Over the past 12 months, social media has developed into the core of customer service as several of the world’s largest BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) operators were forced to evolve their business.
Traditional customer service has undergone a metamorphosis. This development, driven by changing consumer behaviour, sees customers chairing the conversation. Previously, the onus fell on customers to locate the relevant person to assist with their queries, but social media subverted this paradigm.
The BPO industry primarily focuses on optimising processes, and this is exactly what social media enables. Why phone a customer service line if you are going to be referred back and forth between three different people? Social media allows customer service agents to respond directly to tweets or Facebook posts within minutes. Hence, companies and customers save time and money.
According to Rohit Kapoor, Capgemini BPO Senior Director and Principal, a recent study revealed 86% of respondents indicated they preferred responses via social media platform.
As customer service providers it seems logical you would listen to your customers. Too many companies prefer to avoid social media, trying to avoid criticism in a public domain.
But, in every risk lies opportunity. Knowing what people are saying about your brand, you can take control of the conversation and improve service accordingly. If customers can not find a platform to voice their complaints they will create their own, just ask Telkom or SAA.
Fagri Semaar, Teleperformance South Africa MD, says social media is a key component of the group’s global strategy and all call centres should look into integrating it. “As a company you need to be where your customers are and more importantly where your customers feel comfortable interacting. In South Africa, we have been a bit slow to react to this change, but in 2012 I am confident that we will see a marked change driven by the BPO operators.”
There are several local and international examples of companies using social media to improve customer service processes. In South Africa, some of the biggest local brands, including FNB and Vodacom, have built massive online followings.
Despite their relative success, internationally is where the business market has truly harnessed social media. The American Express Twitter account has to-date built a community of over 225 000 followers and has become the primary customer contact line.
Animesh Jain, BPO company 24×7 Customer Chief Delivery Officer, said in a recent interview that his company has realised the importance of an effective social media team in place, “We have hired over 1000 employees for social and interactive media careers in the past nine months. Careers in social media management offer candidates a unique opportunity to be part of reshaping the future of customer service as they learn to support emerging digital trends for Fortune 500 companies, using cutting-edge, predictive technology.”
Jain feels it is high time BPOs provide their customers with more just voice services. “A lot of challenges can be surpassed through social interaction on the web. There is huge opportunity in this area for companies like us,” he concludes.
The future of customer service is integrated convenience. Depending on the scale and nature of a problem, multiple channels will be used to ensure customers a positive experience.
Shifting operations will ensure the future contact centre agent will no longer be regarded as unskilled labour, but rather a specialised job function. Changing this sort of thinking will result in an increase in the number of businesses looking to outsource customer service to industry experts. By doing this they will be able to focus more on their core business.
Gareth Pritchard, BPeSA Western Cape CEO
