It has been an extraordinary and challenging eighteen months for businesses, customers and society since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The levels of resilience and adaptability we have seen have been commendable and, at times, inspirational. Certainly, customer service directors and their teams have risen to a truly demanding set of circumstances. The move to remote working; the sensitivity and empathy…
Recognition is one of the most important factors in delivering excellent customer service, and one of the most often overlooked. Put simply, whatever systems and technology you have in place, your agents are on the frontline. It is their performance is what makes the difference between service that is merely adequate and an experience that drives positive feedback and long-term loyalty….
While always seen as important, customer service has traditionally been viewed as an overhead or cost to the business and not a contact centre revenue generator. Companies understand that it plays a vital role in onboarding and retaining customers, but they’ve not been able to link it to actual revenues. That meant that the major focus within the contact centre…
Companies today need to be able to interact with customers on an expanding number of contact channels, from video calls and email to chat, social media and the phone. At the same time they need to deliver a joined-up, omnichannel experience, however people make contact. Clearly, the future of the contact centre is omnichannel. What is driving the need for…
Many sectors are much busier at particular times in the year. While Christmas is the biggest peak for industries such as retail, every organisation faces surges in demand that they need to meet. For example clearing for university places after A-level results are announced in August is the busiest time for higher education institutions, as we explain in this recent blog…
A growing number of organisations are moving their contact centre infrastructure to the cloud. Across a whole range of industries, from housing and local government to retail and financial services, they are benefiting from greater flexibility and increased cost-effectiveness. However, many organisations still have questions about whether they should move their contact centre to the cloud. In this blog we therefore…
While the pandemic has impacted the whole of society, young people have been particularly affected. For example, this year’s A level students have seen their exams cancelled and replaced by alternative assessment models, while many have missed substantial parts of their schooling over the past 18 months. And for those looking to go on to higher education, they probably haven’t…
Contact centre agents are the frontline of your organisation. However, their jobs can be very stressful. Agents are often called on to help customers who may be angry or upset and they have to react with professionalism, compassion and empathy. Their jobs can often be monotonous and pressurised, with continuous monitoring to ensure they are resolving customers queries as fast…
After a year of disruption, the ending of lockdowns and the opening up of businesses brings more change to the contact centre. Most are likely to adopt hybrid working with staff able to work flexibly either in the office or at home. This will bring new opportunities and challenges. However, the pressure is on for contact centres to adapt quickly. In recent…
Deploying Microsoft Teams within customer service delivers significant benefits, such as increasing collaboration, underpinning hybrid and blended working and ensuring agility by improving integration and information sharing with other departments. All of this helps to create a more unified and efficient experience for customers and agents. However, extending Teams into the contact centre requires careful planning if you are to…