In pursuit of better customer engagement, leading brands often undertake strategies that break new ground. 

Take, for example, Nike's 2018 "Dream Crazy" campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, which sparked global conversations about social justice and also increased stock prices and media attention. Likewise, Airbnb has fostered community engagement by encouraging hosts and guests to share their experiences, fostering trust and loyalty. 

Collectively, these brands demonstrate the power of authentic engagement and community building to drive business success. The same applies to you, whether you're running an e-commerce store or a brick-and-mortar shop.

While there's no magic bullet for retail customer engagement, following expert-recommended approaches can be impactful.

 To help you kickstart this process, this blog post lets you in on some unique retail customer engagement strategies and tools to help your ecommerce brand stand out, impress and drive traffic to your storefront.

What is retail customer engagement?

Retail customer engagement is the process of building relationships with customers across various touchpoints in their shopping journey. 

All efforts you make to connect with your customers and enhance their experience are a part of increasing retail customer engagement. This includes interactions before, during, and after a purchase through both online and offline channels.

Technology plays a crucial role in increasing retail customer engagement. With the right automation tools, you can engage customers across various channels and personalize interactions at scale. 

For instance, Sephora’s mobile app integrates augmented reality (AR) features that allow customers to try on makeup products virtually. This technology enhances the shopping experience and increases engagement, leading to higher conversion rates. The app has over 25 million downloads and contributes significantly to in-store sales.

As an AI-powered, all-in-one customer engagement platform, Plivo CX seamlessly integrates with your Shopify store and helps you segment customers, generate and send personalized messages to your customers in their preferred channel at the right time. 

To understand how to increase retail customer engagement for your brand, let us understand its importance and what strategies to implement in your business.

Why is retail customer engagement so important for your business?

1. Increased customer loyalty

Engaged customers are more likely to remain loyal to your brand. Delivering personalized engagement service boosts repeat business by a remarkable 82%, even when they have other options. This loyalty leads to a stable customer base and better retention.

2. Higher sales and revenue

A Gallup study found that fully engaged customers represent a 23% premium in terms of share of wallet, profitability, revenue, and relationship growth compared with the average customer. So, engaged customers tend to spend more which boosts your bottom line. They are also willing to try new products or services from your brand. 

3. Enhanced customer satisfaction

Engagement efforts often improve customer satisfaction as they feel valued and heard. Satisfied customers are more likely to have positive experiences with your brand, leading to fewer complaints and higher retention rates. 

4. Better customer insights

Engaged customers such as community members provide more feedback and data, allowing you to gain deeper insights into their preferences, behaviors, and needs. This information is invaluable for improving your products, services, and overall customer experience.

5. Stronger brand advocacy

Highly engaged customers are more likely to become brand advocates. They recommend your products or services to others. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising which improves your brand advocacy. 

How to engage customers in retail

Keeping customers engaged requires creativity. There are several effective yet out-of-the-box tactics to connect and build loyalty. From sustainable practices and personalized marketing to seamless experiences across channels, these approaches make a difference. 

Remember, using data to understand your customers and merging online and offline interactions creates meaningful connections that drive sales and foster loyalty. 

Additionally, prioritizing customer feedback further strengthens relationships and shows you truly care.

9 Proven strategies to engage customers in retail

1. Run sustainability initiatives

Sustainability initiatives can lead to better engagement and bigger profits. A study by IBM shows that, on average, 79% of all consumers today state that brands should provide guaranteed authenticity, like certifications, when they're purchasing goods. 

Notably, customers are willing to pay 35% more for sustainable brands.

You can start your sustainability initiatives by using eco-friendly packaging, implementing recycling programs, and reducing waste throughout the supply chain. Then, showcase your initiatives on your website and social media. 

Here’s how you can do that:

• Run interactive sustainability-focused campaigns such as recycling programs, sustainable product challenges, or social media contests to increase retail customer engagement.
• Create dedicated sections on your website and social media profiles highlighting your sustainability efforts. 
• Obtain certifications from recognized environmental organizations and display these badges prominently on your products and marketing materials.

See how Wholesome Culture showcases their sustainability efforts on their website:

2. Personalize marketing experience 

66% of customers want brands to tailor messaging to their needs, and 65% want targeted promotions. Customers are willing to engage with brands that offer personalized experiences. These experiences include:

• Personally addressing them in communications
• Engaging with them when they buy something for the first time 
• Follow up with them post-purchase
• Send triggers based on their behaviors 

Completing all these steps manually will take ages and is also prone to errors. To avoid this, Plivo CX helps you comprehensively automate all the above tasks and deliver personalized experiences. Furthermore, you can sync contacts from the ecommerce store. Then, go ahead and build unlimited customer segments using the Audiences feature.  

Once your segments are ready, you can capture events from your storefront to trigger Journeys. These triggers are based on customer behavior, which means you can send the right messages to the right customer at the right time. 

For example, you can send abandoned cart emails to people who skip checkout or welcome messages to first-time buyers.

3. Map customer journey 

The customer journey is a series of interactions in which a customer makes your brand from the point they became aware of your product to purchase. Your customers go through various touchpoints such as social media, paid ads, product reviews, referrals, etc., while purchasing. 

By mapping this journey, you visualize these touchpoints and increase retail customer engagement across their journey. You can also create more targeted and effective ecommerce marketing campaigns, tailored to specific stages of the customer’s path.

Here’s how you can map customer journey:

• Conduct surveys: Share forms or conduct interviews with your customers to understand their journey and pain points. 
• Use tools: You can use customer journey mapping tools such as ClickUp and Microsoft Visio. These tools also come with templates that map out your customers’ journey.

4. Create an omnichannel customer experience

Over ⅓ of Americans have made omnichannel features part of their regular shopping routines since COVID-19. Customers go through 3-4 channels while making a purchase. That’s why you must unify various channels to increase retail customer engagement throughout their journey. 

The results of implementing an omnichannel customer experience are self-explanatory. For example, Sephora relies on in-app purchases, push notifications, and in-person consultations to drive customers toward a purchase.

These efforts are driving value for them as the customers visiting their retail website are 3 times more likely to make a purchase, and they also spend 13% more. 

Plivo CX Campaigns offers a comparable solution for creating personalized, omnichannel customer experiences across every stage of the customer journey. In four easy steps, you can launch, manage, or monitor your marketing campaigns to engage customers.

1. Select your audience from customized segments 
2. Choose your preferred channel—SMS, email, or WhatsApp
3. Create your messages with the help of templates and an AI copywriter 
4. Finally, schedule these campaigns and monitor insights

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5. Let customers buy online and pickup in-store

Curbside pickup, which means placing an order online and picking it up in-store has seen substantial growth in recent years. These sales grew by 106.9% in 2021. 

Customers are looking to save up on shipping fees or want to enjoy the in-store experience. Either way, you must implement curbside pickup to increase retail customer engagement. 

Here’s how you can set up curbside pickup:

• Set up an online ordering system: Develop or upgrade your website and mobile app to include a user-friendly online ordering system. Ensure your customers can easily select items, choose curbside pickup, and specify pickup times
• Designate a pickup area: Allocate specific parking spots near the entrance for curbside pickup. You can also include instructions and a phone number or text code so customers can notify the store upon arrival
• Streamline order processing: Set up an internal notification system to alert staff when a curbside order is placed and when the customer arrives

6. Build in-store experiences

In-store experiences engage customers on a sensory level allowing them to see, touch, and try products before making a purchase. However, as online shopping continues to grow, physical stores need to add an extra touch to attract customers. 

IKEA is the best example when it comes to engaging customers with in-store experiences. Although IKEA has an online store, they offer a distinct experience to shoppers who can try beds, sit in kitchens and eat at the store. 

Such experiences build deeper connections between your brand and customers and increase retail customer engagement. Here’s how you can build better in-store experiences:

• DIY stations: Set up areas where customers can customize products, like engraving services or design-your-own stations.
• Sampling and demos: Provide opportunities for customers to try out products, whether it’s tasting food samples or testing the latest gadgets.
• Loyalty programs: Implement programs that reward customers for in-store visits, purchases, and participation in activities, encouraging repeat visits.
• Community spaces: Create comfortable areas for customers to relax, socialize, and enjoy free Wi-Fi, making the store a destination rather than just a shopping location. 

7. Integrate online and offline shopping with mobile engagement

Mobile engagement can bridge the gap between physical stores and digital channels. You can deliver time-sensitive messages on mobiles to increase retail customer engagement. 

Furthermore, it is also convenient for you and your customers as most of us are always using our smartphones. As per a Fortune study, Americans check their smartphones 144 times a day. Mobile engagement allows you to create real-time interaction with customers, driving higher engagement. 

This is why Plivo CX comes with automation capabilities for SMS marketing campaigns. It is powered by Plivo’s low-latency, premium career network with a coverage across 200+ countries. So, you can securely and reliably send two-factor authentication messages, alerts, notifications and reminders. 

With trigger-based messages, Plivo CX lets you create dynamic SMS workflows that adapt to customer behaviors and send messages to customers at the right time. 

The best part? You don’t have to write these messages on your own. The tool has an AI-powered copywriter and template to compose personalized messages.

Thus, with Plivo CX’s SMS automation, you can engage customers via mobile and drive them toward your online and offline store.

8. Build loyalty programs

In January 2023, Google observed a 50% increase in the search intent regarding loyalty programs. Customers actively searched for terms like “reward programs” and “loyalty points.” 

Loyalty programs foster a deeper connection between your brand and customers. Since customers become community members through these programs, you have an opportunity to engage them and increase the chances of repeat purchases.

Here’s how can you build effective loyalty programs:

• Point-based programs: Provide points for each purchase, which can be redeemed for discounts, freebies, or exclusive products
• Tiered programs: Share different levels of rewards based on customer spending or engagement, motivating customers to reach higher tiers for better benefits
• Exclusive access: Offer members early access to new products, special events, or sales
• Personalized rewards: Tailor rewards to individual preferences and shopping habits to enhance the program's appeal
• Referral incentives: Encourage customers to refer friends and family in exchange for rewards

Here’s an example of a loyalty program by Blume.

9. Collect and act on customer feedback 

When it comes to feedback, listening is not enough. You must implement feedback into your product and workflow to ensure maximum customer satisfaction. By actively implementing feedback, you prove your commitment to your customers and promote loyalty and trust. 

When customers see their suggestions taken seriously, they feel valued and are more likely to become brand advocates. Here’s how you can collect customer feedback:

• Post-purchase email surveys
• On-site feedback forms
• Social media polls
• Phone surveys
• In-person interviews
• Review platforms (e.g. Yelp, Google Reviews)
• Mobile app feedback
• Comment cards

4 Metrics you must measure to increase retail customer engagement

1. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

CSAT reflects how happy your customers are with your products or services. To measure it, ask customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10. 

You can add these surveys at key touchpoints, such as after a purchase or customer service interaction. 

A high CSAT score indicates that you're meeting or exceeding customer expectations, while a low score signals areas for improvement. 

CSAT = (Number of satisfied customers/ Total number of survey responses)/100

2. Social media analytics 

Monitor metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and mentions across your social platforms. You can also opt for sentiment analysis to gauge the overall tone of customer interactions. 

Track your follower growth rate and engagement rate (interactions divided by followers) to measure how well your content resonates with your audience.

Engagement rate= (Total engagement/ Total followers) * 100

Follower growth rate = {(New followers - Lost followers)/ Total followers at the start of the period}/100

3. Repeat orders

Repeat orders are one of the strongest indicators of customer engagement and satisfaction. To measure this, calculate the percentage of customers who make more than one purchase within a specific timeframe. 

Repeat Order Rate = (Number of customers who made more than one purchase / Total number of customers) x 100

A high repeat order rate suggests that customers find value in your products and have a positive experience with your brand. 

4. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

CLV estimates the total revenue a customer will generate for your business over their entire relationship with your brand. A high CLV indicates strong customer engagement and loyalty. 

To calculate CLV, multiply the average purchase value by the average purchase frequency, then multiply that by the average customer lifespan. 

CLV = Average Purchase Value x Average Purchase Frequency x Average Customer Lifespan

Increase retail customer engagement with Plivo CX

To help deliver maximum value, retail customer engagement strategies can benefit from a marketing automation tool. 

As a customer engagement platform, Plivo CX syncs contacts from your Shopify store to deliver personalized messages to your target audience. With a premium carrier network, it delivers your messages globally. It also provides automation across various channels like SMS, MMS, Whatsapp and email.

