The events of 2020 profoundly changed the way we live, work, and conduct business. The upheaval pushed customer support teams to the front lines – where they dealt with rapid technology changes and sensitive customer scenarios. Despite the pressures of sudden remote work requirements, they rose to the occasion in 2021 – becoming everyday heroes in a rapidly-shifting world.
As we head into 2022, we know business requirements and priorities for customer engagement technology have forever changed. You must understand what drives rapid innovation and how organizations are putting those innovations to work now, whether you're evaluating new solutions or simply keeping up with the trends.
In-person service became limited or unavailable, forcing organizations to make rapid changes to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital channels became a primary way to connect with customers, manage experiences and enable employees for success. That fueled the acceleration of several trends already well underway before the global pandemic hit.
These five key trends define the essential capabilities that will drive modern customer engagement in 2022 and beyond:
1. Digital Engagement
The shift from voice to digital communications advanced even further. Organizations scrambled to add or optimize the channels customers want to use – especially chat, text, and messaging – to handle an increasing volume of digital conversations.
2. Remote Work and Operations
Companies transitioned employees to work from home. The shift from face-to-face interactions between agents and supervisors to an all-remote workforce highlighted the need for effective engagement and management tools.
3. Collaboration Tools
Small talk and coffee breaks are now video calls and text messages. The shift to remote work put technology at the center of even the simplest tasks and communications.
4. Artificial Intelligence and Automation
Demand for information and assistance sent customer support interaction volumes soaring across industries. Organizations set out to increase self-service and automation capabilities – for employees and customers alike.
5. Cloud Platforms
Legacy on-premises solutions proved inadequate to support the new remote model. Organizations accelerated the adoption of modern cloud platforms for agility and adaptiveness during these times.
Be Ready for the Future
No one can predict the future. Last year (surely) taught us that. But what we can do is prepare for the expected and refuse to navigate uncharted waters alone.
The experiences you create are as important as the products or services you sell. Look for solutions that equip you to provide seamless experiences that consumers will remember – backed by a partner you can trust and a team that will be with you throughout it all.
Revolutionize your customer engagement strategy and learn how to make every customer interaction incredibly personal with the
Genesys DX offering.
