Clickatell calls for a transformation in customer support

In a response to the growing trend to bring digitalisation to business workflows, global leader in mobile messaging, Clickatell, has launched its next evolution chat-based solution for business to consumer communications.

Clickatell Touch combines online chat and bot-driven interactions (including the benefits of machine learning), with workflow automation, through its proprietary Touch-card technology.

“Clickatell Touch is the evolution of 15 years-worth of insight into the complexities of business to consumer communications,” says Deon Van Heerden, CEO at Clickatell Messaging. “Customers have shifted the way they engage in the digital world. However, until now, there was a gap in how big business was connecting with their mobile customers.

Touch not only closes that gap, it allows real-time, always-on connections which is transforming customer care.”

Consumers are used to communicating with one another in real time through a myriad of available messaging apps. However, the majority of live business to consumer (B2C) communications are still conducted through voice calls to call centres, business offices and agents.

“Customers dread the long wait times, tedious self-identification processes, dropped calls and other negative experiences. For businesses, this negative customer experience translates into poor customer satisfaction scores, higher abandonment rate, increased churn and ultimately, missed revenue. And yet the solution to this lies in the hand of every customer. While we used to speak about Mobile First, we should be thinking Mobile Always,” says Van Heerden.

The cloud-based solution incorporates three layers of technology. Firstly, the Touch Chat platform allows agents to conduct three or more simultaneous chat interventions, resulting in a marked increase in agent efficiency, especially at peak call times. Although it is designed for mobile, Clickatell also provides a web-based interface.

Secondly, bot support, incorporating machine learning and AI technologies, sits beneath the chat platform. This allows immediate responses for first-line, routine queries. It also allows the bot to self-learn as the interactions increase over time. The trickier, edge cases, will still be pushed to agents. However, the bot will keep monitoring the agent conversations and may even suggest interventions.

This technology enables up to 1 million simultaneous customer interactions, massively reducing the time between customer query and resolution.

Finally, Touch Cards, based on proprietary Clickatell technology, allow for the creation of business flow mini applications. These appear in the chat stream to enable a transaction. Examples of transactions would include appointments, invoicing, selecting products or features, cost estimation, downloading collateral and completing a purchase. Touch Cards are like small mobile or web applications. Cards can be activated by either the agent or the consumer, to enable digital self-service.

“Together, these three services form a powerful layer over the existing enterprise applications, such as CRM and ERP systems. Touch Cards can also be customised based on an enterprise’s existing workflow requirements,” says Nirmal Nair, Head of Products, SVP Marketing & Digital Sales.

“This is not a rip and replace installation. Clickatell with work with our clients to integrate the system, ensuring it augments the complete customer support ecosystem within the organisation. Trials and testing have indicated up to a 60 percent reduction in call center costs over the first three years of operation,” he says.

Clickatell Touch will initially target enterprise clients and is currently available in India and South Africa, with some sizeable enterprise clients already working with the company to roll out the offering.

The technology is designed for rapid, lightweight deployment and low ongoing operational costs with no in-house software or hardware necessary. Clickatell Touch integration requires a one-time, on-boarding charge. There is no upfront capital investment. The service allows for unlimited seats, chat streams and analytics with monthly billing based on per-active customer pricing.

“Messaging is now the preferred platform for communication. Touch is a mobile front office, which integrates into your existing back office. It replaces traditional support methods with real time communication and intelligent workflow communication.

“Clickatell has harnessed more than a decade of insight into digital communications and blended the best technical advancements to create a truly transformative communications solution. Clickatell Touch will bring enterprises closer to their customers through digital experiences entirely focussed on resolution and client satisfaction” says Van Heerden.

Staff Writer