Virtual agents, chatbots and the future of customer engagement

An increasingly significant portion of customer service operations integrate some form of virtual assistant software – otherwise known as chatbots or virtual agents – across customer channels.. Analysts such as Gartner agree that automated conversations will be a defining technology in the future of customer engagement. This white paper* demystifies the applications, benefits and use….

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An analysis of Fiji as a contact centre hub

Fiji is probably not the first country that would come to mind when considering options to outsource your contact centre, but this white paper* presents the case for considering it.   The cost of a contact centre in Fiji is less than half Australia, Sydney is closer to Fiji than Perth, and English is almost….

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Taking customer surveys to the next level

All customer survey platforms are not equal. This white paper* looks at some of the distinguishing features of the modern survey platform used to optimise response rates in a customer service environment.  Generational differences often impact channel choice – for example, senior citizens may prefer voice to SMS, while millenials may respond better to an….

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How small call centres can achieve big results with analytics-as-a-service

This white paper* examines how call centre speech analytics can be deployed as a service with as few as 20 seats, to achieve breakthrough results. With the only requirement being a call recording capability, which most contact centres already have, analytics as a service can be deployed quickly, with no need for internal specialists or….

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Using data analytics to optimise outbound customer engagement

The case for segmenting customer data to determine the best time, frequency and method of contacting customers is a slam dunk:  it results in better productivity and sales performance, and provides a more tailored customer experience. For large organisations, there are also some hidden but powerful advantages to a bespoke rather than generic approach to….

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How to automate coding of Net Promoter Score customer comments

As the CMO of AirBnB says, “Amazing things happen once we listen to consumers.” Many companies have embraced Net Promoter Score and are good at asking the golden nugget question (“would you recommend us…?”), but how many are actually listening to customer comments? The sheer cost and time of reviewing and coding every customer comment….

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Sales Outsourcing: 7 Myths exposed

While the outsourcing industry has flourished in areas such as I.T. and customer service, such that it’s used by 70% of companies as a strategy, only 12% of companies outsource the sales function.  Sales has remained sacrosanct.  This white paper argues that companies are missing out on the many benefits of sales outsourcing due to….

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Call tracking software: the smart marketer’s secret weapon

Call tracking software is the missing link between contact centres and marketing departments.  It gives a complete view of which online marketing campaigns are succeeding not just in terms of  number of calls, but also in terms of sales conversions in the call centre, right down to which keywords customers searched before they called. This….

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How to quash unwanted demand in a multi-channel service environment

The advent of self-service, apps and social media was supposed to dramatically reduce the size of contact centres and traffic in shopfronts. However many organisations report growth in demand and headcount to service it. This paper* explores the key reasons for “failure demand” in a multi-channel world, and 3 things we can do to address….

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Outsourcing: the Next Generation Model

For companies who boast values of sustainability and “giving back to the community”, outsourcing and offshoring can present a brand conflict. A new model for outsourcing – the Community Model – solves this issue and allows companies to operate efficiently and flexibly, while making a positive contribution to local society. The model presents an opportunity….

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Call Centre Audio Map

Matchboard’s Call Centre Audio Map allows you to click on a country and hear a call sample, illustrating a “typical” accent for English-language calls in that country.  The Map is a world-first initiative, designed to help companies draw informed conclusions about accents when considering location options for their call centre services. Our call samples are….

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Born to Chat

9 in 10 consumers want support while online and web chat is ranked by customers as the “easiest” channel through which to communicate – just beating social media, but outstripping email, phone and online self-service by far.*   So why do so few high-traffic websites offer web chat?  The answer is not as clear as the….

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Are you KPIing your Relationship Manager?

If you are outsourcing a contact centre, back office or IT function, you probably have a Relationship Manager and a framework under which your account is managed.   Effective relationship management is one of the most important ingredients of a successful outsourcing program, yet how many organisations are KPI-ing it?  In the new world of partnering….

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Regional Australia – the Pros and Cons

There is much talk about near-shoring and offshoring, but for some organisations, Australia is home.  Matchboard recently interviewed a variety of organisations operating a contact centre in regional Australia to learn about the pros and cons of a regional versus capital city location strategy.  The Pros The most widely cited benefit of a regional contact centre is single….

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The benefits of Social Media you should never forget

Social Media is usually the coveted domain of marketing departments, yet the benefits of social media stretch way beyond marketing.  A good starting point is to consider not what it allows companies to do, but what it allows their customers to do. Most companies try to measure Social Media Marketing in terms of revenue, sales,….

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