2023 began full of optimism. Socio, political and economic changes, the cost-of-living crisis and the threat of a looming recession have all had an impact on maintaining positivity. The contact center is often the canary in the coalmine and the harbinger of industrial trends, both positive and negative. Unpredictable employment levels, increased demand for work from home opportunities and tech companies across the globe laying off employees have impacted the contact center.
Join us on July 26th at 11:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM BST for '23 to Date and the Future of the Contact Center, a lively discussion with Alvaria Senior Director of Pre-Sales, Colin Whelan and industry expert Nerys Corfield as they discuss the challenges contact centers face, predictions for the second half of the year and the positive changes we think we’ll see.
Here’s a sneak preview of the hot topics and questions to consider as we move into the second half of 2023 and into 2024:
Automation and AI Integration
If any topic has taken on a life of its own in 2023, it’s AI. While automation can streamline repetitive tasks and improve efficiency, it may also lead to workforce displacement and job insecurity for agents. Can contact centers find a balance between human interaction and automated processes? How can your business ensure that customers still receive personalized service while benefiting from the advantages of AI?
Soaring Customer Expectations
Customers have always had high expectations when it comes to service quality and response times, but with increased visibility and influence from social media as well a highly competitive market, call centers will face unprecedented challenges. Will rapidly expanding technologies and omnichannel communication strategies be enough to provide seamless customer experiences across various platforms? What existing strategies will prove vital for call centers to maintain customer satisfaction? As new technology continues to raise the bar for speed and volume and data, can our ability resolve issues and provide personalized solutions keep up? Or are we creating a monster?
Data Privacy and Critical Security
As the flow of sensitive customer data increases exponentially, call centers will continue to prioritize robust cybersecurity measures with an emphasis on data storage, encryption protocols, and training. Prevention, triage and communication teams must be prepared for data breaches while simultaneously adhering to stricter regulations. Failure to address these concerns can lead to severe reputational damage and legal repercussions for call centers. It’s not a question of if but when. Vulnerabilities extend from the platform level to individual users. What is your call center doing to prepare for errors, hackers, scams and attacks?
Continued Remote Work Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work in every industry; especially contact center personnel. Managing a remote workforce continues to present unique challenges. Contact centers will perpetually need to address issues such as maintaining consistent performance levels, ensuring data security from remote locations and providing adequate support and training for remote agents if they are to thrive in the future. Implementing robust remote work policies and leveraging technology for seamless communication and collaboration will be crucial to overcoming these challenges.
Skills Development and Retention
We’ve been through the great resignation, we’ve called out the quiet quitters, we’ve thought about attrition differently. In 2023 contact centers face the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining skilled agents. Investing in comprehensive training programs to develop agents' skills in customer service, problem-solving and technological proficiency may not be enough. How is your organization setting your agents and workforce up for success?
Platform Globalization
With the explosion of world markets, call centers are increasingly serving and crossing over into more diverse customer bases. Successfully navigating language and cultural gaps will pose challenges for unprepared contact centers. Language proficiency in and ensuring cultural sensitivity may soon become standard requirements. What strategies or technologies are in place for your workforce to understand and adapt to their clients in order to deliver effective customer service across different regions?
These are just a few of the future challenges for call centers. Automation, rising customer expectations, data privacy, remote work, skills development, and language diversity are some of the obstacles that contact centers must confront. No one knows what the future holds, but we do know that with strategic planning and technology that drives innovation and solutions, we can look forward to bright future. How is your contact center prepared to navigate through these challenges and while providing exceptional customer experiences in the years to come?
Register now to attend our webinar, ’23 to Date and the Future of the Contact Center, July 26th at 11:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM BST to learn more.