Become contact centre code breakers with data analytics

Do you remember playing the logic game Mastermind as a child? In the game, a player creates a secret code, and the other player must guess the code through a series of guesses and feedback. In many ways, providing exceptional customer service is like cracking the code in Mastermind.

Just like the game, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to providing great customer service. Agents must listen carefully to the customer’s needs, identify the issue, and provide a solution – all while keeping the customer satisfied and maintaining a positive relationship.

But what if agents already had access to all the information that would uncover the unique code on the first go? With data analytics, that’s exactly what they can do.

By using advanced data analytics tools, agents can gain deeper insights into customer needs, preferences, and behaviours. Armed with this information, they can personalise interactions, anticipate customer needs, and provide customised solutions that meet each customer’s unique requirements.

The code that needs cracking

Contact centre data analytics is gaining momentum across the industry, and is projected to have a market value of $5.72 billion by 2030.

Armed with these tools, organisations can uncover previously inaccessible insights from customer conversations to support agents as they drive a customer-centric culture. Currently, a huge proportion of CX insight is lost, simply because contact centres do not have the tools to capture it.

Previously, CX was measured through qualitative surveys, which relied entirely on customers proactively offering up feedback on the service, in whatever capacity they recalled the encounters. Usually, the most memorable engagements are those that fall on the two extreme ends of the spectrum, so everything in the middle is often forgotten.

Frank Sherlock, VP of International from Cirrus’ partner CallMiner, the leading provider of conversation intelligence, says: “Traditional measurements of CX (i.e. surveys) relies on customers recalling the experience accurately. However, given that these surveys are often distributed hours, days and sometimes at least a week after the engagement, the integrity of the data collected is questionable.”

Conversations on the phone or via a digital channel hold huge amounts of intelligence which is not only valuable to that specific engagement, but also to the contact centre’s wider approach to customer service. However, in their raw form, these insights are captured as unsolicited feedback from customers, which are far harder to leverage without the appropriate tools. With deep analytics, contact centres can leverage the data to evolve operational processes and enhance customer experience, both of which contribute directly to the wider business’ bottom line.

Arming your code breakers

At Cirrus, we believe that agents are at the heart of the contact centre. It is essential to arm agents with the right tools, training, and support to help them crack the code to deliver exceptional customer service. Employee wellness and retention are critical success factors in contact centres, and organisation are seeing the impact of investing in their agents on their bottom line.

Omnichannel solutions allow agents to communicate with customers via their preferred channels, whether that’s social media, chat, email, phone, or other channels. This enables agents to leverage their strengths and provide the best possible customer service.

With the shift to hybrid working models, it has become more difficult for supervisors to oversee and assess agent performance. As a result, many contact centres are investing in data analytics tools and technology that enables remote monitoring, coaching, and feedback. Through real-time feedback and coaching, supervisors can help them improve their skills and provide better customer service.

“Currently, only 1-2% of agents’ calls are manually listened to by their supervisors,” continues Frank. “Given that contact centre managers are only seeing a fraction of the big picture, how can they make informed decisions about the effectiveness of all operations?

“Gaining greater visibility is critical, especially when the pressure is on to adhere to a multitude of increasing regulations when it comes to customer outcomes and vulnerability. A holistic view of agent activity therefore profits all avenues of the business.” 

Thousands of combinations: one right answer

Alongside analytics, contact centres can also deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate time-consuming tasks and free up agent resource for the more complex engagements.

Data analytics is the next natural evolution for contact centres. It bridges the gap between remote teams, and ensures no valuable insight is lost – both from a customer experience and employee coaching perspective.

Cirrus’ partnership with leading data analytics provider CallMiner, means customers are offered an enhance solution with the key to cracking the customer experience code. Contact centres cannot afford to let valuable intelligence slip through the net, especially in such a dynamic and rapidly changing market where insight is everything.

By empowering your agents with the right tools and training, and leveraging the power of contact centre data analytics, you can crack the code to delivering exceptional customer service. Don’t leave your agents guessing – equip them with the tools they need to win the game of CX.