A Guide for Customer Experience and IT Leaders 

Introduction: A Tale of Transformation 

 
In the rapidly evolving world of customer service, imagine a contact center that delayed modernization, struggling to meet the demands of today's consumers.  

Calls were dropped, emails went unanswered, and technology limitations left agents overwhelmed, resulting in frustrated customers. 

The lack of modernization pushes your customers to find alternatives that better meet their needs, inadvertently driving them towards your competitors who have already started their modernizing journey so they can be serviced in a way they desire. 

In fact, 80% of customers state that the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services (Salesforce, 2023).

If this scenario describes your contact center's experience, it's time to consider your own modernization journey. Your competitors are advancing – don't risk falling behind and losing your customers to their future offerings. 

How can your contact center evolve to meet and exceed the expectations of today's customers? Let's explore this together.

Embracing Technology: A Strategic Imperative 

Modernizing a contact center goes beyond upgrading software or hardware; It's about adopting a culture that prioritizes innovation, efficiency, and, above all, customer-centricity. This evolution is particularly crucial for Customer Experience Leaders and IT Leaders, who are at the forefront of driving change in their organizations. 
 
If you are a CX or IT leader, your call to action is critical: without embracing modern technologies, contact centers risk falling behind in a fiercely competitive market. They miss out on the benefits of enhanced efficiency, better customer experiences, and the opportunity to leverage data-driven insights. Lagging in technology adoption could lead to decreased customer satisfaction and loyalty, potentially impacting the bottom line. In today's fast-paced, tech-driven world, staying ahead is not just an advantage—it's a necessity. 

Learn more about our Contact Center Consulting Solutions.

1. Do You Have Aged Infrastructure? Shift to a Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) Platform

Are you still contemplating the shift, or are you already on a CCaaS platform? CCaaS represents the next evolution in contact center technology, offering a cloud-based solution that integrates multiple communication channels, AI-driven customer interaction, and robust data analytics. 
 
Shifting to a CCaaS platform like Five9, despite its clear benefits, might be challenging for some businesses. Let's address some common barriers: 

• Perceived Complexity of Transition: Transitioning to CCaaS can seem daunting, especially if it's thought to be a laborious process. However, CCaaS platforms and implementation partners like Online Business Systems often offer streamlined migration tools and support to simplify this transition. 
• Custom Configuration Concerns: Companies with heavily customized on-premises solutions may worry about replicating these configurations in a CCaaS environment. CCaaS providers typically offer flexible and customizable platforms that can adapt to specific business needs, ensuring that custom configurations are not lost. It is not unplugging your legacy system and taking on a CCaaS platform; it is about understanding your business and making sure you get a cost-saving solution. 
• Scalability and Flexibility: CCaaS solutions provide scalability that adjusts resources based on demand, a significant upgrade over rigid, on-premises systems. 
• Cost-Effectiveness: The subscription-based model of CCaaS can be more economical compared to the capital expenditure required for traditional systems. 
• Innovation and Integration: With continuous updates, CCaaS platforms ensure that businesses have access to the latest features without heavy investments. 
  
  

Learn more about our Five9 Partnership.

The transition from legacy systems like Mitel to a CCaaS platform can be transformative, providing an integrated, cloud-based solution that enhances communication and leverages advanced analytics and AI capabilities. Addressing these barriers head-on can help businesses make a smoother transition to a more modern, efficient contact center model. 

2. Integrate Your Contact Center with Internal Systems

Modernizing contact centers is increasingly about integrating them with other essential internal systems, particularly Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. This strategic integration offers several key benefits: 

• Enhanced Customer Insights: By connecting your contact center with a CRM, you gain a comprehensive view of customer interactions and history. This integration allows for more personalized and informed customer service. 
• Streamlined Workflows: Integration streamlines processes, reducing the need for agents to switch between multiple systems. It can automate data entry and retrieval, enhancing efficiency and reducing errors. 
• Increased Productivity: When agents have immediate access to customer data within the CRM, they can handle calls more efficiently, leading to increased productivity and improved customer satisfaction. 
• Better Decision Making: Integrating systems provides leaders with robust analytics, combining contact center data with CRM insights for better strategic decisions. 

Overall, this integration is not just about technology; it's about creating a cohesive environment that empowers agents, delights customers, and drives business growth.  
 
Read about our Salesforce CRM Partnership. Our expertise ensures seamless integration, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of your contact center operations. 

