Contact center managers face a dilemma as rising customer service expectations are met with budget cuts. Automation is one solution to doing more with less but can seem daunting, especially if you don’t have the resources or expertise. With a low-code automation tool like Microsoft Power Automate, you can effortlessly automate repetitive tasks and increase the efficiency of your contact center.
Customers mostly associate poor customer service with long wait times, the need to repeat information, and lengthy resolution procedures. With a flexible contact center solution that integrates with Microsoft Power Automate, you to address these issues with little effort and improve customer service. Here are some ideas on how to get started:
IVRs are one of the oldest forms of contact center automation and still outperform many newer technologies in terms of flexibility, speed, and cost-effectiveness. However, since callers are often annoyed by them, you could use automation to enhance the on-hold experience and allow the caller to choose the music (e.g., “press 1 for electro, 2 for pop, or 3 for punk”). The next step in automation would be to use predictive IVRs that offer variable menu options. For example, you could use the caller ID number to check if the customer has any open orders or complaints and adjust the IVR menu options accordingly (e.g., “press 1 to get your order status or 2 for more options”).
Use intelligent routing scenarios to ensure customers reach the right agent right away. Implement skill-based routing to quickly direct callers to an agent with the necessary skills and knowledge. Use parameter-based routing to gather information about the caller, such as his ticket status, to route him to the correct agent, and use priority-based routing to make sure your most valuable customers don’t have to wait in line.
Integrate your CRM and other business tools with your contact center and empower agents to deliver efficient, personalized service with a 360-degree view of the customer. By further integrating a national address book, weather data, and social media, agents can quickly gather information about the caller and their issues, enabling them to provide highly personalized service that quickly resolves the caller’s problem.
Customers increasingly expect 24/7 service availability. Bots can serve as valuable stand-ins for agents during off-hours or to answer routine customer questions. During service hours, bots can also be used to assist agents and suggest solutions to the customer problems.
With a Contact Center as a Service solution and Power Automate, you can easily automate a variety of processes with relatively little effort. Whether you want to change the color of your lights when an agent is on an important call or activate a siren when a VIP customer is in your queue, today’s automation platforms allow you to do it quickly and easily.
Advances in AI and automation, particularly natural language processing, hold great promise for the future of contact center automation. But already today, Power Automate already makes it easy to integrate your technology stack into the contact center and automate routine tasks.