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Agile and CX

Posted on 31 de August de 2021 by Inaki Errandonea

¿Are we prepared for the future?

Currently, a successful enterprise has the imperative need to anticipate the needs of its customers. To achieve this, it is a requirement to have the flexibility and rapid adaptation capabilities to react to the changes that are demanded.er capacidades de flexibilidad y adaptación rápida que permitan reaccionar a los cambios que se demanden.

Within this framework, agility in a company must be adopted as one of its main characteristics. This is the only way to develop customer experiences that are aligned with what the market is demanding at that moment. It is key to be constantly observing the environment and your customers, while reacting quickly and efficiently.

The importance of agility lies not only in responding to changing market and industry conditions, but also in transforming these moments of change into opportunities for growth. Therefore, a business culture oriented to agility and total transformation of the corporate approach is required.

Eva García-Luna, solutions consultant at Zendesk, in an interview with TechTarget mentions how to achieve an agile mindset in enterprises:

Make an integrated analysis: With no real time information on customer experience trends, it will be almost impossible to have an idea of where your enterprise needs to go.
Create standards and processes that drive collaboration and knowledge sharing, in order to adapt to new habits and position to scale and evolve in CX.
Use automation to reduce redundant tasks and the cost of change management, which means you will not have to train your agents for every change. This will allow you to evolve your operation and test new strategies.

In addition, the same interview mentions the three key elements required for Enterprise Agility:

Facilitate customer listening: the majority (75%) of Latin American customers are more or much more likely to buy from an enterprise that offers good customer service, as well as different customer care channels, and this value is considerably higher than the world average (49%). However, many enterprises continue to miss valuable opportunities to listen to their customers in the channel in which they are. Only 34% of medium-sized enterprises offer three or more channels to their customers, and that figure drops to 32% for large enterprises.
Consolidate teams that can remain productive in times of change: 88% of business leaders report that making changes in customer service is a challenge. To be prepared for an ever-changing landscape, enterprises are adopting agile and flexible frameworks for both technology adoption and implementation, which helps their support team work better. Improvements can positively impact employee engagement and thereby increase customer satisfaction. In addition, they will help in reducing costs through operational efficiency, and even increase revenues. These are benefits that will positively affect both the business and the customer experience.
Invest in the right technology: When considering where to invest, technology is a great starting point. Providing a single unified workspace for your agents plays an important role in increasing team productivity. Moreover, it can help you get a better view of the customer; in fact, leading enterprises are 5.8 times more likely to say they provide agents with a unique view of the customer’s most important context.

In addition to this, the phrase “the customer is always right” is very much ingrained in our minds, but the ways in which this is accomplished tend to be in constant evolution, especially in recent years. Enterprises struggle to perfect and maximize their customer experience, which was intensified in 2020, and during 2021 has remained a constant that will not disappear.

As a result of COVID-19, it is clear to us that the enterprise-customer relationship has changed forever, but the CX areas have not reacted as quickly as the markets demanded. During 2021, many enterprises are correcting those pending gaps, seeking ways to correctly reach their customers remotely and through new communication channels in this fractured world.

In this context, there are tangible trends that are predicted for the future:

Centralize CX on a single management platform

CX management is complex and involves multiple areas within enterprises, so it is complex to survive and carry out this task by applying patches or keeping these areas separated. During the last time it has become clear how crucial it is to move towards the centralization of CX elements on a single platform.

Scott Harris, CEO of experience management enterprise Experience.com, told CustomerThink.com that, “As businesses become more sophisticated, they will demand a single, integrated CX platform that combines data, behavior and marketing from a single platform. Such enterprises will not have to pay millions of dollars for a consultant to build a customized program.” In the past, suitable platforms to do this were prohibitively expensive, however, during 2021 we will see prices reach a point where most enterprises will have no choice but to buy it.

