{"id":4491,"date":"2016-10-06T14:34:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T14:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/projects\/horsesforsources\/glimpse-into-the-contact-center-of-the-future\/"},"modified":"2016-10-06T14:34:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-06T14:34:00","slug":"glimpse-into-the-contact-center-of-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horsesforsources.com\/glimpse-into-the-contact-center-of-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"A glimpse into the contact center of the future: the digitally enabled contact center"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I set out to do a spinoff Blueprint<\/a> on the future of contact center services, I thought of this concept that only seemed logical to explain as “digitally-enabled contact center.” Initially, I think this inspired more confusion and uncertainty than it did to define the future of contact center services.  I confused the service providers, who were convinced they had already provided their best digital story, and the buyer references, who had way more examples of traditional call center work than true digital enablement.  I’m admitting this, hoping that we can learn from the lesson that sometimes it takes a lot of battling through confusion\/hype\/ attempted brainwashing to figure out what’s really going on in the markets we cover.<\/p>\n

The most important question this exercise inspired is: how can the contact center break free from legacy butts in seats engagements that force customers into bad conversations they don’t want to be having– and create a customer experience that serves the digital customer, and inspires greater satisfaction and loyalty?<\/p>\n

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What is a digitally enabled contact center?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

At the most basic level, embracing “digital” channels: social media, web self-service including mobile apps and visual IVR, video kiosks and chat is the start of digitally-enabled contact center.   Also important is seeking to use automation to create efficiencies; and the really smart contact center operators are trying to figure out how to involve increasingly intelligent automation<\/a> into the mix. <\/p>\n

It’s more than just implementing these channels, though, it’s the design of how each channel fits into the overall customer journey, and the understanding of how talent fits into the equation– talent that not only can handle communication on varied channels that demand different styles (yet consistency!) but can also take contextual information from multiple sources and use that in a way that benefits the customer.  From an analytics perspective, it’s all about using the data to better understand customers, enable personalization and be more predictive. <\/p>\n

A digitally enabled contact center is way more than the technology—humans are actually at the heart of a digitally enabled contact center.  <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ultimately, a digitally enabled contact center is one that supports Intelligent OneOffice. It’s not just about supporting the digital channels themselves, it’s the design and strategy about how digital impacts the way enterprises handle customer service in a “customer first” organization.  Ask anyone who has worked in a call center and they will tell you it’s hard and it can be tedious.  I can attest to this as someone who’s toured dozens, and worked in them myself.  But, there are moments when it can be very rewarding; moments of human connection and real customer satisfaction, and even loyalty—those moments are what we need to focus on in order to understand what’s at the heart of this rapidly changing industry—and requires a digital strategy to support. <\/p>\n

Digital enablement is happening in spurts<\/strong>  <\/p>\n

A contact center strategy that addresses all the above capabilities is largely aspirational.   Digitally enabled contact center is happening in pockets – little bits here and there.  Some of the highlights include:<\/p>\n