Product Whitepaper: Streamline Business Processes, Maximize … · 2015-01-09 · Streamline Business Processes, Maximize Agent Performance and Enhance ... product whitepaper demonstrates

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Product Whitepaper:

Streamline Business Processes, Maximize Agent Performance and Enhance the Customer Experience

© 2015, CorvisaCloud, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Not all contact center agents are created equal, so how do you level the playing field to ensure maximum performance and productivity while delivering a seamless customer experience that doesn’t sound scripted and robotic?

Cloud technologies can help bridge the gaps within your contact center. This product whitepaper demonstrates how CorvisaOne® Workflow automation tools streamline business processes and equip agents with the information they need to deliver consistent, accurate messages and outstanding customer service – regardless of experience, skill set or location.

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STREAMLINE BUSINESS PROCESSES, MAXIMIZE AGENT PERFORMANCE AND ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Your Agents: What Customers ExpectAs defined by Gartner1:

Using this definition as a starting point, it’s

easy to understand why the contact center is

integral to the customer experience. It is often

the customer’s interaction with a contact center

agent – no matter the channel (e.g., voice, chat,

SMS) – that will make or break satisfaction,

loyalty and advocacy, as well as dictate the rise

or fall of profits.

With so many vendors competing for customers’

business, it’s essential that agents deliver an

outstanding experience with every touch point. A

recent study of U.S. consumers2 (detailed below)

indicates what’s most important – and most

frustrating – when dealing with agents:

“Customer strategy and experience management involves designing and reacting to customer interactions to best meet or exceed expectations, and to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy.”

Contact Center Essentials: What Customers Want

Good Conversation49% said businesses need to have agents who speak clearly and

are easy to understand.

Humans, Not Robots80% said their customer service calls feel scripted and robotic.

1 Customer Strategy and Experience Management Key Initiative Overview. 14 March 2014, G00262942, Analyst(s) Jenny Sussin. Gartner Subscribers can access the report here.2 CorvisaCloud polled 1,214 individuals via an online uSamp survey between Aug. 25-28, 2014. The margin of error is +/- 2.98 percentage points.

https://www.gartner.com/doc/2683416/customer-strategy-experience-management-key

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Knowledgable Reps37% ranked knowledgeable agents as

the primary reason for continuing to do

business with a company.

Reduced Hold Times32% will hang up after waiting on hold for

more than five minutes; nearly half (49%)

believe lowering hold times would vastly

improve customer service.

Quick Resolution18% believe businesses can improve upon the

number of times they are transferred from agent-

to-agent on a single customer service call.

Multiple ChannelsWhile 55% still prefer speaking with an agent on

the phone, others indicated they will also use

web chat or email, texting and social media.

What Customers Want (con’t)

One additional insight from the study to keep front of mind – you don’t get many chances

to make a good impression. About one-third of respondents indicated they had contacted a

service center just once during the past year; 20% had contact twice a year or more.

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Managing Today’s Contact Center: The ChallengesKeeping employees,

management and customers

happy is no small task for

contact center leaders.

Customers’ high expectations

and the importance of

the contact center agent

role are in direct contrast

to the fact that agent

jobs are often entry-level

positions, sometimes with

limited financial incentives

and opportunities for

advancement. These facts,

combined with the challenges

noted below, can make

managing a successful

contact center a formidable

undertaking. Consider the

issues (below) that a contact

center manager often needs

to address every day:

Customer AngstIt should come as no surprise

that most consumers don’t

list contacting a customer

service center among their

favorite activities. In a recent

survey3, almost one-third said

they would rather shop in

the crowds on Black Friday

than speak with customer

service; another 24% said

they would opt for a visit to

the dentist instead. In addition,

more than half of the survey

respondents (55%) indicated

they had lost their temper

with an agent between 1-4

times over the past year.

Agent Turnover According to Forrester

Research, Inc. Vice President &

Principal Analyst Kate Leggett:

Leggett goes on to point out

that turnover not only impacts

recruiting and training costs,

but also ongoing agent morale,

which can impact customer

satisfaction as well.

Multiple MessagesManaging multiple clients

and/or products often

requires equipping agents

with various call scripts that

ensure the most accurate

information and, in some

instances, compliance with

regulatory standards. It can

be difficult for even the most

experienced agents to keep

pace, let alone recently

hired employees or those

who may be located in a

remote location.

Complex Product Lines and/or ScenariosHighly technical product

offerings that require detailed

explanations are challenging.

But even if you offer a

simple product line, industry

requirements and guidelines

may make for complicated

transactions and customer

confusion. Troubleshooting

can be complex if agents

aren’t equipped with the

knowledge and tools they

need to diagnose and address

customer concerns.

