Transforming Telecom Call Centers: How AI Drives Blended, Proactive Customer Service

From reactive crisis centers to proactive relationship hubs

In the past, the majority of customer support resources in telecoms were dedicated to handling inbound inquiries – whether these were complaints, requests for support, informational or educational requirements, or sales inquiries. Telecom call centers were reactive, crisis management centers, which were viewed as a cost center and whose main KPIs therefore centered around operational performance (answering calls as quickly as possible and reducing the cost of operation).

Leveraging real-time data and AI to redefine telecom call center operations

Today, telecom providers are using increased access to reliable, accurate and real-time data sources, combined with AI-driven tooling, to evolve their vision of the call center in two main ways.

1. The call center is transforming from a crisis management center into an experience-enhancing relationship hub, which is offering unprecedented opportunities to improve business performance.
   

2. They are shifting to a blended model of call center operation, where agents are able to handle both inbound and outbound calls.

Dynamic allocation – responding to call volumes in real-time

At the core of these changes lies a huge increase in operational flexibility, which means agents can be assigned according to incoming call volumes. When inbound call volumes are high – for example, due to a widespread outage – a number of things automatically happen:

1. Outbound campaigns are temporarily paused, and agents are switched to handling inbound calls.

2. Intelligent customer support capabilities begin providing targeted, proactive messaging to customers to inform them of what’s happening and what action is being taken to reduce inbound calls.

3. Chatbots are armed with precise data and messaging to deal with the majority of incoming inquiries efficiently.

4. Agents are provided with up-to-date insights and next-best actions via their AI co-pilot so they can efficiently handle calls.

5. Conversely, when inbound traffic levels drop, intelligent call centers dynamically and automatically switch mode, taking agents offline to provide training based on their recent performance, or shifting resources from dealing with inbound calling to proactively undertaking outbound communication efforts. 

Empowering agents with AI-assisted flexibility and skills

In the past, inbound call center agents might have lacked the skills and training required to undertake outbound calls. However, with the help of today's intelligent co-pilots that incorporate dynamic scripting and and next-best action capabilities, they can now quickly adapt to new responsibilities.

For example, first-line inbound agents might shift seamlessly to conducting proactive care calls with selected customers to understand their experience of products or services, or discover unmet needs. This insight can then be shared across the organization. They might also contact customers who recently answered a pulse survey in a digital channel, to get further details on their feelings or to follow-up on concerns or frustrations. Other tasks they might undertake include debt collection, customer surveying or sales tasks such as contacting customers who are due an upgrade, have reached a milestone (such as one year with the company) or whose contract is due to be renewed etc.

Real-time insights drive superior customer experiences

The availability of good quality, real-time data across all support channels not only drives efficiency and reduces customer frustration, but also provides valuable insights for improving customer support strategies. This data is then used by CSPs to leverage insights to optimize outbound campaigns and to improve inbound support workflows. 

AI tooling provides the flexibility to dynamically allocate agent tasks based on real-time demand, supporting enhanced productivity, ensuring customers receive timely assistance, and helping CSPs meet business objectives more efficiently.

Improving agent morale and reducing burnout

AI-powered support not only benefits customers and efficiency but significantly boosts agent morale.

With agents having the data and insights at their fingertips to help them handle calls efficiently and professionally, while at the same time reducing their stress levels. Additionally, the flexibility to vary their tasks alleviates boredom, allows them to learn new skills, and even enables them to earn incentivisation payments. This has the potential to reduce both absenteeism and agent burnout.

Ready to transform your call center strategy?

Discover how Subtonomy can elevate your customer support with intelligent, AI-driven blended call center strategies.

Book a consultation today and speak with our telecom specialists.