Exploring the Latest Trends and Best Practices in Contact Center Virtual Agents
Contact center virtual agents have been making waves in the customer experience (CX) industry over the past year. With predictions of AI and virtual agents potentially making call centers obsolete, the reality is that we are still a long way from that future. According to Gartner research, only 14 percent of customer service issues are fully resolved by self-service channels.
To delve deeper into the current state of the contact center virtual agent market, CX Today hosted a roundtable discussion with industry specialists. Ram Menon, Sebastian Glock, David Schreffler, and Michael Maas shared insights on the latest trends and best practices in deploying virtual agents.
One key trend highlighted by Schreffler is the use of conversational AI for hyper-automation, where virtual agents integrate with advanced automation technologies to manage entire workflows. This approach not only handles customer queries but also triggers and manages backend processes, resulting in faster and more accurate resolutions.
Maas emphasized the trend of using AI-powered sentiment analysis to create personalized customer experiences, particularly in retail. Virtual agents can recognize negative sentiments and initiate expedited processes to address customer concerns promptly.
Glock discussed the increasing adoption of real-time contact center agent assistance, where AI supports human agents by suggesting next-best actions and providing real-time translation. This shift aims to make human agents more effective without the need for additional staff.
Menon highlighted the rise of voice-driven virtual agents, which are now being used to answer calls upfront and guide users through end-to-end workflows. This shift towards voice automation complements digital interactions and enhances the overall customer experience.
In terms of best practices for deploying virtual agents, Menon advised against treating virtual agent deployment like traditional software implementation. Continuous monitoring and adjustment of content, variations, and edge cases are essential for improving accuracy over time.
Glock cautioned against using generative AI for everything, recommending a targeted approach to high-impact areas that deliver clear ROI. Schreffler stressed the importance of responsible and transparent AI use, ensuring fairness, security, and compliance with regulatory standards.
Maas emphasized the importance of giving virtual agents a personality that reflects the brand’s identity and analyzing historical customer service conversations to address priority issues effectively.
The roundtable also featured insights from leading virtual agent providers, including Avaamo, Cognigy, Kore.ai, and Sprinklr. These providers offer cutting-edge solutions for contact centers, focusing on seamless integration, multilingual support, real-time agent assistance, and scalability.
Overall, the discussion highlighted the evolving landscape of contact center virtual agents and the importance of leveraging AI technologies responsibly to enhance customer experiences. As the industry continues to innovate, contact centers must adapt to meet evolving customer expectations and business goals.
