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Published on
July 22, 2020

Tightening budgets and ambitious goals in the contact center

Pierre Zum Buttel

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back to blog
Published on
July 22, 2020

Tightening budgets and ambitious goals in the contact center

Pierre Zum Buttel

Contact center operating expenses are estimated at an annual 200 billion dollars in the US. Agents and supervisors account for 75% or more of this spend. Initiatives to reduce costs have become particularly pressing in these uncertain times—but increasing the bottom line of a business via higher sales is equally—if not more—important.

Many consumer company executives are actively working to reduce their operational expenses within their contact center operations. They may:

  1. Set up new programs to push for greater digital adoption and fewer interactions
  2. Try to shorten interaction time
  3. Consolidate technology systems
  4. Reduce agent turn-over
  5. Establish a faster onboarding process for new agents

The most forward-looking contact center executives are also focused on improving the bottom line of their business. They’re looking for ways to improve their customer lifetime value (CLV), conversion funnels, conversion rates, and conversion volumes across web, self-service, voice, and digital channels.

Pierre Zum Buttel
Customer experience executives are challenged to reduce spending, and at the same time help drive top-line growth.

Pierre Zum Buttel

However, balancing opex reduction initiatives with top-line growth ambitions can be a complex undertaking. In this pursuit companies often assemble a set of fragmented solutions, which results in inefficiencies because the various technologies were never designed to operate together in an optimal fashion. The mismash of systems can cause unexpected internal costs, poorer experience for both customers and agents, and lots of frustration on everyone’s part—including the executives who are eager to see meaningful results.

ASAPP offers a different approach

At ASAPP we help companies meet both cost savings and revenue growth goals with an AI Native® platform that augments agents—driving better results in both service and sales contact centers. The platform provides a wealth of capabilities, streamlining operations. And, with machine learning at the core it delivers outcomes that far exceed what’s possible with a hodge-podge of systems.

Companies using ASAPP realize millions of dollars in real, measurable value as the ASAPP platform helps their agents be more efficient and more effective in their day-to-day job activities on both voice and digital channels. The self-learning technology enables them to address customer needs faster and with more accuracy by predicting what they need to say and do—in real time—throughout every interaction.

A few examples of real results

Support agents are able to resolve issues faster, increasing overall productivity, while sharply improving first call resolution rates. Meanwhile sales agents increase both close rates and order size, using AI-driven insights to personalize each interaction and make the right offers.

What’s more, customer satisfaction scores rise at the same time. Agents are happier, too—which reduces churn that runs as high as 50% in many contact centers. There is far less frustration (and fewer unhappy customers for agents to deal with) when they are able to serve customer needs well.

Customers get proven value

Through numerous implementations in my years at ASAPP, I have seen customers double down on ASAPP with an incredible level of commitment, engagement, and enthusiasm. Generating value is at the core of the ASAPP platform, and customers really see it in their day-to-day operations.

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About the author

Pierre Zum Buttel

Pierre Zum Buttel is Head of Business Value Services at ASAPP. In his role, he works on quantitatively defining and articulating the value that ASAPP provides to current and prospective customers. He is a data analytics professional with expertise in the hedge fund and technology industries. He holds degrees in financial economics from Columbia University and University of Wisconsin—Madison.

Tightening budgets and ambitious goals in the contact center

Contact center operating expenses are estimated at an annual 200 billion dollars in the US. Agents and supervisors account for 75% or more of this spend. Initiatives to reduce costs have become particularly pressing in these uncertain times—but increasing the bottom line of a business via higher sales is equally—if not more—important.

Many consumer company executives are actively working to reduce their operational expenses within their contact center operations. They may:

  1. Set up new programs to push for greater digital adoption and fewer interactions
  2. Try to shorten interaction time
  3. Consolidate technology systems
  4. Reduce agent turn-over
  5. Establish a faster onboarding process for new agents

The most forward-looking contact center executives are also focused on improving the bottom line of their business. They’re looking for ways to improve their customer lifetime value (CLV), conversion funnels, conversion rates, and conversion volumes across web, self-service, voice, and digital channels.

Pierre Zum Buttel
Customer experience executives are challenged to reduce spending, and at the same time help drive top-line growth.

Pierre Zum Buttel

However, balancing opex reduction initiatives with top-line growth ambitions can be a complex undertaking. In this pursuit companies often assemble a set of fragmented solutions, which results in inefficiencies because the various technologies were never designed to operate together in an optimal fashion. The mismash of systems can cause unexpected internal costs, poorer experience for both customers and agents, and lots of frustration on everyone’s part—including the executives who are eager to see meaningful results.

ASAPP offers a different approach

At ASAPP we help companies meet both cost savings and revenue growth goals with an AI Native® platform that augments agents—driving better results in both service and sales contact centers. The platform provides a wealth of capabilities, streamlining operations. And, with machine learning at the core it delivers outcomes that far exceed what’s possible with a hodge-podge of systems.

Companies using ASAPP realize millions of dollars in real, measurable value as the ASAPP platform helps their agents be more efficient and more effective in their day-to-day job activities on both voice and digital channels. The self-learning technology enables them to address customer needs faster and with more accuracy by predicting what they need to say and do—in real time—throughout every interaction.

A few examples of real results

Support agents are able to resolve issues faster, increasing overall productivity, while sharply improving first call resolution rates. Meanwhile sales agents increase both close rates and order size, using AI-driven insights to personalize each interaction and make the right offers.

What’s more, customer satisfaction scores rise at the same time. Agents are happier, too—which reduces churn that runs as high as 50% in many contact centers. There is far less frustration (and fewer unhappy customers for agents to deal with) when they are able to serve customer needs well.

Customers get proven value

Through numerous implementations in my years at ASAPP, I have seen customers double down on ASAPP with an incredible level of commitment, engagement, and enthusiasm. Generating value is at the core of the ASAPP platform, and customers really see it in their day-to-day operations.

Pierre Zum Buttel is Head of Business Value Services at ASAPP. In his role, he works on quantitatively defining and articulating the value that ASAPP provides to current and prospective customers. He is a data analytics professional with expertise in the hedge fund and technology industries. He holds degrees in financial economics from Columbia University and University of Wisconsin—Madison.

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