In this guest blog post, Josh Pikal, Product Marketing Specialist at Five9, discusses the importance of enriching contact center agent experiences via agent-expert collaboration.
Advances in contact center AI and automation have dramatically improved agents’ ability to resolve customer inquiries. These advancements not only optimize customer experiences, but they also improve contact center agent well-being. In Calabrio’s 2024 Voice of the Agent report, it was found that 66 percent of contact center agents are generally satisfied with their jobs – a strong increase from previous years, which reflects “the broader movement toward valuing agents’ contributions and creating environments where they can truly thrive.” Equipping contact center agents with AI-powered agent assistance lessens the chance of stressful customer interactions where agents are unsure how to assist.
Still, contact center agent turnover remains a primary concern. Organizations recognize the value of tenured contact center agents and look to offer these positions as long-term career options, but about “47 percent of contact center agents have been in the industry for two years or less.” So, organizations are investigating other ways to boost agent retention.
As many contact centers have transitioned to remote- and hybrid-work models, a lack of social connection is becoming a leading reason for agent turnover. One of the key takeaways in Calabrio’s report suggests fostering teamwork should be a primary objective for contact center managers in the coming year: “While remote and hybrid work has proven effective, it's crucial to encourage social interactions to strengthen team culture.” Agents working remotely might be adequately equipped to handle customer interactions with AI, but a sense of isolation can still negatively impact their job satisfaction.
In light of this, it’s worth reappraising agent collaboration with back-office workers. Historically, agents connecting with back-office subject matter experts for assistance was only encouraged because it benefited the customer. When agents receive questions that are out of scope, it’s essential they have a way to receive additional support so they can sufficiently resolve the customer’s issues. But when mapping out these systems of support, contact center managers haven’t typically cited humanity when prioritizing agent-expert collaboration. Nonetheless, as contact center work environments become increasingly isolated, the human connection factor makes this system of support more valuable.
Investing in agent-expert collaboration enriches contact center agent experiences and creates a more supportive working environment, which improves agent retention rates. Five9’s UC integration with Microsoft Teams, available in Microsoft AppSource, delivers a feature-rich adapter that makes this collaboration seamless. With a unified directory that displays the real-time availability of any Teams user, as well as detailed contact information like job title, department, and location, agents using Five9 can effectively click-to-call, conference, or transfer calls to the best point of contact available in the organization. Presence displays bi-directionally, so Microsoft Teams users can see Five9 agents’ real-time presence within Teams as well. Admins also have control over which Teams contacts are integrated into the Five9 address book, giving organizations the freedom to cultivate cross-departmental interactions with specific back-office experts.
Image: Five9 and Microsoft Teams cultivate cross-departmental interactions
Ironically, many contact center managers already understand this concept, but they have only applied this thinking to the customer experience. The best customer support often requires a human element. AI self-service options are extremely helpful, but for certain scenarios human empathy is the key to customer satisfaction. The same is true for contact center agents. Providing AI-powered assistance as well as human-centered collaboration creates an ideal work environment where an agent feels equipped and connected.
With Five9’s UC integration with Microsoft Teams, managers can unite their contact center agents with the rest of the organization to provide excellent customer support, enrich employee connections, and improve agent retention.
Learn more about Five9’s UC Integration with Microsoft Teams or schedule a demo.
