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Did you know that 80% of consumers value customer experience as much as a company’s products and services?
Call centers in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector also recognize this significance. As such, they constantly explore ways to deliver exceptional customer service to maintain loyal consumers.
As technology advances, the demand for quick and efficient consumer support increases. Thus, BPO call centers leverage emerging tech trends to transform customers’ engagement and experience.
This article examines the innovations shaping the current state and future of customer experience in BPO support hubs. Keep reading to learn more.
2024 trends honing the future of customer experience in BPO
According to the sixth edition of Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer, 80% of polled consumers said the experience a company delivers is as essential as its offerings. With only a percentage-point difference, a similar number of people also expect faster service as technology evolves.
This demand is what BPO primarily helps address. Third-party call centers provide skilled and flexible agents to help accelerate responses to urgent customer inquiries. However, additional staffing alone might be insufficient, especially during busy seasons and holidays.
Providers need the right tools to fast-track customer support while maintaining quality service. Hence, they leverage the latest technologies to enhance their call center operations.
Let us tackle how these emerging tech trends influence the current and future customer experience in BPO:
Generative AI introduces more humanized customer service
Although it is still in its early stages, generative artificial intelligence (AI) is already transforming customer service. This modern technology uses deep learning models to make customer engagements feel more human. It makes support more personalized through the following ways:
- Analyzing customer data to deliver tailored responses. Generative AI uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand and produce human-like text. It also remembers prior interactions, creating more coherent and engaging interactions.
- Enabling fast, 24/7 support. Emplifi reported that consumers consider slow response time the top reason for a negative experience. Generative AI only needs a desktop and the internet to automate replies and help address issues quickly and around the clock.
- Handling complex inquiries. Generative AI assists support agents in resolving an individual customer’s complicated issues. Training the tech with suitable prompts and keywords generates detailed and accurate solutions to resolve complex problems. This lessens agents’ handling time and allows them to accommodate more customers daily.
- Increasing agent efficiency. Generative AI responds to basic inquiries, such as product descriptions and installation strategies. It also handles routine functions (e.g., data entry), letting agents prioritize high-value tasks such as case analysis and reporting.
With generative AI, chatbots have transformed from simple automated responders to sophisticated digital agents. They possess the above qualities and can adopt a brand’s tone when appropriately programmed.
AR technology empowers product purchasing decisions
BPO firms constantly embrace innovative ways to maintain or improve customer satisfaction and retention. One viable method is adopting augmented reality (AR) to empower consumers’ product purchasing decisions. They leverage this emerging tool to boost marketing campaigns.
BPO solutions for AR marketing add new dimensions to customer interactions with products or services. They make engagement more interactive, efficient, and informative through the following strategies:
- Virtual product demos using AR allow buyers to see products in a real-world context through their smartphones. For instance, IKEA has an AR mobile application that lets online shoppers visualize how furniture could match their house’s interior.
- AR-powered interactive step-by-step tutorials help customers understand how to set up their purchases. For example, they can use an AR app to scan their newly bought printers and generate 3D visual instructions.
- Support vendors use AR to offer virtual try-ons for clothing and cosmetics. The tool shows how items match buyers without visiting an in-person store. Notably, Sephora optimizes its AR virtual artist platform to let digital shoppers test out makeup shades.
Allowing buyers to interact with products virtually informs their decisions. Despite potential pain points, testing the products with AR before purchasing minimizes returns and exchanges. Customers already know what to expect from their orders.
RPA streamlines data entry and management
Robotic process automation (RPA) enhances how BPO providers handle confidential business and customer data. Amid the sector’s fast-paced nature, this bot automates repetitive and rule-based data entry and management tasks.
Suppose a financial institution needs to process thousands of loan applications daily. Instead of entering data manually, a BPO provider uses RPA to collect and input sensitive financial information from digital forms into databases. This minimizes errors and accelerates data sorting.
Such capabilities also help address customers’ frustration due to a disconnected experience. In a similar report by Salesforce, consumers stated they value consistency across channels, devices, and company departments.
According to the study, 70% of customers expect all business representatives to have the same information about them. If they have to repeat or re-explain information to different agents, they feel like they are transacting with various companies instead of just one brand.
Omnichannel strategies streamline customer service
Because customers value consistent service delivery, a BPO contact center implements omnichannel strategies for a seamless, unified experience. The approach integrates phone, email, live chat, social media, and mobile apps into a cloud-based system.
This integration enables agents to seamlessly interact with customers across all touchpoints without missing relevant information. The omnichannel platform gives a unified view of all engagements. Providers also connect it to a client’s customer relationship management (CRM) software, simplifying agents’ access to critical data and transaction history.
This advanced tool, shaping the future of customer experience in BPO, does not require consumers to provide their data repeatedly whenever they encounter product issues. Instead, it allows them to feel valued as repeat and loyal customers.
Voice technology helps hear customer demands better
With the promise of improved accessibility, voice technology has become a preferred solution in customer service. This innovation leverages AI and NLP to understand voice commands.
BPO companies increasingly use voice-activated virtual assistants (VA) to accelerate customer support further. Consumers can simply ask questions through their smartphones or laptops. The VA then gives immediate answers by forwarding relevant links or voicing instructions.
Similar to chatbots, AI-driven voice technology helps personalize customer service. Its data analytics feature allows BPO call centers to understand and anticipate customer needs and preferences. Such insights guide them in developing tailored strategies to meet changing demands.
The bottom line
The intersection of BPO and customer experience redefines service standards driven by technological innovations. Integrating advanced tools, such as generative AI, RPA, and AR, into BPO services meets and exceeds consumer expectations.
These emerging tools continuously shape the future of customer experience in BPO. They enable seamless, consistent, and personalized support across various channels. As providers constantly enhance their functions, client organizations and customers can expect faster and more effective call center services.
Let’s connect if you aim to bring similar benefits to your business and customer base. Our call center team at Unity Communications maximizes modern solutions to ensure fast-paced and cost-efficient customer service.
