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\nLeading\u00a0research and consulting firm\u00a0Gartner<\/a>\u00a0predicts that Conversational AI will reduce contact centre labour costs by $80billion in 2026 and over the same period, one in 10 agent interactions (10%) will be automated, an increase from an estimated 1.6% of interactions today. Faced with this dramatic rise in AI-driven tech for customer service, you might expect the number of agents to decrease but therein lies an interesting paradox.<\/p>\n When Calabrio set out to explore the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) recently,<\/strong>\u00a0the results were astounding. AI is going to impact customer service agents, but not in the way most people probably think.\u00a0<\/strong>The response from 400 contact centre managers around the world is clear and reflects Calabrio\u2019s own conversations with customers. While organizations are embracing automation and analytics to maximize their operations, AI won\u2019t entirely replace agents. In fact, over\u00a0two-thirds (70%) of respondents<\/a>\u00a0predict an increase in the number of agents over the next decade.<\/p>\n Changing Role of the Agent<\/strong><\/p>\n The reason for this paradox is when technology removes a large portion of administrative tasks from humans, agents must adapt to embrace increasingly complex customer inquiries, becoming true brand guardians with the power to influence corporate perception, enhance loyalty and boost profits. As a result, agent skillsets are changing too.\u00a0The majority (63%) of contact centre managers<\/a>\u00a0believe \u2018critical thinking skills like problem-solving and troubleshooting\u2019 and \u2018adaptability and continuous learning\u2019 (62%) are the most important proficiencies for agents to be successful in the future.<\/p>\n 7 Ways to Bridge the Gap<\/strong><\/p>\n However, contact centres have a long way to go to create their dream teams because many agents are not yet ready to meet the demands of an AI future. Nearly half of contact centre managers (45%)<\/a>\u00a0say agents currently do not have the right skillsets. Critical thinking and adaptability are most frequently identified as lacking and perhaps more worryingly, they are the first to fly out of the window when agents are stressed or disengaged. Here are a few quick-win ideas to bridge the gap:<\/p>\n 1. Put Employee Engagement Top of the Agenda<\/strong><\/p>\n When employees are disengaged, they are less productive and more likely to leave. The good news is contact centres from all parts of the world recognize the importance of agent wellbeing in meeting customer demands. The majority (80%) or more rank agent engagement scores<\/a>\u00a0as the top measurement metric of the future ahead of traditional customer-centric KPIs such as customer effort (81%) and average handle time (80%).<\/p>\n 2. Listen to Your Agents<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact centre managers around the world have different ways to improve agent engagement. For example, in the US and DACH regions, promoting and facilitating internal messaging between employees is a highly effective but relatively simple and cost-efficient way to improve agent engagement. In the UK contact centres rely on voice of the agent surveys and in the Nordics, hybrid scheduling is the most popular. Combine these methods with Voice of the Employee (VoE) analytics to identify agents who are struggling and need extra support.<\/p>\n 3. Agent-Empowering Tech for a Flourishing Frontline<\/strong><\/p>\n AI is particularly beneficial for supporting the WAH lifestyles and hybrid work schedules of agents today. Modern self-service tools such as self-service scheduling apps help improve engagement, performance, and satisfaction. Contact centre managers say the top three ways these tools can help agents are to request training, select breaks and lunches, and request time off or overtime.<\/p>\n 4. Comprehensive Training and Development<\/strong><\/p>\n Training and skills enhancement are primary strategies<\/a>\u00a0for attracting and retaining agents. This underscores the importance of utilizing AI to improve agents\u2019 skills, rather than seeking to replace them. Greater\u00a0emphasis on targeted, proactive training and coaching will ensure agents have all the skills they need for the future. Most managers felt their environment provided enough (71%) or somewhat enough (26%) opportunities for the appropriate level of training. While fewer than half of all managers were pursuing various types of agent training, including work on aptitude skills and emotional intelligence (38%), or determining the best timing for training (37%).<\/p>\n 5. Measure the Results<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no point in developing these wonderful new training programs if you step away thinking the job is done and dusted, a fact not lost on today\u2019s managers. The report showed 33% of contact centres believe<\/a>\u00a0\u2018measuring the effectiveness of training on productivity\u2019 is an area that definitely needs improvement. Only then can\u00a0contact centres highlight immediate areas for service improvement, align training with changing customer behaviours while identifying tangible opportunities for career advancement quickly and efficiently.<\/p>\n 6. Bring Calm to Chaos<\/strong><\/p>\n Giving agents the skills to stay calm is critical to success. Empower agents with practical coping mechanisms for dealing with frustrated customers. For example, knowing when to use the word \u2018sorry\u2019 sincerely (rather than to pause a difficult interaction) is a simple way to bring calm to chaos. Next, encourage team members to share their own coping strategies. Fostering a sense of belonging and \u2018we\u2019re all in it together\u2019 will stop agents feeling overwhelmed.<\/p>\n 7. Future-Proof Recruitment<\/strong><\/p>\n As organizations grapple with economic uncertainty and the continued cost-of-living crisis, it might come as no surprise that \u2018increasing wages\u2019 is one of the top strategies for attracting and retaining agents for future success. However, there are other ways to nurture your brightest talent.\u00a0 Follow the lead of our survey respondents and pay extra attention to \u2018recognition or rewards\u2019 (36%), \u2018training and skills development\u2019 (35%), and \u2018scheduling flexibility\u2019 (34%) to attract and retain employees today<\/a>.<\/p>\n The truth is, it doesn\u2019t really matter what skills agents have because if they aren\u2019t engaged, those skills quickly disappear. Don\u2019t get left behind. Learn how to activate your agents of the future by downloading Calabrio\u2019s\u00a0latest report<\/a>\u00a0or visit\u00a0www.calabrio.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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Calabrio is a trusted ally to leading brands. The digital foundation of a customer-centric contact center, the Calabrio ONE workforce performance suite helps enrich and understand human interactions, empowering your contact center as a brand guardian. We maximize agent performance, exceed customer expectations, and boost workforce efficiency using connected data, AI-fueled analytics, automated workforce management, and personalized coaching. Only Calabrio ONE unites workforce optimization (WFO), agent engagement, and business intelligence solutions into a true-cloud, fully integrated suite that adapts to your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"