The next wave of workforce engagement: technology becomes smarter, and your people do, too

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to convey why the contact center has become critical to businesses’ success with customer experience at the heart of driving growth and retention. As a company’s central hub for customer interactions coming in from all touchpoints, the contact center holds the key for businesses in turning those interactions into insights. It is the contact center that knows and understands customers’ pain points and how to best course correct, and agents have the power to create a positive experience that fosters loyalty.Design/methodology/approachUsing insights from Calabrio’s own “Health of the Contact Center” report, as well as other industry studies, this paper reveals why driving a positive customer experience starts from within. Customer demands have become increasingly complex and people now communicate with more channels than before – all of this is impacting agents, the experience they provide and the success of the business. And it shows no signs of slowing down.FindingsThirty-two per cent of contact center employees believe that customer queries and demands will become more complex over time. But they do not feel prepared with the right tools: 60 per cent agree that their company does not always provide the technology needed to address the challenges they face when helping customers.Originality/valueUnlocking a great customer experience starts with a top-notch employee experience. And that requires a fresh approach to workforce management solutions. As an established product category and a topic often discussed among industry experts, today’s contact center leaders use workforce optimization. However, the rising importance of employee engagement calls for a new offering – workforce engagement management.