Plivo CX not only automates your engagement process. It comes with audience segmentation that you can couple with Journeys to send trigger-based messages relevant to your customers.

On top of this, you get access to Copywriter AI that crafts laser-focused messages that resonate with your target audience. Plivo CX also measures analytics from your engagement campaigns to track ROI and help you make better decisions. 

Book a demo to learn more!

Two centuries ago, customer service meant long walks to factories or handwritten letters. The First Industrial Revolution transformed production but left customer support cumbersome. Then, Alexander Graham Bell's telephone invention in the late 19th century marked the first major shift.

Fifty years later, call centers, and toll-free numbers revolutionised customer service, introducing mass production efficiency. However, even with the 1980s Interactive Voice Responses (IVRs), the burden on human agents remained, leading to widespread outsourcing.

The dawn of the 2000s brought a new era of customer service. Remote support tools enabled tech support to resolve issues quickly and efficiently, fostering direct interactions and prompt solutions.

However, just when we thought customer service had peaked, along came AI and Chatbots. To meet these demands of today’s customers, many companies are now integrating AI across all customer service channels. 

It's no surprise that 61% of customer service professionals predicted that by 2024, most representatives will be using AI and automation in their roles. 

In this blog post, we explore the top customer support automation examples and use cases, showcasing how these tools are reshaping the future of customer service.

The growing importance of customer service automation

Modern customer service teams have to face significant challenges every day. Take, for example, ticket backlogs, which can pile up overnight, leaving teams with a daunting task each morning. The increasing number of support tickets stretches wait times, leading to customer frustration. 

Customers eagerly awaiting updates often find themselves left in the dark, turning satisfaction into dissatisfaction.  75% of online customers expect help within five minutes, underscoring the need for rapid response times​. 

Additionally, without the right tools, businesses struggle to proactively address customer needs, often reacting to issues as they arise. Therefore, Customer service automation is necessary for modern businesses, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in meeting customer needs. 

Strategically employed customer service automation can transform support interactions by employing advanced technologies like AI chatbots, automated ticketing, and intelligent routing. 

Types of customer service automation

6 real-world B2B customer service automation use cases with examples

👉Use case #1: Responding to common customer questions

Sephora's AI-driven virtual assistant enhances the retail experience by seamlessly integrating physical and digital touchpoints. This led to the attraction of over 9,000 users within a year (6,000 in Singapore and 3,000 in Malaysia), facilitated over 332,000 conversation sessions, and contributed to an average incremental monthly revenue of $30,000.

How does the automation work?  

• Allows customers to reserve products and pick them up in-store
• Checking product availability.
• Answering questions about store timings and return policies
• Scheduling in-store makeover appointments
• Directing customers to relevant FAQs or knowledge-base articles
• Generating service tickets by collecting customer information and issuing details
  

💡Tip:  AI-driven self-service chatbots can manage customer queries around the clock, ensuring that common questions are addressed even when your support team is offline.

For more useful handling of frequently asked questions, consider using AI solutions that can be trained via custom data sets. Make sure it integrates easily with your existing knowledge base, allowing for better training and more accurate responses. Also, check if the tool can facilitate quick handover to human agents for complex queries. 

👉Use case #2: Streamlining call transfers and escalations

T-Mobile uses AI to streamline call transfers and ticket escalations, ensuring that all its 12,000 call center agents are equipped with comprehensive customer information to provide effective and timely assistance.

How does automation work?

• Gathers issue details and billing history
• Routes calls to the right department
• Pre-fills agent interfaces with relevant information
• Facilitates smooth escalation and call hand-offs for  higher-level support
• Reduces repetition by customers
  

💡Tip: Practical features like a Unified Agent Desktop can streamline operations by providing a clutter-free interface where agents can easily switch between calls, messages, and multiple channels like email, voice, live chat, text/SMS, and WhatsApp.

Real-time access to comprehensive customer information helps ensure more personalized interactions, while automated ticketing systems classify and route complex queries to the right point of contact.

👉Use case #3: Improving self-service accessibility

IKEA’s self-service portal revolutionizes customer support by giving users a powerful platform to handle their needs independently. When this was done, IKEA secured significant growth for eCommerce, increasing its revenue share from 7% to 31% over three years. This approach not only boosts customer satisfaction but also reduces the strain on support teams.

How does the automation work?

• Access a comprehensive library of articles, tutorials, and FAQs
• View and update account information, track orders, and download invoices
• Submit and route support tickets automatically
• Utilize features like virtual kitchen design and real-time product availability checks
  

💡Tip: An information-driven knowledge base promotes self-help and integrates quickly with AI chatbots, nudging customers to detailed solutions when they encounter specific issues.

👉Use case #4: Hyper-personalization with customer insights 

Starbucks leverages advanced data analytics and AI to enhance personalization and optimize various aspects of its customer service and operations. The use of these technologies allows them to offer highly personalized experiences and make data-driven decisions to improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

How does the automation work?

• Collects extensive data on customer spending, preferences, and visit patterns
• Uses historical order data to suggest food and beverage choices tailored to individual preferences and times of day
• Pushes custom recommendations based on user behavior and frequency of visits
• Analyzes preferences to drive innovation in product offerings, such as new drink options or seasonal specials
• Utilizes data and AI for revenue projections and identifying new opportunities based on factors like traffic and competitor presence
  

💡Tip: The ability to monitor the entire customer lifecycle, from initial engagement through ongoing support, all in one place and a comprehensive view of the metrics of customer interactions can enable data-driven decisions and tailored experiences.

👉Use case #5: Predictive analytics for proactive service

Amazon excels at using predictive analytics to manage customer expectations and enhance service quality. They anticipate potential issues and communicate proactively. Also, the company ensures a smooth customer experience and minimizes inquiries related to order statuses.

How does the automation work?

• Analyzes order data and shipping patterns to predict potential delays
• Sends proactive notifications via email or app about the status of orders and possible delays
• Offers compensatory benefits, such as extended prime memberships, to mitigate the impact of delays
• Reduces customer inquiries by providing timely and relevant updates on order status
  

💡Plivo Tip: Use predictive analytics to reliably anticipate customer needs and address potential issues before they arise, taking a proactive stance. For example, automation tools can help schedule and send timely updates based on customer actions or milestones.

👉Use Case #6: Identifying Identifying opportunities for agent performance optimization

The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC), generating $2.9 billion (CAD) annually and employing 1,200 people, has been a Top 50 employer in BC for over 16 years due to its focus on customer experience (CX) and innovative technology. Previously, their customer support division dedicated nine employees to auditing support interactions, but this manual effort rarely yielded actionable feedback. 

Despite this, BCLC's focus on agent coaching has led to a 220% increase in NPS, a 7-point rise in CSAT, a 56% decrease in difficult calls, a 16% increase in advocacy, and a 21% improvement in expectation setting.

How does the automation work?

• Shows how each agent performs in key areas for every conversation
• Highlights agents needing more coaching based on performance metrics
• Indicates which processes and products may need enhancements
• Provides detailed insights into individual agents’ performances
  

💡Tip: Using customer service analytics to monitor KPIs and SLAs can help identify top performers who need more training and enhance your team's efficiency.

Addressing critical challenges and considerations

Tackling the complexity of integration 

Integrating automation systems with existing customer service infrastructure can be a significant challenge due to the complexity and variety of platforms and technologies. Successful integration requires careful planning, technical expertise, and a strategic approach. 

• Mapping out the entire customer journey is crucial
• Determining the types of customer data collection
• Understanding how customer information will flow through different systems
• Overcoming technical hurdles, such as compatibility issues
• Ensuring new tools work harmoniously with existing systems
• Regular updates and monitoring are critical to maintaining an effective system as technology and customer needs evolve
  

The human touch vs. automation debate

The debate between human touch and automation often highlights organizations' challenges when introducing new technologies. Employees may resist automated processes, leading to the need for effective training and change management strategies to ensure a smooth transition. 

Several factors drive the resistance to automation:

• Employees may worry about their job security and the possibility of being replaced by machines
• Without a clear grasp of how new technologies work, employees may be hesitant to embrace them
• There's often a concern that automation undermines their organizational role and value
  

Addressing these issues requires a thoughtful approach and extensive training to integrate technology while maintaining the sanctity of the human element in the workplace.

The role of data security and trust

Ensuring data accuracy and reliability is paramount for effective automation. Inaccurate or inconsistent data can lead to erroneous outcomes, undermining automation efforts. So, data privacy and security concerns have become increasingly significant. 

With the growing volume of data collected and stored through automation, organizations must take robust measures to safeguard data and respect individual privacy. Here are some approaches:

• Maintain high-quality data inputs to avoid errors
• Address data inconsistencies for smooth automation processes
• Protect data privacy—this is critical 
• Implement stringent security protocols to safeguard stored data
• Ensure the confidentiality of personal information to build trust with customers
  

Maximize the potential of customer service automation

The evidence is clear: customer service automation significantly enhances the customer experience. While the advantages of automation—such as 24/7 availability and improved efficiency—are undeniable, the most effective support systems blend automation with human interaction. 

Plivo CX exemplifies this synergy with its sophisticated tools designed to elevate customer support while adapting to evolving expectations with features like: 

• Drag-and-Drop Workflow Builder: Without needing to code, quickly design and implement automated customer journeys, streamlining interactions across all communication platforms
• OpenAI-Powered Self-Service Chatbots: Provide around-the-clock support for complex queries, ensuring customers receive timely and accurate responses
• Unified Agent Desktop: Deliver seamless service across multiple channels, including email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat
• Metrics and Reporting: Gain insights from real-time feedback and interactions to tailor your approach and enhance service quality
• Agent Coaching Tools: Leverage call recording, barge, and whisper functionalities to refine agent skills and improve performance
  

Ready to see automation in action for your business? Book a demo now!

At Plivo CX Suite, security is fundamental to our operations. We are pleased to announce that we have successfully upgraded our Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification to version 4.0.

Plivo CX Achieves PCI DSS 4.0 Certification

Plivo CX Suite has achieved PCI DSS 4.0 certification, demonstrating our ongoing dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data security. This certification ensures that our processes and systems are aligned with the latest security requirements.

Overview of PCI DSS Standards

The PCI DSS is an industry-standard framework that outlines the requirements for organizations that handle payment card data. Compliance with this standard ensures that payment information is processed, stored, and transmitted securely. Key areas of focus include:

• Network security: Implementation of firewalls and antivirus software to prevent unauthorized access.
• Data Protection: We safeguard your information by encrypting data during transmission using TLS 1.2+ and securing it at rest with AES-256 encryption.
• Access controls: Enforcement of strict password policies and multifactor authentication to restrict access to sensitive data.
• Defined responsibilities: Clearly assigned roles to ensure security protocols are followed at every level of the organization.

These measures are regulated by the PCI Security Standards Council, which includes major credit card companies such as Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Our certification confirms that Plivo CX Suite adheres to these rigorous standards.

Impact of PCI DSS Certification for Plivo CX Suite Customers

Holding a PCI DSS Level 1 certification, the highest level, means that Plivo CX Suite passed regular compliance audits and security assessments. A third-party, cloud-based payment platform handles Plivo’s transactions to reduce our exposure to direct payment data; nevertheless, our PCI DSS compliance remains essential. This certification aims to reassure our clients that Plivo CX platform is designed with your security in mind, providing the necessary infrastructure to protect your data.

PCI DSS Compliance: A Shared Responsibility

While Plivo CX Suite takes comprehensive steps to secure your data, it is important to recognize that PCI DSS compliance is a shared responsibility. We encourage our customers to:

• Protect authentication credentials: Secure login details and API keys to prevent unauthorized access.
• Use the Plivo CX Suite console safely: Adhere to best practices for secure console usage.
• Ensure application compliance: Ensure your applications interact with Plivo CX Suite following PCI DSS standards.

Together, we can maintain a secure environment for your data.

Beyond Certification: Plivo CX Suite's Commitment

Our recent PCI DSS 4.0 certification is part of our broader commitment to providing secure and reliable services. We continuously enhance our security measures, from internal controls to regular threat assessments, to protect your data and maintain your trust.

For organizations seeking a secure communications platform, Plivo CX Suite is equipped to meet your needs. Contact our sales team to learn more about how we can support your security requirements.

At Plivo CX Suite, safeguarding your data is our highest priority. We appreciate your trust and will continue to enhance our platform to provide you with the most secure service possible.

