A Contact Centre platform is a technological solution that allows companies to manage all interactions with their customers in a centralised and efficient manner. We are talking about telephone calls, emails, online chats, messages on social networks… Everything is integrated into a single system.
The main objective is for customers to be able to communicate easily and quickly through any channel, and for the company to be able to respond consistently and efficiently.
In short, it is the intelligent bridge between the company and its customers: it organises, analyses and ensures communication across all channels.
What are its main features?
Contact centre platforms stand out for several key features:
- Omnichannel: they allow customers to be served interchangeably and interoperably through any channel (voice, SMS/RCS, email, chat, social media, etc.), and from the same technological platform.
- Integration: they connect with other company tools, such as CRM or billing systems, to provide agents with comprehensive customer information.
- Analytics and reporting: these platforms record a huge amount of metrics on each stage of the interaction (volumes, times, customer satisfaction, etc.) that share the same goal: to continuously improve service and positive customer engagement.
- Scalability: they can be adapted to the company’s customer volume, from small businesses to large corporations, especially since their move to the cloud as CCaaS (Contact Centre as a Service) solutions.
What functions do they perform?
They perform many and varied functions, of which I would like to highlight a few from a customer perspective:
- Optimisation: they route interactions to the most appropriate solution depending on the type of query. If they continue with a human agent, the best one will be sought based on their experience and ability in relation to the situation presented by the customer.
- Personalisation of customer service: thanks to integration with CRM and the tools offered by our NETWORK, the agent has vital information to anticipate customer needs, offer more accurate and faster solutions to ensure that the customer has a memorable, smooth and frictionless experience.
- Task automation: tasks associated with both customers and agents, such as surveys, are performed automatically.
- Business support: continuous and detailed monitoring allows the business to adjust team performance, identify bottlenecks and facilitate agent action.
- Omnichannel support: we are not just talking about being able to serve our customers on any channel. We are talking about being able to do so simultaneously on several channels. We can guide you by telephone through a guide we have sent you via WhatsApp, or we can send you key information via SMS, to name a few examples.
- Extremely high availability: serving a company like Telefónica means being available to customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, rain or shine. Therefore, the architectures deployed are highly resilient structures.
What strategy sets Telefónica apart in terms of customer service? Any notable examples?
Our approach is not focused on technology, but on how to improve the experience of the people who contact us and those who serve them.
Our priority was, is and always will be total connection with the customer. They will always have the option of being served by a real person who empathises with their problem.
This does not mean giving up on technology, but quite the opposite: leading the way. In fact, we are currently implementing the most transformative project in this regard that can be found in our regional market.
Before being served by a human agent, automation works its magic by researching the customer’s needs. On more than one occasion, we are able to fix the problem.
Additionally, we use artificial intelligence that anticipates the relevant information for the agent and offers solutions in a more agile way.
The goal is not to replace people with machines, but to make the interaction experiential, fast, and frictionless. When a customer calls or chats, it is important that they feel that their query is understood from the outset, that they are listened to and that they are accompanied until their situation is resolved. AI works behind the scenes, guiding the agent and helping to make the experience, resolution and response faster and smoother, without replacing the human connection.
At the same time, we care about providing a superior experience for the agent themselves, who benefits from real-time assistance, instant access to information and a reduction in repetitive tasks. This allows them to focus on what really matters: the customer relationship, personalisation of service and effective problem solving.
In short, our use cases focus on technology enhancing human interaction, ensuring that every contact is satisfying and memorable, and that the agent can accompany the customer with confidence and efficiency.
What differences exist depending on the size of the company?
Needs vary greatly depending on size. In fact, the market is clearly segmented in this regard, with a large number of solutions available according to:
- Small businesses: they usually look for platforms that are easy to use, quick to install and cost-effective. The important thing is to efficiently manage frequent queries and maintain a close relationship.
- Medium-sized companies: they need solutions that integrate multiple channels and customer data, with analysis capabilities to improve team efficiency.
- Large corporations: they require scalable platforms with high automation, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and global support. The priority is to manage large volumes of interactions while maintaining quality.
How does the advancement of new technologies influence them?
New technologies are radically transforming customer service. Artificial intelligence, in particular, is emerging as the most disruptive factor. So much so that contact centres have become one of the main paradigms for the use of AI.
We can find much more intelligent chatbots, predictions about customer behaviour and advanced analytics, but it is in complex scenarios where generative AI can provide the greatest value. Being able to explain any invoice is a prime example of Telefónica’s level of innovation.
Alongside this, advances in global networks and distributed computing have enabled the cloud to become a provider of contact centre services, aka. CCaaS (Contact Centre as a Service), which has allowed for greater flexibility and dynamism by reducing TTM (Time to Market), workforce ubiquity, and greater guarantees of service continuity.