3. AI and Automation

To fully use the power of real AI and automation capabilities in contact centers, a shift to the cloud is essential. This means embracing a Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform, as discussed in point #1 of this blog. 

The Evolution Brought by AI 

The recent advancements in AI have significantly changed the landscape of customer interactions and contact center operations. Leveraging these technologies within a cloud-based infrastructure allows contact centers to enhance both customer and agent experiences significantly. 

Gartner predicts that by 2024, conversational AI capabilities will contribute to a 24% growth in the worldwide contact center market, emphasizing the transformative impact of AI in this field. 

Key AI-Driven Innovations: 

• IVA Benefits: Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) autonomously handle routine inquiries, allowing human agents to focus on more complex issues. This leads to faster resolution times and heightened customer satisfaction. Moreover, IVAs collect vital customer information before interactions, facilitating smoother and more informed human agent engagements. 
• AI Agent Assists: These tools support agents in real time by providing them with information and suggestions based on the ongoing conversation. This not only improves the accuracy and speed of responses but also reduces agent stress and enhances their decision-making capabilities. 
  
• AI Agents from Agentforce: Salesforce's Agentforce Service Cloud offers AI agents that autonomously handle customer inquiries across multiple channels, providing accurate 24/7 support. These AI agents seamlessly escalate complex issues to human agents, improving response times and allowing agents to focus on tasks that require a personal touch.

For example, Five9's AI Agent Assist technology enhances contact center operations through real-time transcription and sentiment analysis, providing agents with immediate insights into customer conversations and emotional states. It offers next-best-action recommendations and integrates with knowledge bases, enabling quick, informed responses to customer inquiries. This suite of features collectively streamlines contact center workflow and elevates the customer service experience. 

[Watch Video] – Discover Your Starting Point for IVA & AI Agent Assist.

4. Leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to Improve CX

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) in contact centers represents a major leap in AI-driven customer experience (CX) enhancements. These sophisticated AI systems, trained on extensive datasets, excel in understanding and generating human-like text. This capability has transformed how contact centers interact with customers, offering a more personalized and efficient experience across various communication channels like chat, email, and phone calls. 

Understanding Large Language Models in CX 

LLMs in CX are not just tools for automated responses; they represent a paradigm shift in customer engagement. By processing and generating natural, contextually relevant language, LLMs can handle a wide array of customer queries with unprecedented accuracy. Thus revolutionizing the traditional customer service model and making interactions more fluid and natural. 

Enhancing Customer Interactions with LLMs 

• Natural and Fluid Conversations: LLMs facilitate conversations that feel more human and less scripted, significantly improving the customer experience. 
• Speed and Accuracy: They enable faster response times while maintaining high accuracy, crucial for customer satisfaction. 
• Complex Query Handling: LLMs are adept at understanding and responding to complex customer inquiries, understanding typos and sometimes other languages and accents, offering precise, context-appropriate solutions. 
  
  

Streamlining Contact Center Operations 

Integrating LLMs streamlines contact center operations by automating routine tasks and supporting human agents with complex customer interactions. This not only leads to more efficient resource allocation but also enhances agent satisfaction and overall customer experience. 

For practical insights into how LLMs are transforming customer experiences in contact centers, the "Transform Customer Experience with Large Language Models and Generative AI - Demo" video offers valuable insights and examples. 

Conclusion: A Question of When, Not If 

The journey to modernize your contact center is not just a necessity; it's an opportunity to redefine customer interaction and satisfaction. As we look towards a future where customer engagement is paramount, the need for innovative, efficient, and customer-centric solutions becomes increasingly clear.  

Are you prepared to transform your contact center with the latest advancements in technology and strategy? 

Let's make it happen.

Online Business Systems stands ready to guide you through this transformation. Our Customer Engagement team, with its expertise in contact center solutions like Five9, is dedicated to aligning technology with your unique business needs and customer expectations. Together, we can create memorable customer experiences that set your business apart. 

Don't wait for the future to arrive; shape it today. Contact us to start your journey towards a modernized contact center.  

References: 

Gartner. (2023, July 31). Gartner says conversational AI capabilities will help drive worldwide contact center market to 16 percent growth in 2023. Gartner. Retrieved from https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2023-07-31-gartner-says-conversational-ai-capabilities-will-help-drive-worldwide-contact-center-market-to-16-percent-growth-in-2023 

Salesforce. (2023). State of the Connected Customer. Retrieved from chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.salesforce.com/content/dam/web/en_us/www/documents/research/State-of-the-Connected-Customer.pdf?d=cta-body-promo-1