Q and A | Keith Dawson

Exclusive Q&A Customer preference has been moving toward digital channels for engagement. What impact does that have on how agents work Digital contact channels put a lot more information and choice into the hands of customers. Advanced self-service, mobile apps and automated conversation tools prevent many routine and easy interactions from ever reaching the agent. That doesn’t reduce the workload, though. It means the demands that are placed on agents are higher than ever. They need to be able to answer the questions automation couldn’t handle, make more complicated decisions and take on the role of problem-solver. From the agent’s point of view, that makes the job somewhat harder, but also potentially more rewarding because of its variety and higher skilling. With digital channels, interactions extend longer into the future as agents may have to source information from other employees or from different software applications. Chat sessions may pause and resume again later with the customer expecting continuity. These shifts from the traditional one-and-done voice call require different metrics to measure performance. That has to be reflected in everything from their real-time dashboards to their quality assessments. And it puts a premium on tools that simplify how they operate: desktops that allow them to move between applications using a single pane of glass, for example. Or automated virtual assistants that surface relevant bits of info or suggest what steps they should take next. What is the relationship between the agent experience and the customer experience? Businesses should think of agents as canaries in a coal mine. They hear the voice of the customer most directly, and they are in a position to spot processes that fail or incorrect sources of information. Often, they create workarounds that unfortunately are not always documented, something managers should be on the lookout for. The agent experience is also a mirror of the customer experience. In the new digital world, the agent sees the customer more in the middle of the service process than at the beginning, forcing an agent to grapple with the same informational issues in search of a solution as the customer. If the agent is frustrated in finding the right data or encounters unfriendly technology along the way, it’s fair to assume that the customer experienced similar frustration. But contact centers have direct access to the opinions and performance of agents, giving them a window into customers as well. High agent turnover could be a sign of dissatisfaction in multiple areas, including flawed technology, inadequate training or frustrating processes that contribute to burnout. And when skilled agents leave, they take with them the knowledge they have accumulated, potentially degrading customer experiences. All of this suggests that paying close attention to the agent experience gives more control over the customer experience as well. How does the change in available tools and infrastructure impact how organizations manage agents and through them, customer relationships? First, when you put artificial intelligence (AI) to work in the platform you unlock a rich set of productivity enhancements. As mentioned, agent assistance and guidance technologies are powerful additions to the agents’ toolkit. AI can also expand the number of interactions that can be evaluated and scored, giving a clearer picture of who needs coaching and training. In addition to AI, we are seeing the convergence of many core software applications into unified platforms. These include the omnichannel communications, along with CRM, workforce engagement applications and the components of the agent desktop. It is easier to integrate diverse applications using cloud platforms that require less work by IT teams to configure and deploy. Cloud platforms also reduce the need for professional services. Taken together, convergence should make it easier for agents to access the tools and data that they need at the critical moment during the interaction when customer satisfaction is hanging in the balance. Better tools that help agents do their jobs more effectively have a knock-on effect by increasing customer loyalty, lifetime value and the likelihood they will become recommenders. What should contact center professionals know about the role of analytics and data in the new environment? Modern contact center analytics can be much more revealing and insightful than the reporting many managers currently use. In addition to data about how quickly and efficiently agents are performing, analytics can provide metrics that reflect the outcomes that matter to the rest of the organization. When a contact center can point to data about the revenue it is contributing, or the positive customer experiences it is creating, it becomes more relevant to other customer experience teams and resource requests are looked on more favorably. Advanced analytics also provide deeper agent performance data that spotlights the specific agent knowledge or skill gaps that can be alleviated with timely, directed training. With so many agents now working away from close contact with peers and supervisors, better performance analytics provide those managers with insights they might not otherwise pick up on. On the customer side, many organizations are using deeper analytics to dive into customer sentiment and intent, and to personalize the experience: better matching an agent to a customer, for example, or reaching out to a customer proactively with an alert, offer or informational nugget that brings them close to the organization. Analytics can also be a key source of insight into the root causes of customer frustration. What next steps should a contact center take to manage the agent experience for better outcomes? First, examine the tools the agent directly comes into contact with—the desktop, the applications and the information resources they draw on. If these are hobbled by lack of integration and automation, poor user interface design or if they provide poor supervisor visibility into activities, then it might be time to explore a modern, cloud-based platform built with simplicity in mind. The same logic applies to the processes and workflows in place; many may predate the pandemic and not reflect the new ways customers prefer to interact. For example, processes that rely on face-to-face interactions (in-field service or retail stores, for example) may not reflect new tools in place that encourage self-service or distancing. Second, revisit training and coaching practices to ensure they are aligned with the specific tasks and skills needed for new digital interactions. Are agents trained in problem solving and decision making? Are they taught how to present information in writing and how to spot potential sales opportunities? This is precisely the kind of issue that AI-powered agent scripting can help with. Finally, contact centers should actively listen to the agent experience. Many companies are instituting “voice of the agent” feedback programs, but it doesn’t have to be that formal. Using analytics and speech processing, managers can hear emotion, sentiment, agitation and other signals from their agents that tell a story of how well that agent performs and how the agent feels about his or her work. That in turn can unlock insights into the customer’s experiences. With those insights, a smart manager can turn a service operation into a competitive differentiator for their organization.

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