Customer service and contact center
Customer service refers to the support organizations give customers after a purchase, and contact centers are the points where organizations can manage these interactions. Keep tabs on the evolution of customer service and contact center technologies and best practices to maintain service strategies properly.
Top Stories
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Tip
18 Apr 2024
Will AI replace customer service reps?
AI can streamline customer interactions and save organizations money, but will it replace customer service agents? Maybe, but customer service will always require a human touch. Continue Reading
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News
16 Apr 2024
Zendesk users get generative AI infusion for customer service
Zendesk customers get their shot of GenAI, which comes in the form of agent tools, self-service workflow assistants and workforce management features. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2021
contact center
A contact center is a central point from which organizations manage all customer interactions across various channels. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2021
call center
A call center is a centralized department that handles inbound and outbound calls from current and potential customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Nov 2021
9 steps to create a customer service plan
Crafting a customer service plan is a key step to improving customer satisfaction and building loyalty for an organization. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Nov 2021
chatbot
A chatbot is a software or computer program that simulates the human conversation or "chatter" through text or voice interactions. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2021
Genesys, Google bolster contact center connections
Genesys and Google broaden multi-year partnership to include running Genesys applications on Google Cloud with Kubernetes; Genesys embeds apps in Chrome browser. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Nov 2021
call center agent (call center representative)
A call center agent is a person who handles incoming or outgoing customer calls for a business. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Nov 2021
The 3 types of chatbots for beginners and how to build them
Various types of chatbots exist, but three types, in particular, are easiest for beginners to learn and build independently. Find out more in this chapter excerpt. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Nov 2021
Beginner's guide to essential chatbot best practices
In this Q&A, author Andrew Freed lays out key chatbot best practices for beginners, the biggest challenges and how organizations can tell when to adopt chatbot technology. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2021
Zendesk to acquire SurveyMonkey parent Momentive
Zendesk's burgeoning customer experience platform, which grew out of a customer service technology stronghold, lands key tech to gather customer feedback. Continue Reading
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Definition
29 Oct 2021
cloud contact center
A cloud contact center is managed by an outside vendor in a remote location. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Oct 2021
What does a customer service manager do?
Customer service managers are an integral part of contact centers. They are the team leader, trainer and policy maker. Continue Reading
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News
28 Oct 2021
Salesforce Field Service adds scheduling, Lightning web tools
Salesforce turns its attention to field service technology development, bringing mobile app and web experiences more in line with consumer-grade customer service. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Oct 2021
How do you create a chatbot and connect it to Salesforce?
Salesforce users have two ways to create a chatbot: using an outside platform and connecting finished creations through Salesforce Lightning, or writing it in Salesforce Einstein Bot. Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2021
Genesys contact center cloud gets acquisition boost
Olivier Jouve, executive vice president of Genesys Cloud, and Mike Szilagyi, a senior vice president at Genesys, discuss how customer service will recalibrate after last year. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Oct 2021
field service management (FSM)
Field service management software enables companies to manage dispersed workers and resources. These workers can gain access to schedules, work orders and customer information via mobile devices. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Oct 2021
contact center infrastructure
A contact center infrastructure is a framework composed of the physical and virtual resources that a call center facility needs to operate effectively. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Oct 2021
Benefits of moving to a cloud contact center
Cloud contact centers have various benefits for organizations, including cost savings, more interaction channels and staying with -- if not ahead of -- the competition. Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2021
Contact center agents' post-pandemic future
The pandemic changed how contact centers operate and the technologies used to provide customer service. In this Q&A, ICMI's Brad Cleveland predicts what's next. Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2021
Amazon Connect adds voice ID, agent assist features
AWS adds tools to search knowledge bases for answers based on terms picked up via in-call voice recognition, as well as voice ID to confirm identities of callers. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Sep 2021
How to train contact center agents remotely
As businesses began to work remotely due to COVID-19, contact center managers had to learn how to train contact center agents remotely. Here are seven tips to get started. Continue Reading
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Definition
13 Sep 2021
speech recognition
Speech recognition, or speech-to-text, is the ability of a machine or program to identify words spoken aloud and convert them into readable text. Continue Reading
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News
02 Sep 2021
FACE Act aims to improve government CX
The bipartisan bill that would codify the measurement of customer experience for federal agencies cleared the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jul 2021
Nice expands contact center AI offering with ContactEngine buy
Nice acquires ContactEngine conversational AI technology to support customer self-service and live agent conversations across multiple digital channels. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jul 2021
Top 7 call center agent performance metrics to track
To measure agent productivity and performance, call center directors should keep track of these seven key metrics to see where agents need to improve and where they thrive. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jul 2021
Top 10 contact center platforms of 2021
Contact centers enable organizations to support customers through various channels, but finding the best-suited platform can be difficult. Explore 10 options in this expert tip. Continue Reading
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Report
28 Jun 2021
15 essential contact center software features
Looking for the best contact center software features? We review some of the most useful capabilities including data reporting, speech analytics, routing methods and AI. Continue Reading
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Answer
17 Jun 2021
How do omnichannel vs. multichannel marketing differ?
