SUPPLY CHAIN
ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE IMAGES
KEEPING THE CX CHAIN
HOW RETAIL CONTACT CENTERS CAN COPE WITH SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS .
BY TONY LORENTZEN , NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS
Supply chain chaos continues to be in the headlines . We ’ ve seemingly seen it all : logjammed ports , inventory pileups in warehouses , shortages of raw materials and consumer goods , shipping and delivery delays , and a disrupted labor market .
When the supply chain is stretched or it snaps , the force is felt at the end : namely the customers and the contact center agents they contact when deliveries are late , do not arrive at all , cancelled , or incomplete .
Although these concerns sit outside retailers ’ circle of control , they aren ’ t without options . For even if the item supply chains are broken , the customer experience ( CX ) chains : of information of what happened , why , where , when , how , and alternatives for customers are , if made right , still there .
40 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE
Here we explore five considerations for the retail CX and how they can have a positive impact in both the short term and the long term : even in the midst of the supply chain challenges that continue to plague the retail market .
1 . BUILD IN GREATER
RESILIENCY Effective supply chain planning is already part of your everyday operation , but it ’ s time to think bigger about how to adapt to disruption and sustain your retail operations .
That ’ s where artificial intelligence ( AI ) -powered contact center solutions come in . These technologies add a layer of automation and intelligence to your business .
We ’ ve typically focused on how this combination elevates the CX , but the truth is that it builds in resiliency to your operation in two key ways .
First , contact center AI means your brand can handle higher volumes with ease and without adding headcount — something that ’ s proven to be increasingly critical in today ’ s disrupted labor market .
Done right , AI in the contact center lets you create proactive self-service experiences that quickly get customers the answers they need , when they need them , thereby helping to reduce contact center call volumes .
At the same time , these technologies are designed to help contact center agents work more efficiently and effectively .
So , when it ’ s time for live agents to help customers , AI capabilities provide agents with all they need to optimally