August 27, 2015
The prevailing view in the technology sector is that, with the Internet of Things (IoT), everything will eventually be connected to everything else. The idea is to eliminate much of the need for human interaction so that people can essentially handle all their tech troubleshooting on their own. But one area where human interaction might actually increase is in the contact center.
That is the idea put forward by John Cray, Vice President of Product Management at Enghouse Interactive (News – Alert), in a recent opinion piece on TelecomReseller.com.
“From Skype to Google Talk to federated UC mobile apps to browser-based voice or IM communications, the number of communication-enabled devices and application endpoints on the Internet is increasing dramatically,” Cray notes. “And, not surprisingly, contact centers are taking notice, because any one of those endpoints is a viable gateway to customer service.”.
Cray adds that while the IoT will simultaneously increase productivity and reduce human interaction, ironically, one area that will see increased interaction is the call center.
“Think about the implications for customer service when devices, systems, and appliances can report their own faults—the pump or piping system that reports a drop in pressure, the security system that alerts you to a difference between two captured images, the HVAC system that communicates a rise in temperature, the home appliance that fails one of its periodic system checks — the list is endless,” Cray observes. “The power of this interconnectedness is indisputable.” But he adds that such “connectedness” means that eventually, a human being will more than likely have to intervene at some point.
“A reported fault may begin with an automated alert and then escalate to direct contact with a person who is physically next to the system that requires diagnosis and reconfiguration,” he says.
Most contact centers focus on providing service to customers who own a product or have purchased a subscription from your company. “How will you respond when your contact center receives support requests for ‘things’ connected to your products and services?” he wonders. “Will your company find a way to extend its helpfulness to this new wave of requests?”
Cray raises some excellent questions. Now is the time to start thinking about the answers, before the IoT becomes so large that it's unmanageable.
To read John Cray’s full post and share his thoughts, click HERE.