Refreshing Your Contact Centre Operations: New Insights from Industry Experts

On the 26^th March, join us in a free webinar where you’ll learn about the latest tools and strategies transforming modern contact centres. Presented by Will Patchett, he’s StableLogic’s leading consultant in this area and has a rich history of experience helping large companies adopt new customer service models. In this blog, we’ll give you a bit of a taste of some of the themes discussed in the webinar.

High quality customer care remains a pillar of competitive strategy, as well as customer service often racking up high costs for businesses. But seeing it necessarily as a trade-off is an error. New technologies and approaches are making it possible to achieve both higher customer satisfaction and lower costs.

Utilising New Technologies and Omnichannel Service

To optimise your contact centre for omnichannel customer service, strategic decision-making is crucial. This transition from traditional voice to digital channels requires careful consideration of the benefits and complexities of each option.

Understanding the advantages of omnichannel service is key. By providing a seamless experience across multiple channels, businesses can enhance customer engagement and satisfaction, ultimately impacting business success. However, the choice between voice and digital channels requires careful consideration, balancing the personal touch of voice communication with the efficiency of digital platforms.

Regarding available contact channels, a diverse array exists beyond traditional phone lines, encompassing email, live chat, social media, text messaging, video calls, virtual assistants, and web forms. Each offers unique advantages and accommodates different customer preferences and needs. Flexibility and seamless transitions between channels are essential for ensuring a cohesive customer experience.

While digital channels offer speed, convenience, and potential cost savings, businesses must not overlook the enduring importance of voice communication. Despite its limitations, voice remains a familiar and essential channel for many customers, particularly in sensitive or complex situations. Striking the right balance between digital and traditional channels is crucial for meeting diverse customer needs and maintaining a positive brand image.

Agent Satisfaction

Agent satisfaction significantly influences the reputation and brand perception of a company. Satisfied agents tend to deliver better service, positively impacting customer experiences. Conversely, dissatisfied agents may provide subpar service, risking damage to the company's reputation. Customer loyalty is closely tied to experience, with studies showing that even one negative encounter can prompt customers to switch to competitors.

Secondly, investing in agent satisfaction leads to higher retention rates and reduced turnover costs. High turnover rates incur expenses related to recruitment, training, and onboarding. By fostering a positive work environment, companies can cultivate agent loyalty, minimising turnover and its associated costs. Moreover, motivated agents tend to be more productive and efficient. A supportive environment encourages ownership of tasks, enhancing problem-solving skills and proactive customer handling. This, in turn, streamlines operations and boosts overall business efficiency.

Lastly, satisfied agents accumulate experience and skills over time, improving their ability to handle inquiries independently. This boosts metrics like First Contact Resolution (FCR) and reduces Average Handle Time (AHT), transfer rates, and hold times, leading to cost savings for the business.

Addressing Customer Attrition

Customer attrition, the rate at which customers cease business with a company, is a critical metric affecting long-term success. Reasons for attrition include poor customer experience, lack of engagement, competitive offerings, changing needs, and outdated technology. Understanding these factors is vital for implementing effective retention strategies.

To mitigate attrition, enhancing customer experience is essential. Personalised interactions, efficient support across channels, and proactive issue resolution foster loyalty. Engagement can be bolstered through community platforms, feedback integration, and exclusive rewards. Offering value through innovative products and educational content maintains customer interest and satisfaction.

Data analysis plays a crucial role in predicting behaviour and targeting retention efforts. Proactive campaigns, tailored to customer needs and preferences, help identify and re-engage at-risk customers. By incorporating these strategies, businesses can reduce attrition, enhance satisfaction, and foster long-term relationships, driving sustainable growth and success.

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StableLogic and PureGym: Revolutionising Customer Service Operations

PureGym, amidst its rapid expansion, encountered hurdles in its Leeds-based customer centre. The centre heavily relied on call-centric services, which became strained with increasing workload. The utilisation of disparate systems including on-prem telephony, virtual desktops, and various third-party applications hampered agent efficiency. Integrating past interactions was challenging, and system upgrades were hindered by round-the-clock operations.

During peak periods, notably in January and September, PureGym faced a surge in demand, resorting to hiring temporary staff at significant costs. This heightened demand negatively impacted both customers and employees, resulting in extended wait times and customer dissatisfaction. Recognising the impracticality of relying solely on recruitment, the company sought to revolutionise its customer service operations.

The initial phase involved phasing out on-premises systems in favour of a unified cloud-based contact centre platform. After a meticulous evaluation process, a proposal was chosen from specialised service providers. The selected solution stood out for its intuitive interface and swift integration of new omnichannel features, AI automations, and workforce management tools.

The project comprised four distinct streams aimed at facilitating channel migration, embracing remote work practices, establishing a comprehensive knowledge base, deploying a chatbot to streamline advisors' tasks, and developing internal applications and tools to bolster service quality.

With support from experts, the migration proceeded seamlessly, with minimal disruption. Several months post-implementation, PureGym is actively reaping the benefits of this transition.

Join us on the 26^th March to gain the knowledge that will transform your contact centre

Sign up and gain access to this informative webinar. There will be the chance to ask questions and book follow up meetings. Contact centre managers are under increasing pressure to anticipate changes and adapt to new demands. In this webinar, we are revealing the latest research & insights to unlock efficiency in completely fresh ways. If you're feeling stagnant in your contact centre operations, or pressure from above to deliver more, this webinar is for you. We hope to see you there!