SSG’s Approach to Agent Empowerment
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming contact centers in myriad ways, from enhancing customer self-service to reducing call times, and even helping assess agent performance, both during training and on the live production floor.
For tech-forward Contact Centers and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies like Support Services Group, the changes are, naturally, a plus: AI is significantly improving operational efficiency and accuracy, driving value, and helping them gain a competitive edge.
What doesn’t get talked about enough is how AI empowers those at the front lines of customer care – the agents who interact with customers daily.
The Right Solutions for Agents
For Lexy Desrosiers, Senior Vice President of Solutioning at Support Services Group (SSG), it is important to leverage the right AI solutions “to help propel the success and performance” of the company’s associates.
“It’s more of the complex interactions that we’re seeing in the contact center space where AI can come in more and help,” said Desrosiers, who added that simple tasks like password resets are now being handled by chatbots or other automation solutions.
“We’re really enhancing the experience of not only the customers, but also our employees,” said Desrosiers.
By deploying the right AI solutions, she said, SSG cuts through the noise and allows agents to focus on more meaningful interactions. First Call Resolution is top of mind for the agent, while AI supports each interaction along the Customer Journey.
Understanding What’s Best for Clients
Desrosiers designs solutions that reduce friction and increase efficiency as SSG pursues new partnerships and expands services for current clients.
Understanding what is best for clients is where the magic starts.
“We need to be experts on their verticals, we need to understand their challenges, and we need to understand their market as well as the dynamics of their customer base,” said Desrosiers, “because it’s not a one-size-fits-all.”
Taking a prescriptive approach, according to Desrosiers, leads to true solutioning and crafting the best approach to a partner’s program. This is the company’s plan to support onboarding new clients and expand services for existing ones.
“We are looking to drive long-term success and innovation at SSG,” she said.
Overcoming Common Misconceptions About AI
Some of the common misconceptions about AI in the BPO or contact center industry, according to Desrosiers, is that it will “completely take over and make contact centers obsolete.”
But nothing could be further from the truth.
“That’s not the case at all. Although I do believe that it will certainly change the landscape, I don’t believe that the human aspect will ever go away,” she said.
“There will always be that need to have humans do what humans do best – like problem-solve and demonstrate empathy, for example. Those are just things that technology won’t be able to take over, and there will always be a need for that.
Delivering the Best Customer Experience Possible
What SSG delivers, according to Desrosiers, is the expertise to understand the problems that must be solved, then match the right solutions and processes to deliver a solution that propels the client’s business forward. That is when you deliver the best customer experience possible, she said.
“When you look at the number of… different technologies and AI solutions, it really can be a daunting task to even know where to start,” said Desrosiers:
According to Desrosiers, SSG’s collaborative approach to solutioning helps clients, their customers and SSG employees.
“When we apply the right technologies and solutions for each program in a very prescriptive manner, at the end of the day, everybody wins,” she said.
