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WebRTC: What Are You Waiting For?

Contact centers are moving away from legacy, on-premises systems to newer technology that can enable agents to have more effective, productive conversations with customers. That technology, WebRTC, is able to increase first call resolution, which means more money and man-hours saved for contact centers. Even more compelling, as noted in an AT&T post, American Express reported that 67% of its customers surveyed chose to use a WebRTC two-way video option available on its mobile app -- and that was back in 2015. WebRTC is what consumers want and contact centers need. 

What Is WebRTC? 
WebRTC, or Web Real-time Communications, as it’s formally known, enables peer-to-peer, real-time communications in Web browsers and mobile applications through APIs. It’s open source, and completely free to use. WebRTC comes with a JavaScript API layer to make it as easy as possible to integrate real-time communications.

WebRTC has been around for eight years now, and has found use in many applications, including Google Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Discord, and others. Though some don’t realize just how impactful WebRTC is, it’s used to improve many platforms, and people across the globe use applications powered by WebRTC on a day-to-day basis.

Why Is WebRTC Good for Contact Centers?
Developers can adopt WebRTC open-source resources to build real-time communications quickly. However, WebRTC can contribute much more than just that for your team. Let’s take a look at four of the most compelling reasons to use WebRTC in your contact center.

  • Cross-Platform Support -- WebRTC lets users communicate directly through multiple means so they can talk to you on their terms, using their preferred platforms. WebRTC is available on most major Web browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, and on  iOS and Android mobile devices. Imagine the freedom and flexibility your customers will feel having access to your support teams through their Web browsers, in-app on their phones, or through phone calls. 
  • Cross-Medium Support -- Intricately linked to cross-platform support comes the powerful ability to communicate with your users through their medium of choice. For example, with WebRTC, you can give your customers the ability to communicate via video conference, voice call, or through text chat. Provide these options in the browser or in a mobile app for an immersive, dynamic experience. As mentioned above, American Express found great success with WebRTC, with 67% of customers surveyed opting to use WebRTC-enabled two-way video. 
  • Context-Based Support -- Context-based support is a unique element your developers can use to create a better experience for your customers. With context-based support, you can pass on information about users as they initiate  support requests. Your agents will have comprehensive information about the users’ previous interactions with support, the plans or services they subscribe to, and more. Even better, your agents can enable screen sharing so they’re able to see customer issues in context in the moment. Connecting with your customers like this will give your contact center an impressive edge over other support operations, and increase your first call resolutions. 
  • Real-Time Speech Analytics -- Real-time speech analytics for customer support and sales is a potential gold mine. The system can monitor agent calls to assess potential churn, identify stress, and aid the agent in engaging the customer in the best possible way. For example, real-time speech analytics systems can be used to monitor calls for keywords or stress points. It can quickly find reliable, contextual answers for agents about customer questions, evaluate corresponding sales opportunities, and check for any mistakes made by the agents, whether related to compliance or product information. This has the potential to save significant time and end user frustration. 

All of this and more is possible with WebRTC. These are the dynamic, effective ways contact centers have begun working to provide a better user experience and keep customers happy in a classically difficult space. If you haven’t made the switch, ask yourself: What am I waiting for?