Consumer demand for always-on, instant, self-service options has changed the contact center landscape. Meeting the ever-rising expectation for connected service experiences puts pressure on contact centers to deliver an outstanding customer experience (CX). 

Giving your team the right tools to do their jobs more efficiently can help drive higher customer satisfaction and create a less stressful working environment. IVR payment services are one of those key tools. 

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) payment services are automated systems that allow customers to make payments using their phones.  This technology is no longer confined to the banking industry. Utility companies, telecom providers, contact center customer service, healthcare providers, and retailers use IVR payments. 

In this blog post, we’ll dive into IVR payments: how IVR payments work, if they’re secure for your business, and how to choose the right IVR payment provider for your business. We’ll also highlight the top five benefits of IVR payments to demonstrate that this tool can elevate the customer experience in virtually every industry. 

What is an IVR payment?

An IVR payment is a type of payment system that enables customers to make payments by phone without the assistance of an operator. Rather than speaking to an actual person, the customer goes through a recorded menu to safely key in their account number, PIN, credit card number, debit card number, or bank details on the spot.

IVR payments aim to provide a safe, effective, and easily accessible payment solution. It also integrates with payment solutions for firms that complete a high volume of transactions to avoid overworking their customer service and support teams.

IVR systems also enable organizations to collect ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments automatically.

This is particularly helpful when used for regular, routine payments, like membership fees, bills, or subscription services; this saves time and energy, minimizes the danger of delayed check/ - payments, and improves cash flow for the company.

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How do IVR payments work?

When customers reach an IVR payment system, they will hear a series of voice prompts asking for their payment details — such as their account number, payment details, and the invoice amount. The IVR system then processes the payment through ACH. This tender allows direct debit from the customer’s bank account to the business’s account.

Cloud-based IVR payments are designed to integrate seamlessly with a company’s existing phone systems, using existing lines and infrastructure. This means customers can access the payment service by calling the same number they use for other customer service needs. 

Plus, you can integrate an IVR system with your payment processors. So, when a customer enters their payment information, the IVR system securely transmits this data to the processor for authorization. This integration ensures that payments are processed faster and funds are conveniently transferred to the company’s merchant account.

This streamlined setup allows businesses to automate payment collection, reduce manual handling, and improve efficiency while offering customers a convenient and secure way to pay over the phone.

For a better understanding, here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how IVR payments work:

• Step 1: Customer initiates the call: The process begins when a customer calls a business's dedicated IVR payment line.
• Step 2: System greeting: The IVR system greets the caller with a recorded message, offering them options to proceed with making a payment.
• Step 3: Selection of payment option: The customer is prompted to select the payment method option, usually by pressing a number on their phone’s keypad.
• Step 4: Input of payment details: The system guides the customer to enter their payment details, such as a credit card number, expiration date, and security code, or bank account information for ACH payments, using the keypad.
• Step 5: Verification: Once the details are entered, the IVR system verifies the information, ensuring that everything is accurate and complete.
• Step 6: Confirmation: After verification, the system confirms the payment amount and asks the customer to approve the transaction.
• Step 7: Processing the payment: The IVR system securely accepts payments and transmits the data to the payment processor for authorization.‍
• Step 8: Receipt and completion: Once the payment is successfully processed, the system provides a confirmation message and may offer to send a receipt via email or text. The call is then concluded.

Four benefits of IVR payments

IVR payments have plenty of benefits, but here are four important ones for businesses considering using IVR payments.

1. It can lead to fewer late payments

One of the main advantages of using an IVR payment service is that it can significantly reduce late or bounced payments. It gives customers the flexibility to make payments on their own, anytime, anywhere — reducing the chances of missing a payment deadline. 

It becomes almost impossible for users to skip or miss payments unintentionally with ACH payments. Automatic payments made using ACH are easier and less time-consuming than writing or mailing checks. Plus, it’s usually quick and free, depending on where you bank and the type of payment transfer involved. 

2. It can increase customer satisfaction

Customers no longer need to track and remember payment deadlines or make manual transactions. IVR technology guarantees customers that their payments will be made on time. It also helps route callers to the agent most qualified to solve customer problems and reduce hold times, resulting in happier customers. 

For instance, with Plivo, you can set your call forwarding with preferred routing rules to best fit your customer needs. Forward calls to agents in different time zones to ensure round-the-clock availability, or automatically move the call to another representative if an agent doesn’t pick up after 15 seconds.  

3. It improves payment security

Often, IVR payment systems incorporate voice recognition technology—different from speech recognition—to verify an individual’s identity, adding an additional layer of security. Your customers only need to go through a pre-defined verification process and authorization before making payments via IVR. Since it’s automated, there’s a smaller margin for error than agents manually handling transactions. 

Plus, IVR systems have built-in security features like encryption and are PCI compliant, further ensuring that customer data is well protected. 

4. It can reduce operational costs

IVR payment systems are great cost-saving measures. This technology frees up your team’s time so they can focus on high value-add tasks. And, they allow your business to hire skilled employees who can handle more than just manual call routing requests. The savings can be huge given that IVR payment systems come with built-in functionality for contact centers and communications. 

Four tips for choosing the best IVR payment provider for your needs

When picking the right IVR payment provider, keep these questions in mind.

1. Is the IVR payment tool secure and compliant? 

An IVR payment system should be inherently secure and compliant with PCI DSS, especially if your business operates in a highly regulated industry like healthcare, insurance, or law. Think about factors like, whether communications are encrypted, and to what degree. Does the system meet the specific compliance requirements for your industry?

Plivo, for example, comes with advanced security features and can help you stay PCI DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, SOC 2, and GDPR compliant. We use an industry-leading platform for our payment transaction security. All credit card information is encrypted using AES-256, so we don’t store any of your customers’ sensitive information. 

We also uphold high standards with our service-level agreements to all customers, where we respond to priority one business-critical incidents around the clock, 365 days a year. We also monitor our infrastructure through two network operations centers (NOC) and security operations centers (SOC) and use third-party notification and alert systems to identify and manage threats.

This ensures you and your customers are secure. At Plivo, we believe that businesses of all sizes should get premium customer support when needed, especially given the sensitive nature of online payments. 

2. Can the IVR tool integrate and scale as your business grows?

When you sign on with an IVR payment system, you want it to easily integrate with your existing phone systems, payment systems, and CRM software. Also, consider whether the provider’s system can scale with your business. As your transaction volume grows, the IVR system should be able to handle increased demand without compromising performance.

3. Can the IVR customer experience be tailored to your needs?

Choose a provider that allows you to tailor the IVR system to fit your business needs. Whether it’s customizing call flows, payment options, or language support, the system should be adaptable to your specific requirements. 

Plivo supports responses by voice or by DTMF keypresses on customers’ phone keypads. You can set up your IVR menu for additional languages so your services are available to more customers, especially in multilingual countries. 

Another thing you should also consider is the overall user experience that the provider’s IVR system delivers. The system should be intuitive, user-friendly, and designed to make the payment process as simple and efficient as possible for both your team and customers. For example, Plivo provides easy-to-use APIs and XML that make it straightforward to create custom IVR flows, designed for your specific needs. 

4. Is the IVR system reliable with good customer support?

Check the provider’s track record for reliability and uptime. A good provider should offer a robust infrastructure with minimal downtime, ensuring that your IVR payment processing is always available for customers. 

While you’re at it, make sure you also evaluate the level of customer support offered by the provider. Look for providers that offer 24/7 support and have a reputation for responsive and knowledgeable service, which is essential if any issues arise.

Plivo: Best IVR payment service provider

Plivo’s Voice API gives you full control over your IVR system, helping you deliver exceptional customer experiences while lowering operational costs. Plivo supports over 220 countries and territories, has seven global points of presence, and has 99.99% uptime SLAs available. Plivo offers competitive advantages such as:

• Ease of use: Plivo’s APIs and XML simplify the process of creating and managing custom IVR flows. Design complex, multi-step customer interactions without needing extensive technical expertise.
• Flexibility: Plivo supports both voice inputs and DTMF (keypad) responses, allowing customers to interact with your IVR system in the way that’s most convenient for them, enhancing user experience.
• Outbound IVR: Plivo enables the creation of custom IVR menus for outbound calls, which are perfect for applications like customer surveys, reminders, or voting.
• Scalability: Plivo’s platform is built to handle large volumes of calls efficiently. With its global reach and high availability, your IVR system can scale as your business grows without compromising performance.
• Security: Plivo offers secure cloud communication services, ensuring that your IVR system complies with industry standards like PCI DSS, GDPR, and HIPPA. This guarantees that customer data is handled securely, building trust and maintaining compliance.

Developers can easily integrate automatic speech recognition (ASR) to ensure your system responds to customers whenever and however they choose to connect. 

Setting up an IVR phone tree with Plivo is straightforward. Configure a Plivo number to interact with your web app, which will then deliver a menu and route calls based on customer input. For detailed instructions, refer to Plivo’s product documentation.

Ready to get started with IVR payments for your business? Request a trial with Plivo.

Cybersecurity is a prevalent and growing threat to businesses. However, few business owners know how many confirmed breaches are due to human error—specifically, weak or compromised passwords. This simple, effective defense mechanism is often ignored and frequently exploited by hackers and cybercriminals.

In addition to practicing strong password hygiene, one of the most powerful steps you can take to improve enterprise security and resilience is implementing multifactor authentication (MFA). 

MFA significantly increases the obstacles for any potential attackers, making the company’s accounts less appealing as a target for cyber attackers.

In this blog post, we will share how multifactor authentication works, types of MFA solutions available, features to look for in an MFA provider, highlight three critical questions to ask your MFA providers, and finally, a list of the best MFA providers.

What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security process that requires users to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to an online account or application. When you sign into an account, you “authenticate” your identity by providing a username or password. Multifactor authentication requires you to provide additional verification “factors” besides your username and password.

These factors come from one or more of three different categories:

1. Something you know: This is typically your password, but it could also be a PIN, security questions, or a passphrase.   

2. Something you have: This could be a physical token, a smartphone receiving a code via SMS or an authenticator app, a security key, or a trusted device.   

3. Something you are: This involves biometrics, such as fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, voice recognition, or iris scanning.

How does MFA work? 

MFA is like adding an extra lock on your front door to keep your home safe. It’s a security measure that requires users to provide more than just a password to access their accounts.

After a user enters their password, they might need to verify their identity with something they have (like a code sent to their phone) or something they are (like a fingerprint).

This added layer of security makes it much harder for someone to break in and access a user’s account, even if they’ve somehow gotten hold of their password. It’s a smart, straightforward way to keep your information and your community safe. 

The main types of MFA solutions 

Several types of multifactor authentication solutions are available, each adding an extra layer of security to your login process.

To understand how MFA works, let’s break some of the common ways to authenticate your identity into the three main categories we previously identified: 

Something you know

This knowledge-based authentication factor could be a password, a PIN number, or the answer to a security question. This authentication factor is semi-permanent, meaning it won’t change each time you log in and must be updated manually by the user to maintain its security. 

Something you have

This type of authentication factor relies on a third party to deliver a temporary code or PIN number. Common examples include: 

1. SMS-based authentication: This is one of the simplest MFA formats. The user, after entering a password, is sent a one-time code via a text message that needs to be input to complete the login process. It's convenient but less secure if an SMS is intercepted.

2. Email-based authentication: This method delivers to the user a particular code or a link through email. The user will have to input this code or open the link to get verified. It is easy to use but suffers from the same sort of vulnerabilities as the SMS-based methods.

3. Authenticator apps: Google Authenticator, Authy, and Microsoft Authenticator are some of the applications generating time-based codes; the user inputs such a code after his or her password. These codes have a lifespan of only 30 seconds each.

4. Hardware tokens: These physical devices generate authentication codes. USB tokens, key fobs, or another piece of hardware are very secure, but not practical to keep track of or carry around. 

5. Push notifications: The user receives a push notification on their mobile device, asking if they are trying to log in. They only need to approve the request. It's easy for any user to do so.

6. Smart cards: These are physical cards with an inserted chip put into a card reader, usually combined with a PIN. It's often used in corporate environments for secure access.

Something you are

This authentication factor is inherent or unique to the user, such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or voice. Biometric authenticators are popular on mobile devices, since they are hard to copy or duplicate.

You can mix and match these solutions depending on how much security you need and how much convenience you'd like to allow your users. The goal is to ensure that even if someone has your password, they can’t get into your account without passing that second layer of defense.