While multichannel marketing connects customers and companies through various forms of communication, omnichannel marketing takes it further and removes any silos. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jun 2021
On-premises vs. cloud contact center: What's the difference?
On-premises and cloud contact centers differ in terms of costs, staff requirements and management. Organizations must weigh both options to find the right fit. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 May 2021
ServiceNow's vision for AI, customer service management
ServiceNow's John Ball discusses the Now Platform's approach to AI, customer service and field service management, and why he left Salesforce as EVP of product for Einstein. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 May 2021
6 steps to create a contact center RFP
As CX leaders plan a contact center RFP, they should follow these six steps -- including conducting research and asking relevant questions -- to ensure a successful result. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 May 2021
How to define contact center technology requirements
Whether launching a new contact center or updating an existing one, CX leaders must evaluate their contact center technology requirements before selecting a provider. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2021
Pegasystems to release Process AI amid hyperautomation surge
Pegasystems will add intelligent automation features to its Pega Platform that apply event stream processing, machine learning and natural language processing to business actions. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2021
Pegasystems enhances customer service, CX workflows
Pegasystems users get access to long-awaited Process Fabric automation tool, as well as new vertical-specific customer service tools and AI for interactive voice response. Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2021
Salesforce Service Cloud to add features, partners
Salesforce will announce partnerships this fall to connect new telephony providers to Service Cloud as contact centers reconfigure their teams for post-COVID-19 work. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2021
ServiceNow Customer Service Management grows in Quebec
ServiceNow telecom and financial services users targeted for growth as the company expands customer service offering in Quebec, its latest platform release. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
10 Mar 2021
How AIOps investment improves customer service, boosts ROI
Before reaping the benefits of AIOPs -- such as improved customer service and easier collection of customer data -- companies need to determine if it is a good fit. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Feb 2021
4 tips for effectively handling emails in a call center
New service channels emerge, but email remains a popular way for customers to contact businesses. Call centers should use the proper email management software and strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jan 2021
5 ways to improve a customer self-service strategy
In today's digital world, self-service options are a must to inform, engage and retain customers. Here are some ways businesses can improve those self-service options. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2021
Google DialogFlow CX brings industry-specific chatbots
Google releases DialogFlow CX, a chatbot and voicebot platform geared for multi-channel enterprise customer service. It connects to leading telephony systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Nov 2020
10 technologies to transform customer experience in 2021
AI-powered technologies such as sentiment analysis, chatbots and real-time transcription can help customer service organizations improve the customer experience. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Nov 2020
8 customer service metrics to measure call center success
Measuring call center metrics and KPIs benefits organizations by showing where issues occur. Average handle time, service level and cost per call are a few metrics to start with. Continue Reading
- E-Zine 17 Nov 2020
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News
10 Nov 2020
Zendesk, WhatsApp cozy up with co-development partnership
Zendesk and WhatsApp team up to break bottlenecks in customer service conversations over Facebook messaging apps -- including Instagram -- by building it into Zendesk Support. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Nov 2020
7 ways to avoid remote work burnout in call centers
Many factors contribute to remote work burnout, including juggling too many tasks, isolation and a work-life balance. Here are some tips for managers to help minimize burnout. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Nov 2020
8 best practices for call center monitoring programs
To create the foundation for an advanced quality monitoring program, contact centers need to invest in call monitoring and speech analytics software. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Oct 2020
5 benefits of developing diversity in customer service
Creating an environment of diversity and inclusion within customer service teams is essential in today's market. Here are some ways that businesses can benefit. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
26 Oct 2020
Mobile wallet mania: Contactless payments are here to stay
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected a lot of B2C industries and one aspect of customer experience that is likely permanently shifting is the increase in mobile wallet adoption. Continue Reading
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Infographic
21 Oct 2020
The evolution of customer service
Today's customer service meets the consumer where and when it is convenient for them, with multiple contact channels, self-service and always-on coverage. Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2020
Salesforce Work.com gets customer, employee experience tools
Salesforce continues to build out Work.com as a place for broadcasting pandemic-specific employee and customer communications, as well as to enable remote work. Continue Reading
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Answer
19 Oct 2020
8 ways to improve call center agent performance
Side-by-side evaluations, reinforcement, training resources and coaching can help call center agents improve their performance and catch up to the pack. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Oct 2020
Call center customer experience ROI is more about metrics
When measuring contact center ROI, don't get caught up in dollar signs. Focus on CX metrics, including the length of customer calls, wait times and net promoter scores. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2020
Twilio adds video developer tools, field service app, Flex apps
