filtering calls to agents on specific solutions it allows for them to work to their strengths. This ends up establishing a community through a support network, leaving a workforce to feel more empowered. Teamed with this the added effect of customers experiencing reduced levels of frustration at not having to repeat themselves to the agent and a workforce can maintain that level of job happiness also.
Heightened Support
Yes, omni-channel gives a business or brand more control. But in achieving this a workforce has to be trained across multiple channels. In training live agents, businesses are providing that additional level of support, which leads to a higher rate of job satisfaction. This of course enables them to deliver improved rates of CX, making customers happy, leading to a better sense of empowerment and achievement.
Modernisation
Modernising the workforce infrastructure can of course have teething problems. Live agents need to get used to working via a newer platform which can cause some anxiety among certain workers. However it enables them to achieve an outcome with customers quicker and more efficiently through up-to-date technologies.
To summarise, it’s extremely beneficial for businesses to migrate their technology infrastructure to omni-channel. It not only boosts CX across the board but enables live agents to feel that sense of control. And control at a time when life in general can feel somewhat chaotic can of course only be a good thing.
