MSPs So, what exactly is needed to deliver a leading call centre


experience capable of not only meeting but exceeding customer expectations? To adhere to the speed, convenience and consistency demands


of customers, many companies have opted to implement chatbots within their call centre strategies. If that’s done well, these assistive tools can be highly effective,


helping customers by addressing and solving simple issues at speed. At the same time, they can reduce the pressure on customer service agents who are known to suffer burnout due to stress and pressure. In the UK, staff turnover in the call centre industry is around 26% annually, which is considerably above the national average of 15%. Tat doesn’t mean replacing support agents altogether. Speaking to


chatbots that aren’t up to scratch or listening to pre-recorded lines is among the greatest irritations for consumers dealing with a call centre. Ensuring their optimal use – where they are both able to ease


the pressures on customer service agents while serving customers effectively and not irritating them – is a careful balancing act that requires significant planning.


The 80/20 rule Te good news is that many firms have already explored this, finding that the tipping point is generally around the 80/20 mark. In other words, approximately 80% of routine inquiries can be efficiently handled by AI chatbots, while the remaining 20% require the attention of human agents. Tis is an oversimplification, of course. Every company is


different. Some will see a 90/10 split, while others will be more 50/50. Tat is why it is so vital that every firm gets a thorough, data- informed understanding of the common reasons that their own customers call. With all the promises of products and solutions, it’s easy to think


the call centre solutions will be plug-and-play and solve all your problems. However, for them to work to their greatest effect, it is vital to clearly define your customers’ needs before anything else. One business might face 10 common questions, while another


might face 50 on a regular basis. It depends on the type of business you are, and so there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Equally, it’s worth determining your priorities as a company. For


example, you might not mind using a chatbot but may not want it to be the primary method of communication because you know customers have responded well to human-led customer service. Only with that understanding and analysis can highly engineered,


automated processes and logical call centre pathways – backed by the right technologies – be developed that deliver exactly what the customer is looking for in each scenario. Achieve this, and the next step is putting it into practice.


Integrating departments and platforms to create a seamless customer experience Here, it’s important to develop that call centre customer service


solution on a highly capable platform. One that can integrate with third-party systems, easily adapt to changes in strategy, scale self- service options up or down, and dial up automation as needed. It is worth reiterating that call centre sequences are ripe for automation. In essence, these are a series of tasks that should be


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done in a particular order – the ideal candidate for algorithmic influence. It doesn’t mean they should be automated, of course. But there is clear scope to do so that can bring benefits to a business – provided it doesn’t hinder the customer experience. Tat is exactly how AI works best – as a module that can be


dropped in and dropped out of a workflow. Another major reason why it is so important for firms to


build their call centre strategies within a centralised customer engagement platform is because of the need to bridge all aspects of a customer service strategy. Interactions must be connected. Customers today expect to be


able to move between communication channels, service agents and company departments without any points of friction. Equally, for companies, bringing together all the ways in which a customer can contact you across multiple chat points (twitter, Facebook, email, calling) and providing a single thread to an agent improves productivity and keeps things simple. For that to happen, there can be no team siloes. Or else, you


risk ending up with a decentralised and disjointed customer engagement model where billing tickets are separated from service tickets, separated from technical support tickets, etc. And that, fundamentally, makes for a bad customer service experience.


A highly successful call centre experience demands continuous improvement While considering all these aspects upfront is crucial, building


an effective call centre customer service strategy isn’t a case of one and done. Customer needs are changing all the time, and so it’s important for firms to stay curious, keeping a finger on the pulse of trends and shiſting expectations, and adapting accordingly. At all times, call centres need to focus on providing a customer


experience that is simple, effective and engaging. Tat doesn’t sound difficult on the face of it, and it isn’t, so long as you prepare and plan effectively. Questioning operations is key: is this specific conversational


pathway actually optimal for the customer? Can it be automated? Have customer priorities changed in the last two years? Do they demand new forms of support that the business needs to provide? Technology is invaluable in call centre operations, yet the


foundations of effective customer service still start with human consideration, critiquing and evaluating processes in their entirety. Here, consulting experts can pay dividends. Business analysts,


solution consultants, solution architects and other relevant experts can all provide valuable input and insights when it comes to developing and configuring key solutions and creating proprietary tool sets. We’re past the point at which a developer can do it all.


Establishing a relevant and effective call centre customer service strategy requires many different roles. For businesses, that means focusing on working with those supportive partners that can wear various relevant hats and bring varied skillsets to the table, to deliver a genuinely outcome-focused delivery. With that support, the right technologies can be put in place,


powered and informed by the right data, to drive a highly successful call centre customer experience.


September/October 2025 | 45


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