but they ’ re still looking for help from a human customer service agent when encountering :
• Inconvenient self-service options .
• Complex or unusual scenarios .
• Emotionally driven interactions .
WHAT IS ATTENDED AUTOMATION ?
These matters have led to the development and application of attended automation for the contact center space .
Nestled comfortably between self-service automation and unaided live agent , attended automation combines digital automation with artificial intelligence ( AI ) and machine learning to deliver the ultimate CX assistant .
Yet rather than unattended AI , such as a chatbot that interacts directly with a customer , attended automation navigates workflows ahead of , behind , and alongside an agent .
Attended automation takes care of tedious or repetitive tasks , like searching multiple tools throughout the tech stack or filling out form fields , thereby freeing up the agent to provide a more personalized , empathetic experience for the customer .
Through machine learning and historical examples , attended automation can even help the agent write more accurate and on-brand email and text responses . The agent simply reviews , amends , and personalizes as necessary , then sends them : drastically reducing AHT and improving QA scores .
IMPROVING THE AGENT EXPERIENCE
Customer service programs for the CPG industry deal with a number of specific pain points . However , attended automation platforms have the potential to completely transform these problem areas . Here are three issues impacting CX in the CPG space , and the ways attended automation can help .
HOWEVER , MANY BRANDS HAVE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN ' T FORCE DIGITAL ADOPTION ON YOUR CUSTOMERS ...
1 . DATA COLLECTION AND AFTER-CALL WORK LEADS TO LONG HANDLE TIMES . In the CPG space especially , customer service agents are under pressure to take meticulous notes during each case .
The result ? They often end up dividing their attention between active listening and trying to catch all the details . Customers may be asked to repeat their personal information , particularly when the agent switches between tools in the tech stack — a frustrating experience for all involved .
Even once the customer hangs up , the agent ’ s work is far from over . They must make sure to type up a case summary , documenting all the details . This is manageable when call volume is low or evenly dispersed , but how often is that the case ?
This is where attended automation shines . It can surface customer history in an instant and autofill form fields across an agent ’ s entire tech stack . This reduces the opportunity for human error and saves precious time .
Attended automation can also note actions an agent takes during a call and generate a thorough case summary once the call is complete for the agent to review , add additional color or context , and approve . With this application , data collection and after-call processes then take far less time and become much more accurate .
ATTENDED AUTOMATION
2 . AN EXTENSIVE PRODUCT CATALOG AND KNOWLEDGE BASE CAN OVERWHELM AGENTS . CPG brands , almo informatioist by definition , maintain vast and ever-changing product knowledge documentation . It ’ s unrealistic for a CX agent to commit it all to memory . Sometimes , even knowing where or how to find the right information at the right time can be incredibly complicated .
An attended automation platform utilizes machine learning to suggest the best or most likely knowledge base articles or product information sheets . Not only does this make life easier for the agents , but it also ensures they are referencing the most accurate and up-todate information — which is especially vital when dealing with recalled products or updated formulations .
3 . COMPLEX RISK MANAGE- MENT AND CASE-CODING PROCESSES LEAVE ROOM FOR ERRORS . A customer calling to complain about a change to a product ’ s recipe may not be a life-or-death situation , but a customer calling about allergen concerns might be .
That ’ s what makes risk management and case coding so critical — and so complex — for CPG brands . An agent is expected to ask probing questions to properly assess the case , but this leaves room for misinterpretation , overlooked details , or simple human error .
As the agent listens to the customer ’ s concerns , an attended automation platform can prompt the agent to ask specific questions , flag possible risks , and present related subjects and information for a more thorough discovery process . The better an agent understands the consumer ’ s core issue , the more useful the agent can ultimately be .
... AN ATTENDED AUTOMATION PLATFORM CAN PROMPT THE AGENT TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS , FLAG POSSIBLE RISKS , AND PRESENT RELATED SUBJECTS AND INFORMATION ...
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