Every year we make some bold and not-so-bold predictions (faxing will continue to decline). For a company like ours that is always looking forward, looking back can be a fun change of pace. As we prepare to turn the page to 2023, here is our report card on how we anticipated this year to go.
Prediction: Working from Anywhere Is Here to Stay. Hybrid Is the Name of The Game
Grade: B
While hybrid is the name of the game, that was an easy class to pass as work from anywhere became a household term, and for many a workplace policy. Peak performance from anywhere became possible because of innovation at an all-time peak in the unified communications world.
With workplace collaboration tools and connectivity dovetailing with one another, companies don’t even think twice about having a Zoom meeting with their neighbor and someone in Australia.
COVID-19 accelerated the migration to the cloud in the contact center. Large players sending clear messages such as Genesys’ PureConnect end of life, the cloud is not only the future it is the only option moving forward. The runway is set for most premise-based contact center technology, and the end of the runway is fast approaching.
Prediction: Don’t Expect Agent Experience in The Contact Center to Stop Evolving
Grade: A
Yep, giving ourselves an A on this one because not only was our prediction correct, but we also took it upon ourselves to forge more and more partnerships around agent experience in the contact center. Having more options to bring to the contact center consultation is never a bad thing for our clients.
Knowledge management, quality assurance & agent enablement have grown leaps and bounds in a year’s time with AI fueling that speed of innovation. To have a great customer experience in the contact center you must start with a great agent experience. From traditional to outsourced call centers, the knowledge gap between new and tenured agents, the ramp-up period has never been shorter.
Prediction: The Contact Center Wars Are Real and Have Just Started
Grade: B+
You may think this was an A given all the acquisitions in the contact center world. However, full disclosure we need to grade this one on a curve as we have been predicting the contact center wars for years and may have even coined the term.
What we do know is that Salesforce, Microsoft, and Zoom have officially entered the world of Genesys, Five9, and Nice CXone. Whether that is through partnership, integration or acquisition is still up in the air, most likely being a combination of all the above.
There has been an unprecedented amount of investment and capital injected into the contact center world. Those dollars are causing competition, and competition breeds innovation.
Prediction: The InflowCX Contact Center Consulting Process Will Not Change
Grade: A
While this was not a bold prediction it is a staple of who we are and what we do. No matter how many partnerships we have and the technologies we add to our quiver, our process will always start the same way. A conversation with your team and a lot more listening from us than talking. Of course, we are striving for an A+ however we are constantly improving our process for you, so the quest becomes the goal!
Our customer-centric approach is what has gotten us here today, and we lead with listening first and technology later. If you would like to put our approach to work for you, schedule a call today so we can get your future started now!
