Call centers without human operators: myth or reality?

Have you ever thought of using a call center without human operators? It may seem like a far-fetched idea, but it's becoming a reality. Automated voice services are getting more sophisticated, so they can provide customers with the same quality of service as human operators. 

To help us answer the question of whether or not it is possible to maintain a call center with virtual agents only, let’s take a look at the advantages of automated voice services delivery. For starters, they facilitate 24/7 support, allowing customers to request help at any time of day or night. A well-programmed automated voice service can give accurate and quick solutions to customers’ queries. 

Call Center Operators' Annual Salary in Different Countries

The infographic above illustrates how implementing Virtual Agents in your call center can lead to significant cost savings. In contrast to human operators, Virtual Agents don't require recruiters’ time or resources for hiring and training. No need for office space, equipment, vacation pays, or sick leaves. Furthermore, they can make hundreds of calls simultaneously, freeing up as many as 100 operators.

Average Speed of Answer (ASA)

Customers get frustrated with long wait timing on the line, hence it is the job of any call center to reduce the ASA as much as possible. Virtual agents are powered by natural language processing (NLP) and are capable of understanding the gist of the conversation.  The agent will detect customer intents and route calls accordingly to the relevant managers, thus cutting the number of transfers and increasing call center processing capacity. 

Virtual agents are useful for providing automated solutions to common customer inquiries, such as basic information about product availability or pricing. This eliminates the need for callers to speak to an operator and reduces the overall ASA.

Service Level

One key challenge in achieving service-level goals is predicting call volumes and staffing needs accurately. AI can help to optimize call center operations by analyzing large amounts of data and using machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and trends in call volumes. With this information, call centers can accurately forecast demand and allocate resources more effectively to provide a more personalized customer experience. 

First Call Resolution (FCR)

AI Virtual Agents can help improve First Contact Resolution rates by accurately responding to incoming requests in a timely manner. An AI Virtual Agent will identify the customer’s needs and provide an appropriate response without the need for human intervention. A timely response is a great contribution to customer satisfaction. 

Call centers without operators are still a myth

While Virtual Agents can provide a number of benefits for customers and business owners, they cannot replace human operators entirely. Your customers may have deep questions and want to talk with a live manager. The best use of Virtual Agents is to supplement existing customer service teams. By directing routine calls to automated virtual agents, live operators can focus on empathetic, creative, and high-level problem-solving. 

All in all, Virtual Agents are rapidly becoming an integral part of call centers worldwide. They provide customers with fast and efficient service while reducing costs for companies and organizations. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that automated voice services will become even more sophisticated and efficient in the future.