Read the latest IFS blog posts from the Service industries experts at IFS here. These authors understand the issues and challenges you face – read their thoughts from around the world on new technologies and market developments in service management. Learn more about IFS’s expertise in the Service industries.
When asked, most executives would indicate that one of their strategic priorities is to deliver an excellent customer experience (CX). Research supports that organizations increasingly acknowledge that the CX is an important competitive differentiator that must be leveraged at all available opportunities. One of the most important places to ensure that people, processes, and technologies…
Sarah Nicastro joined IFS in October – here she explains her first major initiative as Field Service Evangelist, the creation of an online resource to further engage the field service community. As I approach 11 years in this industry, I can’t help but reflect back on not only my personal journey but all of the…
If organizations want to deliver a great customer experience, it’s important to create a great agent experience. Research consistently indicates a significant connection between an agent’s level of engagement and satisfaction and their ability to provide a positive customer experience. A study by Ventana Research found that a very satisfied agent is twice as likely…
Many organizations want to provide an omni-channel experience, but few are doing it consistently well. If you’re a contact center leader who’s been challenged with leading the omni-channel charge, you’re probably wondering what it takes to make, or break, a successful program. More importantly, what are the components necessary for getting it right? Achieving true…
One of the best first steps for successfully implementing artificial intelligence into your customer experience strategy is an evaluation of your self-service offerings. A common mistake among AI implementations is a lack of review in existing self-service systems and a thoughtful plan for where artificial intelligence is the best solution. Without proper planning, reporting and…
When it comes to artificial intelligence, one of the most common questions in the mind of retail customer experience leaders is, “what will happen to humans when AI takes over?” “Will AI eliminate humans in the contact center?” On one side of projections, analysts cite a dismal future for the role of live agents in…
Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the contact center industry. Much of the conversation has centered on chatbots or virtual assistants that respond to text and speech, but this is just one aspect of the wide-ranging, permanent effect that machine learning combined with process automation will have on customer service. Machine learning algorithms learn…
While there isn’t a specific threshold for “too much” or “too little” artificial intelligence, every organization should take great care to ensure that the use of AI is complementary to their existing customer experience and aligns with both the customer’s and agent’s expectations. For AI and robotics to work best, they should seamlessly blend with…
What happens when your contact center is ready to stop talking about chatbots or conversational AI and wants to move something into action? The potential for AI and virtual assistance is vast and inspiring to executives and service leaders but knowing where to begin and how to develop an effective strategy is illusive and paralyzing…
When you ask customers what they want from their experiences with your organization, simplicity and ease top their list. Furthermore, they want to know that they can trust whomever is providing them with service. For those reasons, customers may respond negatively when they realize that a machine, not a human, is providing them with service….
