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Stuart O'Brien

CCaaS demand set to hit $17.8bn by end of the decade

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The Global Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) market is expected to generate $17.83 billion by the end of 2029, up from $4.73 billion in 2022.

The big prediction comes in a new report for ResearchAnMarkets, which says as businesses increasingly embrace digital technologies and channels, there’s a growing need to modernise their contact centre operations.

CCaaS solutions provide the flexibility to adapt to these changes, enabling businesses to meet customer expectations in a digital-first world.

During the forecast period, 2024-2029, Global Contact Centre as a Service is expected to expand at a CAGR of 19.28%. The growing population, as well as the growing urbanisation rate, are driving up the market.

CCaaS allows companies to scale their contact centre operations up or down easily. This flexibility is crucial in industries with fluctuating call volumes, such as retail during the holiday season or healthcare during a public health crisis. Traditional on-premises contact centre systems can be expensive to set up and maintain. CCaaS solutions eliminate the need for significant upfront investments and reduce ongoing operational costs. Organisations pay for the services they use on a subscription or pay-as-you-go basis.

The rise of remote work and hybrid work models, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has created a need for cloud-based communication solutions. CCaaS platforms enable agents to work from anywhere with an internet connection, ensuring business continuity and flexibility.

Integration capabilities are a crucial driver of the CCaaS market. CCaaS solutions can easily integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, enabling agents to access customer data and history, resulting in more personalized interactions. CCaaS platforms are increasingly incorporating AI and automation to enhance customer service. Chatbots, virtual assistants, and predictive analytics can handle routine inquiries, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex tasks.

The Americas, comprising North, Central, Latin, and South America, represents a significant market for Contact Centre as a Service Offering. With increasing regulatory requirements around data security and privacy (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), CCaaS providers are enhancing their offerings to ensure compliance. This is particularly important for industries like healthcare and finance.

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Companies ‘must navigate challenges’ to ensure ethical deployment of AI solutions

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Generative AI has raised new challenges related to ‘Responsible AI’, catapulting concerns into the headlines and forcing enterprises to revisit their AI policies at a time when they investigate new potential applications.

Enterprises need to ensure that AI solutions are implemented in a responsible and ethical way, says GlobalData,  data and analytics company.

Responsible AI refers to the ideal that AI projects, whether based on predictive AI or generative AI, are deployed in a manner that safeguards privacy, does not cause harm, is as transparent as possible, is free from bias, and is fair to all that are impacted by them. The recent lawsuit filed by the New York Times against Microsoft and OpenAI for copyright infringement highlights the challenges our society faces in implementing AI in a responsible manner.

Rena Bhattacharyya, Chief Analyst of Enterprise Technology and Services at GlobalData, said: “Responsible AI has once again been catapulted into the headlines due to the emergence of Generative AI. The ease with which consumers can access Open AI’s ChatGPT has made the concerns posed by the new technology, such as hallucinations and data privacy, readily apparent and easily comprehendible to even casual users.”

GlobalData’s latest reports, “Generative AI Watch: Lessons Learned for Implementing Responsible AI (Part 1)” and “Generative AI Watch: Lessons Learned for Implementing Responsible AI (Part 2),” found that in addition to concerns related to copyright protections, enterprises must contend with issues related to explainability, bias,  ethics,  hallucinations, toxicity and poisoning,  and data privacy and leakage when implementing Responsible AI strategies.

Bhattacharyya concluded: “Challenges related to Responsible AI have existed for years, but they have grown in number with the launch of generative AI and have also become more pressing now. Organizations deploying AI must ensure that they are using the technology in a way that is responsible and ethical; otherwise, they risk significant damage to their brand reputation, if not legal and financial repercussions. It is a highly ambitious goal – and getting there is a daunting task.”

2024 Contact Centre Predictions: The intersection of brand, CX, and AI?

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As 2023 came to a close, a survey by Which? found that on average 20% of customers were unhappy with their most recent customer service interaction. Many leading consumer brands were found to be falling behind on basic service KPIs, with almost a quarter unhappy with how long it took to speak to someone who could help (23%) and how long it took to get an answer to their query (22%).

