| |October 20219efforts and reduces the average handle time. Automating the call disposition improves accuracy and drives better quality call categories in the customer relationship management (CRM) system ­ delivering measurable and sustainable business value.Speaking Up During The PandemicCOVID-19 is said to be a catalyst for new experiences, and in the context of voice and CSA, this is no exception. A global survey that Uniphore commissioned shows that contact centers played a vital role during the health crisis, but many could not handle the influx of calls. As a result, businesses turn to AI and other technologies to give their valuable front-line call center agents a hand. In addition to the routine traffic, the survey also found that over 42 percent of the respondents had recently reached outto a contact center to resolve COVID-related issues around travel, employment, insurance, medical or financial matters.This surge in contact center calls shows that customers prefer to speak to another human being, rather than a bot or a virtual assistant, especially during crisis times. This is because, unlike machines, humans are capable of empathizing and understanding distress. However, the reality is that more than 43 percent of respondents could not speak with a representative after calling a helpline, according to the survey. 40 percent of respondents also noted they did not even receive helpful information when finally contacting a healthcare call center.The above highlights a clear technological gap. Business leaders know that conversations are the ultimate drivers of customer satisfaction and loyalty, in good times and in times of crisis. As customers, businesses, and societies navigate the current realities and unknowns, their conversations with a company will have a longer-term effect on how customers feel about a brand and how long they stay with that brand. What is needed is a better understanding of the types of experiences people have with contact centers and how to improve satisfaction ­ and ultimately ­ achieve happiness.Happiness Is A Two-Way StreetWe have seen how CSA can benefit both contact center agents and customers to move companies close to improving customer experience. Both the technology required and the people skills needed in agents seem to be equally important. That brings us to whether businesses should invest more in AI and automation, or should they rely on people to give that human touch.According to Jeannie Walters, CEO & Chief Customer Experience Investigator at Experience Investigators, these two go hand-in-hand. During her conversation on Uniphore's Conversations That Matter, a podcast for contact center professionals, she said, "In order to build a tool to help customers, it is important for businesses to ensure a team that is truly representative of this customer base. If a business fails to do this, they will not see things from the right perspective and the tools they use will not help anyone achieve satisfaction or happiness".In retrospect, for companies to stay ahead while keeping customers and agents happy, they must first invest in solutions that can deliver the best and most efficient customer experience. Thus, the secret to happiness lies in showing empathy and understanding and leveraging technology to better communicate the way we always have ­ with our voice.
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