The developer-centric UCaaS vendor Twilio offers users new tools to support video chat, field service workers and aggregation of customer activity data. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Sep 2020
AI improves customer experience, call center efficiency
Customers and employees can benefit from the use of AI in contact centers. Businesses can use AI to provide customer self-service options and help make agents more productive. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Sep 2020
Evaluate call center outsourcing costs and benefits
Outsourcing call center operations can take some financial burden off businesses -- depending on what partner they choose. But there can also be some drawbacks. Continue Reading
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News
03 Sep 2020
Emerging Genesys cloud strategy makes Amazon friend and foe
Amid a leadership change, Genesys retools cloud strategy, adds partnerships with Infosys, Adobe and others as its relationship to Amazon and AWS veers toward 'co-opetition.' Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Aug 2020
How video chat improves customer service and engagement
As restrictions continue due to the COVID-19 crisis, many organizations adopt video chat capabilities to continue business operations and keep customers engaged. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2020
Twilio Flex deployed for COVID-19 contact-tracing agents
Tech teams supporting agents working remotely on COVID-19 surveillance efforts in several U.S. cities and the state of Illinois eschew traditional IT and opt for cloud platforms. Continue Reading
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News
25 Aug 2020
Zendesk Support, Sunshine CRM expand data sharing, analytics
New Zendesk Explore Enterprise analytics and data visualization tools enable small and midsize users to create dashboards to share across organizations. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
07 Aug 2020
What to consider for a contact center remote working strategy
Colin Taylor suggests 11 areas that a good contact center work-from-home policy should address, including who provides equipment, workforce management, coaching and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Aug 2020
Average handling time calculation is critical to contact centers
Knowing how to calculate average handling time is an essential component of contact center management, as it helps to determine proper staffing levels within the department. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jul 2020
A look at contact center technology and support costs
With so many technology options available to contact centers, per-agent spending can vary greatly. It's up to businesses to figure out what technology matters most to them. Continue Reading
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Answer
16 Jul 2020
9 skills that call center agents need for success
Contact centers accommodate all channels of communication, which means hiring managers must train call center agents to keep up with customer demands. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2020
Broken Pega RPA bots can heal themselves with new AI feature
Pegasystems robotic process automation tools, popular in contact centers, add AI capabilities that allow some RPA bots to fix themselves. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Jun 2020
10 ways to improve CX when developing virtual agents
Consider these 10 methods when building new virtual agents for your clients to help balance design, user experience, technical feasibility and business value. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 May 2020
How data from APM tools helps businesses improve CX
Businesses have many options when it comes to analyzing customer experiences. APM tools can help contact center leaders improve agent experience, as well as CX. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 May 2020
4 best practices for call center management
An effective contact center is a result of strong management and knowledgeable agents. Management teams must invest time and energy in training their employees properly. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2020
Talkdesk adds virtual agents, rebrands CCaaS suite as CX Cloud
Talkdesk refocuses it CCaaS suite on customer experience by adding 20 features, including virtual agents and remote work features for contact center agents. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 May 2020
How speech analytics can benefit call centers
Speech analytics software in call centers helps organizations pinpoint areas of weakness to address in an effort to improve customer experience and efficiency. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2020
Pega adds unified messaging to customer case management
Pega Customer Service Unified Messaging Edition, built from last year's In The Chat acquisition, adds omnichannel messaging to the company's customer support cloud platform. Continue Reading
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News
05 May 2020
ServiceNow CSM navigates pandemic, partners with Adobe
ServiceNow connects its Customer Service Management environment to Adobe Experience Manager to improve support experience through deeper personalization. Continue Reading
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News
04 May 2020
Customer service agents, chatbots dial up empathy in pandemic
AI virtual assistants can provide help for embattled customer service agents during the pandemic, but adapting them to changing customer needs and new business models isn't simple. Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2020
Conversational AI to help with high demands in contact centers
Replicant and Nuance Communications have announced tools aimed at curbing the influx of calls during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has limited the number of customer service reps. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Apr 2020
How remote contact centers benefit businesses, employees
As businesses move to remote contact center models amid the COVID-19 crisis, they're finding benefits in the form of real estate cost savings and happier employees. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Apr 2020
Renewed focus on contact center trends in 2020
As contact centers move from office settings to remote work environments, businesses renew push for sustainable work-at-home programs, enhanced AI and cloud technologies. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Apr 2020
6 tips for handling emergency calls in contact centers
Many contact centers do not have a procedure for handling emergency calls, but they should. It is important for agents to know how to react to emergency situations. Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2020
LogMeIn launches CCaaS platform to complement GoToConnect
LogMeIn releases GoToConnect call center as a service features during a high-demand period for supporting remote customer service work amid COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Continue Reading