Leveraging networking opportunities

The pandemic limited the one-to-one relationship with customers and left the digital means of contact as the protagonists. This, in addition to the trend of today’s consumers seeking to face your enterprise increasingly more informed, using multiple ways to access information about you; makes it essential to have a correct mapping of the channels in which you as an enterprise can be found; of the information they can access through those channels; and of the support generated by this in alignment with your value preposition. Enterprises must be prepared for these multichannel interactions and to connect properly with their customers wherever they are.

Active CX

The relationship with customers through CX is usually focused on guiding them through the enterprise, while customer acquisition is left to separate marketing and sales areas. This model is obsolete and needs to be updated. Nowadays, the CX must work actively to attract and retain customers, taking a step ahead from the traditional areas. This means that, in practice, the role must be much more active. The future of the customer relationship will be driven by the ability to collect data about the experience, whenever and however it is happening, so that actions can be taken while the experiences are still ongoing.

Self-Service Optimization

Even though the importance of human connection cannot be overstated, there is something to be said for letting customers handle things the way they want to. According to Kate Crane, content marketing manager at Zendesk, 67% of customers prefer self-service over dealing with an employee.

Whichever self-service medium is chosen according to its channel, the approach in all of them must be to facilitate through sufficient and efficient infrastructure that the customer can be autonomous and respond to their service preferences. Efficiency will be the key for enterprises that expect to meet future challenges and customer demands, and there is no better way to respond to this than by providing true self-service alternatives so that these customers can do the work themselves.

Automation

Even the most refined customer service models have customer service agents as the main focus, and these agents are increasingly demanded and required for repetitive, systematic tasks, etc. Due to the fact that these agents will not disappear from the customer service ecosystem in the near future, automation systems must be devised to relieve the burden on them and enable more efficient use of their time and resources. This is the only way to ensure the proper quality of service in response to current high demands, focusing on high-value interactions and better distributing efforts.

All the trends and predictions mentioned above that interrelate Agility with CX correspond to the key focuses that your enterprise should work on or consider as part of its near-term strategies. Belltech, as experts in Digital Transformation, we can be the business partner you need to help you take these missing steps and properly prepare you for these new challenges and environments. Contact us and get the advice you need to overcome these challenges http://belltech.la/contactanos/.

BELLTECH ADDS NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BRAZE

Posted on 24 de August de 2021 by Inaki Errandonea

For the benefit of your customers

Braze, the integrated customer engagement platform arrives to Latin America through its new partnership with Belltech, offering the leading cross-channel solution based on the efficient use of data and combined with service excellence.

Driviing real-time, relevant and personalized customer experiences.

Nowadays, customers expect relevant, convenient, connected and personalized communication in every interaction, whether in person or through any other digital channel. Braze enables brands to build stronger relationships with customers by creating relevant and memorable multichannel experiences.

Braze helps brands empower real-time interactions with their customers in a customized way. It enables brands to develop a deep understanding of their customers’ preferences and deliver experiences that increase loyalty and retention.

In “The Total Economic Impact of Braze”, a study commissioned by Forrester Consulting, Braze clients have realized a ROI of *840% over 3 years. More than 1,000 brands across all industries rely on a solution like Braze to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time and on the right channel.

(*) “The Total Economic Impact of Braze,” a commissioned study by Forrester Consulting.

Thanks to this partnership, Belltech completes its portfolio of solutions dedicated to improving the customer experience and seeks to be ranked in the region as the most robust service and integration enterprise in the market.

Since the beginning of the partnership agreement, Belltech has already entered the fast-food and payment methods markets in Chile and Brazil, respectively, incorporating important chains from these industries to our set of clients.

Michael Everard, CEO of Belltech comments, “Thinking about the difficult scenario that Latin America would be living this 2021, due to the political and social changes that have been building up, which also have been strongly influenced by the pandemic, in Belltech we began our search to incorporate to our portfolio an innovative, versatile and world-class solution that would allow different industries to automate and optimize their relationship with their customers. This will help businesses to carry out processes more efficiently and with less effort, and thus be able to create loyalty and profitability models with their customers.

