As millions face office closures in the face of COVID-19, associates in the contact center space, many for the first time, are now in a work from home environment. Health and safety needs to be a priority during this transition, but associates must also be equipped with the technology needed to succeed in the new workplace.
We’ve compiled a checklist of the tools needed to make this crucial period run smoother for both employers and the people on the front lines of customer experience making a significant change to their work and personal life.
Secure connection
The first step is ensuring that associates assess the performance and durability of their desktops/laptops and internet, as online activity will increase heavily.
- Discuss internet usage and schedule with family/roommate/significant other to prevent slowdowns.
- Plug desktop or laptop into router with ethernet cord for faster connection if possible.
- Connect to your organization’s secure VPN and run any required security software for continuous upkeep.
- Evaluate your desktop/laptop’s ‘performance’ settings to gauge if it has an acceptable processing speed.
Accessible employee knowledgebase
Build awareness around knowledgebases, discussion forums, and other internal resources that associates can use when they need assistance or feel isolated.
- Share best performing behavior throughout the organization.
- Collaborate on problems that are facing the at-home community.
- Discuss issues with people who are facing similar challenges.
- Create gated discussions where associates can freely discuss concerns.
Intelligent automation
Use automated capabilities to deflect simple requests and processes that free associates up for more meaningful, more human, work. These tools include:
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA), an unattended software combined with AI and Machine Learning that can handle high-volume, repetitive tasks. It’s key for back-office tasks.
- Robotic Desktop Automation (RDA), an attended software that simplifies and automates business processes and transactions on a desktop.
- Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA), AI chat assistants that can leverage knowledgebases and insight from past interactions to manage simple customer questions.
Cloud technology
Allow associates to access training, tools, and information from virtually everywhere.
- Gates and guards are used to ensure the data is not available to public.
- Provide with a dedicated circuit so associates can perform in a secure environment.
- Associates can route and answer calls, eliminating need for phones and enabling flexibility.
- Access the cloud across different platforms in a cross-device environment.
- If overwhelmed, employers can use cloud to access a hiring pool from different counties and time zones.
The tools for change
The way we do work is changing. Across the globe the workforce is migrating to the home front. This will be a challenge that requires the right technology at the right time in a decentralized, remote environment to ensure business continuity and maintain great customer experiences.
Choosing a partner with resilience principles is essential as contact centers ask themselves not when, but how will they manage the new at-environment. Having the best tools at your associates disposal is a key step for today and the future.