CX tech provider Avaya says the focus for 2024 will be on the impact contact centres have on CX and brand image – with AI innovation redefining CX and brand alignment. Here are their three trends to watch out for:

1.       AI to Enable the Experience Economy – Alan Masarek, CEO, Avaya
“With companies firmly in the ‘Experience Economy,’ where goods and services have been commoditised, and the customer experiences companies create will matter most, the focus in 2024 will be on innovating the customer experience to drive differentiation and growth. Brands are increasingly recognising that their contact centres are at the ‘tip of the spear’ for driving differentiating experiences for their customers, and AI-powered innovations will be front and centre to supercharge CX solutions.

If 2023 was about the ‘potential of AI,’ the dynamic will shift in 2024 to demonstrating how AI investments must translate directly and tangibly to driving tangible business value by contributing to top and bottom-line improvements and competitive advantage. And, because CEOs and Boards of Directors are increasingly focused on managing risk, privacy, security, and business ethics concerns associated with AI technology, 2024 will increasingly be a year where these issues come to the forefront.”

2.       CMO to Have an Increased Role in CX – Josh Mueller, CMO, Avaya
“In 2024, businesses will see the role of the CMO become more heavily entwined in the efforts to build stronger customer experience and interactions. In the contact centre, specifically, expect to see CMOs closer to the content delivered in the contact centre through campaign messaging, contact centre agent training, or hands-on roles in applying AI to call routing. In the coming year, CMOs will play an increasingly crucial role in the experiential side of customer interactions.”

3.       AI in the Contact Center – Omar Javaid, CPO, Avaya
“Over the next year, there will be two areas of focus for AI-powered innovation in the contact centre. The first will be using AI to delegate menial tasks away from contact centre agents, boosting overall productivity while allowing agents to focus on creating higher-quality customer experiences and driving greater agent job satisfaction and retention. The second will be on how AI and/or ML investments can help customers navigate to their desired resolution much quicker than any previous solutions have allowed, driving customer engagement, satisfaction, and, potentially, share of wallet revenue gains.”

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AGENT COACHING MONTH: Top tips for choosing the right partner for your contact centres

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In the bustling world of contact centres, the performance and skill set of agents play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional customer service. As a senior contact centre professional, selecting the best agent coaching solutions is vital for nurturing a skilled and efficient team. Here are some top tips to guide you in making the right choice for your organisation…

  1. Identify Specific Needs and Goals: Before diving into the sea of available solutions, take a step back and assess the unique needs and objectives of your contact centre. Are you looking to improve specific skills like communication or problem-solving? Do you need to focus on product knowledge, or are soft skills the priority? Setting clear goals will help you choose a solution that aligns with your centre’s requirements.
  2. Look for Customisability and Flexibility: One size does not fit all in agent coaching. Opt for a solution that offers customisation to cater to the varied learning styles and needs of your agents. Flexibility in terms of content, delivery method, and pace is crucial for accommodating the diverse workforce in your contact centre.
  3. Evaluate Integration Capabilities: The chosen solution should seamlessly integrate with your existing systems, such as CRM software and call monitoring tools. Integration ensures that coaching is relevant and based on real-time performance data, making it more effective and efficient.
  4. Emphasise Interactive and Engaging Content: Engagement is key in learning. Solutions that offer interactive and engaging content, such as gamified learning modules or scenario-based training, can boost motivation and retention among agents.
  5. Prioritise Continuous Learning and Development: Look for solutions that encourage continuous learning rather than one-time training sessions. This could include features like regular knowledge refreshers, skill assessments, and ongoing feedback mechanisms.
  6. Consider Scalability: As your contact centre grows, your coaching needs will evolve. Choose a solution that can scale up effortlessly to accommodate additional agents or adapt to new training requirements.
  7. Insist on Robust Reporting and Analytics: Effective agent coaching relies heavily on data-driven insights. Solutions with robust reporting and analytics capabilities allow you to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and measure the impact of training on performance.
  8. Seek User-Friendly Interfaces: A solution is only as good as its usability. Opt for a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate for both coaches and agents. A steep learning curve can be a significant barrier to adoption.
  9. Request Demonstrations and Trials: Before making a final decision, request demonstrations and engage in trial periods. This hands-on experience will give you a clearer understanding of how the solution fits into your existing operations and meets your requirements.
  10. Gather Agent Feedback: Ultimately, your agents are the end-users of these solutions. Involve them in the selection process by seeking their feedback on potential options. This not only ensures that the solution meets their needs but also fosters a sense of ownership and acceptance among the team.