How to find the best MFA solution for your business

If you’re looking to invest in a multifactor authentication solution for your business, there are a few key factors you should keep in mind. 

Easy set-up and fast time to market

First things first: The multifactor authentication solution itself should be straightforward and easy to use, with a clear, intuitive interface—for both the team managing it and your customers. Your customers should have no trouble completing the authentication process, whether they’re using an app, SMS, or another method.

On the backend, your team should be able to easily set up and manage the authentication flow from your security management platform or authentication provider.

For example, Plivo offers a well-documented API to help you set up MFA. Plivo’s API uses standard HTTP verbs and status codes, which makes it easy to integrate into your existing systems. Whether your development team prefers Python, Ruby, Node, PHP, Java, .NET, Go, or even cURL, the setup process is consistent and streamlined. 

Rich features for better engagement 

When it comes to integrating MFA into your applications and scaling delivery globally, having the right features in place can make all the difference.

Plivo supports real-time delivery report notifications so you can track how your messages are performing globally. This gives you valuable insight into your delivery rates and understanding the effectiveness of your messaging strategy.

We also provide pre-approved templates optimized for conversions. These ready-made message templates comply with industry regulations and are designed to maximize engagement and drive conversions.

These templates can save time and effort compared to creating messages from scratch. Instead, focus on what really matters—connecting with your audience.

Built-in security and data compliance features

When you’re looking for an multifactor authentication solution provider, consider the built-in regulatory and data compliance features it offers. Look for specific fraud protection tools that can protect your customers.

Plivo, for instance, provides Fraud Shield, a powerful solution designed to help reduce the risk of fraud like SMS pumping fraud and account token takeover.

Fraud Shield provides two key features: Geo Permissions and Fraud Thresholds. Geo Permissions let you control which countries your SMS traffic can reach, blocking and not charging for messages sent to unapproved countries.

Fraud Thresholds allow you to set a limit on the number of messages sent per hour to approved countries, helping prevent issues if the limit is exceeded.

Low operational costs 

Cost is often one of the biggest concerns for companies vetting MFA tools. While there’s a wide range of tools with multiple pricing plans, it all boils down to your specific requirements and how much you use a particular service.

With Plivo, you only pay for what you use. There’s no authentication fee— we only charge for SMS and voice services. Plus, you can save even more with customized pricing and committed spend contracts tailored to your needs.

You won’t have to worry about purchasing or renting phone numbers either. Plivo’s pre-registered phone numbers are available for use without any monthly rental fees, streamlining your setup and reducing costs.

Compliance can often bring extra costs, but not with Plivo. There are no additional fees for regulatory compliance, so you can eliminate the overhead typically associated with compliance registrations.

And when it comes to protecting your messaging with Fraud Shield, there’s no extra cost involved. Plivo includes Fraud Shield at no additional charge, helping to prevent SMS pumping fraud without impacting your budget.

3 key questions to ask multifactor authentication solution providers

Ask potential partners these three questions to figure out which provider is the best fit for your MFA needs.

What authentication methods do you support?

A good MFA provider should be able to support a wide variety of authentication methods—including SMS, email, call, and hardware tokens.

The more choices you have, the more flexibility you can ultimately offer your customers. For instance, while SMS-based authentication may be easy and quick for some users, others will want to feel more secure using a method like biometrics. This is a case where more is more: the more authentication methods you can offer, the more convenience and security you can offer your customers. 

How do you guarantee data safety and compliance?

With regulations like GDPR and HIPAA in play, you need to be confident that your provider is handling sensitive information properly. Ask about their encryption standards, their storage, and what kind of certifications they have.

For example, if the provider stores any authentication data, it must be  encrypted both in transit and at rest. Ask about how they would handle a possible breach of your data and what controls are in place to prevent such a breach from happening.

Does your platform integrate with our existing tech? 

Ultimately, an MFA’s efficacy is dependent on how well it integrates with your current infrastructure. You’ll want to know how easy it is to integrate MFA with your current tech stack—whether it’s your CRM, ERP, or any custom applications you use.

Ask about their support for popular platforms and whether they offer APIs or SDKs for custom integrations. For example, is there a native integration with Salesforce, or will you need to build a custom solution? Be sure to consider SSO and other identity management tools. A provider with strong integration capabilities will help you implement MFA efficiently, saving you time and resources in the long run.

At a glance: the 11 best MFA solutions for businesses

Here’s a quick comparison of the 11 most popular MFA solutions on the market today.

11 Best MFA solutions for businesses

1. Plivo

Reviews and ratings 

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

Plivo is an easy-to-use, flexible option to implement communication APIs that will suit MFA. It is highly-rated for strong API documentation and great service, making Plivo a good option for developers looking for scalable solutions.

Key features 

• Pre-approved message templates for maximum conversions
• Support for global SMS and voice messaging
• Real-time alerting for delivery reports
• No need to purchase or rent any numbers; use pre-registered numbers
• No compliance fees or extra fees for Fraud Shield

Limitations 

• Does not support some specific advanced authentication methods, like biometric authentication.

Pricing 

• Offers pay-as-you-go model
• The committed-spend contracts for committed volumes help save some money

Who is it best for?

Plivo is ideal for developers and businesses that are looking for the easiest and most cost-effective way to integrate MFA into their applications, thereby avoiding hassle with compliance management and fraud prevention. 

2. Cisco Secure Access by Duo 

Reviews and ratings 

TrustRadius: 9.4 out of 10 stars

Cisco Duo is highly regarded for its comprehensive security features and ease of use, particularly for businesses of all sizes. It’s often recommended for organizations looking to build a zero-trust security framework.

Key features 

• Almost every authentication method is supported, including biometrics.
• Passwordless authentication with push notifications and OTP.
• Seamless service integration with platforms like Office 365 and Fortinet.
• FIDO2, SOC 2, and HIPAA standards are supported.

Limitations 

• Push notification delays may happen, according to several users.
• Certain issues with multi-device login support.

Pricing 

• Starts at $3 per user per month
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Cisco Duo is ideal for organizations of all sizes, especially those looking for a reliable, scalable solution to secure user access and integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure.

3. Okta Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication

Reviews and ratings 

Gartner: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Okta’s MFA solution is a leader in the market, especially with its adaptive policies Okta allows better strength in security without frustrating users. It is highly favored by larger enterprises with a need for flexible and scalable identity management.

Key features 

• Context- and behavior-aware adaptive authentication
• Integrations with a vast number of apps and services, including AWS and Slack
• Support for biometric authentication and the ability of users to log in without a password
• The product complies with all major standards, including PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR

Limitations 

• Costlier than some other MFA solutions available in the market
• Some users find the setup too complex 

Pricing 

• Starts at $2 per user per month for businesses
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Okta is best for medium-sized enterprises and large corporations that are on the lookout for a fully functional identity management solution with top-notch security management and high integration capabilities.

4. Onelogin Workforce Identity 

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars 

OneLogin is one of the most popular MFA providers out there. It’s appreciated for its extensive app integrations and ease of use. In particular, users like OneLogin’s workforce identity and access management features deployed in the cloud or on-premises.

Key features 

• Huge app catalog with over 6,000 integrations
• Multiple-directory identity management synchronization
• Adaptive MFA and SSO for internal and external users
• User and application lifecycle management

Limitations 

• Users sometimes complain of integration and implementation difficulties
• Can be too complex for smaller businesses

Pricing 

• Pricing varies according to deployment and usage needs
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

OneLogin is a great fit for SMBs and enterprises looking for a comprehensive workforce identity solution that includes robust MFA, SSO, and extensive app integrations.

5. Microsoft Entra ID

Reviews and ratings 

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Microsoft Entra ID is great for businesses that are already operating within the Microsoft 365 environment. The MFA provider is said to be relatively easy to set up and manage for enterprise businesses.

Key features 

• Different ways of authentication from Windows Hello to FIDO2 to SMS
• Thousands of SaaS applications and internal applications can be integrated
• Conditional access policies dependent on the user and device risk
• Easy to use by both the user and admin, especially in Microsoft environments

Limitations

• Best suits organizations that offer their services through Microsoft services
• Will ultimately require you to purchase licenses for advanced capabilities 

Pricing 

• Part of Microsoft 365 pricing; additional charges may apply for advanced features
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it best for?

Microsoft Entra ID is best for organizations heavily invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, offering seamless integration and strong security features that enhance the overall identity management experience.

6. IBM Verify

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4 out of 5 stars

IBM Verify provides advanced MFA and passwordless authentication, integrating with IBM's suite of security products. IBM Verify is a full identity access management solution that integrates AI in its user-friendly authentication processes. Users like that it’s intuitive and easy to log into multiple systems. 

Key features

• Adaptive authentication uses context-aware policies to evaluate access requests based on factors like device, location, and behavior. 
• Risk-based authentication automatically adjusts authentication requirements based on the perceived risk level of each access attempt.
• Supports modern passwordless authentication methods, including passkeys and QR code authentication.
• Seamlessly integrates with other IBM security products. 

Limitations

• Users say the system is complex and difficult to set up
• Expensive compared to other solutions on the market 
• Multiple security flaws were discovered in IBM Security Verify Access (ISVA) 

Pricing

• Pricing for IBM Verify is based on actual usage 
• On AWS, pricing is based on contract duration. For instance, Verify Workforce capabilities for 100 workforce users is listed at $15,899.29/year. 

Who is it for?

IBM Verify is ideal for businesses looking for a comprehensive cloud-based identity and access management solution from a trusted vendor. Although the platform has had some security bugs, it’s the best option for any businesses already using IBM’s suite of other products. 

7. Google Authenticator

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Google App Store: 3.7 out of 5 stars

Google Authenticator is an app that generates a unique code to use during the login process in addition to a username and password. Google Authenticator can generate a verification code even without a network or cellular connection. 

Key features

• Time-based, unique six-digit passcodes change every 30 seconds, providing a dynamic and secure authentication method. 
• Generate passcodes locally on a device without requiring an internet connection or mobile service. 
• Add and manage multiple accounts so you can centralize all MFA needs in one place. 

Limitations

• Google Authenticator only provides one type of factor – something you have. This may not be sufficient security for all users. 
• Users say the most recent update created sync issues, making it difficult to log in to their accounts. 

Pricing

• Google Authenticator is free. 

Who is it for?

Google Authenticator is a great option for businesses on a budget. It’s easy to use and intuitive for most users. However, it’s not a true MFA solution; it should be integrated with other authentication methods to secure user accounts.

8. Ping Identity MFA

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Users say that Ping Identity’s MFA solution offers robust security with a wide range of integrations and a strong focus on enterprise needs. Ping Identity works with biometrics, OTPs, and mobile authentication to secure your business’s systems. 

Key features

• Ping Identity supports a range of authentication options, including mobile push notifications, email OTP, SMS OTP, TOTP authenticator apps, QR codes, magic links, FIDO2-bound biometrics, and security keys
• Ping Identity MFA is part of a larger suite of IAM tools by Ping One that can deliver enhanced security across vectors. 
• Ping Identity MFA offers extensive policy configuration options. Administrators can create detailed MFA policies, specifying settings such as device selection methods, pairing key lifetimes, push notification limits, passcode failure limits, and lock durations. 

Limitations

• Users say the solution is complex to set up and use
• The interface is clunky and difficult to integrate with other tools. 

Pricing

• MFA is part of the PingOne subscription service, which starts at $20,000/year
• 30-day free trial available

Who is it for?

Ping Identity is best for large enterprises with complex identity management requirements. PingOne is best for businesses that need to find the right balance between security and user convenience, with support for various authentication methods including passkeys, biometrics, and push notifications.

9. LastPass MFA

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5

LastPass MFA combines password management with robust MFA capabilities, offering adaptive authentication and a unified admin console. LastPass primarily caters to personal users, but also offers solutions for teams and enterprise businesses seeking to enhance their security protocols.

Key features

• Primarily known as a password management tool, LastPass offers MFA for LastPass password vault access. 
• The Advanced MFA add-on offers MFA for VPNs, workstations, on-premises apps, and identity providers.
• LastPass MFA supports a wide range of authentication options, including biometric authentication, push notifications, authenticator apps, and contextual factors like location and IP address.

Limitations

• LastPass is most popular as a password management tool for individuals, and therefore may not have as many business-focused integrations. 
• Reviewers on G2 cite login, autofill, and security issues that arise when using the app. 

Pricing

• 14-day free trial available. 
• LastPass Business starts at €6.50 per user / month, billed annually

Who is it for?

