“Making Your Call Center Relevant” Series Part 3

3 – Cracking the Code

In the previous installment of this series, we talked about how the data in itself is not the answer.  We also need to be able uncover intelligent, actionable meaning from this data.  We know that we capture volumes and volumes of data and that data is captured different ways and in an unstructured format – consequently the mining is not easy.

But as they say, anything worthwhile is never easy.

Only the power of computing can process the vast amounts of data being stored while at the same time, what is required is the ability to derive meaning from data stored in a human friendly format fo https://xentrax.com/part-1-of-our-2-part-series-an-interview-with-nick-flaminio/

This is where the power of Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities and Speech Engines found in today’s Analytics solutions are proving to be the key to cracking the code.  As defined in my prior installment, human friendly format includes telephone calls into the call center, as well as other electronic channels such as email, chat, SMS etc.https://xentrax.com/part-1-of-our-2-part-series-an-interview-with-nick-flaminio/ Together, NLP and Speech Engines are enabling machines to better understand the ways in which humans communicate.

While more and more consumers are choosing alternative channels, telephone calls are still the single most popular method of communications in the call center and if you’re recording these calls, there is veritable gold mine on information in those recordings.  The performance Speech Engines have seen a dramatic improvement in accuracy, and there is no reason to believe that this trend will slow down anytime soon.

But not all Speech Engines are the same.  They can be divided into one of two types – Phonetics and Transcription Based Engines.  Phonetics Based solutions search for a sequence of phonemes (sounds) while Transcription based solutions employ text based search methods.  Each having their use-cases and inherent pros and cons.  Regardless of the method, the best solution for your Company will depend upon the business problem it’s intended to resolve.

Because alternative channels are quickly catching up to telephone calls in popularity, it’s also important to ensure the analytics solution you select for your center will scale in support of these alternative channels seamlessly as the customer experience includes every interaction they have with your company.  Just like your customers expect to be able to seamlessly move from channel to channel, you should expect your analytics solution to seamlessly process all your interactions regardless of channels, format or integration in a seamless and transparent manner.

Consumers are choosing to interact with companies in ways that are disrupting conventional service delivery and this is presenting an exciting opportunity for call center professionals to play a more critical role in the success of their company.  Analytics Software will prove to be the most indispensable technology in understanding the voice of the customer for years to come – according to a study by market research company Market and Market published in April 2016, it is expected that the annual growth rate for Speech Analytics will be 22% in the next three years.  We are no longer in the early adaptor stage for this technology; it’s no longer about trying to differentiate yourself, it’s now about being relevant.

Just so there is no confusion, Interaction Analytics Software does not radiate magic properties as many early adaptors can attest to.  There are lessons that can and should be learned from early implementations.  In the next segment, we will discuss some of the lessons learned and how to prepare for success.