In summary, selecting the right agent coaching solution requires a blend of clear goal-setting, consideration of customisability, system integration, engaging content, scalability, data-driven decision-making, and user feedback. By carefully evaluating these aspects, you can equip your contact centre with a powerful tool that enhances agent performance and drives customer service excellence.

Are you looking for Agent Coaching & Monitoring solutions for your contact centres? The Contact Centre & Customer Services Summit can help!

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Learn and meet new partners at the Contact Centre & Customer Services Summit

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April’s Contact Centre & Customer Services Summit will give you the opportunity to network with peers, meet 1-2-1 with leading industry suppliers and attend our educational seminar programme.

Would you and/or a colleague like a spot? Your place will be fully funded and booking only takes 5 minutes! – Secure your place here.

Author, Entrepreneur and International speaker Daniel Lewis is the proud founder of the award-winning tea company Daniel’s Chai bar, that has served the Royal Family.

He has won him and his company many awards such as the 2014 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, 2016 Business Excellence Award and 2017 Top 40 Under 40 Entrepreneurs, and just recently 2022 Global Visual Victories Silver Medal for most creative Pop-Up Store Design.

Daniel will be presenting: ‘THE ELEVATED EXPERIENCE: How to ROCKET LAUNCH your customer experience & your team at the same time!’

How to take the Customer’s Experience to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL!

Introducing a 5 step framework that will teach you how to impact and improve the customer’s experience by elevating your culture and improving the atmosphere for your people first.

Your free pass will also include:

🤝 A corporate itinerary of one-to-one meetings with solution providers
💭 A seat at our industry seminar sessions
💤 Overnight stay at the venue
🥂 A place at our networking dinner, with a showcase of entertainment
☕ All meals and refreshments throughout
👋 Networking breaks to make new connections in your field

There will also be some added surprises throughout the day and a half, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the event!

DATE: 29th to 30th April 2024

VENUE: Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre, London Heathrow

Book your free place here >>>

Access fantastic online courses for contact centre and customer experience professionals

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We have a wide selection of online courses tailored specifically for the contact centre sector, enabling you to both amass new skills and improve existing ones in 2024 and beyond – start learning today!

These are specially-curated online courses designed to help you and your team improve expertise and learn new things.

The Customer Services online learning bundle provides you with over 50 courses, which cover all areas of both professional and personal development:

  • Caring for Your Customers’ Needs Certification
  • Consumer Rights Awareness Certification
  • Customer Care Certification
  • Customer Retention Certification
  • Online Security Certification
  • Managing and Improving Customer Service Process Certification
  • Managing Emotions at Work Certification
  • Identity Theft Awareness Certification
  • Listening Skills Certification
  • Managing Teams Certification
  • Memory Enhancement Certification
  • Mentoring and Coaching Skills Certification
  • Mindful Listening Certification

And many more!

Find out more and purchase your ticket online here.

For just £99 (usually £149), you can share the courses with your colleagues over a 12-month period.

Additionally, there are a variety of bundles available on all spectrums;

  • Personal & Professional Development
  • Healthcare
  • Sports & Personal Development
  • Human Resources
  • Customer Services
  • Health & Safety
  • Education & Social Care Skills
  • Sales & Marketing
  • IT & Personal Development

Book your courses today and come out of this stronger and more skilled!