LastPass is best for sole proprietors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses seeking an affordable, easy-to-implement solution that enhances security without requiring extensive IT resources. 

10. RSA SecurID

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5 stars

RSA SecurID has built a long-standing reputation for strong security and a wide range of authentication methods, including hardware tokens. Like other solutions on this list, RSA SecurID is part of a full suite of IAM tools, including automated identity intelligence, authentication, access, and governance. 

Key features

• Supports multiple authentication options, including hardware tokens, software tokens, mobile push notifications, and biometrics. 
• Also offers temporary OTPs that can be used as MFA factors.
• Robust protection for remote access to corporate networks, applications, and resources; good for distributed workforces.

Limitations

• Users say the solution is expensive. 
• In the past, RSA SecurID has had 2FA issues as well as authentication issues. 

Pricing

• Pricing not listed; contact sales team for details. 

Who is it for?

RSA SecurID is ideal for big enterprises with strict security requirements, particularly in regulated industries.

11. JumpCloud

Reviews and ratings

G2: 4.5 out of 5

JumpCloud is a cloud-based directory platform that provides centralized identity and access management for organizations. Two features in the platform, JumpCloud MFA and JumpCloud Protect™, secure user access to applications, devices, networks, and other resources.

Key features

• JumpCloud Protect is is the platform’s authenticator app that provides three authentication methods: OTPs, push notifications, and biometric verification. 
• JumpCloud MFA supports a variety of authentication methods beyond JumpCloud Protect, including third party authenticators and hardware security keys. 
• Both features are part of the larger JumpCloud IAM platform that centralizes management of users, devices, and access control. 

Limitations

• Reviewers say the platform is missing key features or lacking technical capacity.
• Some users think the platform has a poor user interface. 

Pricing

• Pricing starts at  $9/user/mo billed annually. 

Who is it for?

This cloud-based directory platform with integrated MFA simplifies IT management for small to medium-sized businesses.

Take your security to the next level with a modern MFA solution provider

Regardless of the size of your customer base, MFA is one of the most fundamental security tools you can incorporate into your infrastructure. 

The use cases for it are versatile: whether it's customer logins, storing sensitive data, or accessing your internal systems, MFA provides a strong, nimble layer of security. It's critical to preventing unauthorized access, reducing breach risk, and ensuring adherence to industry regulations. Besides, MFA demonstrates to customers that you take their security seriously.

Considering the digital environment and its associated emerging risks, including MFA is not merely a desirability but a prerequisite. And with providers like Plivo, setting up MFA is pretty easy and very affordable. All businesses, regardless of their size, can provide good security without sacrificing the user experience. Be it protection of global communications, user authentication, or compliance management, Plivo's versatile features prove very handy in securing your platform effectively.

Request a trial with Plivo.

90% of modern customers anticipate seamless and engaging interactions at every touchpoint. To cater to such high levels of expectations, many customer support teams are increasingly leaning towards AI-powered platforms. 

In fact, 87% of organizations are turning to AI to provide real-time agent assistance. AI call center software uses artificial intelligence technologies to transform customer service operations across digital and voice channels. 

AI can perform a diverse range of tasks to help make customer interactions prompt and more efficient. Unlike legacy call centers that mostly rely on human agents, AI call centers leverage advanced software systems that can handle multiple tasks.

In this blog post, we'll look at the top 10 AI call center solutions and help you figure out which one might be best for your needs.

10 best AI contact center software 

1. Plivo CX

Best for AI-powered agent desktop features

Plivo CX is a popular AI cloud call center software built for small businesses and SMBs to offer a comprehensive omnichannel customer experience.
To make it easier for your business to give great customer service even when things get busy, Plivo CX relies on smart technology like chatbots and voice assistants to answer common questions automatically. This is a significant time-saver for CX teams in the long run. To emphasize customer experience, these AI assistants can even have personalized conversations by using information from your customer database. The system also organizes incoming messages and makes sure urgent issues get attention first. Furthermore, you can set up the AI to sound like your brand and ensure it follows your company's rules. If a customer has a tricky problem, the AI can smoothly transfer them to a human agent. 

Key features

• Unified Agent Desktop: A single window pane to manage customer interactions across different channels like email, live chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and more
• Built for efficiency: Makes it easier to share photos, videos, and other files with customers, offers ready-to-use message templates, and ensures everyone has the latest information instantly
• Self-Service chatbot: Deploy a no-code, OpenAI-powered chatbot integrated with a knowledge base and smooth agent hand-off
• Categorize and prioritize: Automatically sorts and prioritizes critical customer requests with AI capabilities
• IVR: Take your customer experience a notch higher with an automated and configurable phone system for customer routing.
• Workflows: Without coding, design and implement automated workflows using a visual interface, simplifying the creation of complex processes like case management, follow-ups, and notifications
• Metrics & Reporting: Monitor KPIs, track agent efficiency, and gain insights into customer satisfaction
• Coach your agents: Offer real-time feedback and conduct training sessions directly within the platform
• Integration: Out-of-the-box integrations with several platforms, including Salesforce, Zendesk, and Shopify, to centralize customer information

Limitations 

• The platform lacks features for monitoring agent performance, making it difficult to ensure quality standards and optimize workforce allocation
• There is no mobile application available for agents, hindering their ability to access and manage tickets while on the move
• The system might not be the best fit for handling a high volume of routine and transactional customer support inquiries

Pricing

Omnichannel (annual plans):

• Growth: $29 per user per month
• Business: $69 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Voice-Only annual plans

• Growth: $25 per user per month
• Business: $40 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Chat-Only annual plans

• Growth: $15 per user per month
• Business: $30 per user per month
• Enterprise: Available on request

Plivo CX ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.5/5 (700+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/5 (80+ reviews)

‍
2. Talkdesk

Best for versatile AI use cases

Talkdesk is a leading AI-powered contact center with features that help automate every step of the customer journey. It offers AI capabilities for diverse business applications, such as self-service, omnichannel engagement, customer experience analytics, and employee engagement. 

Key features

• Generative AI and pre-built virtual agents for automating customer self-service for smooth 24X7 support 
• Reveals powerful interaction analytics to improve conversations with Mood Insights, Transcription Cards, and Keyword Sensors
• Offers Talkdesk Co-pilot that listens, guides, and assists agents during live interactions 

Limitations 

• Some features cannot be customized by end users
• There’s a need for more user-friendly reporting tools and customization options within the reporting section

Pricing

• CX Cloud Digital Essentials: $85 per month

• CX Cloud Essentials: $85 per month
   
• CX Cloud Elevate: $115 per month

• CX Cloud Elite: $145 per month

Talkdesk ratings and reviews

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (2200+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (720+ reviews)

3. Cloudtalk

Best for conversation intelligence features

As a business-calling software, Cloudtalk comes with an in-built AI-powered conversation intelligence platform. It removes the need to manually analyze calls by offering in-depth conversational insights and coaching for sales and support teams.   

Key features: 

• Reduce after-call work with automatic call summaries and tags
• Get in-depth business intelligence by viewing trends across different customer conversations.   
• Use Call Scoring to evaluate agent performance

Limitations 

• They support customer service only on voice channels.
• There are reports of the mobile and desktop apps being glitchy

Pricing 

• Starter: $25 per month 

• Essential: $30 per month

• Expert: $50 per month

Cloudtalk ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (260+ reviews)

4. Calabrio

Best for hyper-personalized experiences

‍Calabrio serves as AI software for your contact center that boosts brand loyalty and accelerates revenue generation. It is a workforce enhancement suite with enterprise-grade agent engagement and AI analytics for a complete view of agent and customer experience from a single interface.    

Key features: 

• Records customer conversations across calls, chats, texts, emails, and tweets
• Get nuanced insights with speech-to-text and sentiment analytics
• Use the AI-powered Workforce Management tools to forecast volume and allocate the right agents with the appropriate skills at the right time 

 Limitations (G2)

• The software can be complex to set up and use effectively, especially for new users.
• Some search features could be more flexible

Pricing

Available on request

Calabrio ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (270+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (260+ reviews)

5. Dialpad AI Contact Center

Best for real-time agent assist

The Dialpad AI Contact Center is known for its real-time agent assist features, which are dedicated to agent coaching and enabling customer satisfaction. It comes with a range of AI capabilities that help you enhance agent performance and turn rookie agents into seasoned experts. 

Key features: 

• Offers immediate answers to agent questions with AI Agent Assist 
• Uses automated speech recognition software for real-time call transcription 
• Provides call summaries with recommended action items so agents don’t need to take notes during calls 

Limitations (G2)

• Certain features, such as voicemail setup and call routing, are not very intuitive
• Standard customers must upgrade to at least the Pro tier to gain access to numerous integrations, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses

Pricing 

• Standard: $27 per user per month ($15 if billed annually)
  
• Pro: $35 per user per month ($25 if billed annually)
  
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Dialpad ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (230+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.2/ 5 (500+ reviews)

6. Callhippo 

Best for call insights and coaching

Callhippo, known for its business phone system features, is another call center AI software that offers call insights combined with AI-powered coaching. It caters to use cases across sales, support, marketing, and operations with advanced functionality like talk-to-listen ratio, sentiment analysis, and topic extraction.

Key features:

• Analyzes customer sentiment based on voice patterns to deliver personalized experiences
• Identifies recurring themes and topics that offer insights into customer pain points and trends
• Tracks conversation ratio between agents and customers for maximum loyalty and retention

Limitations (G2)

• The app/interface is tough to use, and you don't get notifications on the dialer on the desktop/laptop interface

Pricing

• Starter: $18 per user/month if billed annually
• Professional: $30 per user/month if billed annually
• Ultimate: $42 per user/month if billed annually
• AI Add-On: $10 per user/month if billed annually

Callhippo ratings & reviews 

• G2: 4.4/ 5 (300+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/ 5 (500+ reviews)

7. Aircall

Best for in-depth AI-powered business intelligence

Aircall is another notable business phone solution that incorporates AI contact center capabilities into its suite of features. It can sift through huge volumes of conversations for seamless call reviews and an in-depth understanding of customers’ priorities.   

Key features: 

• Enables you to review sales pitches and coach reps 
• Offers deeper context on deals and tickets with AI-generated insights   
• Text transcript search for keywords and phrases across calls helps capture the essence of every conversation

Limitations 

• Aircall's workflow designer doesn't provide the flexibility needed to design custom journeys
• The software doesn't have its own built-in video-calling feature

Pricing

• Essentials: $30 per license per month

• Professional: $50 per license per month

Aircall ratings & reviews

• G2: 4.3/ 5 (1000+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.3/ 5 (400+ reviews)

8. Gong

Best for AI-generated revenue intelligence

Gong.io  is an AI-based revenue intelligence solution perfect for customer service and sales teams. It gathers customer data across interactions, providing an eagle-eye view of the customer lifecycle.  

Key features

• Offers customer service teams with data-driven recommendations and tailored coaching for account renewals
• Helps spot churn indicators early on to prevent customers from slipping through the cracks
• Helps forecast and close more deals with deep pipeline visibility

Limitations (Capterra)

• It can be tricky to find particular calls using the search feature
• People have mentioned that the transcripts aren't always accurate, especially when there are accents or dialects involved

Kustomer ratings & reviews

• Capterra: 4.8/ 5 (500+ reviews)
• G2: 4.7/ 5 (5700+ reviews)

Pricing

Custom Pricing

9. Zoho Desk 

Best for combining agent and AI capabilities

Zoho Desk is an AI contact center solution dedicated to swift query resolution. It deploys powerful features and comes with an AI-powered chatbot called Zia, which responds to customer requests with appropriate solutions by tapping into the sentiment behind each ticket. 

Key features

• Helps frame contextualized responses to tickets based on customer sentiment 
• Aids agents in drafting accurate responses to customers based on ticket content and information from the knowledge base 
• Tracks team performance 24/7 and alerts teams in case of surges in incoming tickets  

Limitations (G2)

• Some features that companies would regard as essential may only be accessible on the top-tier plans
• Advanced features and customization options can be complex and have a steep learning curve

Zoho Desk ratings & reviews 

• Capterra: 4.5/ 5 (2100+ reviews)
• G2: 4.4/ 5 (5600+ reviews)

Pricing

• Standard: $9.76 per month 

• Professional: $17.07 per month 

• Enterprise: $29.27  per month 

10. Balto

Best for capturing customer behavior in real-time 

Balto is an AI call center that helps agents retain customers and convert leads right when it matters, that is, in real time. With features like Dynamic Prompts, notifications, and real-time QA scores, Balto equips customer experience teams with everything they need to make a positive impression. 

