The Road Ahead – 5 Challenges for Contact Center Software in 2022
5 Challenges for Contact Center Software in 2022
The evolution of the contact center has exceeded all expectations over the past two years. Accelerated by the worldwide pandemic, the shift to a cloud-based solution is no longer on the roadmap; it’s a reality. Words and phrases such as artificial intelligence, skills-based routing and hybrid have become commonplace in the contact center industry. Improvements and advancements in technology are now happening at such a speed that it’s become essential that contact center software is flexible and future-ready to adapt, extend and integrate.
Whether you are a CCaaS provider or an end user, the keyword when adopting a contact center software platform with longevity in 2022 and beyond is adaptability.
Here are our 5 key ‘adaptable’ components to look out for:
1. Open APIs – for custom integrations
CRMs, industry-specific applications, specialist reporting and data analysis, AI applications, CATI systems, payment gateways – and the list goes on. Whether you are running a multi-tenant platform to multiple industries or an enterprise that needs a bespoke solution, a platform that provides the foundations to easily integrate with any 3rd party software – and remember the next ‘best technology’ is just around the corner – is an adaptable platform for life.
2. Scalability – on a tenant-by-tenant basis
You might be a global enterprise or a CCaaS provider with multiple bespoke tenant installations or a contact center with time-specific bursts of activity. While a one-size-fits-all solution might work initially, the capacity to scale - providing each tenant with a tailor-made contact center solution - will provide the seamless adaptability to adjust seats and technology accordingly.
3. Multi-channel, multi-media – keeping up with customer communication preferences
Contact center technology isn’t the only thing evolving and changing over time; new social channels pop up, new chat apps become the norm and a contact center platform must be able to add these as a matter of course. Adapting to suit each individual customer, be it a preferred channel or personalised self-service, results in loyalty and a more tailored customer experience.
4. Load balancing – non-siloed across all media channels
For a contact center to be truly efficient, it needs to adapt to real time changes in metrics (e.g. agent availability, SLAs) while routing customers to the best available agent across any media channel. Plain omnichannel is not enough. Utilising agent skillsets while they multi-task across multiple channels, uninterrupted by constant logging in and out of channel siloes, is the way forward for ultimate productivity. Omnichannel on steroids.
5. Evolutionary software – adapting to new needs without changing platform
Platform change is a big deal for contact centers, which is why sometimes systems remain in place well beyond their sell-by-date. Choosing a vendor who designs a platform with the ability to evolve as an intrinsic part of the build and structure, will avoid costly and time-consuming platform changes in the future. The key ‘tells’ for a vendor who gets this right is how easy it is to build new functionality on top of the platform without incurring huge time costs. So prior research on vendor agility, i.e. how quickly they respond to changing needs with a product update, is advisable.
A flexible contact center software platform for 2022
So, as we head into 2022, the key to maximising both customer satisfaction and agent productivity will be a software platform that provides the infrastructure for any eventuality, be it technical development, cutting edge software integration or alternative communication methods.
Is your platform 2022-ready? Talk to us or book in a demo to discover the unique adaptability of Sytel’s Softdial Contact Center platform.
As we approach the end of 2021, we want to finish on a really upbeat note, so have a look at our December blog, for a Xmas season feelgood factor.