If you specialise in Analytics for contact centres we want to hear from you!

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Each month on Contact Centres Briefing we’re shining the spotlight on a different part of the customer care market – and in February we’re focusing on Analytics.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help customer care industry buyers find the best products and services available today.

So, if you’re a supplier of Analytics solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Mark Connell on m.connell@forumevents.co.uk.

Here are the areas we’ll be covering, month by month:

Feb – Analytics
Mar – Call Centre Technology
Apr – Automated Customer Satisfaction
May – Social Media
Jun – Artificial Intelligence
Jul – Virtual Call/Contact Centres
Aug – Training & Development
Sep – Knowledge Management
Oct – Web Self Service/Chat
Nov – Display Boards
Dec – CRM
Jan – Agent Coaching & Monitoring

For more information on any of the above, contact Mark Connell on m.connell@forumevents.co.uk.

The Rise of Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS): Flexibility hosted in the cloud

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Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) represents a paradigm shift from traditional, on-premise contact centres to cloud-based solutions. Offering flexibility, scalability, and advanced technological capabilities, CCaaS has rapidly gained traction among businesses seeking to enhance their customer service experience.  With CCaaS demand set to reach £19.8bn by 2031, let’s explore its implications for businesses and customer service delivery…

1. Transition to Cloud-Based Solutions

The most defining feature of CCaaS is its cloud-based nature. Unlike traditional contact centres that require substantial on-site infrastructure and hardware, CCaaS operates on the cloud. This shift has enabled businesses of all sizes to access state-of-the-art contact centre technology without the need for significant upfront investment in physical infrastructure.

2. Enhanced Flexibility and Scalability

CCaaS offers unparalleled flexibility and scalability. Businesses can easily scale their operations up or down based on demand, a feature particularly valuable in handling seasonal fluctuations in customer service inquiries. This scalability ensures that businesses pay only for what they use, making CCaaS a cost-effective solution.

3. Integration of Advanced Technologies

CCaaS platforms often integrate advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and data analytics. These technologies enable features like intelligent call routing, automated customer service bots, and real-time data analytics. As a result, businesses can offer more personalised and efficient customer service experiences.

4. Remote Working Capabilities

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for remote working capabilities. CCaaS inherently supports a distributed workforce, allowing customer service agents to operate from any location with internet access. This flexibility has been crucial in ensuring business continuity during periods of lockdown and social distancing.

5. Focus on Customer Experience

CCaaS solutions are designed with a strong focus on enhancing customer experience. They offer various channels of communication, including voice, email, chat, and social media, all integrated into a single platform. This omnichannel approach ensures a seamless and consistent customer experience across different touchpoints.

6. Compliance and Security

With data protection being a paramount concern, CCaaS providers in the UK are committed to compliance with regulations such as GDPR. Cloud-based solutions offer robust security measures, including data encryption and secure data storage, ensuring that customer information is protected.

7. Rapid Adoption and Growth

The adoption of CCaaS has grown rapidly in the UK, with businesses across sectors recognising its benefits. The flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and advanced capabilities of CCaaS make it an attractive proposition for businesses looking to stay competitive in a digital-first world.

The emergence of CCaaS represents a significant development in the UK’s customer service sector. By offering cloud-based flexibility, integration of advanced technologies, support for remote work, enhanced customer experience, and robust security, CCaaS solutions are transforming how businesses approach customer service. As technology continues to evolve, the role of CCaaS in shaping customer service strategies is set to become even more prominent.

Global contact centre software demand set to reach $139.3bn by 2030

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The global contact centre software market size has been valued at $38.8 billion in 2023 and is predicted to reach $139.3 billion by 2030, equivalent to a ‘robust’ 20% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the period.

