How to understand that it's time to scale the contact center, and how to do it?

The contact center takes over the main flow of incoming requests. As a rule, it is the employees of the contact center who are the key point of contact between the lead and the business.

It turns out that the quality of the contact center's work directly affects a company's success. The quality of the agent's work makes an impression on clients in terms of a business's viability and whether it is a good fit for them.

Let's look at the main signs that it's time for your contact center to scale up:

1. Agents do not have time to process incoming requests and a queue of client requests is formed.
2. Customers complain about the long wait and/or poor level of service.
3. The team indicates a critically increased workload and pace of work.
4. You lose sales due to late service.
5. The departure of a team member on vacation or sick leave causes a crisis in the department.

From time to time some of these signs may appear, but that does not necessarily mean it is time to scale up. However, if you repeatedly notice these indications, it is likely time to consider your options.

Scaling is not always hiring additional employees.

When thinking about scaling, first of all it is worth looking at your processes and addressing what can be optimized and automated.

The first thing you should pay attention to is chatbots.

Embed a chatbot in all text communication channels and send it simple, repetitive requests. At a relatively low price, you will free up a large amount of agents' time, which they will be able to spend on non-standard tasks.

If the chatbot is already implemented, think about how you can expand its functionality. Write additional, complex scenarios so the chatbot closes more client requests. Add a feedback form, then the chatbot will transfer the client's data to the agents if it cannot solve the issue itself.

Think about a chatbot with artificial intelligence (AI). Such a chatbot will be more expensive, and the implementation will take a little longer. However, the chatbot with AI will be trained and, over time, will work better, taking on even complex chats.

Implement an omnichannel platform or improve the one you are currently working with.

The omnichannel platform allows you to combine all communication channels into a single interface, simplifying and speeding up the work of agents. For example, messages from Vkontakte, Telegram, and WhatsApp will be sent to the agent in a single program. The employee will be able to answer all at once from one window, and customers will receive answers in the same messengers in which they started the chat.

An effective omnichannel platform can simplify the work of a contact center. The Rox.Chat platform, for example, supports templates, internal chat for employees, and synchronization with the CRM system. All this allows agents to improve the quality of routine work and practice a personal approach to each client.

Look at your current org chart. Does every employee have the same workload? Is it possible to divide the work of the contact center into sub-departments, for example, technical support, additional sales, and training of existing customers? Perhaps you already have all the resources to scale, and all that remains is a strategic reorganization.

Scaling a contact center is a crucial stage for any business. It is important to start it by carefully analyzing the current situation of the company and carry out preparatory work before expanding the department.

Technologies can facilitate the scaling process and mitigate the associated risks. Rox.Chat has been helping companies to scale thoughtfully with the help of chatbot technologies and an omnichannel platform for 15 years.

Contact us and we will help you plan the scaling of your contact center.