“Low agent turnover rates are those that are below 20% a year, and some contact centers have turnover rates as low as 5%. Turnover rates higher than 50% are considered high, and some contact centers have attrition rates of more than 100% a year.”4

3 CorvisaCloud polled 1,214 individuals via an online uSamp survey between Aug. 25-28, 2014. The margin of error is +/- 2.98 percentage points.4 Contact Center Agent Turnover is a Fact of Life That Must Be Tracked and Managed. Kate Leggett, Forrester Research blog. May 6, 2013.

http://blogs.forrester.com/kate_leggett/13-05-06-contact_center_agent_turnover_is_a_fact_of_life_that_must_be_tracked_and_managed

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Fast-Changing ScriptsEven if your organization

is lucky enough to have a

relatively stable workforce,

today’s fast-paced business

world dictates the need for

quick and accurate agent

responses. Whether it’s

coordinating a multi-faceted

product rollout, taking on

an important new client, or

responding to the latest

social media buzz, contact

center managers need to

quickly update and deliver

consistent messaging across

all locations.

Compliance RequirementsOrganizations in highly-

regulated industries (e.g.,

health care, financial services)

and/or those that need to

follow specific guidelines

related to selling and service

must ensure agents are in

compliance to minimize risks

and avoid legal issues.

Challenges like those noted

above are often manifested

in reduced productivity and

an inability to fully utilize staff.

Managers are then faced with

a difficult decision: address

these issues with additional

training, which can be time-

consuming, resource intensive

and costly; or sacrifice some

degree of personalized

interaction in favor of scripted

tactics.

Many businesses are forced

to go the latter route, resulting

in customer complaints of a

robotic, impersonal service

experience. Unfortunately,

neither of these is a

win-win situation for either the

business or its customers.

How Technology Can Help

The good news for today’s contact center leaders is the growing

number of cloud technology solutions available that can make

managing these challenges easier. The cloud-based workflow

automation and call guidance tools offered by CorvisaOne

Workflow can go a long way to help address the issues noted

above. Such tools allow you to equip all agents – regardless

of experience, skill set or location – with the ability to deliver a

consistent, exceptional customer experience that doesn’t come

across as robotic. Plus, it gives contact center managers the tools

they need to quickly build and execute the processes they want.

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Workflow Automation: Workflow DiagramsWorkflow automation software allows

companies to centrally manage key business

processes by providing technology for

managers and administrators that turns

diagrams of business processes into automated

applications and screens, allowing agents to

adapt to different scenarios. These workflow

automation diagrams become the online

screens and guided call scripts that agents

reference for contextual guidance during

customer interactions. Such technologies equip

agents with knowledge of the next best action

to take, troubleshooting questions to ask, or

sales suggestions to make based on the path

the conversation is taking. Workflow tools make

it easier for agents to sound – and act – like

humans, while also reducing the amount of

agent training required.

When it comes to workflow automation and

call guidance, a picture (or in this case, two) is

worth a thousand words. Below are screen shots

depicting how to create a workflow diagram and

screen content using CorvisaOne Workflow:

1. Create a Workflow Diagram

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Customer View

Agent View

Workflow Automation (con’t)

2. Create Screen Content

Using easy drag ‘n drop

technology, the CorvisaOne

Workflow page layout screen

provides prompts to walk you

through screen design and

other components. From this

screen you can also input

page text using our rich content

editor. Updates can be made

quickly without special coding.

Workflow Automation: Co-browsingAnother feature of CorvisaOne Workflow,

collaborative co-browsing, can also help

agents deliver superior service. Co-browsing

allows an agent to instantly view or share

a web or mobile experience and guide

customers through complex interactions and

transactions, step-by-step and in real-time.

Since co-browsing is centrally managed

through administrative functions, you can also

limit who sees what. For instance, as shown

on the CorvisaOne Workflow screens to the

right, while the agent has sidebar notes to offer

cross-selling suggestions, the customer only

sees the standard screen.

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How Workflow Automation Addresses Contact Center ChallengesImagine that you manage contact center

operations for a U.S.-based retailer of home

furnishings. You have five service centers

nationwide, housing 50-100 agents at each

location. Typical calls can range from

questions about a specific product to how to

handle a return. But due to a safety recall

from one of your crib suppliers that will be

announced later today, you’re gearing up for

an onslaught of calls from concerned parents.

Your agents need direction and details on how

the recall is being handled, including how to

fill out a return/refund form located on your

website. The return procedure will vary based

on the customer’s ZIP code. On top of that,

you just hired and trained a total of 85 new

agents who are standing by, ready to take

their first calls.

How will CorvisaOne Workflow help ensure

that you get the safety recall information to

the front lines in a timely manner to ensure

all agents – no matter their location -- are

providing accurate information? And how can

you guarantee customers won’t know if they’ve

reached a rookie, versus one of your seasoned

pros? Most importantly, how will these tools

help the entire team to deliver a personal

and caring customer service experience?