Through the Braze Platform offered by Belltech, enterprises will be able to: Easily create multi-channel campaigns with dynamic audiences and implement personalized journeys through an intuitive drag and drop interface. They will be able to leverage their investments through simple integrations using the best technology to amplify the value of their ecosystem and save on additional solutions. In addition, it will be possible to reduce technical maintenance hours, due to the fact that by using Braze they will save 1200 hours in maintenance and integration, which frees the teams to focus on business challenges. Source: The Total Economic Impact Of Braze, a commissioned study by Forrester Consulting.

This is how you create powerful interactions with your customers! You drive engagement and increase transactions, recover lost customers, and stay in contact when they need you.

About Braze:

Braze is an integrated customer engagement platform that drives relevant and memorable experiences between customers and the brands they love.

Context is the foundation of all Braze interactions, helping brands foster a human connection with consumers through interactive conversations across all channels that deliver value quickly and continuously. Braze was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work by Fortune in 2021 in New York, the Best Workplace for Millennials by Fortune in 2021, and has been certified as a Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and the United States. Braze is based in New York, and has offices in Chicago, London, San Francisco, Singapore and Tokyo. More about Braze can be found at www.braze.com.

I WANT A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT!

Posted on 30 de July de 2021 by Inaki Errandonea

Making service efficient and simple

When someone assists us, we expect them to be fast, efficient, simple and effective, especially when we need clear and specific information. Virtual assistants offer this, in addition to a wide range of other benefits for both the companies that implement them, as well as the users who interact with them. The great development of technology and its expansion to all types of users, has brought as a result advancements that have even led to the creation of devices made for personal use at home, such as the already known “Siri” from Apple, “Alexa” from Amazon, or “Cortana” from Microsoft. That’s right, Virtual Assistants are no longer just the stuff of science fiction, movies or an out of reach solution, but have made their way into homes and technology users worldwide. On the other hand, virtual assistance software has expanded to those industries that seek to respond quickly and clearly to the requirements of their customers and thus improve the service experience they receive.

Belltech’s virtual assistants, beyond answering questions, are able to engage in a natural and intelligent conversation, regardless of the channel from which the conversation arises, always making sure of delivering a quality experience, without falling into redundancies or inconsistencies often associated with other similar solutions.

Virtual Assistants ensure Efficiency, Consistency and Business Focus

They have the technology and artificial intelligence to understand even the most complex queries in a natural tone, providing fast and efficient answers.

They guarantee quality and omnichannel using “Natural Language Understanding” (NLU) technology, which translates into a consistent response on all platforms where the Virtual Assistant and the client interact.

And finally, they ensure a business approach that safeguards security, reliability, and privacy of the stored data, always adapting to the requirements and characteristics sought by the customer according to their business strategy.

According to the “The future Customer Experience 5 essential trends” report, AI engines are the new intermediaries between businesses and customers in the purchase decision: “the complexities of modern life are driving our brains into cognitive overload. To deal with the situation, customers are turning to AI engines, trusting their recommendations and putting traditional brand interactions on the back burner.” People are increasingly relying on interaction with Bots, which are already becoming part of our lives.

The role of virtual assistants has been key in these times of pandemic crisis, offering quick solutions and avoiding physical contact through various service channels, such as social networks, telephone services, websites, among others. In addition to this, the level of trust that a user places in these customer service mechanisms has grown, and they are now a safe and efficient way to resolve customer problems and processes.

Virtual assistants are technological beings that learn and adjust themselves according to the type of response that is required. They incorporate a large number of variables in their communication style, such as using a colloquial language (for example, they can use “usted” in Colombia, “tú” in Chile or “vos” in Argentina); using a technical language; or adjusting to a certain tone and specific style, according to the needs of both the business and the customer, leading to brands being increasingly closer to their consumers.

If a response it’s not possible, or if the service requires the intervention of a real agent, assistants will generate the referral in real time and without affecting the service flow, while being transparent to the customer and maintaining the level of experience. Virtual assistants have values, identity and a purpose according to what the company wants to convey. They can be programmed specifically for the required industry or role, delivering unprecedented flexibility of action.

