It’s hard to believe, but the holiday season is upon us, and even more unfathomable is the quickly approaching year of 2014. For the call center industry, each new calendar represents new opportunities to update call center software and improve customer service. Let’s take a look at three predictions for customer service in the New Year.
The Personal Cloud Will Replace the PC
This prediction refers to the idea that people don’t want to turn on their laptops and wait for content to load or find the file they’re looking for. Conversely, they want to be streaming content on their phone, go to their tablet and find the same song playing, and then move over to their laptop and have the exact same experience. By storing your data in the personal cloud, rather than on a personal computer, there is no more concern about a device running slowly due to lack of memory. As long as you’re connected to Wi-Fi (and, at this point, you have to make an attempt to disconnect), you’ll be utilizing your audio, video, text and multimedia files all from your personal cloud.
This is welcome news for the call center industry. As call center software sophisticates further, agents will be able to embrace the opportunities to reach consumers through the cloud, accessing their available information in the hopes of assisting them sooner and more effectively.
Two Billion People Will Be Using Smartphones by 2015
While this is a 2015 prediction, we may not even have to wait that long, as 1.4 billion people are predicted to own smartphones by December 2013. Smartphone usage is becoming a necessity for many people across the world; for instance, many employers expect their workers to have 24/7 access to e-mail. If your car breaks down, you used to be able to rely on being within walking distance of a payphone, but there are hardly any more of those around. Smartphones allow people to stay connected to one another no matter where they are and no matter what the technological format. In today’s hyperconnected world, what could be more desirable?
Smartphone applications are becoming increasingly popular among customers, as well. As more consumers become on the go, more agents will be able to assist then when they need help, wherever they are.
More Than Half of Dollars Spent in U.S. Retail Will be Influenced by the Web
In the third quarter of 2013, Google announced revenue of $14.9 billion. In the early years of the company (just some 10 years ago), Google was searching for ways to generate any revenue at all. With the implementation of its video and search-based advertising programs, however, Google has become a money-making monolith. If you search for a certain dress shirt or shoes through a Google search, you may see that outfit appear in search rankings as well as in a YouTube video (a company owned by Google).
Call centers can work to utilize this hyperconnectivity by using customer analytics to better tap into what customers want, how they are spending their money online and, as always, how agents can use call center software in order to help those in need of assistance.
