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Healthcare AI

Taking your contact center technology to the next level

11/17/2020

by Lindsay Wright

Last updated on May 31, 2023

Over the past few decades, technology and automation have led to massive changes in virtually every area of business operations. One of the most noticeable areas — at least, from the standpoint of the customer — is the contact center.

Initially, businesses flocked to Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems and other solutions as a way to reduce costs. As promised, these tools delivered substantial savings. However, those savings often came with a negative impact on the customer experience, as millions of people found themselves pressing “0” or repeating “Representative” in hopes of getting a live agent who could provide the answers they needed.

As AI and machine learning continue to evolve, businesses in every industry are seeing new opportunities to create further savings and efficiencies. And, having learned from past experience, they are also placing an equal emphasis on providing a better experience for both customers and agents.

Enhancing your contact center technology with AI

Given the broad array of solutions, and the fact that the technology is evolving so swiftly, how can you be certain that the contact center tools you choose are the right ones for you? While no two industries are alike, all would benefit from examining their contact centers’ AI solutions by giving careful thought to three key areas:

1. Determine how AI can take your contact center to the next level — for agents, decision-makers, and customers alike

AI tools can provide contact centers with substantial benefits on two important fronts.

First, they can elevate the traditional IVR experience with smarter, more intuitive solutions that do a dramatically better job of providing real-time assistance, suggestions, and guidance during customer interactions. Conversational AI, coupled with machine learning, can create a contact center that gets better over time by learning from past interactions and taking corrective measures. In addition, features such as sentiment analysis and opinion mining enable chatbots and virtual assistants to evaluate the emotional state of the customer, and determine if a live agent needs to step in or monitor the interaction.

Second, AI solutions for internal audiences can create better-informed and more empowered agents. By improving the data, analytics, and resources that are available to your agents, you also improve the customer experience. Additionally, your organization is able to create ways to boost agent productivity while reducing stress and burnout. Some of the most attractive options for empowering agents include:

• Robotic Process Automation that automates repetitive, rules-based processes such as copying and pasting information, billing, and processing orders.
• CoBots that work alongside the agent. They listen, learn, and offer insights regarding specific customers or general types of questions and issues.
• ChatBots that use AI to simulate personal interaction can provide after-hour scalability and assist when outside events drive heavier than normal traffic to the center.
• Automated Routing Systems that route calls to the appropriate destinations, based on the skills needed (such as tech support or foreign language fluency), the types of data involved, or the level of service required.

2. Make sure that compliance and security are included in the design

Customers who interact with contact center technology, whether via live agents or AI chat functionality, need assistance. They are patients looking for medical attention, they are residents needing to report a utilities problem, they are customers inquiring about a fraudulent purchase. Any point of customer interaction raises a need for compliance and security — and your AI solutions are no exception.

Adequate safeguards must be maintained for any contact that involves transactions, personal information, and customer data. Datasets produced through AI should be addressed with integrity, accuracy, transparency, foreseeable risks, and social impacts. Organizations can set themselves up for success in this area by defining their data governance policies early and empowering their employees with the tools they need to meaningfully interact with the available information.

3. Fight the tendency to “over-solution” your contact center

As more AI solutions come to market, there is a natural tendency to avoid “falling behind’ by incorporating the latest quick-win solutions — whether or not they are actually needed. In addition to driving up costs, creating redundancies, and raising integration issues, this can also overwhelm agents and confuse customers.

Identifying the problems you are trying to solve and considering the types of data required is vital in determining the correct solution for your organization. Additionally, conducting an evaluation of the available options against criteria, such as scalability and ease of integration, will help you narrow your focus and avoid the trap of implementing “technology for technology’s sake.” Through every stage, have the quality of the customer experience at the forefront of your decision-making to ensure you improve the overall performance of your contact center.

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A host of AI and emerging solutions hold the promise of making your contact centers more responsive, productive, and cost-efficient. If you’re considering ways to take your contact center to the next level, Sendero can help you identify and implement the best tools and strategies for your organization. To learn more, contact us for a no-obligation evaluation.

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