Call Deflection Calls for Smart Self-Service
Call Deflection: The Need
- According to an IBM study, businesses spend $1.3 trillion on 265 billion customer service calls each year.
- According to a Consumer Reports survey, 75% of consumers get “highly annoyed” when they cannot get a customer service agent on the phone in an acceptable period of time.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, call center wait times have gone up to 3-4 hours in some industries.
What is Call Deflection?
Call deflection is the outcome of delivering answers to customers through self-service so that they don’t call, email, or text the contact center.
It can be a boon for both customers and the business—shorter time to answer for the customer and cost savings for the business.
Call deflection calls for knowledge and AI-guided self-service
Without knowledge and AI-guided self-service, call deflection can lead to customer defection! A common knowledge base ensures that answers are consistent, over email, chat, self-service portals, or in-person calls.
- Call deflection can be preemptive. Questions can be anticipated and delivered ahead of the call through notifications, Or, when a customer is on a website, through a virtual assistant.
- Call deflection can also be in-flight, where a customer on IVR hold can be sent a link to contextual, digital self-service through a messaging channel such as SMS, Facebook Messenger, Apple Business Chat, etc.
Software for self-service
Call deflection in action
CASE STUDY
Andersen Windows, a leading manufacturer of windows and patio doors in the US, successfully deflects calls from the contact center by offering effective customer self-service with eGain. These self-service customers also give a boost to sales when they are directed from the help center knowledge portal to the online retail store.
- Customers are calling the contact center less because they get the knowledge they need on the website.
- Its online parts store has made sales worth $100K from 20,000 leads from the self-help website.
Transform customer service
Want to transform customer service and engagement with eGain? Start with a risk-free, no-charge, production pilot. Talk to us now to learn more!
