Throughout October, our readers explored a variety of the most pressing topics facing our centers. Our authors discussed whether our agents should continue to WFH, how to best lead our agents with compassion, and how to effectively implement AI-powered chatbots and balance multiple customer support channels. Readers were also interested in catching up on the laws and regulations that contact centers must be aware of and comply with in Canada.
Should Agents Work from Home?
One of the long-running conversations in the contact center industry has been whether to have staff (agents and supervisors) work-from-home (WFH). Proponents argue that WFH provides contact centers with access to a larger pool of agents who live outside of commuting distances of facilities, or who cannot commute for personal including disability reasons, along with lowered real estate costs and greater flexibility, particularly in the face of disasters.
Leading with Compassion
A trainee pulls me aside, and I’m not sure about the reason… maybe it’s something we covered in a class?
Simplifying Multiple Channel Management
Brands have never been more accessible to their customers than they are today. Whether it’s through a voice call, chatbot, or WhatsApp, or via a company’s mobile app, website, or good old-fashioned email – there’s never been as many options for customers to interact with a brand.
Understanding (And Complying With) Canada’s Laws
Canada has a strong customer service culture, enabled and supported by contact centers. Canadians are noted—and perhaps stereotyped—for their patience and tolerance. For example, they will put up with queues but will also make it known, in no uncertain terms, their disapproval if someone jumps the line.
The Playbook for Customer Service/Support AI
On the surface, applying chatbots as virtual assistants for agents and directly for customers, and artificial intelligence (AI) in general, can seem like a daunting and overly complex undertaking. There is serious and creative design, implementation (including problem solving) involved, along with – and most critically – the training of not only the internal teams but also the agents and yes customers to make these solutions happen.
