This document discusses how contact centers can manage constant technology innovation to improve customer service. It notes that contact centers have many technology options to choose from but must select solutions that meet customer needs. Customers increasingly expect to receive service through their preferred channels like mobile apps. The document recommends contact centers take a customer journey approach, understand what matters most to customers, and invest in technologies that improve experiences with low effort. Integrating systems simply and testing innovations are also emphasized.

1. Managing Technology Innovation
In Contact Centres

2. How do contact centres
handle and harness the constant wave of
technology innovation
for improved customer service?

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Lots You Could Buy

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What Are You Buying Into?

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The Customer Experience
Does not understand the supposed USPs between
vendor choices
After Vendor Selection Day
What Does This Mean?

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Competing against other marketers claims rather than your attention,
understanding and priorities
Historic Communication Failure

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Conditioned by consumer tech - it just works!
The Customer Experience
Does not care about the supposed USPs between vendor choices

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Meanwhile the CS ecosystem grows ever more complex
The Customer Experience

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Investment priorities become even tougher as customer engagement
behaviour keep evolving
The Customer Experience

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What Do You Really Need?

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Mobile Customer Service
Choose Your Service Choose Your Channel Choose Your Time
Customer experiences greater choice in the workflow

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An estimated 95% of mobile apps in the app store lack
an in-app channel for customers to get immediate support
App Based Service
Source: Based 1.3 Billion devices the Helpshift SDK is installed on over 6 month tracking
1 in 5 Mobile Users Seeks In-App Help
This number doesn’t even account for the users who encounter a problem and simply leave the app

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“Make a reservation at Main Street Cafe for 8pm, but only if it’s not going to be raining when
we’re there”
“Are there any concert tickets under $65 within 25 miles for any of my favourite bands?”
“Is this a good lawn mower to buy based on the reviews? Is this the best price I can get, and
can I return it easily if I don’t like it?”
“If I book this vacation, will I still be within my quarterly budget, and if not, are them some
better vacation deals that my family would enjoy?”
Intelligent Assistance

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Customer Service now has enterprise attention.
Expectations are even greater.
But my budget has not grown
How do I prioritise?
My Challenges

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My service infrastructure sits in silos.
Customers punish us for poor service experiences.
I need low risk ways of moving forward.
My Challenges

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Customers expect 24x7 attention
Some insist on live assistance.
Others want everything via an app.
How can I make this affordable?
My Challenges

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WHAT TO INVEST IN?

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1. Set out the customer journeys
2. Understand what matters
3. Invest in ‘low effort’, high returns’
experiences

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Think Journeys Not Channels
Design Principle

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• Almost every flight is now booked using
self-service technology
• Only 8% had contact with a human
• 75% used a website. While 18% of these
say they now intend to move to a mobile
app, only 4% say they will seek out a
human
• Similar figures for mobile apps
• 91% of those who used self-service
technology to check-in saying they will do
so again
• If a passenger is dissatisfied with the
technology, they will seek an alternative
technology rather than reverting to a
human being
Source: latest SITA research 2016 Air Transport IT Summit
in Barcelona
Travellers Prefer…

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Insurance Customers Prefer

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When asked to rank what’s important
when they interact with an insurer, the
top preferences are
• Ability to speak to a live person 42%
• This goes up to 51% for female Millennials
But If I’m Inexperienced…

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u p s t r e a m d o w n s t r e a m
LitigationComplaint
2+ Time
Resolution
Multiple
Transfers
1st Time
Resolution
Inbound
Situation
Recognised
Outbound
Need
Anticipated
Need
Removed
“Has my claim been accepted?”
Anticipate Needs:Reduce Effort

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LitigationComplaint
2+ Time
Resolution
Multiple
Transfers
1st Time
Resolution
Inbound
Situation
Recognised
Outbound
Need
Anticipated
Need
Removed
1.Need to phone and find out
2.Automated, instant
confirmations triggered at
each stage of claims workflow
Anticipate Needs:Reduce Effort

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1. Low risk experimentation
2. Be agile. Iterate lots
3. Work to a flexible vision

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It’s All About Integration
Make It Simple

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The ‘Lego’ blocks have to be
Simple to fit together
Scalable
Adaptable
Reusable

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Imagined As One Ecosystem

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Convert To Cloud

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Operationally Simple

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Fail Fast, Learn Quick

32. Client’s ACD
Main Call Centre
Traditional Skills Based Routing
Customers
Post Call Surveying
Comparing NPS/C-SAT scores
Cloud
Routing
1
2
3
4
A/B Split Testing
Extracted traffic is routed for separate treatments
Call Centre
Staffing
UTILISATION
5
Sandbox Extractor
real time, statistically valid sample
Sandbox Team A Sandbox Team B
Client Dashboard
Real time comparison of NPS/C-SAT scores, call outcomes
% v %6
A/B Testing

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Invest In What Matters
customers
brand team

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I'm a customer engagement and a 'beyond silos' strategist. I am also an
author, international keynote speaker and chair. Working under my own
brand, Brainfood Consulting, I deliver a range of master classes and
interventions.
Current topics include empowered service cultures, omni-channel
design, automation and self service, proactive service models, mobile
and social customer service. All targeted at delivering disruptive service
innovation.
I'm is also a founding member of Beyond Silos – a group of specialist
practitioners offering design and delivery service for embedding
customer hubs – next generation customer engagement.
Please contact me either via martin@brainfoodextra.com or 078 1691
5845
2015 Lifetime Achievement Award - European Contact Centre &
Customer Service Awards