When the internet first came about, the question was: how can it help businesses? Now that more advanced technology has proliferated industries, the question has become: how can it help us work better? Smart technology is transforming the workplace. The contact center industry serves as one of the best examples of how smart technology can impact employee productivity.
Smart technology is designed to help save time and make life easier. It is tech that can adapt to a user’s specific needs and create a more organized system through data processing. Advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) have started to play a role in almost all aspects of life – from the household to the workplace. In the contact center, AI can help agents deliver exceptional customer support, as we outlined in a previous blog post. But the potential benefits are even greater still.
ZDNet recently reported that if a company invests in optimizing working conditions within the office, such as improving modes of communication, for example, it allows for better collaboration. It certainly worked for Forrester Research, who have invested in large-format touchscreens, voice-controlled agents and intelligent software tools to help align teams. The trend toward digital transformation is widespread. 50% of companies interviewed for Dimension Data’s Digital Workplace Report have invested in collaboration and productivity apps to improve team efficiency, while 31% have made new workplace tools available to improve processes.
New technology is driving change. But what should a smart office really do? For a contact center, there should be a good balance between agent support and smart technology – the main goal being to enable agents to resolve customer concerns in a timely and convenient matter. If a customer wishes to book a flight, being able to choose their seat through the IVR not only saves their time, but the agent’s too, resulting in a more efficient, successful outcome.
Forbes notes that using smart tech to boost call center agent morale can also lead directly to increased productivity. Features like voice commands and virtual assistants, for example, can help agents work quicker and smarter, which reduces frustration and increases job satisfaction. And as we know, happier agents mean happier customers. Smart tech that allows agents to resolve customer queries quickly and efficiently will drive your customer survey scores right up.
Read more about the benefits of boosting contact center agent morale.
Smart tech also empowers remote workers to succeed in their roles. Our friends at Verizon Connect recently shared how online apps such as field management software allows field technicians to interact with customers and customize job forms remotely. Not only does this eliminate wasted time, but drastically increases productivity as well. In fact, cloud-based platforms (including Zailab’s contact center solution) have made remote working possible for a huge segment of the workforce. This wouldn’t have been possible without innovations in tech.
As you can see, smart tech has indeed gone a long way from simply making everything faster to creating a more efficient work environment. Digital transformation is optimizing business performance, but for contact center agents, it has become a key to success.
https://zailab.com/why-ai-is-here-to-help-your-contact-center about how AI can benefit your contact center.
Guest post by Jennifer Landers for Zailab