Perhaps the best way to understand is with an

illustration (right) that incorporates CorvisaOne

Workflow components:

Referring to his screen, Andy relays info about the recall and asks qualifying questions to confirm Mom’s product is indeed defective.

Andy Agent gets a called from Worried Mom about the recall.

Andy carries that smile with him into his next call with Distraught Dad…

Together, Andy and Mom complete the form, process the refund and set up the return pick-up. Mom hangs up

happy, which brings a smile to Andy’s face.

Mary “publishes” the update so that it is now available along with the other existing workflow apps.

Mary Manager creates a workflow and associated scripts about the recall.

Andy explains that he can help Worried Mom fill out the refund form and asks if he can email her a link that will take them to a co-browsing screen.

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CorvisaOne Workflow Provides Value Throughout the Process

The illustration above demonstrates how

CorvisaOne Workflow gives organizations the

tools they need to meet the demands of both

their employees and their customers:

Managers build the process they

want, with the ability to integrate

multiple databases into a single

user interface for a more efficient,

reportable agent experience.

Managers are also able to roll out new

information in a streamlined, intuitive

way that reduces training time and

costs, making agents more productive,

more quickly.

Agents have the tools they need to

be successful. Empowering agents to

provide better service means happier,

longer tenured employees who

provide a better customer experience.

Customers get the answers they need

in a conversational manner from well-

informed agents, plus additional hands-

on assistance through co-browsing

sessions that they can enter via their

computer, tablet or mobile device. The

result: fewer robotic interactions and

more first call resolutions.

An Important Next StepThe benefits outlined here that CorvisaOne Workflow automation tools provide

are just the starting point for many businesses; workflow automation can easily

be applied to many areas of an organization.

To ensure these cloud tools deliver maximum value, it is important to re-evaluate

your processes before implementing this, or for that matter, any new technology.

Most organizations are used to adjusting their processes or expectations around

what their technology is able to facilitate – a reality that is less than ideal

for both productivity and customer experience. To make sure the technology

effectively “wraps around” your business instead of the other way around,

answer the following questions:

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Workflow and contact

center technologies should

not have to run parallel to

one another. CorvisaOne

Workflow was designed to

deliver a cohesive, automated

experience that makes both

agent training and ongoing

script changes easier and

faster. Most important, it

gives you the flexibility to

create and run processes that

work for your business now,

tomorrow and in the future.

1. When was the last time you re-evaluated your processes?

2. How are your current processes being dictated or limited by your current technology?

• Where are you falling short of company objectives or what’s holding you back from growth?

• What struggles or concerns are your customers having when they interact with your business?

• Where are there gaps in efficiency?

3. Are you interacting with customers the same way you did two years ago? Five years ago?

4. What is your cost of training?

5. What is your cost of sales and/or customer support?

6. Are you tracking effectiveness?

• Support/Inbound: Are your agents able to answer challenging questions or do customers need to be transferred multiple times? What’s your first call resolution rate? Average hold time?

• Sales/Outbound: How long does it take your leads to go from one status to the next? What are your closing rates? What is your average wrap time?

An Important Next Step (con’t)

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SummaryYour contact center is a key component, if not

the centerpiece, of the customer experience.

It is often the customer’s experience with an

agent that will make or break brand loyalty and

dictate the rise or fall of profits. Contact center

managers must balance customer expectations

along with the need to equip every agent

– regardless of their experience or location –

with the training and tools needed to deliver

outstanding service. The cloud-based workflow

automation, call guidance and collaborative

co-browsing tools offered by CorvisaOne

Workflow can go a long way to help not only

train and coach employees, but also increase

productivity and reduce costs.

Learn more about what these tools can do

for your organization. Contact us for an initial

discovery session.

About CorvisaCloudCorvisaCloud brings customer success to the heart of every business interaction through our cloud-based communications platform, contact center technologies and consulting services. We help businesses work smarter, save money and make customers happier… and with our passion for service, we make getting there an enjoyable experience.

[email protected]

About the Author

Paul Gregory Chief Revenue Officer

Paul Gregory has an extensive

background in private equity,

business development,

engagement management

and asset management. He

currently leads CorvisaCloud’s

SMB sales and business

development, and is

responsible for long-term

revenue strategy.

In his previous role with

Novation Companies – the

parent of CorvisaCloud – he

developed and implemented

business plans to bring new

technology products to market

and led efforts to identify,

research and recommend new

investments and initiatives for

Novation and its subsidiaries.

Documents

Product Whitepaper: Streamline Business Processes, Maximize … · 2015-01-09 · Streamline Business Processes, Maximize Agent Performance and Enhance ... product whitepaper demonstrates