Desktop robots: How are automation and data analytics changing call centre operations and the role of customer services agents in the era of the virtual workforce?

Sponsored by NICE

Tuesday 13 September 2022, 12:30

Zoom

In 2022, customer interactions have shifted rapidly onto digital channels, with chatbots, live chat and self-service becoming the first port of call for customers with queries - until the chatbot says ‘no’. And in the on-demand economy, customers with complex requests now expect to be able to speak to a human agent on a channel and at a time that suits them.

In addition, they need their interactions with contact centre agents to be personalised, relevant and efficient. Failure to provide this service can result in disgruntled online reviews and waning customer loyalty.

As a result, organisations are under rising pressure to provide their call centre staff with real-time data and granular detail on customer queries to ensure they can deliver the best experience possible. However, the pace of adoption of automation is not moving fast enough to keep pace with the world of the 24/7 contact centre, with many team leaders struggling to scale up operations at peak times, leaving long waiting times for customers.

In addition, the shift to the virtual contact centre, where agents are working remotely without the help of colleagues, means many are missing out on vital training and support, while managers are struggling to identify the best ways to improve workflows and drive efficiencies. Workforce attrition is also playing a role, as agents join the Great Resignation, creating extra time and cost for teams in onboarding and training new staff.

To help tackle these challenges, many organisations are stepping up their integration of robotic process automation (RPA) for manual processes in the back and front office, while AI-driven data analytics and desktop assistants are providing customer services agents with the information they need and enabling managers to identify areas for improvement.

Topics for discussion:

•What are the key challenges for managers looking to boost the performance of customer contact centre teams in the hybrid workplace?

•How are automation and AI changing operations in the customer contact centre?

•How are employee attitudes to desktop assistants changing and what is the best way to strike the right balance between automation and augmentation in the contact centre?

•How can organisations use virtual workforce technologies to speed up onboarding of new employees and drive operational efficiencies in the era of the Great Resignation?

•How advanced are robots and desktop assistants in supporting customer services agents before and during customer interactions?

•How are organisations using processes such as task and process mining to identify execution gaps?

•What are the most effective ways for organisations to use robots to scale up operations to meet demand during peak times and are they sophisticated enough?

Timings:

12:30 – 12:40   Editor’s Welcome

12:40 – 14:00   Topic Discussion

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