VIDEO
Agents can also share graphics and diagrams with the callers . The magic is that any caller with a smartphone can click to join a video chat ( no app downloads required ) to shorten the time required to fix a problem .
WHY VIDEO ?
With consumers more open to video as a communication channel , the time is right to prepare your cloud contact center for this valuable asset . Solid training in the use of video will empower your agents , giving them confidence with the right tools and information to drive productivity and deliver a great CX .
But that ' s not all . The top five benefits of video-enabled call centers include :
1
. Enhanced real-time support . Lack of visual contact has always been a major challenge for call center interactions . Industries that involve hardware installation or maintenance , such as internet service or utility providers , can find it particularly difficult to deliver superior customer support .
Diagnosing an issue is largely dependent on the customer ' s ability to relay equipment status and information accurately , and voice calls or chats alone come with many limitations . Examples include walking a customer through product assembly such as furniture , troubleshooting an issue with an appliance or electronics , or even helping a customer activate their new account .
Enabling video calls as a support option gives agents the ability to observe equipment behavior and issues in real-time directly . Video dramatically improves the efficiency of your customer support , contributing to boosted agent utilization and efficiency across your contact center .
2
. High-touch and personalized CXs . Video chat support inherently delivers a high-touch and personalized experience .
Contact center directors and managers can use video to route customers to particular agents based on their communication preferences and the agent ' s skill set .
For example , luxury fashion brands have adopted video as a communication channel during the pandemic to ensure that customers can still receive a high-touch experience with sales associates when browsing remotely such as for designer clothing , jewelry , and wine . Palmaz Vineyards of Napa Valley leveraged video to create remote , guided wine tasting events for their wine club members .
3
. Reduced costs . Operational efficiencies and reduced contact center costs are often realized by introducing video calls to your omnichannel support flow .
Because video calls can be an effective substitute for in-person visits and the associated truck rolls , your cost to serve the customer is reduced
VIDEO AND UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
In the past , organizations with call centers had to deal with one vendor for a PBX , another for video conferencing capabilities , another for instant messaging , and so on .
But today , unified communications as-a-service ( UCaaS ) has simplified the delivery of multichannel customer service . UCaaS omnichannel offerings that are delivered via the cloud usually include audio and web conferencing , email , text messaging , and basic contact center capabilities .
Contact centers that employ an integrated cloud platform are increasingly integrating video into their existing CX toolsets . Cloud contact centers have already expanded what ’ s possible in customer service by adding multiple channels to the mix such as chat and social media . Bringing video into the cloud contact center is a natural extension of this evolution .
On the consumer side of the equation , the global pandemic made everyone more comfortable with video virtual visits .
The adoption of video has skyrocketed , making it a standard component of omnichannel business communications . while improving your first contact resolution ( FCR ) metrics . This added channel gives call center supervisors and managers new variables for tuning escalation paths and managing volume across support tiers .
4. Increased FCR . Customers often get frustrated trying to explain problems they ' re facing , while agents lose valuable time trying to understand the issues .
With video , customers can use their camera , screen share , or co-browsing to show their issue to the agent , increasing the likelihood of FCR and cutting down average handle time ( AHT ) while leading to higher customer satisfaction . This also dramatically frees up agents to focus on other customers , reduces the caller queue , and helps prevent customer abandonment or churn .
5. Increased revenue . Implementing video in your contact center can also directly impact sales by allowing your call center agents to identify new upsell and cross-sell opportunities .
During a typical inbound phone interaction , it ' s not easy to move beyond the customer ' s initial issue . But video empowers your agents to establish a firm dimension of rapport , observe context clues , and demonstrate new products as a natural part of the conversation .
Enabling video calls across all customer support channels managed by your call center is an innovation that has been building strong momentum . It not only empowers agents to directly observe equipment behavior and issues in real time , but it also dramatically improves the efficiency of customer support , contributing to boosted agent utilization and greater profitability across your contact center .
Trent Waterhouse is the CEO of
Lifesize , the original inventor of high-definition videoconferencing , and the creator of the world ' s first cloud-based omnichannel contact center .
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