The changes start now: The call center industry in 2014

Wednesday, January 8, 2014


There are hatfuls of business trend predications that come afloat all over the web each time a new year arrives, and the call center industry is no exemption. These changes, though inevitable, are essential in any industry. Without such, the industry will not flourish and evolve. That's why it's important to contact center business owners to know about them.


If you're one of those who own a contact center business, you should take a look at these possible occurrences that will become big this year:

  1. Social media management


    Without a doubt, social media has changed how business is done in the modern age. It has become the vanguard of all marketing efforts, and its absence means a great loss to any business operation.

    This year, providing social media management services to clients will be in-demand, as every business owner knows that through having well-managed accounts in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social networking sites, they can nail a positive online reputation, which is essential to their branding and sales. This will be a trend, as more customers will flock to social media to air their concerns.

  2. Smartphone as a foremost channel


    Smartphones are certainly more functional than regular PCs and mobile phones. They are not only easier to use, but they also provide users better Internet usage.

    Business connoisseurs see that more inbound customers will use their smartphones more than the traditional home phones, and such trend will rise up to 16% in the next two years to come. This prediction is no wild conjecture, as it is already apparent by now that these high-tech phones are slowly phasing the traditional mobile phones out of the market.

  3. Gamification


    Because of the high attrition rate present in the contact center industry, many CEOs see gaming as a way to keep their operations tight again. Though it's still in the early ages of adoption to the contact center industry, it bodes to improve employee productivity as it motivates employees and agents to enjoy and put their work habit on a higher plane.

    What Bunchball and Playvox have started will indeed mark of a beautiful start of gamification competition this year.

  4. Cloud migration


    Because migrating to the cloud improves business performance and reduces cost both at the same time, contact centers will continue to migrate to cloud computing. It will grow fast that in 2015, jobs generated by the cloud-based infrastructure will constitute an estimated 18% of the total call center seats.

  5. Video support


    Seeing who's on the other end of the line is better than just hearing a voice. Video support also provides richer customer interactions and faster problem resolution compared with the traditional voice supports as the customer service representative can see the customer's expression and countenance (and vice versa), which are important factors in effective communication.

    Video contact center solution providers such as Avaya One Touch Video and Cisco Video Remote Expert have started to pose dominance in this niche, but experts say that many traditional voice support technology providers will follow suit.

These changes in the call center industry will create a stricter rivalry among businesses. Competition and aim for efficiency will tighten, which, in turn, will improve the entire voice-based customer service industry. These new improvements in the sector will be crucial factors in what will become of the outsourcing industry of the future.

Open Access BPO, a fast-rising outsourcing firm located in Makati, Philippines, offers a vast array of customer service solutions that aim to deliver you to success. Know more about our other services by visiting our website and by joining us on Google+.