When most people think of call centers, they tend to think of some negative stereotypes—and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. The work environment can be stressful, the expectations are high, and the turnover rate may be extreme.
As such, it’s difficult to establish a supportive team culture in these environments. The pursuit of greater profit margins and performance metrics can erode the agent and customer experience. It might even lead to agents getting a reputation for being pushy or unpleasant.
But the tide is turning. The latest industry data reveals an overall trend toward more positive outcomes for everyone involved in the call center. Let’s take a closer look.
9 Out of 10 Agents Care About the Customer Experience
When a customer considers reaching out to a contact center, they often expect a frustrating interaction with a person who isn’t all that concerned about resolving the problem.
Current research shows that this long-held assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
An astounding 94 percent of contact center agents report that it’s “somewhat to very important” to them to provide the best service possible during every call. With new call center software like targeted call prompts, agents are in a better position to empathize with callers.
And it seems like most agents do want to empathize and put themselves in their callers’ shoes. It’s promising to know that more agents care about providing quality customer service than not.
Of course, the person on the other end of the phone is only human. There will always be a service provider or two who just wants to get through the call. But this looks like it’s the exception these days, not the rule.
At the end of the day, most people are looking to treat others the way they’d want to be treated. This is absolutely true in customer service, and managers can continue to promote treating customers with respect and empathy, which goes a long way toward improving customer satisfaction.
Nearly 90 Percent of Agents Find Their Work Engaging
Contact center roles have often been viewed in two ways—either the job appears boring and repetitive, or it feels like reps are continually being overworked and driven to burnout.
Both are valid perspectives, and at times, both have been true. But those stigmas are changing.
In fact, an increasing number of agents greatly value the vocational experience they gain, as reflected in Invoca’s recent survey. Drilling down into the numbers, the organization discovered that today’s call center team members find a lot to love about their work, including:
Gaining transferable skills
Nearly half of the agents surveyed feel they can use their training and experience beyond their current role. Skills like individual time management, contributing to a high-performing team, and balancing multiple priorities are all considered assets in the modern workforce.
Helping people
All contact center professionals help customers resolve their problems. According to 42 percent of agents, alleviating potential frustrations and supplying useful answers is fulfilling and motivating, and one of their favorite parts of the job.
Solving complex problems
Thanks to advancements in call flow management technology, automated systems take care of the easy customer queries, meaning most agents are tasked with issues that are too complicated for an automated menu.
Playing detective, asking great questions, and searching out resolutions are all elements of the job that 39 percent of agents enjoy.
A better work-life balance
Today’s managers recognize the connection between agent job satisfaction and key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer satisfaction scores, operational efficiency, and agent retention. A flexible remote work structure can help raise these KPIs. At least 28 percent of agents report an improved ability to balance multiple areas of life.
Engaging work
Only 13 percent of agents report feeling bored at work due to repetitive daily tasks. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) software features such as intelligent call routing, auto-answer, and gamified training help to keep team members active but not overwhelmed.
Better Technology Fuels a $68 Billion Market Increase
The size of the contact center software industry is increasing at an impressive rate. Over the next six years, the market for cloud-based options will expand by 21 percent annually, up to a valuation of $82.43 billion by 2030.
This is an astonishing $68 billion increase from 2021 numbers. It’s largely fueled by a transition from legacy phone systems to more secure and efficient VoIP options such as Nextiva.
Call center software systems like Nextiva use advanced AI to provide omnichannel support at a cost that suits a variety of budgets. It can optimize your contact flow with chatbot and automated menu capabilities, too. Agents also get access to vital training and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools, empowering them to operate at peak performance levels.
An Average 28-Second Wait Time Means Happier Customers
As of 2024, the industry gold standard for Average Speed of Answer (ASA) is 20 seconds. If a team can hit its 20-seconds-or-less bullseye with at least 80 percent of their incoming calls, they are operating at the top of their field.
With the aid of VoIP systems to optimize agent time and control incoming call traffic, the majority of these enterprises are getting impressively close to the mark. The latest data reveals that the industry average ASA hovers around 28 seconds, in fact.
One of the top priorities for any contact center is to answer calls as quickly as possible without sacrificing customer service quality. The latest numbers show that many call centers are accomplishing this feat.
This is good news for customers, as it means they’re spending less time waiting and are getting quicker answers to their queries.
Nearly 70 Percent of Agents Enjoy a Hybrid Remote Work Model
Today, more than 60 percent of agents are allowed the opportunity to work at least a portion of their shifts from the comfort of home. This hybrid remote model promotes a “very satisfying” experience for 68 percent of employees.
Managers are realizing that a better work-life balance supports agent satisfaction and, as a result, a higher caliber of customer service. The widespread adoption of internet-based VoIP phone technology in place of copper landlines frees employees and managers alike from being tied to a physical office.
This means they can work as efficiently as home as they do in the office, and they still have all the tools they need to do their job at their fingertips.
Remote Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and call masking also empower workers to do business from any location as long as they have secure internet access. Agents can work from nearly anywhere with little to no change in service quality.
Contact Centers are Changing for the Better
Thanks to improvements in operational technology, contact center agents are growing ever more empowered in their roles and, as a result, more connected to their mission of service.
Where the job once involved monotonous tasks, answering the same customer complaints or questions repeatedly, intuitive software filters out the bulk of the repetition, leaving agents free to address more pressing challenges.
Managers, too, can benefit from lean, cloud-based analytics support, using real-time data to make positive changes in workflows and team dynamics.
All of these developments, in addition to the rise of flexible remote work, make the modern contact center an engaging and rewarding vocational choice. And happier, well-equipped agents mean improved performance, satisfied customers, and a more positive overall outlook for the industry.