Key features

• Surfaces key questions and phrases for agents during customer calls
• Sends notifications to agents to spot and course correct where needed 
• Helps spot the real cause of low call quality by analyzing and scoring 100% of calls 

Limitations (Source)

• Balto has been reported to experience connectivity issues, with instances of the software not working properly during calls or failing to load or reconnect
• There have been complaints regarding Balto's speech recognition capabilities, with some finding it inaccurate and prone to misinterpreting words

Pricing

Available on request 

Balto Service Rating and Reviews

• G2: 4.8/ 5 (400+ reviews)
• Capterra: 4.4/ 5 (10 reviews)

Essential AI contact center software features

These are the key features to look for when choosing a contact center AI software: 

AI chatbots 

‍AI chatbots are AI call center agents that simulate human-like conversations with customers. These typically work via web chat or text chat programs, leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to comprehend and respond to customer queries in real time. AI chatbots can handle basic queries like resetting passwords and answering FAQs from customers, while human agents focus on deeper business problems. AI chatbots bring easy, always-on accessibility to your business and can easily scale without affecting your budget. 

Conversation intelligence 

This AI call center technology deploys machine learning and AI to analyze customer conversations to derive customer insights, perform sentiment analysis, and improve agent performance. Conversation intelligence software helps transcribe, evaluate, and extract insights from every interaction. Conversation intelligence equips agents with the context and insights needed to understand and serve customers efficiently. These insights remove operational inefficiencies and foster higher customer satisfaction. 

Intelligent call routing 

Also known as Automated Call Distribution Systems, intelligent call routing automatically directs calls to specific agents or departments. It uses predefined criteria, such as skill-defined routing, round-robin, or first available agent, to distribute phone calls among team members. In a busy call center, intelligent call routing is a huge plus because customer queries are directly forwarded to the right agent, significantly reducing waiting times for resolution. For agents, this means efficient utilization of their time and smooth handling of huge call volumes. 

Real-time call monitoring, live coaching, and barging

To ensure compliance and consistency across communication channels, customer service team leaders and managers can listen in on live calls and even jump into conversations if needed. In sensitive, high-impact conversations, the manager may join the call and speak directly to the customer. This not only provides an objective basis for performance reviews but also helps flag any deviations or potential compliance issues.

Predictive analytics

Predictive analytics is an AI call center feature that helps forecast future outcomes. This helps call centers prepare more effectively for peak call volumes and allocate resources more efficiently. Predictive analytics also offers insights into customer needs and preferences to offer a more personalized and effective experience. These insights are crucial in helping teams frame strategies to counter customer churn and build agile teams that can adapt quickly to ever-evolving customer needs.

Voice bots

Like AI chatbots, voice bots allow you to offer round-the-clock support across time zones and geographies. Customers can interact with the virtual assistant through keypad inputs or voice commands. Aside from greeting and guiding incoming callers, AI-powered voice bots can handle basic questions and queries like account balance, FAQs, and order statuses. Voice bots are no longer a nice feature but a must-have in modern call centers that help boost first-touch resolution. 

Opt for the leading AI call center solution for your business 

AI-powered contact center technology is a must-have for modern customer service. It improves customer loyalty and agent productivity, leading to a better overall customer experience.

If you are looking for an AI-powered call center software that maximizes agent productivity, try out Plivo CX.  With its comprehensive, unified platform for streamlining customer interactions across multiple channels, this solution empowers you to handle high-query volumes while avoiding agent burnouts. 

Its AI-powered features, such as self-service chatbots, ticket categorization and prioritization, and real-time agent coaching enhance both customer experience and agent performance, ensuring that your team is equipped to handle inquiries efficiently. Book a demo or contact us to learn more. 

According to many experts, customer experience (CX) is at a paradoxical crossroads: soaring to new heights while plummeting to unprecedented lows. 

Forrester Research's June 2024 study revealed an alarming decline in CX quality, with brands struggling across key dimensions like effectiveness, ease, and emotional connection. Meanwhile, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) reported record-high satisfaction levels.

On the other hand, McKinsey reveals that 93% of companies rely on survey-based metrics, and only 15% of leaders are satisfied with their effectiveness.

So, the challenges of low response rates, data delays, ambiguous performance drivers, and weak financial connections are hindering businesses from fully comprehending the complete spectrum of customer interactions and enhancing their CX.  

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However, there is a way to bridge this gap—Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining cx by enabling businesses to provide personalized, efficient, and proactive service. 

This blog post will explore how AI can help you enhance your CX strategy, boost customer satisfaction, and drive your business growth forward.

Understanding AI’s impact on customer experience 

A decade ago, excellent cx meant optimizing touchpoints and crafting desirable products. Fast forward to today, and AI technologies are transforming this landscape, setting new standards for personalization and engagement.

Many people think of AI as frustrating chatbots, but modern AI tools are far more advanced. AI now includes sophisticated sentiment analysis and virtual assistants that reduce friction and foster meaningful interactions.

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Often scattered across platforms and departments, customer data can now be unified through AI. Tools like Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) enable customer service teams to instantly gauge sentiment, emotion, and intent, allowing them to anticipate needs and respond with precision. 

Therefore, the integration of AI into cx is not just about keeping pace with technological advancements; it’s more about creating a future where every customer interaction is seamless, personalized, and impactful.

5 ways AI will improve customer experience 

#1 Power of predictive analytics and proactive service

Proactive service through predictive analytics is reshaping cx across various sectors. This involves leveraging diverse customer data from multiple sources to enhance efficiency and strengthen relationships through proactive care.

Predictive AI applications analyze customer behaviors and historical data to anticipate needs and issues before they occur. This allows businesses to offer preemptive solutions and personalized recommendations, preventing problems from escalating. 

Additionally, the strategic deployment of AI-powered chatbots in high-traffic areas enhances CX by quickly addressing common inquiries and providing valuable assistance. This proactive approach not only boosts customer satisfaction but also demonstrates a commitment to seamless service delivery.

Therefore, integrating predictive analytics and AI enables businesses to anticipate customer needs, improve operational efficiency, and foster long-term customer loyalty. 

#2 Mastering omnichannel experiences for customers

Leading analysts at Gartner predict that by 2025, customer service organizations integrating AI solutions into their multi-channel platforms will see a remarkable 25% boost in operational efficiency.  With customers increasingly embracing digital platforms like social media, agents struggle to manage call volumes. 

Advanced omnichannel solutions provide agents with the tools and contextual data needed to adapt to customer preferences seamlessly. Additionally, today's conversational AI has significantly improved, extending self-service beyond traditional IVR menus. Although not flawless, modern chatbots are increasingly effective but can't handle all inquiries end-to-end. 

AI can enhance this by enabling smooth transitions from self-service to live agents at the right moment. This ensures personalized assistance without delays, driving CX excellence.

#3 AI-powered automation and efficiency in operations

Agents often get bogged down by repetitive tasks, causing inefficiency and potential burnout. AI tools like chatbots and intelligent routing systems can transform this dynamic by automating routine inquiries and directing complex issues to the right agents. 

For example, a telecommunications company can use AI to handle common queries about bill payments and service disruptions, freeing up agents to address more complex customer concerns and enhancing overall service quality and employee morale. 

This accelerates response times, allowing agents to focus on more meaningful tasks. Businesses can significantly boost productivity and job satisfaction by relieving agents from monotonous duties. 

#4 Agent training and knowledge optimization 

The speed at which new agents become proficient and the consistency of service provided by experienced agents are pivotal for a business's success. Integrating AI-powered tools empowers agents to excel in their roles and elevate customer satisfaction. 

With well-designed knowledge bases, AI can instantly provide agents with relevant help articles and resources, enabling quick and informed resolution of customer issues. AI can also offer personalized responses to customer inquiries based on their unique interaction history and current context, ensuring every interaction feels personalized and efficient. 

Moreover, intuitive systems like Unified agent desktops can offer all customer issues and their context in one place, which is especially helpful when handling queries from diverse channels, including WhatsApp, email, SMS and live chat. 

These AI-driven capabilities streamline operations by reducing handle times and enhancing resolution rates, contributing to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction. 

#5 Amplifying customer feedback with AI-based sentiment analysis

Businesses are increasingly turning to sentiment analysis as a pivotal tool. Leveraging advancements in technology, particularly through audio streaming, call centers can now extract profound insights from raw audio data. 

This capability allows for the implementation of sophisticated sentiment analysis and speech recognition, transforming unstructured voice data into actionable intelligence. By harnessing AI-driven sentiment analysis, organizations gain real-time insights into customer sentiments. 

Analyzing voice-related data enables businesses to discern patterns, identify trends, and interpret emotional cues effectively. These insights are instrumental in enhancing operational efficiency and refining customer interactions to meet evolving expectations.

3 real-world examples of AI-powered customer services

Myntra: Personalizing Fashion Discovery with MyFashionGPT

Myntra, a leader in online fashion retail owned by Walmart, introduced MyFashionGPT powered by ChatGPT. This innovative feature transformed how customers shop by enabling natural language queries and personalized recommendations. 

MyFashionGPT interprets their preferences and offers a diverse selection of products, ensuring an engaging and personalized shopping journey. Customers can effortlessly complete desired looks with tailored suggestions, making fashion discovery intuitive and enjoyable.

How this works: 

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• Enhanced product discovery: 

MyFashionGPT allows customers to make natural language queries, facilitating the seamless exploration of fashion items across various categories.

• Personalized recommendations: 

It interprets sophisticated fashion preferences and suggests products aligned with global trends, enhancing the shopping experience.

AirHelp: traveler assistance with AI

AirHelp, which is known for aiding millions affected by flight delays and cancellations, leverages AI to streamline customer support operations. It ensures efficient and personalized assistance, meeting the urgent needs of travelers worldwide through proactive crisis monitoring and swift resolution.

How this works: 

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• Efficient query management: 

AI automates the collection and prioritization of customer queries across multiple channels, including social media.

• Swift response times: 

The AirHelp chatbot reduces average response times by up to 65%, ensuring timely assistance for travelers facing flight disruptions.

• Crisis monitoring: 

It monitors social media in multiple languages for crisis-related terms, alerting customer service teams promptly for immediate action.

Axis Bank: voice-based banking 

Axis Bank makes banking easy by integrating Voice AI with its customer service. This technology allows customers to manage their banking needs conveniently and securely through voice commands, freeing up human resources for more complex inquiries. 

How this works: 

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• Convenient banking solutions: 

Customers can perform banking tasks such as checking balances, blocking cards, and ordering checkbooks using voice commands through Alexa devices.

• Reduced call center dependency: 

Voice AI reduces strain on call center resources by automating routine inquiries and transactions.

The future of customer experience is AI

According to Gartner, digital customer service, conversational user interfaces, and generative AI are set to transform customer service and support strategies. By 2025, it's predicted that 80% of customer service organizations will employ generative AI to enhance agent productivity and cx. 

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Advanced AI chatbots and virtual assistants will handle issues predictably and mimic human interactions, improving customer satisfaction, as highlighted by McKinsey. 

AI-driven real-time decision-making will allow businesses to adjust strategies based on immediate feedback. Meeting customer needs with exceptional speed and precision. These advancements will set a new benchmark of excellence in cx.

Experience the transformative power of AI 

Looking ahead, AI will continue to play a pivotal role in refining customer interactions, driving efficiency, and ultimately, elevating satisfaction levels. Embracing these innovations isn't just about meeting current expectations—it's about redefining what exceptional customer service looks like in the digital age. 

As an all-in-one customer service platform driven by AI, Plivo CX remains at the forefront of this transformation. Here’s how it can help you:

• Provide customer service everywhere: Use one tool to handle customer questions from email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat.
• Smart chatbots for 24/7 help: leverage AI-powered chatbots to answer even tricky questions anytime, day or night. Facilitate easy handover in case of complicated queries.
• IVR: Optimize caller journeys with intuitive IVR menus and deliver personalized experiences through data-driven voice prompts.
• Connect all your tools: Plivo CX works with your existing systems (like CRM or helpdesk), so you have all your customer information in one place.
• Automate customer journeys easily: Create automated workflows (like welcome messages or follow-ups) across different communication channels without needing to code.
• Track and improve: See how customers interact with you and get their feedback in real time so you can adjust your responses.
• Coach your team: Features like call recording, barge, and whisper let you listen in and help your agents during calls.