If you found this content interesting and want to know more about Virtual Assistants, at Belltech we will be happy to support your Digital Transformation projects, offering you the support and advice you need to carry out a solution like this.

We invite you to send us your information at www.belltech.la/contacto/ and an agent will contact you in less than 48 hours.

KEY DIGITAL TRENDS FOR POST PANDEMIC RETAIL

Posted on 30 de June de 2021 by Inaki Errandonea

4 trends in technological solutions

The technological industry is in a deep phase of interaction since the beginning of the pandemic, in which businesses dedicated to the end customer seek to provide solutions to their demands, whether in terms of service excellence, shipping logistics, quick response to the search for products or services, among others. We can talk about a myriad of customer service solutions, among which we highlight the following: self-service solutions such as self-checkouts and kiosks; solutions to automate customer service such as virtual assistants, AIs, conversational IVRs, recording systems, VOC, RPA; and finally, solutions for analytics and prediction through data, such as predictive monitoring, big data, etc.

Employing the combination of these technologies, we are seeking to improve interaction with the end consumer and make the points of contact more profitable.

In this sense, despite the boom in digital innovations, we cannot ignore that the customer still privileges the fact of being able to look, touch, compare, smell and try products; experiences that cannot be replaced with the purchase process through a screen.

The enormous number of sales that are transacted today in e-commerce, social networks, applications, in addition to the information provided for dispatches, provide a great amount of information about the consumers, their behavior, tastes, flows and willingness to buy. Therefore, through the use of Data Mining/Big Data, we can predict actions, average ticket, and preferences, in order to improve the business performance towards its customers.

Renewal in terms of digital trends is, therefore, a must for current companies for establishing a successful future.

Below, we present 4 digital trends that we consider as essential and key for this post-pandemic technological evolution:

Experience stores: to understand this concept, Retail Analytics explain it like this: “in simple words, the retail experience or experience stores consists of the customer’s experience from the moment they arrive at the store and observe its façade, to every step they take inside, which will generate positive or negative opinions that will be decisive when deciding to return and that will also be transmitted to friends and family.” For example, large supermarkets already have mostly self-service checkouts, experiences that help to build loyalty among customers who are looking for autonomy both in their shopping and in their time management, seeking to obtain an increasingly better customer experience; as well as providing great fluidity and speed during the shopping interaction.

One of the changes that has made the greatest impact is the multichannel approach. According to Telefónica’s digital blog “The think Big”, “the technological tsunami has radically changed the way consumers relate to brands. One of the changes that has made the greatest impact is multichannel. In the retail sector, the point of sale is competing more and more with ecommerce, mcommerce and social networks”.

Unified commerce: one of the great challenges facing Retail is the convergence between the physical and the virtual, namely, Phygital, which according to the same article we published in April, it’s one of the latest trends in UX. It unifies a person’s experience in both a physical and digital environment, the elevation of two worlds that today is present in commercial transactions more than ever, driven by social and economic factors and empowered by behavioral change in the wake of the global pandemic.

Big Data in Store: thanks to technological advances, it is now possible to store and analyze an unimaginable amount of data, generating historical evidence, trend prediction, frequency visibility. This allows businesses to generate strategic plans for customer service, along with greater effectiveness and efficiency of points of sale, both online and offline, and a more efficient management of their customer service flows.

Robots: they help in the purchase, the user service, the checkout, in problem resolution, and relieve executives’ service channels in order to redistribute service more efficiently. Rather than replacing humans, (a concept we also discussed in one of our previous posts), this technology comes to support, leaving tasks of analysis and greater cognitive complexity to us, thus building a robust customer service team.

In short, digital evolution is paramount and is not an option, especially considering the changes in the industry that are driven by diverse factors.

Even though we presented 4 trends here, there are undoubtedly many more. It all depends on how strategic you want to be, the solutions you want to provide, and the story you want to tell. In Belltech, we support you during the process, we adapt to your requirements and fit our technologies to your goals. We are a company that supports and advises you in your transformation and technological development projects.