Enterprises demand seamless operations in both inbound and outbound communications. Interactions with clients or customers are often executed across multiple channels: email, chat, social media, SMS, mobile interactions and of course, voice. Cloud-based call center software is especially well suited for handling outbound communications and workforce optimization (WFO).
A recent refocusing and rededication to an enterprise-level clientele has had an initial positive impact for one major supplier of contact center as a service (CCaaS) software. Between February 2019, when the company was acquired by Vector Capital, to November 2019, Aspect Software experienced significant growth in its installed base – from 1.93 to 2.19 million.
Outbound Communications
With the prevalence of Caller ID and call-blocking technology, not to mention Do Not Call lists and compliance regulations, accomplishing effective outbound communications is a challenge.
Nonetheless, a proactive outbound communications strategy is essential to maintaining customer engagement, as well as conducting legitimate functions such as appointment reminders and collections.
An omnichannel approach that combines properly timed and minimally invasive automated communications with high-touch personal outreach strikes the right balance for outbound communications.
Aspect call center software for outbound communications includes automated voice services that can be configured to detect busy signals, fax machines and voicemail to maximize efficiency.
At the same time, live agents can be scheduled to achieve maximum productivity and call completion rates while complying with abandonment regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in the United States or Office of Communications Act (Ofcom) in the United Kingdom.
Workforce Optimization Software
Workforce Optimization (WFO) is a strategy for leveraging call recording, quality monitoring and other workforce management features to optimize the performance of a live, real-time customer contact center. The software collects information that allows supervisors to develop strategies to improve client relations or enhance employee customer service skills.
Aspect Software takes a multi-faceted approach to workforce optimization. Available services include Workforce Management, Quality Management, Recording and Analytics, Performance Management and Coaching, and Speech and Text Analytics.
A software-based approach to workforce optimization maximizes agent effectiveness and efficiency without creating an overbearing atmosphere of supervisors looking over call center agents shoulders.
A Concierge Approach to Servicing Enterprise Clients
Enterprise customers expect more from their customer contact solutions than a conventional service level approach to customer contact that emphasizes speed of processing rather than customer satisfaction.
These large-scale customers demand solutions that employ a concierge approach, with skill-based routing that employs multiple customer care options based on the nature and complexity of customer issues, including automated self-service, general customer service representatives and specialized customer service representatives.
The concierge approach to customer contact emphasizes achieving a satisfactory customer outcome during the initial customer contact whenever possible.
Best practices for the concierge approach to customer service dictate that the first live representative to interact with a customer would take ownership of the issue, redirecting the call if necessary, rather than requiring a second customer interaction.
Ideally, the initial customer service representative would remain engaged with the customer for the entire interaction, but if not, at least until a subsequent agent takes over.
Returning to Enterprise Roots
Aspect counts several top commercial banks, telecom providers and airlines among its enterprise-level clients. By focusing on developing modern, outbound and WFO communications solutions, along with individually developed software packages, Aspect has demonstrated its recommitment to serving these large-scale clients with premises-based and cloud-based communications software suites. It’s an approach that, at least in the short run, has proven itself to be successful.
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