A new report from Coherant Market Insights says the market is being driven by two main factors: Firstly, the increasing adoption of cloud-based solutions, which offer flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, which are obviously highly attractive to businesses. Cloud also eliminates the need for heavy investments in on-premise infrastructure and allows businesses to pay for only the services they use, plus seamless integration with other customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

Secondly, the report says growing demand for omnichannel customer engagement is driving the adoption of contact centre software. With the increasing use of multiple communication channels such as voice, chat, email, and social media, contact centers require software that can efficiently manage and integrate these channels.

Contact centre software offers features such as automatic call distribution, interactive voice response, and real-time analytics that enable businesses to deliver personalised and consistent customer experiences across different channels.

Meanwhile, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies in contact center software is gaining traction. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are increasingly being used to automate routine customer interactions and provide quick and accurate responses. These technologies not only enhance customer service but also improve operational efficiency by reducing the workload on human customer service representatives.

And, finally, the report says there is a growing emphasis on data analytics and sentiment analysis in contact center software. Real-time analytics tools help businesses gain valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and sentiments. By analyzing these data, contact centers can identify trends, optimise resources, and make informed decisions to enhance customer satisfaction.

AGENT COACHING MONTH: Tracking the evolution of excellence in UK contact centres

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Over the past decade, the approach to agent coaching and monitoring in UK contact centres has undergone a significant transformation. Driven by technological advancements, changing consumer expectations, and a greater focus on employee engagement, these changes have reshaped the landscape of customer service. This article explores the key developments in agent coaching and monitoring, highlighting how they have adapted to meet the demands of a modern contact centre, based on input from attendees at the Contact Centre & Customer Services Summit…

1. From Standardised Scripts to Personalised Interactions

Historically, contact centre agents were often reliant on standardised scripts to handle customer queries. The last decade, however, has seen a shift towards more personalised customer interactions. Coaching now emphasises developing agents’ soft skills, such as empathy, active listening, and problem-solving, enabling them to provide tailored responses to individual customer needs. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also empowers agents, making their roles more dynamic and fulfilling.

2. Introduction of Advanced Analytics

The adoption of advanced analytics has revolutionised agent monitoring. Previously, monitoring was largely quantitative, focusing on metrics like call duration and the number of calls handled. Today, analytics tools allow for a more nuanced analysis, including speech and sentiment analysis, which provides insights into the quality of interactions and customer sentiment. This data-driven approach enables more focused and effective coaching, helping agents to refine their communication skills and improve customer engagement.

3. Real-Time Feedback and Support

With the advent of real-time monitoring technologies, feedback to agents has become more immediate and actionable. Supervisors can now offer on-the-spot guidance during calls, helping agents to navigate complex interactions more effectively. This real-time support not only boosts agent performance but also enhances the overall customer experience.

4. Focus on Agent Wellbeing

There has been a growing recognition of the importance of agent wellbeing. High-pressure environments, common in contact centres, can lead to burnout and high turnover rates. Modern coaching and monitoring practices now incorporate strategies to support mental health, stress management, and work-life balance. This holistic approach not only benefits the agents but also contributes to a more positive and productive work environment.

5. Integration of AI and Machine Learning

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are playing an increasingly prominent role in agent coaching and monitoring. AI-driven tools can identify patterns in customer interactions, suggest areas for improvement, and even provide automated coaching tips. This technology enhances the efficiency of coaching processes and offers personalised development paths for agents.

6. Embracing Omnichannel Monitoring

As contact centres evolve into omnichannel customer service hubs, coaching and monitoring practices have expanded beyond phone calls to include email, chat, and social media interactions. This omnichannel approach ensures that agents are equipped to provide consistent and high-quality service across all platforms.

Conclusion

The approach to agent coaching and monitoring in UK contact centres has seen remarkable evolution over the last decade. With a shift towards more personalised interactions, the integration of advanced analytics, real-time feedback, a focus on agent wellbeing, the use of AI and machine learning, and omnichannel monitoring, these practices have become more sophisticated and effective. As contact centres continue to evolve, these trends are likely to develop further, shaping the future of customer service and agent development.

Are you looking for Agent Coaching & Monitoring solutions for your contact centres? The Contact Centre & Customer Services Summit can help!

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