How customer service professionals deal with the wave of innovative technologies

Are you considering a career in the customer service world? Then you should know that professionals are constantly dealing with a steep learning curve in this particular area. Customer service as we know it today has had an impressive progress from the first IT troubleshooting back in the 1980s: “the history of the modern customer service industry can be narrowed down to 1989. In 1989, Ron Muns founded the Help Desk Institute, a professional association with the mission to serve the industry by focusing on innovating technical support. The IT troubleshooting help desk was born.”

Nowadays the terms that are most often linked to this area are: automation, data analytics, real-time messaging, AI, self-service, social media. These are just a few innovative approaches that are completely transforming the way customer service is delivered. In spite of the overwhelming technological wave that this working field is facing, customers seem to have always had the same needs:

• Easy dialogue without putting any effort
• A personalized and rich service experience

For a customer service professional, providing support, help and solutions should be a part of a strong passion for the individual that is on the other side of the line, trusting your expertise. Technology, at this point, becomes a true enabler for providing a great service. But let’s find out more about some of the innovative technologies that are changing the world of customer service:

Automation

The most feared feature is the RPA or robotic process automation and it’s often seen as a job stealer. Of course, it cuts off some of the human interventions but at the same time “it is this technology which is behind tools such as web chat, self-service portals and apps, which form the core of many brands’ customer service offerings today”, according to ItProPortal. Automated processes not only save a lot of time but have predictability functions that require the human analysis.

Data Analytics 

The customer service sphere is formally data-driven, and analytics methodologies allow to have a deep knowledge of the journey that customers make. By collecting and analysing data, trends and behaviours are identified. A good measuring of the multichannel interactions with present and potential customers will lead to a higher quality of the service.

Self-Service 

Thanks to AI and bots, self-service found a fertile ground in the customer service sector, especially because in some case the customer wants a more independent approach. Just consider that “most vendors that the average consumer interacts with nowadays are big and technologically-sophisticated — think about Amazon, Facebook, Google, Walmart, big retailers, big banks so on. These big businesses are embracing self-service because it lowers their costs of doing business” (Source: hubspot.com).

Remember that “no matter how advanced the technology is, digital tools should never make up 100% of a brand’s customer service strategy.  For every tech savvy consumer happy with high tech solutions, there will be non-digital natives and vulnerable customers who just want to pick up the phone.” (Source: ITProPortal).

If you think this could be the right job for you, especially if you are at the beginning of your career, some roles do not require a degree, except of course, for ones that require a technical education. It can be a great opportunity especially if you prefer remote working. And in terms of skills, some of the most requested are communication and listening skills, problem-solving, product expertise, time management, positive approach and a passion for the ever-evolving technological tools.

Don’t miss our best job offers related to customer service and find the most suitable ones for you!