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Kunnect The Call Center Revolution in the Cloud SearchHome Purchase Confirmation Post navigation ← Older posts Three Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Improve Call Center Customer Service Posted on October 18, 2016 by Ashley.Smith If you polled 100 people, 99 might say automated customer service is nothing but a pain. They’d rather speak to a human being. Everyone has a nightmare story: confusing menus that lead in circles or to the wrong department; speech recognition that can’t understand common patterns of speech; systems that require users to enter account information but don’t pass that information on to the customer service representative. However, most of those complaints refer to traditional interactive voice response (IVR) systems, which have limitations. Combined with modern artificial intelligence (AI) technology, IVRs can work smarter. Newer tools such as natural language processing, speech analysis and chatbots make automation friendlier for the customer while also improving productivity in call centers. Natural language processing Natural language processing, or NLP, is the AI technology that allows computers to understand human speech as we actually speak it. Old IVR technology could only understand simple words and phrases like operator” or pay my bill,” while NLP picks up on complex phrases like I have a strange fee on my bill that I don’t understand” or I need to change my shipping address.” Customers no longer have to guess at the exact word or phrase a computer might understand to be routed to the correct department; they just speak like they would to a human. Speech analysis Speech analysis can be used to understand not just what customers say but what kind of mood they’re in. Modern call center technology can detect when a caller is angry or frustrated so representatives are prepared to respond to those moods. Calls from irate customers can be routed to representatives who are more experienced, or those who have proven success diffusing situations. AI can also pick up on age, vocabulary and vernacular to route callers to the best possible agent. In the future, it is even expected to analyze personalities, matching callers with an agents who communicate in a similar way. Chatbots There’s been a lot of chatter about bots this year. Giants like Microsoft and Facebook have launched them, and smaller companies are soon to follow. Chatbots interact with customers via text in a natural, conversational way. They can be used to answer simple questions or troubleshoot more complex problems. What makes chatbots, unlike tools such as Siri, so exciting is that they learn from previous conversations and use that information to make suggestions about what you might need or want. Millennials are likely to appreciate chatbots, as most would rather communicate via text than phone, at least for basic needs and transactions (and as long as the technology works quickly and seamlessly). Limitations to AI Despite the advancements, most tech experts agree that artificial intelligence will not replace live representatives entirely – at least not anytime soon. Some questions and issues are simply too complex, requiring the assistance of a human being. Some customers, particularly older people, are resistant to automated systems and will always prefer a live agent. The cost of AI can be prohibitive, too, particularly for small companies or for those who have already invested heavily in more outdated forms of IVR. On the bright side, AI does promise to improve call center operations where it can be implemented by reducing customer frustrations. And, as we all know, happy customers are far more likely to remain loyal to your brand. Kunnect sells 100% cloud-based call center software that includes a predictive dialer to businesses and political campaigns. Our software, hosted seamlessly in the Amazon platform, manages all inbound and outbound calling for a flat rate of $125 per agent per month with a flat deposit of $125 per user. There are no hidden fees. Posted in Kunnect Nation | Tagged artificial intelligence in the call center , best call center software , call center automation , call center customer service , call center software reviews , chatbots call center , contact center customer service , IVR for call centers , natural language processing call center Learn how Kunnect can help you, why not get in touch with us? Contact us Ask Yourself These Five Questions Before Moving to the Cloud Posted on June 17, 2015 by Ashley.Smith The vast majority of businesses, from small firms to large enterprises, are transitioning to the cloud in some capacity. But everyone else is doing it” is not reason enough to make the switch. It’s important to look at your own needs, infrastructure and budget to make an informed decision. Ask yourself these five important questions before beginning your transition to the cloud. In many cases, answering the questions will make it clear that moving to the cloud is the right choice. But it’s important to go through the process to be sure. Q: Why do I want to transition to the cloud? If you can’t answer the why, transitioning to the cloud is premature. As with all business decisions, the transition needs to solve some sort of problem, address a need or reduce the bottom line. We all know the benefits of cloud computing – including greater flexibility, less required maintenance and lower cost – but you need to first figure out exactly how those benefits apply to your business. Q: Which software and/or applications do I need most? Typically, it’s not wise to switch all your software and applications to the cloud at once. It’s too much to handle logistically. Think about what you need or want to accomplish that you can’t with your existing systems. Is your call center software outdated and obsolete? Maybe that’s the first transition to make. Are you small business still using Excel to track expenses? Maybe cloud-based accounting software is a good investment. Always start by assessing your needs. Q: Is my legacy software out-of-date or obsolete? For large enterprises, this is an important one. Cloud software offers many benefits, but it may not be time to transition if your on-premise software is still functional and/or relatively new. Plan for a cloud transition in the future, but don’t replace software that still works for your business, particularly if it came with a heavy investment. The time to start thinking about the cloud transition is when your existing technology and infrastructure no longer work for you. Q: How will we manage the transition? Cloud vendors make the transition as easy as possible, but there are challenges. For large organizations, data migration can be a huge undertaking. It is complex, expensive and time-consuming. Do you have the resources available to dedicate to the project? Also, who in the organization will be overseeing the cloud transition? It’s important to have a point person to plan and oversee the transition process. How and when will employees be trained to use the software? What other projects or tasks will be placed on the back burner while the project in ongoing? Q: Am I ready to give up in-house control? Some companies struggle with knowing that switching to cloud software requires some loss of internal control. In-house IT will no longer be handling updates and day-to-day management of the software. Data security, at least in part, will be handled by an outside firm. All reputable cloud vendors excel at handling these tasks for you – that is their job – but for some companies the loss of control can seem foreign and uncomfortable. What you don’t want to do is transition to the cloud and then be the type of customer who is calling every day with questions and complaints because you’re bothered by the loss of control. Do your homework to choose the best, most reputable vendor, and then leave the job to them....