If you're ready to elevate your customer service to new heights, consider exploring how Plivo CX can help you achieve these goals.

Scheduling a demo with us today!

Scenario 1: ‍

I called the telecom customer service and was warmly greeted by a cheerful representative. We chatted pleasantly, and I felt comfortable, but when I described my issue, they seemed unsure, and it took over an hour to resolve. Eventually, I was transferred to a more knowledgeable team member.

Scenario 2:

I contacted customer service and quickly reached an expert who immediately understood my issue. Within 15 minutes, they efficiently guided me through the solution and resolved the problem.

Which experience would you prefer as a customer? The winner is obvious. 

Likewise, your customers may find friendly interactions valuable, but often, the real measure of excellence is the efficiency and competence of the customer service team. Strategically enhancing support strategies boosts customer satisfaction, improves retention, and strengthens business performance.

In this blog post, we’ll analyze how to elevate customer service efficiency to enhance satisfaction and retention.

Why stellar customer service is non-negotiable

Time is the most critical parameter for customers when assessing the quality of your customer service.  

Imagine waiting fifteen hours before being told your request was denied due to an error.  Frustrating, right?  Although the company eventually resolved the customer’s issue after calling back, the company had no record of his marathon call.

Here’s another example where a customer posted about the ordeal of struggling for two months, which raised an escalation after much effort. Even after that, the support team didn’t resolve the issue and continued stalling the customer for six months without any solution.

There are many such examples of terrible customer experiences. Also, Deloitte’s research reveals that brands focused on customer experience are 60% more profitable. So, the point is clear: this shift in perspective shows that increasing investments in customer service efficiency isn't just an expense but a key factor in driving revenue and enhancing profitability.

In essence, customer service efficiency is critical as it influences various key business outcomes:

• Cost reduction: Efficient customer service allows you to handle more inquiries with fewer agents, significantly cutting operational costs.
• Enhanced customer experience: By maintaining low wait times and providing accurate responses, you improve overall customer satisfaction and service quality.
• Increased brand loyalty: Efficient service boosts customer satisfaction, leading to stronger brand loyalty and positive social proof, which can attract new customers.

What is customer service efficiency?

Improving customer service efficiency is all about making things better for both the customer and the company. By streamlining interactions, businesses can provide quicker and more helpful responses. 

Here’s what that looks like:

• Quicker help for customers: When processes are efficient, customers get the help they need faster, which makes them happier.
• Easier work for customer reps: Cutting out unnecessary steps means customer service reps can handle their work more easily and feel less stressed.
• Consistent quality: Good systems ensure that customers always get the same high level of service, meeting or exceeding their expectations every time.
• Proactive solutions: Efficient customer service can spot potential issues early and solve them before they become big problems.
• Growth without growing pains: Efficient processes allow customer service to expand smoothly, keeping up with growth without losing quality.
• Smart use of resources: By using resources wisely, businesses can invest in better training and technology to further improve customer service.

The key is balancing efficiency with quality. True efficiency means improving processes while still providing the excellent support customers expect. Companies that master this balance can stand out, attracting and keeping more customers.

Customer service metrics that matter

Efficiency metrics are more than just numbers—they are the lifeblood of exceptional customer interactions. Businesses can transform customer service from a routine operation into a strategic advantage, enhancing customer loyalty, fostering positive brand perceptions, and driving sustained business growth. 

Prioritizing these aspects ensures that every customer interaction meets and exceeds expectations, paving the way for a reputation based on efficiency and excellence.

• Average Time to Resolution tells the story of how swiftly issues are tackled, directly influencing customer satisfaction and trust. 
• Average Response Time reflects how quickly a business engages with customers, setting the tone for a positive experience. 
• Average Handle Time measures the thoroughness of interactions, ensuring quality service without unnecessary delays. 
• Average Wait Time and Queue Time reveal how much a customer’s patience is tested before their needs are addressed, highlighting the importance of respecting their time and reducing frustration. 
• Average CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) captures the essence of customer happiness, serving as a direct reflection of service excellence.

7 winning tips for supercharging customer service efficiency

👉Harnessing the voice of the customer analysis (VoC)

VoC analysis is an invaluable strategy for enhancing operational efficiency. With this done right, you can collect deep insights into customer sentiment and behavior—insights that are critical for making data-driven decisions and implementing impactful improvements.

Why does VoC analysis matter?

• This enables organizations to pinpoint specific pain points in the customer experience, allowing for the creation of streamlined workflows that enhance satisfaction.
• VoC analysis empowers businesses to refine their products and services based on direct customer feedback, ensuring that offerings not only meet but consistently exceed expectations.
• It also reveals the key drivers of loyalty, allowing you to tailor your approach and foster meaningful relationships that translate into customer retention.
  

How does VoC analysis drive improvement?

Utilize essential performance indicators such as Average Abandonment Rate, Average Handle Time, Average Response Time, and Net Promoter Score. These metrics are crucial for assessing the efficiency of customer interactions, helping to identify areas for optimization and enhancing service delivery.

With this analysis, you can go beyond numerical data by incorporating after-support feedback. This qualitative analysis sheds light on the nuances of customer interactions, revealing more profound insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points.

👉Investing in comprehensive agent training

Well-trained agents are pivotal for rapid problem resolution and enhanced customer satisfaction. Their deep product knowledge and adept use of support tools enable swift issue resolution, fostering customer trust. 

Moreover, agents who feel well-supported enjoy higher job satisfaction, which boosts morale and reduces turnover, leading to a more cohesive and motivated team.

Key focus areas for training

• Omnichannel proficiency: Equip agents to manage multiple digital conversations efficiently.
• Live chat and phone skills: Enhance agents' abilities to build rapport, listen, or live chat. 
• Social media: Train agents to handle inquiries and complaints with speed and efficiency
• Email support: Develop skills for crafting clear responses and managing email workflows.
• In-app messaging: Ensure agents provide seamless assistance directly within your app.
  

To gauge the impact of your training initiatives, establish clear metrics such as:

• Customer Satisfaction Scores: Track how training impacts customer feedback.
• Resolution Times: Measure improvements in issue resolution speed.
• Average Handle Time: Evaluate the effectiveness of average handling time.

Regularly review these metrics and use analytics to monitor improvements, particularly in handling bot-escalated issues. Continuously update the knowledge base with insights from customer interactions to refine and enhance training programs.

👉Empowering frontline teams with a cutting-edge knowledge base

A well-organized, centralized knowledge base is crucial for enhancing the efficiency of your support teams. It provides agents instant access to accurate, up-to-date information, streamlining their workflow and boosting their ability to deliver superior support.

• New-agent training: A robust knowledge base speeds up this process by helping new hires quickly grasp common issues and solutions, reducing training time and enabling them to become productive sooner.
• AI-powered FAQ bots: Embedding links to FAQ pages and knowledge-based articles in automated responses can streamline support.
• Live chat: Integrating the knowledge base with live chat tools can offer immediate and precise assistance.
  

Regularly updating your knowledge base and using feedback and analytics to refine it ensures it remains a valuable resource, keeping both your support agents and customers well-informed and satisfied. 

👉Delivering seamless omnichannel experiences

To excel in omnichannel support, your teams must deliver a unified, high-quality experience across every customer interaction. Achieving this requires leveraging data-driven insights to address any service inconsistencies. Here’s what you can do:

• Customer journey mapping: Track the paths customers take across channels to identify and address friction points.
• Channel performance metrics: Scrutinize response times and resolution rates to detect inconsistencies and ensure smooth service.
• Customer feedback and surveys: Gather insights from various touchpoints to pinpoint where customer expectations fall short.

To close the gaps, focus on measuring metrics such as: 

• Customer Effort Score (CES): Assess how effortlessly customers can navigate between channels and resolve their issues.
• Omnichannel Satisfaction Scores: Use tailored surveys for each channel to gauge overall service quality and identify specific areas needing enhancement.

Consistently reviewing these metrics allows you to adapt and elevate your omnichannel strategy, ensuring a seamless and satisfying customer experience that drives loyalty and engagement.

👉Streamlining with an integrated agent desktop

Agents often spend up to 25% of their working hours searching for and securing relevant information, primarily due to the need to toggle between multiple applications. An integrated agent desktop addresses these inefficiencies by consolidating all necessary tools and information into a single interface. 

• Centralized data access: Agents can view comprehensive customer profiles, including purchase history, preferences, and interaction history, all from one screen. 
• Efficient task management: Automated, drag-and-drop workflows and simplified task management processes reduce the time agents spend on routine tasks. 
• Enhanced collaboration: Integrated knowledge bases and real-time communication tools enable agents to quickly consult with colleagues or access resources without leaving the desktop.
• Performance insights: These systems also provide valuable insights into agent performance metrics. 

Businesses can eliminate inefficiencies, enhance service quality, and drive better customer experiences.

👉Enhancing self-service opportunities

Tasks such as password resets or software installations can be easily managed without direct assistance, saving time for both customers and support staff. The cornerstone of self-service support is a robust help center or knowledge base.

Key components of effective self-service support:

• Comprehensive knowledge bases: These extensive resources can cover various aspects of your offerings, allowing users to troubleshoot common problems.
• FAQ pages: FAQ pages provide quick answers to frequently asked questions, making it easy for customers to find immediate solutions.
• AI-driven chatbots: AI-driven self-service chatbots provide instant responses to customer queries. They help scale support operations efficiently, freeing up human agents to handle more complex interactions.
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems: IVR systems can further enable customers to resolve issues through voice commands or keypad inputs.

These self-service tools can significantly enhance customer satisfaction, reduce support workload, and streamline operations. This approach not only meets the growing demand for immediate, round-the-clock support but also empowers customers to resolve issues at their convenience, leading to a more positive overall experience.

👉Automating with AI to promote efficiency

At present, AI-driven customer service solutions are poised to transform support systems by providing 24/7 assistance and enhancing efficiency. These solutions, ranging from chatbots to advanced analytics tools, cater to various aspects of customer service, leading to significant cost savings and improved service quality.

• 24/7 availability: Virtual assistants offer round-the-clock support, ensuring customer inquiries are addressed instantly, which enhances user satisfaction and boosts retention rates.
• Efficiency in routine tasks: AI chatbots handle routine inquiries and provide immediate responses, reducing wait times and allowing human agents to focus on complex, nuanced issues that require empathy and critical thinking.
• Automated ticketing systems: Particularly transformative in industries with high volume interactions, these systems use AI to categorize, prioritize, and route tickets efficiently to the right personnel, streamlining the support process.

• Enhanced productivity: AI enables human agents to dedicate their time and skills to more challenging problems, improving overall service quality, when repetitive tasks are automated.
• AI-driven analytics: AI analytics tools play a role in personalizing customer experiences and optimizing user interactions based on detailed insights.

Implementing AI in customer service allows businesses to maintain a competitive edge by providing swift, accurate, and personalized support, all while reducing operational costs.

Customer service efficiency: The time to level up is now

We’ve highlighted the importance of tracking and improving customer service metrics to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Acting on these insights can dramatically enhance customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall business success.

As an all-in-one platform for agile customer service teams, Plivo CX can be a powerful partner, for offering superior experience via diverse features, such as:

• Deliver seamless customer experiences across email, voice, SMS, WhatsApp, and live chat – all from one unified agent desktop
• Deploy intelligent chatbots to instantly resolve complex customer queries, anytime, day or night
• Integrate Plivo CX seamlessly with your existing tools (ERP, CRM, helpdesk, etc.) for a complete understanding of every customer interaction
• Design and automate customer journeys across all channels with our intuitive drag-and-drop workflow builder
• Monitor customer interactions, gather feedback, and adapt your strategies in the moment with powerful analytics and reporting
• Utilize call recording, barge, and whisper features to provide targeted guidance and improve agent performance

To learn more, schedule a demo today! 

Did you know-

🚫 79% of customers demand consistent interactions across departments. 

🚫 56% have to repeat or re-explain their issues to different representatives. 

🚫 70% expect all representatives to have the same information about them. 

🚫 55% feel they deal with isolated departments rather than a cohesive company.

This isn’t just an expectation gap—it’s a crisis of operational inefficiency and customers’ frustration that no business can ignore. This is the sentiment shared by 14,300 consumers and businesses worldwide, highlighting significant problems in customer service.

