|
Tuning In on Wireless Headsets in
the Contact Center
Wireless mobility helps floor supervisors solve customer
problems in real time without the need to put customers on hold
or call them back once they've retrieved the necessary
information. Floor supervisors can be more efficient, thus
decreasing call time, by moving about the office to perform
supportive tasks and actively engage with agents.
Contact centers are constantly challenged to improve customer
satisfaction and agent productivity. Many are turning to
wireless headsets to help meet these challenges.
In a contact center, new wireless headsets help improve call
speed resolution of customer problems and enable floor
supervisors to remain "on call" and engaged even when they're
away from their desks.
Ensuring Customer Satisfaction
The success of most contact centers is judged by customer
satisfaction levels. While there are many elements that impact
customer interactions, the speedy resolution of problems is one
of the most important.
Wireless mobility helps floor supervisors solve customer
problems in real time without the need to put customers on hold
or call them back once they've retrieved the necessary
information. Floor supervisors can be more efficient, thus
decreasing call time, by moving about the office to perform
supportive tasks and actively engage with agents. The latest
headsets let users roam hundreds of feet away from their desks,
with excellent call clarity, while staying connected.
In the event that a call needs to be escalated to a supervisor,
hold time is minimized, since the supervisor is available to
answer the call even if away from their desk with the remote
call answer/end capabilities of the newest wireless headsets on
the market. The supervisor can also visit the agent's desk to
lend support and provide quicker resolution.
Whether new hire orientation or a refresher session with a
senior agent, keeping the agents properly trained is a
round-the-clock task. Wireless headsets increase training
effectiveness by allowing the coach to observe agents' key
strokes and body language from afar without the agent knowing --
eliminating the need for desk side monitoring. This creates a
more natural training environment, where supervisors can gain a
true assessment of agent performance.
Guaranteeing Employee Comfort and Convenience
In addition to the well-known ergonomic benefits of headsets,
the latest wireless systems provide other features that are
useful for contact centers.
For example, most headsets now offer extended battery life so
that contact center associates can work an entire shift without
having to stop and plug in to recharge the battery.
Some systems also offer a base that easily pairs with several
different headsets so that as shifts change, agents can
immediately start working. Using a shared base also helps lower
expenses as contact centers only purchase an additional headset
top, versus an entire system.
Maintaining Sound Quality
One of the main elements affecting a customer's impression of a
contact center is the sound quality that the customer
encounters. Background noise and crackling audio can make a
contact center seem unprofessional, no matter how skilled the
agent. The latest wireless headsets have noise-canceling
microphones that filter background noise and enable crisp audio
quality. Digital signal processing (DSP) is a new technology
that some of the latest headsets use to mitigate echo and uneven
amplitude.
Headsets that are 1.9GHz DECT 6.0-compliant are gaining
popularity in contact center environments because they promote
clear calls without interference from typical office equipment,
like WiFi networks, security systems and microwave ovens. These
headsets are particularly attractive because they operate in a
protected, voice-dedicated frequency.
Today's wireless headsets are compatible with a variety of
telephony infrastructures, including IP, and legacy PBX
equipment. This is beneficial, as audio deterioration, like
latency issues, pops and ticks, often occurs as a result of
incompatible signals or equipment.
It's clear that wireless headsets offer contact centers many
benefits that can help improve service and impact the bottom
line. As innovations in the space continue to develop, so will
the positive affects on contact centers.
--By Joe McGrogan
Customer Inter@ction Solutions
09/19/07 8:48 AM PT
|
