Inbound customer service industry witnessing increased automation

August 26, 2009

With rapid technological advancements, the inbound customer service industry has witnessed increased automation in recent years. Technology may have been defined as a “double-edged” sword by some, but that does not apply in the case of inbound customer service because technology mostly had a positive impact on this particular industry. Here’s how it benefits all of the various industry components.

The end-users (customers)

Customers have been the primary beneficiaries of increased automation in the inbound customer service industry because now they can expect highly efficient customer support services. With the use of advanced software tools and systems and multiple service channels such as phone, chat, email, online knowledgebase, etc., customers can now get instant access to inbound customer services without having to wait.

The client

The use of newer technology in inbound customer service industry has resulted in a significant reduction in operational costs, something that is allowing businesses to increase their savings without adversely affecting the quality of offered customer services. Introducing newer technology may require some capital expenditure, but that is not a problem because such expenses are mostly borne by the service provider. Increased automation has also made it easier for clients to track ongoing progress and suggest feedback in real-time.

The service provider

Inbound customer service providers have benefited because their workload has been reduced significantly. Smaller issues can now be resolved automatically through automated systems such as the IVR (interactive voice response) and online databases. This helps because inbound customer service agents can now give more time to really complex and more urgent problems of customers. Increased automation is also helping outsourcing companies provide a more secure environment for handling financial transactions and confidential data and information.

Inbound customer service industry witnessing increased automation