The world of customer experience (CX) is constantly evolving, with new technologies and innovations emerging all the time. Little wonder, then, that contact centre leaders find it challenging to make decisions within a landscape that is constantly changing. New research from the Call Centre Management Association (CCMA), supported by Route 101, explores the ways in which organisations are ‘Navigating the Technology Seascape’.
Featuring insights from CX leaders across multiple industries, the report discusses how leaders can negotiate the “treacherous waters of transformation”, collaborate effectively with vendors and integrators to increase the chance of successful transformation, and examines the primary triggers for change.
Drawing on this exclusive research, we’ve identified the key drivers behind upgrades to CX tech, including experience gaps, declining operational metrics, and looming obsolescence.
So what are the tipping points that can lead to an upgrade?
Gaps in customer experience: Keeping up with customer expectations
Businesses risk falling behind if they cannot innovate their CX strategy to keep pace with changing customer demands - and risk losing customers to competitors who can better meet their needs. Despite the growing investment in digital and self-service options, some organisations still struggle to meet increasingly demanding customer expectations.
Organisations must evaluate and adopt new tools and platforms that will best serve their customers, and prioritise investing in technologies that can help them exceed customer expectations. This requires a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences, as well as a willingness to embrace change and innovate in response to evolving trends and technologies.
Within the report, CX leaders cited the need to stay ahead of continuously changing consumer demands through constant internal review, to ensure their businesses deliver a seamless, personalised, and efficient experience across any and all channels – including websites, social media, and mobile apps.
Declining Operational Metrics: Seizing the opportunity when things aren’t working
In a contact centre environment, productivity metrics such as AHT (Average Handle Time), abandon rate, and wrap time are crucial indicators of the efficiency and effectiveness of the contact centre operations. These metrics provide valuable insights into the performance of contact centre agents and the overall customer experience.
When these metrics move in the wrong direction, it could indicate that underlying issues need to be addressed. For example, if AHT increases, it could be due to inefficient call handling, lack of proper training, or an increase in call volume. Similarly, an increase in abandon rates could be due to long wait times or poor call routing, while an increase in wrap time could be an indication of inadequate post-call processing.
These red flags indicate that the contact centre may be experiencing problems that are impacting customer satisfaction, agent morale, and ultimately, the bottom line. This can often be the perfect storm that drives organisations to make a technology change. By analysing the data, CX leaders may be able to identify where incumbent technology is lacking and thus help them build a business case for change.
Strategy can drive proactivity: Embracing proactive strategies
In today's business landscape, organisations are increasingly focused on delivering a superior customer and employee experience. This emphasis has led to the development of technology strategies and roadmaps designed to enhance the overall experience. However, in contact centres, the reactive nature of operations often leads to upgrades being made only when necessary, rather than proactively anticipating future needs.
To be truly effective, contact centres must adopt a forward-looking approach that enables them to anticipate future requirements and be more proactive in their technology investments. This approach allows organisations to identify potential issues before they arise and enables them to develop a more agile and responsive approach to meeting the needs of their customers and employees.
In the research report, CX leaders spoke about how they set clear goals to ensure alignment and use data to push the business to be more forward-thinking and drive change. By adopting a proactive approach, contact centres can create a more efficient and effective environment, delivering an enhanced experience for all stakeholders.
Platform End of Life: Turning the end of an era into a new beginning
When legacy systems approach their end-of-life or are no longer financially viable to sustain, organisations are faced with the prospect of re-platforming, which can be intimidating. However, this need not be the case, as it offers an opportunity to significantly enhance contact centre efficiency. Apart from upgrading the system that has reached end-of-life, re-platforming may also entail upgrading other systems, technologies, or procedures that may not yet be approaching obsolescence but would benefit from an update.
Re-platforming can offer a proactive strategy for organisations to stay ahead of the curve and avoid the pitfalls of outdated systems. By identifying areas for improvement beyond the core system refresh, businesses can ensure they are leveraging the latest technologies to maximise productivity and efficiency.
In certain cases, upgrading related technologies may have a more significant impact than the primary system refresh.
In addition to the immediate benefits of a refreshed system, taking a proactive approach to re-platforming can help organisations future-proof their operations. This can involve exploring emerging technologies and assessing their potential impact on the business. By doing so, businesses can remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape and adapt to new challenges as they arise.
The world of CX is constantly evolving, and customer demands are ever-changing. CX leaders need to identify triggers for change, so they can drive positive change within their organisation, improve customer satisfaction, and maintain a competitive edge.
CX leaders can prepare for their transformation journey with the CCMA's new report "Navigating the Technology Seascape." Download your copy of the full report now by following the link below.