In other words, the conventional approach to customer service is almost broken. Long wait times, impersonal interactions, and outdated systems do their part to drive customers away, damaging brands and eroding loyalty. 

This demands an immediate change. Can AI-powered contact centers be the solution? Its convenience and capabilities seem to say so. Read on to discover how AI-powered contact centers operate.

The fundamental flaws with traditional contact centers

Traditional contact centers face core issues such as high operational costs, outdated infrastructure, and inefficiencies in meeting modern service demands. Let’s go over some of the major drawbacks:

#1 High operational costs and resource constraints

Traditional call centers are often financially crippling, with operating expenses nearing $1.5 billion annually due to high labor costs, outdated infrastructure, and extensive training demands. 

Deloitte’s study highlights that these centers can cost businesses 60-70% more than digital alternatives, diverting resources from innovation. They also fail to meet millennials' expectations for faster, more efficient service, leading to substantial financial losses, including an estimated $750 million in uncollected debt each year.

The message is clear: The inefficiency of traditional call centers isn't just a fiscal problem—it's a symptom of deeper issues.

#2 Agent burnout and attrition 

Nearly 60% of contact center agents face burnout, a pervasive issue across the industry. This often goes unrecognized until its detrimental effects emerge, causing decreased productivity, high turnover rates, absenteeism, increased costs, and lower First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores. 

Call center turnover serves as a pivotal metric for effectively managing operational practices and ensuring the sustained performance and well-being of call center teams.

#3 Limited employee knowledge

Despite heavy investments in customer experience software like CRMs, helpdesk platforms, and live chat tools, many organizations see minimal improvement. 

Approximately 60% of agents reported receiving little to no value from their call center training, leading to constrained customer experiences due to limited knowledge of services, troubleshooting methods, and client customization options.  

The key problem lies in inadequate training for employees to effectively utilize these tools. This gap hinders organizations from maximizing technological investments and meeting the high standards of modern customer service.

#4 Lack of personalization and empathy

According to McKinsey, approximately 70% of customers prefer personalized experiences, and around 75% become upset when this expectation isn't met. This starkly highlights traditional call centers’ inability to deliver tailored interactions. 

Outdated systems and inadequate training leave agents ill-equipped to offer customized solutions, causing customers to feel undervalued and misunderstood. This frustration not only damages customer satisfaction but also erodes brand loyalty, driving customers to seek better experiences elsewhere.

#5 Missed opportunities for proactive service

Traditionally, customer service has been reactive, forcing customers to navigate multiple channels with little success and resulting in low self-service containment rates and widespread dissatisfaction. 

However, Gartner insights reveal a rising customer preference for proactive engagement by organizations. This shift can significantly boost key metrics like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Customer Effort Score (CES), and Value Enhancement Score (VES), highlighting a critical evolution in meeting customer expectations.

The promise of AI: Rescuing customer service

Customer service technology has evolved vastly since the earliest documented customer complaint on a clay tablet over 3,700 years ago. AI in contact centers is now transforming customer service, enhancing interactions with intelligence and empathy at every touchpoint.

👉Customers today prefer quick, efficient solutions from chatbots over waiting for live agents. 👉Additionally, managing customer service calls is costly, often running several dollars per call in labor and resources.

AI-powered contact centers transform these high-cost operations into efficient, responsive hubs. The technology optimizes every touchpoint in the customer journey, offering faster and more effective support. Freed from repetitive tasks, agents can dedicate their time to understanding and resolving unique customer issues, leading to higher job satisfaction and improved customer experiences.

Advanced technologies like predictive analytics and machine learning enable AI to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and predict customer needs. 

How does an AI-powered contact center work?

Adopting AI in customer service can offer numerous benefits for businesses. Here are some ways to leverage customer service AI:

✅Supercharge agents with AI assistants: 

Like Ironman’s JARVIS, AI assistants provide a powerful, guided, and personalized agent experience. Their role is not to replace agents. 

Picture effortlessly addressing your customers' inquiries day or night with these AI-powered self-service chatbots, which can swiftly handle queries, direct customers to the right information, and even create support tickets. These bots quickly retrieve technical details and seamlessly escalate to support agents if AI is integrated with knowledgebase. 

✅Predict customer needs with proactive service: 

Predicting customer needs and offering smart suggestions transforms customer service from reactive to proactive, creating smoother and more satisfying experiences for customers. When customers frequently face delays and frustration, having to contact support whenever issues arise. 

With proactive service, the system anticipates potential problems and offers solutions before customers even notice. Customers receive prompt and quick resolutions, ensuring timely service and boosting satisfaction.

✅Personalized journey with omnichannel support
Picture a customer starting a conversation on a website's live chat, seamlessly transitioning to a voice-bot interaction for further assistance, and later receiving follow-up messages via SMS or WhatsApp—all within a cohesive and personalized journey. 

An omnichannel engagement approach integrating AI-powered features for a unified experience would be a solution. This strategy not only ensures seamless real-time interactions but also empowers businesses to personalize outreach and deliver tailored messaging.

✅Streamline operations with smart workflows

AI-powered agent assistance tools can significantly enhance agent productivity and efficiency, helping your support team resolve issues faster. Consider a customer needing support; the voicebot allows them to resolve simple issues when agents are unavailable or directs them to the appropriate queue or agent using their speech or dial tones. 

✅Customize support with AI insights

To make precise predictions about customer behavior, customer support data teams must deeply understand their customer's purchasing habits and lifestyle preferences. This insight is crucial for optimizing the customer journey. 

For instance, AI-powered sentiment analysis enhances this understanding during voice calls. By analyzing customer tone and language in real time, businesses can gauge emotions and tailor support interactions accordingly. This personalized approach resolves issues effectively and fosters stronger customer relationships.

Top questions to ask when choosing your AI solution for your contact center

Choosing the right contact center AI solution hinges on asking the right questions. These queries ensure seamless integration, meet interaction needs, align with timelines, and facilitate swift adoption with minimal training.

👉Can the AI-powered solution handle fluctuations in customer service demand effectively?

A scalable AI ensures you can meet peak demands without sacrificing performance, which means happier customers and fewer lost opportunities. Seek features like dynamic resource allocation and real-time load balancing. These ensure the AI can manage automatically based on current call volumes, maintaining high performance and customer satisfaction.

👉What kinds of interactions can the AI handle effectively?

Ensuring the AI aligns with your specific needs means it can handle routine tasks, freeing up human agents for more complex issues and improving overall efficiency. Evaluate AI capabilities in handling various interactions, such as answering FAQs, performing transactions, providing technical support, and managing complex queries. Advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning capabilities can enhance the AI's performance in these areas, providing a more effective solution for your business.

👉Can the AI software seamlessly integrate with our existing systems and workflows?

Smooth integration minimizes disruptions and maximizes efficiency, allowing you to leverage your existing investments in technology. Look for AI solutions with APIs and pre-built connectors for popular CRM systems (like Salesforce), ticketing tools, and communication platforms. Integration capabilities should allow for a unified view of customer interactions across all touchpoints, enhancing workflow efficiency and data accuracy.

👉What level of customization does the AI solution offer to meet our specific business requirements?

Tailoring the AI to your unique processes and industry-specific needs ensures it delivers maximum value and aligns with your operational goals. Opt for AI platforms that offer configurable workflows, customizable dialogue scripts, and the ability to fine-tune algorithms based on your business rules and data. This flexibility allows you to adapt the AI to your exact needs, providing a personalized experience for your customers.

👉Does the AI software support communication across diverse channels like voice, chat, email, and social media?

Customers demand cohesive and uninterrupted experiences across every channel. A multichannel AI solution helps meet these expectations, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Ensure the AI supports omnichannel interactions, with features like unified customer profiles and consistent interaction history across channels. This integration provides a seamless experience for customers, regardless of how they choose to contact you.

👉How will agents be supported during the transition to AI integration?

Efficient training programs mean quicker implementation and less downtime, enabling agents to start using the AI effectively without a steep learning curve. Look for a unified agent desktop that consolidates all necessary tools into a single interface. Additionally, a robust knowledge base integrated with AI-trained chats can assist agents by pulling relevant information and features on demand, further simplifying the learning process.

👉How quickly can contact center AI software be implemented and put into operation?

Fast implementation reduces downtime and allows you to start realizing the benefits of AI sooner, improving operational efficiency and customer service. Prioritize AI solutions with rapid deployment options, including cloud-based models that can be up and running quickly. Pre-configured templates and out-of-the-box integrations can further accelerate the implementation process.

👉How does the AI solution handle data management and ensure data security?

Customer data should be managed securely and efficiently, which is paramount for maintaining trust and complying with regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Proper data handling can also provide valuable insights to improve customer service and operational efficiency. Ensure robust encryption for data in transit and at rest to protect sensitive information. Look for comprehensive data management tools with automated tagging, anonymization, and secure storage. Verify compliance support for regulations and detailed audit logs. Strong analytics capabilities are crucial for actionable insights and continuous service improvement.

Best-of-breed examples of AI-powered contact center solutions

#1. Plivo CX: 

Plivo CX makes customer service more convenient, less resource-heavy, and solution-centric for small and medium businesses with its cloud-based omnichannel contact center solution. Here’s how it helps:

• OpenAI-powered live chats handle common questions based on your knowledge base, giving instant help
• It works with your custom knowledge bases, so agents always have the right answers
• Agents can switch between channels effortlessly and handle multiple conversations using Unified Agent Desktop. Customers can also reach out to your agents in any platforms they prefer.
• Predictive analysis triggers automated workflows and directs calls based on agent skills
• Deliver the right messaging to the right customers at a specific time to increase engagement 
• Leverage the Workflow builder to build automated customer journeys across all communication channels
• The platform leverages Plivo’s award-winning premium carrier network with low latency. It supports outbound voice calls to more than 220 countries, with features like call recording for agent training
• Features like call-back options and sticky routing ensure customers stay connected with the same agent
• It seamlessly integrates with Shopify, Zoho, Salesforce, Zendesk, and HubSpot, and you can customize it with your API
• You can also integrate it with your existing systems to create personalized customer journeys across all channels

#2. Help Scout: 

Help Scout provides a comprehensive omnichannel contact center solution that consolidates all client conversations onto a single platform, enhancing the efficiency of customer support. Key features include:

• Support for chat, live chat, email, and social media interactions
• A unified inbox for smooth collaboration between customers and agents
• Tools to improve team efficiency, such as message assignments, private notes, real-time collision detection, and an AI summarizer for email threads
• Automation capabilities with customizable workflows triggered by actions like tagging subject lines
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android enable agents to stay connected and respond promptly while on the move

#3. Kustomer:

Kustomer caters to mid-market businesses in e-commerce and retail industries with a range of powerful features:

• An AI-powered help center available in 76 languages, significantly reducing support volume by deflecting 40% of inquiries
• KIQ Customer Assist utilizes AI and knowledge base information to provide quick and accurate responses to customer queries
• Customize IVR menus based on customer data to ensure efficient routing to the most suitable agents
• Agents benefit from a timeline view that displays interactions in chronological order, offering complete context for better customer service

Will contact center AI replace call center agents?

As AI-driven technology continues to reshape customer service, the question of whether it will replace call center agents is pivotal. Despite technological advancements, over two-thirds (70%) of contact center managers foresee an increase in the number of agents over the next decade. This trend reflects a shift towards cultivating "super agents" who excel in handling complex issues and leveraging multiple communication channels effectively. 

Evolving Roles: Cultivating "Super Agents": 

• Complex issue management: Agents will specialize in resolving intricate customer problems that require critical thinking and empathy
• Multichannel proficiency: Super agents will adeptly navigate various communication channels to deliver seamless customer experiences
• Increasing value: The demand for agents capable of empathetic and personalized problem-solving will rise, underscoring their indispensable role in contact centers

It is also important to note that machines may soon surpass humans in intelligence, reliability, and predictability. However, a key ethical consideration for the future of AI is whether we should maintain a Human in the Loop (HITL) system, even as AI capabilities advance.

Power your contact center with AI 

As we forge ahead into the future of customer service, one truth stands out: the call center industry is undergoing inevitable change. AI integration in omnichannel strategies is pivotal for businesses, offering enhanced operational efficiency and competitive advantages.

It’s time for contact centers to seize growth opportunities. Selecting a customer service platform like Plivo CX that fits your business needs can help you dart ahead in the competition. 

Take charge of transforming your contact center today by starting your free trial with Plivo CX and embracing a future of elevated customer service excellence.