Calabrio is a global provider of customer experience and workforce engagement management software. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Tom Goodmanson, the CEO of Calabrio, who shared his vision for the next generation of contact centers.
Goodmanson began by discussing the evolution of the contact center industry over the past decade. He noted that, initially, contact centers were primarily focused on efficiency and cost savings. However, over time, businesses began to recognize the importance of customer experience and shifted their focus towards providing exceptional service.
Today, the contact center industry is in the midst of another shift, towards what Goodmanson refers to as the "experience economy." In this economy, businesses compete based on the experiences they provide to customers, rather than just the products or services they offer. This has significant implications for contact centers, as they become a critical component of a company's overall customer experience strategy.
Goodmanson believes that the next generation of contact centers will be characterized by three key attributes: intelligence, personalization, and automation.
Intelligence refers to the use of data and analytics to inform decision-making and improve performance. Goodmanson explained that many contact centers today are "data rich but insight poor." They collect vast amounts of data, but struggle to make sense of it or use it to drive meaningful improvements. The next generation of contact centers will leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze data in real-time and provide actionable insights that enable businesses to improve performance and optimize the customer experience.
Personalization refers to the ability to tailor interactions to the specific needs and preferences of each customer. Goodmanson noted that customers today expect personalized experiences, and contact centers must be able to deliver on this expectation. The next generation of contact centers will use data and analytics to understand each customer's unique needs and preferences, and then deliver tailored experiences that meet those needs. This could include personalized messaging, customized product recommendations, or tailored support interactions.