People really love their smartphones. There is something quite comforting about having a pocket-sized companion who can tell you everything you need to know without the need to flip open a screen (such as on a laptop). In fact, it’s been predicted by IDC’s New Media Market Model that by 2015, more people will use mobile to access the Web than with a wireless computer.
For the call center industry, this statistic is huge. There has been a great amount of work done to improve call center solutions to make them more adaptable to mobile technology. Such innovation is clearly paying off. When customers have an issue with one of their products, speaking with a call center agent over their smartphone provides them with a whole new host of options. For example, they are able to video conference or chat with the agent via their handheld device, or view mobile Web pages and gain specific care and advice in the moment.
The report further reveals that this trend will extend to social networks, such as Facebook, as well, predicting that the social network’s PC user engagement will decline from 66 percent in 2012 to 52 percent in 2016.
For call center agents, this issue is also quite relevant, as many social media-engaged solutions may not be taking into account the distinctions between how Facebook and Twitter interact on PCs versus mobile devices.
It’s a lot to ponder as we move towards 2014, but for those working towards call center solutions, these are exciting issues to address.
