How Can Updated Call Monitoring and Speech Analytics Help My Business?

Call monitoring software can seem insignificant when compared to features like blended call flows, dynamic agent scheduling, and interactive voice response (IVR). But that insignificance is a myth. Call monitoring and recording software offers huge benefits. And, combined with Speech Analytics, those benefits multiply for agents and the bottom line.

Speech Analytics Delivers Insight on Recorded Calls

Why does one agent achieve a higher first-call resolution rate than his colleague? Why does one agent’s customer satisfaction ratings soar while another’s cause grey hair? Numbers will help identify the culprit but can’t give the cause.

Recordings can shine a light on causes. Listening for problematic call types, insufficient servicing, incomplete wrap-up or unclear communication are some immediate wins. Other times, the recording reveals flawless service – but reveal underlying issues that cause dissatisfaction, like: call duration, inefficient call-handling procedures, transfer issues (fewer the better!), call queue waits, SLA seat planning gaps and more.

Powered by CallMiner, TCN’s Speech Analytics speeds the pathway to increased customer satisfaction. By transforming each call into an easy-to-navigate transcript, managers and trainers can quickly identify keywords, phrases, and the audio signals that indicate important moments in a conversation, like: pauses, sighs, voice tension and beyond. Imagine being able to instantly see those critical moments in compliance, like disclosures and agreements, instantly. Or, searching a tag cloud for mistakes like overuse of small talk, unusual delays in processing information that has clearly been spoken by the client, or clear signs of customer frustration. Well, that is the new reality thanks to Speech Analytics.

Call Monitoring Makes Training Targeted and Efficient

Besides leading to better insights, call monitoring and enhanced Speech Analytics can shape the direction and effectiveness of agent training.

• Refresh call handling procedures for those who miss steps in proper servicing.
• Resolve mechanical-sounding agents with training on rapport, call etiquette, active listening (this is tricky over the phone), and transitions into prioritized actions like sales, collection prompts or customer profile data gathering.
• Improve sales and agreement conversations by identifying gaps in objection handling, product and agreement mastery, and again, transitions from other topics back to target activities.
• Analyze the transcript tag cloud to discover mis-steps in compliant disclosures.
• Sift multiple transcripts to look for repetitions of errors that put customer satisfaction or compliance at risk.
• Trigger Speech Analytics alerts for non-compliant phrases, inappropriate language.
• Get a run-down of customer sentiment and agent performance on the call to quickly identify unhappy customers and retrain the agents that helped them.
• Quickly skim sales agreements and agreements to pay through integrated tagging system.

Call Monitoring and Speech Analytics Powers Efficiency

Call monitoring software can also help to identify places where processes and communications break down, i.e., the bottlenecks responsible for decreased efficiency and productivity. By reviewing calls, businesses and call centers gain enhanced visibility into what could be causing the problem. They can then take steps to mitigate the issue, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.

For example, call monitoring software could discover agents sometimes ask faulty questions, leading to lengthy and sometimes circuitous conversations that may or may not solve the customers’ issue. When that occurs, customers call in again, hoping to speak with an agent who can unscramble their dilemma. If the agent were to change their process by asking open-ended, purposeful questions, the situation could change. Customers would get off the call with a positive, relevant outcome in less time, allowing agents to answer and reply to more customers’ queries throughout their scheduled shift.

Speech Analytics and Call Monitoring Reinforce Ethics

Ethical improvements may first appear an unlikely benefit, particularly in light of call monitoring software. But the technology is essential to advancing a company’s ethics. It increases adherence to a business’ mission, values, and service level agreements (SLAs).

It also grows transparency and trust, two factors important to customers. Customers want to purchase from businesses that prove themselves trustworthy. SLAs are one way to guarantee customers receive “service with a smile.” But so is call monitoring software. It monitors every call, ensuring agents fall in line with standard codes of conduct, company policies, and customer agreements.

Call Monitoring Defends Against Compliance Gaps

Finally, call monitoring software offers chances to improve compliance with the TCPA and other regulations. This benefit usually coincides with ethics since compliance acts as a sort of baseline.

But as far as TCPA compliance goes, the call monitoring software provides a safeguard against accidentally asking the wrong questions or misusing personal information. It also offers some protections since the software can be paused while customers share financial or other identifiable data. In doing so, the software helps build a company’s compliance with current laws and guidelines.

Learn how leading businesses improve TCPA compliance with TCN’s guide.

If a business wants to improve agent performance, customer retention, or its reputation, it should examine call monitoring software. The software can affect those three areas positively, leading to increased efficiency, productivity, customer satisfaction, compliance, and profits.