How Call Centre Speech Analytics Can Improve Customer Service

Author: Jack Murray | Date: 11/03/2022

Call centre speech analytics has risen in popularity because providing high-quality customer service has become a vital component of any successful business strategy. The numbers speak for themselves:

93% of consumers are likely to make a repeat purchase with companies that provide excellent customer service.¹
80% of customers would rather do business with a competitor after more than one bad experience.²

Given the importance of customer service, it is no surprise we are seeing the deployment of techniques and technology that help to improve the quality of service delivered.

In today’s article, we’re going to look at how speech analytics software can help call centres improve customer service. Let’s dive in.

Suggested reading: You can learn more about technology driving customer service improvements in our free eBook — Your Contact Centre Could Operate Better. A Lot Better

What is speech analytics?

Speech analytics solutions help to gather insights into the performance of a call or contact centre by recording and analysing customer-agent interactions.

Though they sound very similar, it’s important to understand the difference between speech and voice analytics:

Speech Analytics: Used to record conversations, pick up specific keywords and phrases, and transcribe what was said. Within call centres, this software can be used to provide real-time analytics that produces insights that facilitate a better understanding of both agents and customers.

Voice Analytics: Analyses recorded conversations to evaluate vocal patterns, like tone and pitch, to assess the speaker’s emotional state. These systems use cognitive technology and machine learning (ML) to compare recordings with voice patterns that signify emotions.

Now that we’ve defined what call centre speech analytics are, let’s move on to the various ways it can help enhance customer service.

Improved understanding of the voice of the customer and agent

Without the deployment of speech analytics, call centres need to manually analyse customer calls. As a result, they can only extract data from around 5% of the calls agents handle.

Even as the volume of calls customer service agents have to deal with increases, speech analytics ensure that every customer interaction is recorded and analysed.

Rather than taking a random sample, the technology does the hard work by “listening” to all the customer interactions that go through a call centre. This includes calls and other channels of communication, including:

Email
Social media conversations
Webchats

This means the resources required to listen to customer calls can be reallocated, allowing more focus on activities that improve customer service delivery. In fact, call centre staff can reduce the time they spend listening to and analysing customer calls by as much as 66% with speech analytics.

The identification of actionable improvements

Every business wants their call centre to increase efficiencies and make operational improvements that ensure the delivery of customer service that:

Keeps customer engagement high
Builds brand loyalty
Reduces customer churn

Previously this has been difficult to obtain, but speech and post-call analytics is helping make this a reality. This software allows managers and team leaders to identify the strategies and linguistic choices agents deploy that contribute to desirable outcomes and encourage their implementation across the call centre.

In addition to this, identifying agent behaviours that result in successful outcomes, and in some instances first contact resolution (FCR), makes it easier for call centres to re-think and optimise training processes.

Insights that drive agent development

Developing agents’ skills drives customer service improvements. Unfortunately, this often requires ongoing and exhaustive training, which can be both costly and time-consuming.

With the help of speech analytics solutions, call centres can develop their agent skills and competencies without having to invest in intensive training regimes that take up time and resources.

By monitoring agent performance with speech analytics, managers can easily identify areas where agents need additional training and provide support tailored to their specific needs.

As a result, it is easier for call centres to equip their agents with the skills they need to:

Provide an excellent service
Resolve more calls on the first contact
Ensure customer satisfaction

Simplified monitoring of employee wellbeing

Call centre managers and team leaders are responsible for supporting agent wellbeing on a day-to-day basis, a task much simpler with the deployment of speech analytics.

The software helps by analysing the interactions agents have with customers every day, providing an overview of agents’ emotions and sentiments over a period of time.

This is crucial given the shifts to hybrid and remote working patterns we have seen in recent times. Fortunately, speech analytics software allows managers to track agents’ emotions and state of mind — even when they are not physically present in the office.

Remember, well-supported agents, whose wellbeing is proactively managed, are more likely to be motivated and deliver a great service that can improve the customer experience (CX) and positively impact the bottom line.

Comprehensive compliance management

Ensuring and maintaining compliance is fundamental in a successful call centre. With speech analytics software, contact centres can monitor their agents to ensure they remain compliant with:

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS)
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) guidelines

Put simply, speech analytics allows businesses to protect themselves against the reputational damage that compliance-related mishaps can cause by highlighting:

When processes are not being adhered to
If the caller is saying card information out loud
If unnecessary personal data is being requested

By automating these processes, speech analytics also helps to drive efficiency — management can utilise the time and resources saved to focus on strategic goals that enhance customer service outcomes.

Deliver exceptional customer service with speech analytics technology

In a ruthless business environment, providing exceptional customer service can result in a competitive advantage. At Awaken, we believe that innovative software holds the key.

With our platform, speech analytics can be deployed to produce several benefits that represent a significant return on investment (ROI). This includes:

Reducing absenteeism and increasing employee retention by continually analysing agent’s needs
Improved FCR performance facilitated by enhanced customer insights
Easier identification of where operational improvements can be made to increase efficiencies and productivity
The elimination of fines associated with compliance breaches with the help of notifications that ensure agents remain compliant

Designed with the customer and the agent in mind, Awaken creates fruitful two-way interactions for businesses and their customers.

Get in touch with our team today and find out how speech analytics and Awaken can help transform your customer service outcomes.