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News
06 Apr 2020
Pivot to remote call centers difficult for some; others roll with it
Remote contact center tech easily supports agents working from home, experts say. It's the culture of each team that determines success in the current national health crisis. Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2020
Kansas City Royals spin up cloud contact center
The Kansas City Royals closed its offices, but a telephony switch helped the call center address ticket holders' anxieties over baseball games affected by coronavirus shutdown. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Mar 2020
Tips for creating remote call center programs amid COVID-19 pandemic
To create a sustainable work-from-home contact center program, businesses need to adjust a number of processes, including, hiring, training, supervision and technology. Continue Reading
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News
24 Mar 2020
Zendesk Relater primes customers for remote call center work
Zendesk focuses on fledgling Sunshine and Sell CRM platforms, as well as helping its well-established customer service base switch to remote call center work. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Mar 2020
Businesses move toward UC and contact center integration
Integrating unified communications and contact center software is trending and it can provide a number of benefits to both business employees and customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Mar 2020
Tips for call center crisis management amid coronavirus pandemic
Call centers can receive an influx of calls from customers during times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some steps businesses can take handle the call volume. Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2020
Amazon chatbots to employ neural networks for CX
Amazon tests neural network bots to help site customers and human agents more quickly identify answers to refund and order-cancellation questions. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Feb 2020
AI in customer experience: Key benefits
Incorporating AI in customer interactions enriches the customer experience in multiple ways, builds brand loyalty and boosts efficiency. Learn about three ways AI improves CX. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Feb 2020
Best practices for using AI-enabled self-service
AI in customer self-service is right behind robotic process automation in terms of growth. Here are some best practices to implement the technology in your organization. Continue Reading
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News
13 Feb 2020
Google's Meena AI chatbot to eventually find its way into CX
Experts say Google's Meena chatbot is a leap forward in conversational AI. But using it for websites and customer service will require all-new deployments and training methods. Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2020
Salesforce Trailhead Playground launches starter app to help users
The new starter app features tips for new Trailhead Playground users, along with an easier way to install packages from AppExchange and receive login credentials. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Feb 2020
What are some benefits of SSO in contact centers?
Contact center agents often need to remember a number of passwords to log in to multiple applications. Single sign-on can alleviate that pain point and increase productivity. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jan 2020
4 contact center trends that drive customer experience
Modern contact centers are making a variety of improvements, such as incorporating AI and chatbots. Learn about four contact center trends that are poised to improve CX. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Jan 2020
5 common call center terms to know
Businesses interact with customers in a variety of ways, including via phone calls and chatbots. Here are some call center terms that define these interactions. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Jan 2020
5 ways a chatbot for the contact center can help workflow
AI and chatbot technology are constantly changing and gaining capabilities. Companies need to determine how to best use chatbots for their contact centers. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Jan 2020
Video conferencing adoption a growing trend among businesses
B2B and B2C video conferencing is on the rise as businesses strive to provide exceptional CX to customers. Nemertes shares some of its research results. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2019
Strategize a smooth contact center migration
Companies are migrating from on-premises contact center software to the cloud. But before making the move, organizations must approve it from a strategic and practical perspective. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Dec 2019
4 steps to successful contact center technology implementation
Before starting implementation of any new technology in a contact center, it is important to have a strategy to ensure both employee and customer satisfaction. Continue Reading
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Answer
03 Dec 2019
What chatbot evaluation metrics do you use to measure performance?
Chatbots are an important contact center component -- as is measuring their performance. Learn how to measure chatbot performance in your organization. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Nov 2019
How can you best use contact center AI?
While AI is still an evolving technology, agent assist benefits contact center employees by improving agent efficiency improve the overall customer experience. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Nov 2019
Contact center agent experience needs massive overhaul
Research shows several areas in which contact centers are failing their agents and what changes organizations are making to improve the experience and reduce turnover. Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2019
Calabrio rolls out contact center self-scheduling technology
The new technology aims to enable flexibility in scheduling for contact center agents and to reduce managers' workloads in monitoring and requests handling. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2019
New website helps identify use cases for Salesforce AI
Einstein's Guide to AI Use Cases is designed to help people identify use cases and Salesforce products for AI in different industries by determining which KPI is most important. Continue Reading
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News
16 Sep 2019
Nectar launches Customer Experience Assurance platform
The new product includes features like auto-discovery and real-time alerting intended to enable contact center teams to test and discover network issues in a timely manner. Continue Reading