CCaaS Enhances Customer Service

Post-pandemic, customer support is expected to be a top priority. According to McKinsey’s 2022 State of Customer Care Survey, companies are trying to create a simplified customer experience, retain top customer support talent, and leverage advanced digital care analytics over the next couple of years. That’s a tall order, especially in the wake of rising customer expectations and high turnover — nearly half of customer care managers said they experienced increased attrition in 2021. But it is possible to meet these customer service goals with the right CCaaS.

A modern Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solution streamlines customer service. It also empowers employees to work more efficiently and provides actionable insights that contact center managers can use to improve processes even further. Let’s dive into what an advanced CCaaS offers and how the right software can help your business take customer service to the next level.

What Is CCaaS?

CCaaS is a cloud-based platform that offers a multi-channel approach to customer service. Unlike legacy systems, which don’t integrate communication channels and data or allow staff to work from anywhere, a Contact Center as a Service solution is flexible and feature-rich, allowing agents to do more for customers, reducing frustration on both ends.

Industry-leading solutions also integrate with other essential communications platforms like unified communications, bringing together customer-facing and internal communications.

How CCaaS Drives Better Customer Service

There are two ways that CCaaS boosts customer service. First, by increasing employee engagement. And second, by allowing for better experiences.

1. CCaaS Improves the Employee Experience

Employee engagement is a precursor to delivering exceptional customer experience (CX), but a lot of companies are falling short. According to a recent Gallup poll, the global economy loses $7.8 trillion a year because of poor engagement.

The problem with employee engagement in the customer service space is that the contact center is traditionally a challenging work environment — agents cite understaffing, inadequate training and tools, and a seemingly never-ending flow of customer calls as problem areas.

With contact center software, managers can resolve a lot of these issues.

• They can use advanced analytics and custom reporting to improve staffing levels and identify which employees require more training and support.

• Features like a built-in schedule manager with the ability to integrate agent schedules and breaks, monitor schedule adherence in real-time, and manage shift trades and vacations make it easier to prevent burnout. Contact center managers can also use this information to check that there are always enough people on during peak call times so no one is overworked because of high call volumes.

• As a cloud-based solution, with CCaaS, customer service teams can work remotely. This makes it far easier to meet staffing needs at odd hours because agents can be in different time zones. Your contact center can also hire from a wider pool of applicants, which means less risk of being short-staffed while looking for new employees.

• Another benefit for employees is the software itself. Advanced solutions integrate with other software, giving contact center agents better data visibility. Instead of having to dig up information or handle a call without background information on a customer, they can see all the data they need to resolve the issue quickly.

• When integrated with a unified communications solution, CCaaS also lets agents communicate with customers on their preferred channels — voice, video, email, or chat. This can lead to faster resolutions and more efficient workflows, as well as a better experience for customers.

2. Contact Center Software Makes Exceptional CX Possible

When customer service staff have the tools they need to support customers and resolve issues faster, it doesn’t just boost engagement. CX improves as well. CCaaS has a host of features that are purpose-built to shorten wait times and make it easier for customers to get the resolution they’re looking for faster.

• Business intelligence tools let managers identify friction points, such as long wait times or confusing caller experiences. AI-powered contact center software also comes with interaction analytics, helping managers get a granular view of call conversations so they know exactly how to improve interactions.

• An easy IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system can be customized to customer needs and regularly updated to reflect time-sensitive events or simply to improve the messaging customers hear.

• Intelligent routing directs customers to the right agents. This saves time because customers are more likely to speak to the appropriate agent right away.

• Multi-channel communications allow customers to interact on their preferred channels, whether they want to chat with an agent, talk on the phone, or use other options such as email, social media, or SMS messaging. Agents can also send follow-up communications to ensure customers are satisfied with the interaction. And on the front end, they can use proactive and reactive webchat technology to engage website visitors, answer questions, and create an excellent first impression.

Does Your CCaaS Have What Your Company Needs to Improve Customer Service?

Customer service is now a priority for businesses across industries. That means companies with customer service challenges need to make improvements to remain competitive.

Getting the right contact center technology is the first step to better CX.

Intermedia’s cloud-based contact center software provides all the features contact center agents and managers need to thrive. Provide faster service, let your employees work from wherever, and drive productivity and better experiences with integrated data. Get a quote today to get started.

Mariel Santos

Mariel Santos is the Director of Marketing Communications at Intermedia