In case you missed it last week, we hosted a webinar, How and why: Using real-time AI for agent empowerment, featuring Cresta’s Devon Mychal, Head of Product Marketing, and Christina McAllister, Senior Analyst at Forrester. Together, they delved into the significant impact of customer experience (CX) on business performance, and the often chronic underinvestment in the role of the agent in that dynamic.
Here are some of the key takeaways that underscore the importance of prioritizing customer experience over mere productivity measures.
The three pillars of customer experience
Data from industry leaders like McKinsey and BCG reveals that companies who are investing in understanding and prioritizing CX see twice the growth of those that are focused more on traditional metrics, like productivity measures, to understand the drivers of ROI.
A significant number of customer interactions happens through contact centers, making them a vital area for investment. However, many companies struggle to make the necessary leap to actually assess and improve CX in their contact centers.
Christina shared insights from Forrester’s annual CX Index, based on comprehensive data from their annual CX benchmark survey. In her discussion of this, Christina emphasized the importance of understanding the drivers of CX quality and the resulting impact on customer loyalty. Based on the research, this breaks down into three key areas that companies should focus on:
- Retention: Keeping customers coming back
- Enrichment: Encouraging customers to spend more and engage with additional services
- Advocacy: Motivating customers to become brand ambassadors, recommending the brand to others
It’s evident that customers are more likely to stay longer and spend more with brands they perceive as prioritizing and considering their experience, making customer loyalty a critical driver of business growth. A vital point highlighted by Christina is that, while cost-cutting is often a focus in the contact center, it can lead to an over-reliance on automation at the expense of the human touch. With staffing making up a significant portion of a contact center’s operating budget, businesses must be examining new ways to make the most of this investment.
Underinvestment in human agents
Despite advancements in technology and generative AI, the human agent’s importance has not diminished. Christina discussed three primary drivers that enhance customer perceptions:
- Agents who answer all questions
- Quick issue resolution on the first contact
- Agents with the authority to resolve issues without escalation
On their face, these three elements are very operationally standard. However, many companies are not yet prioritizing or considering these things the way they should. They are achievable levers for a business to pull and to improve, but they must be prioritized to reap the benefits of increased customer loyalty and satisfaction.
However, as Christina pointed out, the philosophical goals here are incredibly important; the intent cannot just be about cutting costs. Addressing these thoroughly will actually help to cut costs if businesses shift their focus to empowering agents rather than just reducing headcount. And as you’ll notice, in the three areas that really matter to the perception of the brand and the customer experience they provide: human touch is the most important thing.
The value of behavioral insights
Devon and Christina’s discussion also touched on the importance of uncovering what truly drives critical KPIs. Companies often invest heavily in quality management programs and coaching, yet they might not focus on the behaviors that impact their desired outcomes.
Cresta’s AI-driven solutions offer a way to bridge this gap. Through outcome-driven AI, companies can identify and reinforce the behaviors that matter most. Behavioral Discovery and Outcome Insights work together to pinpoint impactful actions, backed by data, ensuring supervisors and agents focus on what actually drives positive outcomes.
The webinar underscores the crucial relationship between customer experience and business performance. While productivity gains and cost reduction remain critical, it’s essential to balance these with enhancing customer experience. Investing in CX, particularly in contact centers, and leveraging AI to enhance agent performance and customer interactions can drive significant growth and loyalty.
To learn more real-life examples of how businesses are turning insights into action, you can download the on-demand webinar now and share with your team. And join us later this month for our next webinar: Four benchmarks every contact center leader should know in 2024.
