NICE has published the results of a survey of CX (customer experience) leaders. Entitled ‘Customer Service Leadership in a New Reality,’ the survey looked at ways that COVID-19 business continuity requirements have driven organizational change in this area.
Key findings from the survey include:
Work from home is widely acknowledged as part of the new reality
79 percent of the CX leaders surveyed indicated that agents working from home are performing as well as or better than in the office. While the practice of working from home was not prevalent pre-pandemic owing to concerns of employee focus, survey findings show a higher comfort level by CX leaders for this practice. 76 percent of leaders polled said agents prefer to work from home, and 43 percent of CX leaders said they plan to keep 50 percent or more of their agents working at home in the future.
A cloud foundation is recognized as a critical enabler of work from home and business agility
The survey looked at the infrastructure aspects of work from home, highlighting the key components that make it possible for service organizations. 74 percent of CX leaders claimed they are already or plan to be cloud-based across their entire contact centers. 85 percent also said that they plan to invest in upgrading their contact center with technologies that enhance agility, such as AI and Performance Management, as well as capabilities driving personalized connections and unified channels. 71 percent of CX leaders also indicated that they plan to implement Desktop Guidance and Automation which they consider an agility booster.
Digital channels are central to today’s customer service environment
NICE’s survey highlights the rapid acceleration in the popularity of digital channels among consumers. 51 percent of leaders indicated that half or more of their interactions are currently being handled through digital channels (e.g. Chat, Email, Social Network).
Eran Liron, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Development, NICE, said, “Customer service organizations have been on a fast track to respond to current needs, including ensuring service continuity with a dispersed workforce, supporting accelerated customer requests via direct channels and more. This new survey shows that CX leaders have made their 2021 priorities clear, with cloud and digital at the forefront.”
