ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK

THE AGENT EXPERIENCE HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP BY AUGMENTING IT TO PROVIDE A SOUND CX .

BY ROB MCDOUGALL , UPSTREAM WORKS SOFTWARE

Contact center agents are the frontline of the customer experience ( CX ). And when contact centers are shortstaffed , or agents are disengaged , customers bear the brunt right away . It ’ s not good for customers and that isn ’ t good for businesses .

High agent attrition is one of the biggest challenges contact centers face today . Add in labor shortages that make it challenging to replace experienced talent and increasing customer expectations , you have the makings of a perfect storm .

26 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE

This is why many contact centers are looking to accelerate innovation and advance transformation technology to lessen the burden placed on agents : and improve the agent experience . This helps achieve quicker resolutions for customers while continuing to grow and increase profitability .

THE CASE FOR INVESTING

Consider that , for some agents , the contact center - an entry-level position that pays an hourly rate - is their first , real work experience . They are responsible for managing hundreds of customer interactions , week after week .

Yet too often , agents are given these important roles without the proper investments in technology and training .

From a lack of systems integration across the enterprise to ineffective onboarding programs , it ’ s understandable why the contact center is continually challenged with a spate of short-term tenures .

This is not an inevitable outcome . Contact centers that invest in the agent experience are investing in employee retention , as well as in the trio for any business . Namely customer retention , brand loyalty , and a reputation that positively impacts the bottom line .