Contact Center Dilemma – Self-Service or Agent?
Millions of dollars have been invested in contact centers to support customers calling to ask questions, get support, purchase or return items – or just grumble. The personal agent-to-customer contact seemed important – until it wasn’t. The frustration of waiting for an agent, the aggravation of being transferred from one department to another, and the annoyance of having to re-tell your situation each time you were forwarded has driven customers to look towards self-service and digital channels for a better solution. Should businesses be directing their contact center dollars differently now?
Protect Customer Information and Reduce Risk – PCI Compliance in your Contact Center
The nightmare of Target’s data breach during the holiday season a few years ago still haunts businesses today. The aftermath of severe fines, loss of customer trust and a seriously bruised reputation – not to mention the reported $61 million payout – leaves corporate executives shaking in their boots when thinking about their own company’s payment security plans. (http://www.pymnts.com/news/security-and-risk/2016/three-years-after-the-target-data-breach/) PCI Compliance in your contact center is a necessary and required part of doing business when handling credit cards, regardless of the processing method.
How to Find the Right Voice for Your IVR
Choosing a Voice Vendor: Find the “Just Right” Partner
When searching for voice talent for your IVR it is important to understand the goals and objectives of the project and align those to the right partner. For the best result, it’s essential that you identify a voice provider that knows the contact center and its related technologies. The “too big” and “too little” options will leave you vulnerable.
A Solo Voice Talent – Too Little
Selecting a voice is a subjective process. You either like a voice or you don’t. Some solo voice actors may have a sound you favor so you might think it would be ok to contract directly with that individual. However, remember that you’ll not only be responsible for managing the talent relationship, including the contracts and continuous payments, you’ll also need to figure out the ongoing editing, file formatting, deadlines and delivery. In addition, any personal or professional issues that may arise are your problem.
How to Choose a Voice for Your Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Solution
Many customers first encounter your brand through the voice channel. Today, with an increasingly multichannel and digital marketplace, the phone (and the Web) is your company’s modern-day “front door.”
Each time a customer calls, your brand is on the line when “the door” is answered. A great experience over the voice channel depends on two factors—the technology and the human touch, meaning the prerecorded voice prompts that humanize that technology. To ensure the experience is as professional and brand-consistent as possible, it’s essential that that voice greets and guides callers with a clear and friendly sound, encouraging them to complete their goal as quickly and conveniently as possible, whether it’s self-service, a buying decision, or a handoff to a live representative.