Reason #1 - Video Lets You See What the Customer Sees
Marcus is thirsty.
He’s been working in his yard all morning. It’s hot and those weeds won’t pull themselves.
All Marcus wants is a tall glass of ice water from his new refrigerator.
The machine is not cooperating. That’s why he called for help.
“The light goes on,” he says. “I hear a noise, but nothing comes out.”
Marcus doesn’t want a link to a PDF manual.
He doesn’t want to spend 30 minutes troubleshooting.
Marcus wants a cold drink.
You can hear his frustration, but without video, you can’t SEE what Marcus sees.
If you connected on video, he could show you what’s wrong and you could show him exactly how to make it right.
But without video, solving his problem takes longer.
Contact centers who limit their agents to voice and text, are asking them to solve customer problems with their eyes covered.
Take off the blindfolds and let them see what the customers see.
When you add video to your contact center toolbox, you give every team member a customer’s-eye-view. Problems get solved faster and customers like Marcus end up happier.
Reason #2 - Video Fosters Empathy
Carol said her neighborhood was on the news.
“Last night’s storm made a mess,” she said. “Next door lost both cars to a massive oak.”
Because she called on video, it’s easy to see that Carol is upset.
Her eyes teared up as she spoke.
Nothing happened to Carol’s house, but she’s worried.
She’s worried about more storms forecast for next week and the “big old trees.” And she’s particularly worried about the rustic barn out back.
In November, Carol’s oldest daughter is getting married in that barn and she needs it in one piece.
She called her insurance company to make sure the barn was covered because she couldn’t remember. She apologized for sounding silly.
Because Carol called on video, the agent could tell her that yes, the barn was covered and there was no need to apologize. She could say a few things to make Carol feel better.
“Weddings are a big deal.”
“Feel free to call back anytime if you have a question. We’re here to help.”
The agent could see Carol’s relief… followed by a sigh and smile.
Using video, representatives can introduce themselves as individuals, show genuine empathy, and establish a stronger connection with customers, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.
Reason #3 - Video Can Quickly Solve Complex Problems
It’s a familiar scene in action movies: Our brave hero has only 30 seconds to diffuse a bomb that could destroy the whole city.
A desperate call is placed to the bomb expert, who tells our hero to “cut the blue wire.”
Unfortunately, ALL of the wires are blue.
If we had half an hour, the expert could talk our hero through the process of finding the RIGHT blue wire.
If we had 20 minutes, the bomb expert could retrieve and send detailed PDF instructions for dismantling this particular model of bomb.
But the clock is ticking and time is NOT on our side.
Fortunately, the expert called using video, so our hero pointed his phone camera and was told to “Cut the lighter blue wire on the far left.”
Snip. Sigh. Two seconds to spare. Video saves the day!
Video can help make short work of complex problems.
Some customer issues may require visual demonstrations or explanations. Using video, agents can share step-by-step instructions or visually troubleshoot complex problems, leading to faster and more effective issue resolution.
There’s a big difference between saving a city and closing a customer complaint, but it still feels good to be a hero.
Reason #4 - Video Delivers a More Human Experience
Robert is a normal guy.
He’s just a little old-fashioned.
He doesn’t believe that AI is out to take over the world. He just doesn’t like chatbots. Or email. Or texts.
He’d rather talk to a human being.
If you give Robert the option to connect to video support?
He’ll choose it every single time.
Is it because video adds a personal touch to customer service interactions?
Is it because on a human-to-human level, non-verbal cues like facial expressions and body language can be better interpreted, improving the overall experience for both customer and agent?
Or is it because a visual support session can be the most consistent way of achieving first contact resolution (FCR)?
“All of the above, I guess,” Robert might say. “But I just like to see who I’m talking to.”
It’s not just Robert who prefers human interaction.
According to PwC, 59% of all consumers feel companies have lost touch with the human element of customer experience.
And 82% of U.S. and 74% of non-U.S. consumers want more of it in the future.
Looking for a more constructive way to connect with customers? Video instantly delivers a more human experience.
Reason #5 - The Future of Customer Service is Visual
When it comes to the art and science of solving customer problems, contact centers have always been quick to embrace new technology.
The telephone reigned as the undisputed Heavyweight Champ of Customer Service since its inbound debut in the late 1950s. Billions of issues have been solved with a phone call and enterprise contact centers relied on voice alone for decades.
Innovations like automatic call distribution (ACD) and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) supercharged the ability to handle larger call volumes.
And the rise of computers turned contact centers into fine-tuned customer service machines. Email, texts and chatbots added even more speed, convenience and clarity.
Today, the most successful service organizations are going beyond just listening, talking and typing. They understand that the future of service is visual.
Instead of “tell me what’s wrong,” agents can say, “Show me the problem and I’ll show you how to fix it.”
Most importantly, video is what customers are asking for.
