Contact centres can no longer afford to think of AI as a future concept – it is very much the here and now. But are contact centres preparing their agents in the best way? Magnus Geverts, VP of Product Marketing at Calabrio, analyses the different factors at play and advises on how to best equip agents to handle the changing landscape.
With recent research revealing that 98% of contact centres are already making use of AI technology, its adoption is clearly moving at pace. As AI takes on a more central role in contact centre operations it’s transforming the role of frontline agents and driving a need for different skills. Yet, 59% of contact centres are not giving agents the ongoing coaching or support needed to help them navigate the AI-driven workflows they now encounter.
This disconnect not only creates frustrations and disenchantment for the frontline workforce, it also restricts the ability of contact centres to capture the full potential of their AI investments to optimise business performance or achieve CX delivery goals.
For today’s contact centre leaders, getting the balance right between technological innovation and human connection is crucial – whether that is equipping agents to work in concert with AI, or ensuring that AI enhances, rather than hinders, customer and agent satisfaction.
The AI imperative
It is with good reason that contact centres are putting AI to work. According to 40% of contact centre leaders, a growing number of customers now demand 24/7 around-the-clock support. In addition to this, they want faster and more personalised interactions as well as self-service options that make it easy to resolve issues independently.
To deliver against these evolving expectations and maintain a competitive edge where customer satisfaction is concerned, deploying AI in the contact centre is a mission-critical priority for many leaders. The good news is that, thus far, the impact of AI implementations has been largely positive where operational productivity and responsiveness is concerned. An impressive 31% of leaders report they have achieved significant improvements in efficiency and performance, with a further 33% seeing minor improvements.
On the flip side, the introduction of AI into the contact centre has significant implications for the role of frontline agents. While automating basic interactions is clearly proving beneficial for streamlining and boosting first-contact resolution rates, it also means agents are now confronted with AI-driven workflows and a growing number of AI tools. They are also being tasked with handling growing volumes of complex and challenging customer interactions as AI agents handle simpler, more routine tasks.
Getting to grips with the changing agent experience (AX)
AI is reshaping contact centres and, in the process, transforming the role of frontline agents. While AI can streamline knowledge management, its introduction can add new complexities. The lack of investment into coaching or support for agents means that many have mixed perceptions of AI and often view it as unhelpful when undertaking their daily tasks. Indeed, almost one-third (32%) of contact centre leaders said that lack of agent trust in AI is now a major issue. But that is not all.
As automation takes over a growing number of routine tasks, agents are increasingly being called upon to handle the most complex and emotionally charged customer conversations. And, according to contact centre leaders, these conversations are becoming more difficult with 61% reporting an increase in challenging interactions over the past year.
While elevating the customer experience is important, failing to address the agent experience will not only result in poor workforce engagement with AI technologies. It can also introduce stress and undermine job satisfaction, leading to an uptick in workforce attrition rates.
Empowering agents in the age of AI
To truly reap the benefits of AI, it is essential that the correct support is given to agents to ensure they are well-equipped to handle their changing responsibilities.
Increasingly asked to handle the toughest customer conversations, the new division of labour created by the introduction of AI chatbots and workflows means that frontline personnel are being tasked with focusing on problems and issues that require human empathy, emotional intelligence and in-depth knowledge.
This change demands a higher level of skill, and requires adaptability, resilience and nuanced understanding. Yet 64% of organisations say they are not prioritising emotional intelligence or social interaction training for their workforce.
Unless organisations address this skills training gap, their frontline personnel will be overwhelmed by the increase in difficult interactions and will struggle to balance efficiency with empathy.
Clearly, equipping agents with the full range of skills they need to thrive is vital. As a result, in addition to delivering technical training in AI proficiency, agents also need to be given the appropriate soft skills development and supported to adapt to their new working realities.
Rethinking the AI strategy for success
Despite AI’s early successes, there are indications that contact centres’ strategies have not kept up with the rapid pace of change. As the adoption of AI gains momentum, its transformative potential is being put to the test and agent engagement and training is emerging as a glaring blind spot that organisations often overlook.
While technology is critical for transforming the operational performance and CX delivery capabilities of the contact centre, organisations that invest in sophisticated AI tools must also implement workforce development initiatives. This way, contact centres can ensure that their frontline personnel are appropriately empowered to work in new ways and will be able to make the most of AI for the long term.