Our five top posts in August covered a range of topics—from tips to improve agent engagement during new-hire training to the impact that video chat will have on the contact center. Other hot topics this month included insights from industry experts about which elements of the QA process will need to be reevaluated when moving to an omnichannel strategy, thoughts on technology implementation done right, and a look at Thomson Reuters’ speech analytics journey.
5 Tips to Improve Engagement During New-Hire Training
I remember my first day as an agent at a major phone company. It was at the start of my working life. I was nervous. I had no idea what to expect for my first day. I walked in the classroom, sat down and began talking with the person sitting next to me. She was as nervous as I was. More importantly, neither one of us knew what to expect from training.
Omnichannel: Reevaluating the QA Process
Our omnichannel series has offered key insights from industry experts on the top challenges that contact centers face when transitioning their strategy from multichannel to omnichannel, the important first steps to take on your journey, how to prioritize customer channels, how to track the customer’s experience through multiple channels, and which metrics will ensure that all channels are aligned with the omnichannel strategy. In this post, our omnichannel strategy panelists share their thoughts about which elements of the contact center QA process will need to be reevaluated to monitor performance across channels.
Don’t Shortchange Technology Implementation
Too often, the pursuit of technology is driven by speed and constrained by resources. Experience shows this to be a bad combination. Getting implementation right takes time, well-structured plans, and commitment from the contact center, IT, vendors and/or their partners. Input from all parties that touch the technology, directly or indirectly, gets you off on the right foot. Ongoing engagement on both the technical (IT) and functional (users) fronts keeps you on track.
Inside View: Thomson Reuters
There is no doubt that speech analytics delivers great value to contact centers looking to improve processes, performance and customer experience. Getting the most out of this sophisticated technology requires a comprehensive, strategic approach. And, as one organization discovered, when embarking on a speech analytics journey, it’s often the road blocks along the way that will help you to find a more successful route.
Video in the Contact Center
I am not one that jumps on the bandwagon every time something new comes down the pike. Given that, my take on video chat—that it can fundamentally change our contact centers—might be a surprise. Just to be clear, I am not suggesting that video chat will ever (or at least, not anytime soon) replace traditional phone calls as the most common rep-assisted channel. Nor am I saying that these substantial, fundamental changes will be felt in every contact center. My view is based on the potential impact to certain sectors, and that the effect will reach far enough to be felt throughout the contact center industry.
