For years, contact center solutions have been leveraged to interact with customers on a more personal level; however, there has been a notable shift in ideology in recent years. More specifically, it has become apparent that contact centers are becoming more than just a Q&A resource, but rather, are the de facto face of the company. Think about it…on a personal level – when interacting with the service provider – the customer is really interacting with a contact center agent. This necessitates this evolution from a simple contact center to a relationship center.
This shift can be seen in three ways. Who knows – recognizing these can help your contact center function in a way that benefits both your company and your clients like never before.
First, realize that the whole reason that a customer utilizes your contact center is to achieve a specific task. Customers reach out to a company in order to better comprehend something that they currently don’t; by properly training agents in customer interactions as well as being hyperaware of their agency, a more pleasant interaction is achievable, thereby reinforcing the overall client relationship.
These reinforced relationships are the next point, as a successful contact center can be measured in customer loyalty. By ensuring that customers are fruitful in their endeavors, their satisfaction is reinforced and, as a result, they are then more likely to recommend their services to other potential clients. This not only cements current relationships, but can help successfully foster future ones, too.
Last but certainly not least, recognize the importance of how unique and different your customer base is, as well as the different ways in which they prefer to interact with your company. Successfully integrating support across various channels—such as e-mail, phone, Twitter and live chat—shows a willingness to adapt and meet customers on their own terms. This is without question high on every prospect’s list of desired contact center service traits.
