What are contact centers’ top priorities for 2018?

Faith Ocampo Published on December 27, 2017

business team in serious meeting

We all know that what triggered the digital revolution is the smartphone. Starting out as a game-changing, all-in-one tech, this device quickly became an omnipresent gadget that has taken root in people’s pockets.

This digital movement is so impactful that it’s reshaping consumers’ behaviors. Everyone’s glued to their phones, expecting brands to be accessible across Facebook, email, or the phone. Online shoppers want fast answers to their questions and reliable Internet payment options. They want their problems solved instantly at any time of the day, any day of the week.
These trends aren’t likely to die in the next five years or so. Smartphones, social media, and other digital solutions are now so widely used that brands are left with no choice but to adapt—it’s all about going digital or dying.

Brands’ customer service, therefore, must be constantly responsive and flexible enough to meet these demands.
Considering this, we can expect omnichannel and digital features to still be driving contact centers’ business priorities come 2018. Here are the top five areas where call centers are likely to focus on next year.

1. Delivering an effortless experience

smiling call center agent talking to customer

When we talk about effortless customer experiences, we’re talking about making everything easy for consumers. So it’s not enough to just offer digital channels. What you do afterward matters just as much.

Here, we’re looking at concerns like:

•     Can customers readily access your brand’s touchpoints and easily switch back and forth between them?
•     When designing an customer experience strategy, do you integrate offline and online user journeys?
•     How well do you consolidate buyers’ data, and how do you use them to build a hassle-free journey?

Brands that can successfully address these questions will be able to develop a strong competitive edge and build lasting customer relationships.

2. Better automation solutions

woman in living room using laptop

Today’s consumers are tech-savvy and self-reliant, and many of them try to solve their own problems before reaching out to call center agents. At this age, therefore, self-service will become more important than ever.

In fact, by 2020, it’s predicted that 85% of customer interactions will be handled by digital tools powered by artificial intelligence, including chatbots and smart voice recognition solutions. In 2018, therefore, we’re expecting to see more businesses rolling out automated, smart self-service features to empower their customers.

3. Using a consistent brand voice across channels

bearded businessmen in deep thought reading laptop

The voice you use for customer support should reflect your brand’s identity, which should be consistent across your channels. It will be difficult to do this, as it requires one solid customer experience strategy, rigorous agent training, and meticulous evaluations.

Needless to say, it will also require a huge budget, but it’s a worthy investment. Delivering consistently good services builds customer trust, which then translates to more revenues.

4. Improving customer journey mapping

executives discussing business plans on post it on window

McKinsey reports that brands that focus on improving the customer journey can increase revenues by 10%-15% and lower their spending by 15%-20%. It’s not readily apparent how, but ironing out the buyer’s journey lets you get rid of inefficiencies, manage data effectively, and connect otherwise disjunct touchpoints. All these would let you fix customers’ pain points, allowing you to deliver smooth experiences.

5. Empowering customer support reps

call center team leader helping customer support agent at work

You’ve probably heard this too many times, but that doesn’t make it any less true: only happy agents can make customers happy.

Indeed, contact centers must invest in employee engagement and empowerment. That way, agents would be equipped with everything they need to make customers happy. Remember, it’s not just knowledge and skills that would help them perform better. Qualities like motivation, enthusiasm, and willingness to take initiatives are the ones that truly set apart the high-performing agents.

 

Faith is a digital media enthusiast aiming to become an active part of the tech world by sharing her insights. She likes to blog about everything digimarketing, technology, and social media.
Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 0 hour ago
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Open Access BPO joins the global celebration of ethnic equality. As a multilingual, multinational company, we see firsthand how diverse perspectives drive progress. We believe that everyone, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to contribute to a better world.

Anyone, regardless of background, can contribute to societal progress, and the sooner we realize that, the better our world becomes.

We're committed to fostering #inclusivity both within our company and in the communities we serve.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OABPOonEthnicEquality
#EthnicEqualityMonth #EthnicEquality
Open Access BPO 2 hours ago
𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗜𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲. | https://buff.ly/434ctKb

The three-month program saw employees engage in wellness sessions, regular weigh-ins, and receive expert weight loss guidance. The finale recognized and celebrated the remarkable transformations achieved by the participating employees.

The initiative underscores Open Access BPO's commitment to investing in the overall well-being of its employees and cultivating a positive and supportive company culture.

----------
Open Access BPO is dedicated to employee engagement and contributing to our team's growth, both professionally and personally.

Learn more about our company culture and commitment to our employees: https://buff.ly/4i34265

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#DropItLikeItsHot #OABPODroppinIt
#OneForHealth #IdeaHubOABPO
Open Access BPO 6 days ago
Open Access BPO Taipei celebrated a decade of growth and success with a party event at the ILLUME Taipei Hotel.

The evening showcased our strong company culture, with games, delicious food, and a festive atmosphere.
We're proud of our team and excited for what the future holds!

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OABPOKickOff2025 #OABPOWanderlustBliss
#WanderlustBlissOABPO
Open Access BPO 6 days ago
𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗜𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁: 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

The Open Access BPO's weight loss challenge has officially come to a close after a successful three-month run.

The program, which included wellness sessions and regular weigh-ins, culminated in an awards ceremony celebrating the incredible achievements of our participants.

We're thrilled to announce and congratulate the five champions from our Manila and Davao offices who demonstrated remarkable dedication and commitment to their health and wellness journeys.

Open Access BPO is committed to employee well-being, and this weight loss challenge is a prime example. We regularly offer activities and programs like this to support our employees' personal and professional growth, fostering a healthy and supportive work environment.

We're proud of all participants and look forward to continuing to support their wellness journeys.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#DropItLikeItsHot #OABPODroppinIt
#OneForHealth #IdeaHubOABPO
Open Access BPO 7 days ago
This February, Open Access BPO joins the world in celebrating 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵.

We recognize the vital contributions of African-Americans who have shaped our world.

It's also a call for us all to learn from history, amplify Black voices, and take action against systemic racism.

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2025
#OABPOonBHM #BHM
Open Access BPO 8 days ago
Bringing people together, celebrating achievements, and building momentum for their 10th anniversary is the real highlight of 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘀: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗣𝗢 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆.

We're looking forward to being stronger together with our Davao teammates for another decade, but for now, here's a look back at what happened in last week's party: https://buff.ly/3CK1vyM

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#OABPOKickOff2025 #OABPOWanderlustBliss