ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK

AN EXCELLENT CX IS A HAPPY CONTACT CENTER HOW EMPATHY , ENGAGEMENT , COACHING , AND TECHNOLOGY CAN PUT GRINS ALL AROUND .

BY MICHELLE RANDALL , PLAYVOX

If you ’ re like me , I think of the agent who went the extra mile to solve my issue or kept me with them so that I wouldn ’ t have to be transferred to yet another department .

I also think of the agent who was clear and concise in their communication : whether over email , chat , or social media . It was clear a human was helping me , even if my interaction may have begun with a chatbot .

We all understand that a customer-first mindset is critical for success . We can all name at least a half-dozen brands cited in case studies , written about in popular books , and in which

22 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE we have invested our money in that have cracked the code on delighting their customers .

Much less discussed is what it takes to deliver truly outstanding CXs . While some companies may think of FCR as defined as having your issue solved the first time you reach out to a brand . But others may think of it as contact deflection : when you have such an extensive knowledge base that a customer can solve whatever issue they may have through self-help .

However , only the most innovative businesses make the connection that in order to deliver loyalty-driving experiences , you must first ensure your workforce is engaged and empowered .

This would seem to be super obvious to all but the most pessimistic businessperson ; a better employee experience leads to better business outcomes and , in turn , better experiences .

Although we can all cite truly horrendous experiences when it felt like an employee did not care about solving our issue or problem , we can also discuss defining experiences that made us customers of a particular company for life .