Unified Agent Augmentation tools: A fragmented and disorganized landscape in customer service
Agent augmentation tools simplify the lives of agents by allowing them to provide high-quality customer service. Today’s technology is fragmented. There isn’t one solution for agent augmentation that combines all the tools agents require. This creates poor customer service experiences by creating a gap in the market for customer service technology.
Agents can use the siloed tools they have, which work well. RPA increases agent productivity, next best-action models predict customer intention, and analytics provide cues to agents about when and how to offer emotional support. However, technology must be federated to really deliver differentiated customer service. My report (linked hier), suggests that such a solution should borrow components from Waze, the popular navigation app.
- The wisdom of the crowd is driving the system.Waze uses machine learning (ML), crowdsourced information, and machine learning to provide the best experiences for drivers. This concept should be used as a basis for agent augmentation technology. The solution should take into account customer feedback and agent behavior. These data could then be used to improve the models driving suggestions and guidance to agents.
- The system predicts potholes and accidents ahead.A service rep should be alerted by an agent augmentation system, just as Waze warns drivers about upcoming dangers. The solution will use predictive analytics to source data such as customer behavior patterns and social data to predict where a conversation might lead. This would allow agents to guide customers before they become frustrated.
- When circumstances change, the system automatically reroutes the driver.Waze detects traffic and continually redirects drivers to the best route. This should be replicated in an augmentation solution. It should provide ongoing coaching to customers, no matter if agents are taking the suggested actions. However, it is important for such a solution to be discretionary and not prescriptive.
Agent augmentation systems that are not connected to each other do some of the work but provide limited benefits for customers, agents, and companies. Unifying these disparate technologies would allow brands to have a faster time-to-proficiency for new agent recruitment and support agents in edge cases. It also allows for better customer service experience creation. Vendors, pay attention.