How AI and automation are changing our contact center

AI and automation revolutionize contact centers, enhancing agent training, engagement, and performance while boosting customer satisfaction and reducing costs.

The rapid adoption of AI and automation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven a step change in the customer experience (CX) industry. Before the pandemic, contact centers were generally brick-and-mortar sites. Work from home was unusual and when AI and automation were leveraged the goal was to deliver cost savings.

The need for social distancing drove a sudden shift to work from home and agents and brands alike realized the benefits. Agents enjoyed the flexibility and happier agents delivered a better experience to customers, creating a tangible brand benefit. But, unexpectedly working from home, agents could also feel isolated and team leaders unfamiliar with managing remote teams struggled to engage and motivate associates. At the same time, a talent shortage made it more important than ever for contact centers to retain agents.

Previously considered a customer-facing tool, the role of AI and automation was reconsidered as CX solution providers recognized the value of deploying the latest technology to connect remote teams, remove the burden of repetitive tasks and engage and motivate agents.

As an expert at leveraging digital solutions to create self-service options for customers, many organisations recognized the value of AI and automation across the associate lifecycle and began leveraging the latest technology to deliver on-demand training and a gamified agent experience.

Contact centers are fast-paced environments. Newly recruited agents working through training can find the environment overwhelming and this can lead to early-stage agent attrition, performance gaps, and compliance anxiety.

AI and automation skill development

Traditional training methods relied on classroom-style learning which provided agents with limited opportunity to put that learning into action before they moved onto the production floor. Making use of years of experience in the CX space companies in the field have developed an AI-driven training tool that simulates real-life customer interactions, including live chat and voice conversations. By practicing in a safe environment, agents can perfect their skills, mastering call types and developing soft skills.

Ensuring new agents feel confident in their ability to manage customer queries is an important factor in minimizing agent attrition.  Industry data demonstrates that agents who have access to simulations as part of their training reach proficiency up to 70% faster than agents exposed to traditional classroom-style training alone.

After completing their initial training, in the course of their work contact center agents are required to stay ahead of frequent product or service changes and ongoing amendments to processes and procedures. Working from home, without their team leader in easy reach, agents may find it harder still to stay ahead. Automation and AI can be deployed to support agents, delivering bite-sized learning at the moment or prompting the next best action. Going a step further, AI and automation can be deployed to eliminate the need for agents to complete routine tasks thereby enabling them to focus more attention on the customer and their needs.

While deploying AI and automation for the benefit of contact center agents is a recent phenomenon, the benefits to brands and their customers are clear to see. Where across accounts simulated training and bite-sized training modules have been deployed, and a noticeable 32% reduction in agent attrition, a 33% improvement in customer satisfaction scores, and a 23% reduction in operational costs have been observed.

Findings also demonstrate the tangible benefits of investing in technology to support a better agent experience. In the past, contact centers were built simply on agents taking calls. But today, world-class CX relies on the successful combination of people, data, and technology to create seamless brand experiences. By deploying technology to improve the agent experience, brands are better able to delight and retain their customers.