Never Underestimate the Voice Channel

Every day, we’re bombarded with so many interactions that it becomes almost impossible to keep up. The contact center is really no different. Vendors are adding more and more channels to meet customers where they are. But let’s not forget about the good ol’ voice channel. When things get complicated, customers turn to voice.

 

Now before I lose you, I’m not trying to say digital channels aren’t important. They are! What I’m saying is the value of voice has never been greater! Voice is a reliable channel that remains mission critical for businesses. Results of Twilio’s Global Consumer Study bear this out with its finding that 67% of consumers prefer to call a business because their problem is more easily solved by talking to a human.

 

Have you ever dreaded calling into an 800 number because the online webchat didn’t lead to the outcome you wanted? Of course, we’ve all been there! So you pick up the phone and dial away. Thinking the worst, you’re quickly connected to a friendly agent (real human) and the agent not only knows your name, but also has all the information you already shared in the webchat. Not only are you surprised, but a little shocked!

 

Now let’s say the agent not only resolved your issue, but went above and beyond and offered you a one-time discount code for a similar item you initially contacted them about. Would you be satisfied? Would you be more likely to recommend this company to a friend?

 

Now let’s flip the scenario. Say you called in (exact same scenario), but you weren’t greeted promptly and instead ended up in a long queue. And let’s make it even worse... you had no idea what number you were in the queue. You wait and wait, getting more frustrated with every passing moment… just to be disconnected after holding for 10 minutes. Wow!

 

You decide to call back in (hoping for a better outcome) and after being on hold for five minutes an agent gets on the line to ask what your name is and why you’re calling. And for good measure, let’s throw in a little background noise (it’s a busy call center) and some static on the line making it hard to understand what the agent is saying. You struggle through the conversation, repeating nearly every answer. Eventually the agent resolves your issue, but neither thanks you for being a valued customer and nor presents you with any sort of discount code for future products.

 

This is a bad experience, and it shows that the voice channel isn’t a priority for this company.

 

Would you think twice about doing more business with this company? Would you recommend them to a family member? Again, there are numerous annoyances here, but the lack of crystal clear voice and the lack of acknowledgement of your place in the queue could steer people away!

 

Now how does voice provide value to your bottom line? Well for starters it’s easy to consume. And it’s a tried-and-true technology. But most importantly, it builds trust — and that keeps customers coming back.

 

Voice. When things get complex, customers turn to voice. Vendors that offer a great voice solution along with common digital channels are primed not only to support great customer service, but also to win in the hyper-personalized customer journey experience.

 

Voice isn’t going away. It’s going everywhere!

 

To learn more about Twilio Flex and how voice fits into your contact center, visit Twilio Flex.