It is no secret that the 2020 global epidemic has fast-tracked the world into a new era of business. Forced into strict work-from-home and healthcare regulations, many companies had to reorganize their entire infrastructure virtually overnight.
The aftermath of this unprecedented disruption has had a butterfly effect whose consequences can be observed across all areas of business. As connective technology suddenly gains even more traction, consumer standards have inevitably raised.
Customer Service in 2020
Already in 2018, Microsoft’s Global Report on the state of customer service found that 59% of respondents had higher expectations for customer service compared to the previous year, 95% cited customer service as an important element for brand choice and loyalty, and 61% claimed to have moved away from certain brands due to their poor customer service. These stats become all the more relevant in 2020 when the average consumer was widely described as “impatient and digital”.
In this new scenario, successful companies understand that an upgrade of the existing call-center strategies and infrastructure is necessary to meet the standards of an increasingly demanding audience. What’s more, forward-thinking entrepreneurs are seeing the advantages of turning the necessary shift to remote work as an opportunity to improve their bottom line.
Remote As The New Normal
Employing home customer service agents has opened companies to unprecedented possibilities. By leveraging their remote-first workforce effectively, businesses are now enjoying the benefits of reduced cost and the possibility to employ talent from a broader pool, all the while empowering workers to perform at their best from the comfort of their homes. Data shows that happy employees are more likely to work effectively and deliver a great customer experience, leading to overall improved ROI.
Notwithstanding, while looking at the benefits of this up-and-coming trend it is important to also address its challenges. Catering to the needs of a revolutionized work environment calls for a reassessment of current standards of security, interconnectivity, and workforce optimization.
Cloud Contact Centers
In the contemporary landscape, the need to respond to ever-sophisticated threats has pushed top-notch developers into designing cloud-based, scalable remote contact center solutions specifically designed to respond to the needs of the workplaces of the future.
By inter-connecting hundreds of business applications, solutions such as Squaretalk enable organizations to leverage the benefits of each of them and create a bespoke hub for business process outsourcing services around the world. Through these services, companies can enjoy the advantages of workplace flexibility and the automation of time-consuming bulk messages while also promoting increased interaction with direct customers.
Conclusion
2020 surely has been one of the most eventful years in recent times. Technologically advanced solutions have supported many businesses through interesting times and helped them discover how unforeseen challenges can be turned into an opportunity for growth.
As we brace ourselves for yet another momentous era of business, we acknowledge that the current remote/hybrid model is bound to stand the test of time. Post-pandemic, the world is likely to experience another shift from a work-from-home to a work-from-anywhere distributed workforce. Regardless, contact center solutions are bound to keep playing a strategic role in customer satisfaction and, ultimately, the company’s ROI.
