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Sometimes, the key to success isn’t having all the answers, but asking the right questions. One of the most hyped new trends in the contact center is agent assist software. With increased interaction complexity and the adoption of work from home processes, agents have a lot on their plates right now. An agent assist solution could make a world of difference — improving agent performance and preventing burnout. But how do you choose the right software for your organization?
With that in mind, here are five pressing questions you should ask before making the investment in an agent assist solution. From improving the agent experience to increasing profitability, there’s a whole lot you need to know.
1. Will Agent Assist Automate Tasks and Reduce AHT?
According to Forrester, 8 out of 10 tasks in the contact center can be automated. An agent assist tool can do its part by automating manual tasks such as:
By automating as many tasks as possible, the technology leaves your agents free to offer empathy to the customer and make sure they feel heard.
That’s how agent assist can reduces AHT without compromising customer satisfaction. Agent assist uses real-time conversational analytics to understand what customers want and not just what they say. It uses that insight to to guide agents with actionable knowledge, rather than forcing them to search through the knowledge management system. The result — agents get customers the correct answers faster and can then efficiently move on to the next call.
2. What is the Business Case for Agent Assist?
Even in a world of self-service, great customer service matters, perhaps more now than ever. According to the Harvard Business Review, the cost of a single live contact has risen sharply — 38% in a five-year span — as agents are left to deal with customers’ most complex queries. The very best agents, referred to as Controllers in this study, not only solve these problems, but also show empathy and instill confidence in your organization’s ability to fulfill your brand promise. With the right agent assist tool, however, every agent has the potential to be your best agent.
The value in agent assist has proven time and again, whether you’re looking at KPIs like error rate, onboarding time, agent retention or customer satisfaction.Here is a quick snapshot of the kind of benefits we have delivered for our clients through agent assist implementations.
3. Will Agent Assist Simplify the Agent Experience and Reduce Training?
Agent assist can provide actionable insights in real-time, making it easier for agents to learn as they go, rather than being overwhelmed with information at the beginning of onboarding. Agent Assist gets it done through
The results? Fewer errors, faster call resolutions and more sales — all without the hassle of endless onboarding. For example, in one recent case, a banking client of ours reduced errors per day from 4 to 0.5. That’s not just a tactical improvement, it’s transformational change.
It’s important to design the agent experience with the goal of making it so simple that it will also be instructive. While it’s very appealing that agent assist leverages real-time conversational analytics to understand what the customer needs even as they start speaking, agents can get easily overwhelmed if all those insights are simply dumped on their desktop. Check out the webinar replay to see what experts from CallMiner said about the significance of UX design in the context of successful agent assist implementations.
4. What Effort is Needed to Build and Enhance Agent Assist after Initial Launch?
Simply purchasing the right solution is only the beginning. The right tool will make the transition from launch to real-world work a piece of cake. For Agent Assist, the next steps will look like this
- Understand: Unify conversation analytics across your organization to ensure consistency of customer experiences.
- Automate: Integrate with systems using low-code integration and automation tools for optimal total cost of ownership.
- Assist: Build up the agent and customer user experience with clicks not code for added business agility.
5. What are Some Best Practices for Using Agent Assist?
The promise of agent assist and conversational analytics is that they empower every one of your agents to be a top achiever. Turning the dream into reality will be challenging if your agents haven’t bought into the process. Here’s how to do it:
- Script adherence: Map in scripts that make sense to agents and feel instructive. They will need to buy into scripting before any real analytics can begin.
- Positive reinforcement in coaching: Rather than making agents feel like you're waiting to catch them in a mistake, try to encourage them when they do it right.
- Don't force a version of an interaction: Especially with the complexity of today's calls, not every interaction is going to fall into a neat category. Trust the technology but also your agent's instincts.
Ultimately, with the right agent assist tool and implementation plan, your agents — and therefore, your customers — are set up for a better experience on the calls to come.
Make Every Agent Your Best Agent
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