Virtual Assistants: Beyond Call Handling
Outsourcing is a proven method to improve your operations’ efficiency and effectiveness. However, it’s not about having a team of individuals in a far off country handling business processes.
As communications tools have flourished, the world has grown smaller, and transformed the way we conduct everyday business. Vendors are just a phone call away and customer care has become an omni-channel experience.
The virtual assistant wave
In essence virtual assistants were simply secretarial services provided over telephonic services. Tasks such as setting appointments, meeting reminders and business travel bookings could quite easily be handled by a voice on the other end of a phone.
Soon, these were handled by efficient machines, but they could only serve predefined functions. But the ask has magnified with clients seeking complete management of their non-core, yet crucial business functions.
Intelligence vs automation
IVRs were the first breakthrough in automating customer support. They drove down costs for clients, and customers were happy that their problems could be solved with a call and a keypad. Somewhere along the line, the need for a more personalized approach grew. Organizations wanted to add more value to every conversation they handled, and this snowballed into a race to keep up with dynamic consumer demands.
Virtual assistants together with voice intelligence are massive players in the outsourcing industry. With this combination customer calls become a well managed process that not only collects infinite data points, but also instantly provides intelligent feedback to ensure effective support.
The business impact
Insights derived from the analysis of Big Data can create a positive business impact by driving outcomes, casting a light on gaps in resource management, and prescribing affirmative changes to customer care.
