Call center is a major sector that will cease to exist if it does not evolve with changing trends. This is because expectations of customers constantly rise with increase in the competition and changes in the technology.

Let’s go through every major trend, which is doing rounds in contact center industry.

1. Multichannel support is becoming more complex
   Around 95 percent of consumers utilize more than one customer support channels for interacting with the firms, as reported by market research company Forrester. Companies are now focusing on providing consistent experience through every channel so that customers can be more satisfied.Some customer experience gurus also predict that social media will become more popular than phone support in future due to exponential increase in its popularity among masses. Smart device applications will also soon become an integral part of customer support process.
2. Data analytics are now integral part of customer support
   Call centers are now using analytics technique to examine the voice of callers so that the agents can answer as per the mood of customers. This form of personalization through data analytics not only satisfies the customers but actually delights them. Even social media has now become a mine of precious data related to customers that can be extracted and used for analytical purposes.Other types of analytics that are used in this industry include text analytics, desktop analytics, speech analytics and predictive analysis to name a few.
3. Cloud technology is offering multiple perks
   Cloud computing in outsourcing world comes with various advantages for the firms. Cost control is one of the biggest perks linked to this technology as upfront costs along with expenditure related to hardware and software upgrade are saved by implementing cloud technology.Another benefit is that outsourcing companies can allow their agents to work from the comfort of their homes. As a result, productivity of customer care executives is enhanced and they are able to provide good time to the end-customers. This also reduces the rate of turnover in the firms.
4. Self-service is expanding
   By the year 2020, consumers will handle around 85 percent of relationship with a brand without interacting with any executive, as predicted by the U.S. research firm Gartner. Companies are already relying of self-service options so that multiple queries are resolved by the customers themselves.Knowledge base, ‘FAQ’ section and IVR are some of the essential elements of self-service offered to the customers. There is possibility of several new components related to self-service that will change the facet of contact center realm in upcoming years.
5. Proactive approach is becoming more important
   It is gaining importance as customer support service providers are able to resolve a query much before it becomes a problem for the customers. Companies are making sure that customers are being contacted on regular basis to check if everything is working perfectly related to product/service. Companies are also sending emails and text messages in which useful information related to products and services is mentioned. Proactive approach is enhancing the percentage of loyalty among consumers towards the brand.We can expect that trends like use of artificial intelligence in customer support and video customer support will soon become common in call center world. Having an omni-channel approach for customer support is not new for consumer-oriented companies. In fact, several firms are realizing that they can enhance their sales directly by providing support through channels like email, social media and live chat.

Vcall2customer is a renowned contact center that strives to provide customer support services as per changing trends and technology. This has helped the company in improving the bar of customer satisfaction and gaining more profits.