Digital Call Center Integration: Why It Matters Now

Nowadays, customers want options for how they communicate with companies. They want to chat or text with customer service representatives. However, they also want the option to speak to a real person on the phone if they feel it is more helpful.

At many companies, these communication channels exist on separate islands. If someone starts a chat but needs a phone conversation, they must start the process over again. This is the first reason why companies should integrate their digital and phone channels. Below are the benefits that customers, agents, and managers can expect from this move.

Less Time-Consuming for Customers

Time is the most frustrating aspect of customer service. In traditional call centers, customers often wait on hold to reach an agent. Digital platforms can also increase the total time cost if a customer must transition to a phone call.

Some companies provide a case number so agents can view communication history. However, this is not always possible. In many cases, the customer must start their inquiry from scratch if they change platforms. Potential hold times only add to this frustration.

Integrated platforms eliminate many of these middle steps. A call center agent can access the customer’s history immediately. This means the customer does not have to repeat themselves. Likewise, digital agents can offer a direct path to the right phone agent. These steps streamline the interaction, which is exactly what customers want.

Efficiency for Agents

The customer is not the only one who benefits from an integrated platform. Efficiency is also critical for customer service agents. High efficiency allows agents to handle more interactions and reduce hold times.

Starting over is time-consuming for customers and inefficient for agents. It forces two or more agents to work on the same problem. This lack of integration often leads to a higher average handle time.

Integrating your digital and phone platforms eliminates these problems. If a customer switches platforms, the system passes on information to reduce handle time. This improves the productivity of the whole team. Furthermore, integrated platforms allow agents to work on either platform depending on call volume.

Easier to Manage

Integrated platforms also make things easier for contact center managers. Dealing with separate teams and different staffing challenges is incredibly difficult.

With one unified team, managers have more flexibility. They can meet staffing needs more easily and ensure agents are not overwhelmed. This is key to avoiding employee burnout.

Digital and phone integration improves customer experience and agent productivity. However, it is not the only form of integration you need. Your call center software should integrate with all your apps, from CRM to sales tools. CallShaper has this capacity and many others to help optimize your center.

To learn more, schedule a demo today.