There are new and exciting developments happening in call center technology all the time. So many, in fact, that it can often be easy to get caught up in the lure of a new product without considering how helpful it will actually be to your center.
Flashy ideas are great on the surface, but what about the substance of the new product? Is it something that will help you run a more successful call center in the long run?
One way to figure out what you do and do not need for your specific center is to consider what the most commonly-used software and tech systems are at other centers, from the viewpoint of the supervisors who bring it in. Here’s a list of the most essential technology that managers need for their centers.
Automatic call distribution
Automatic call distribution, or ACD, performs a great deal of the most important functions of a call center - in effect, it acts as the spine to your telephone system’s skeleton.
ACD is what routes the incoming calls to the agents within the center, and it also what collect and measure wait time, the length of the calls, call volume, the amount of time a caller has to wait, and other administrative functions that are vital for a supervisor. Even more important, ACD is what lets managers monitor their agents’ calls.
IVR (interactive voice response)
Another of the most basic forms of call center software, IVR can also be the most helpful, particularly when it comes to helping callers solve more minor issues through automated system. It’s essentially a menu system that, through the customer’s responses, routes their call to the correct queue, whether it be an agent, a department or an automated system.
If the first two forms of tech we’ve discussed were skeletal, the IVR is like the circulatory system, getting the important information where it needs to go.
It’s also one of the most vital areas that call center managers would look for opportunities for improvement and increased reliability.
Think about how frustrating it is when an automated system asks you a question and despite repeated attempts, seems to ignore your answer.
That’s the sign of an outdated or inefficient system, and it’s an area that a smart manager will keep track of and make improvements to if it seems like callers aren’t getting their problems solved correctly and quickly.
If there’s any fall-off in the quality of a call center’s IVR, it’s a problem that supervisors will want taken care of with the best new technology possible.
Skills-based routing
A working, efficient SBR system is one of the most important things for a call center to have if they want to provide top-notch service to their callers. SBR sends the calls to a specific agent rather than generally feeding the call to a pool of agents, based on a set of parameters created by the center’s management. A manager can take the employee’s skill level into account when creating the specific system; for example, is the agent bi-lingual? Does their demographic information match the callers?
This creates the probability of a more personal customer service experience for the caller, and a better chance of success for the call center.
Technology isn’t the only thing that helps a call center succeed; the people are what really matter. But it's important to remember that the right tech can help you get your callers to the right people more quickly. To learn more about investing in your agents, read “6 Ways to Help New Contact Center Employees Succeed.”
