Call Center Speech Analytics: Benefits for Remote Workforce

Run your virtual contact center more efficiently and effectively.

What are the benefits of call center speech analytics when managing a remote workforce? Here are our top tips and considerations

Contact centers currently managing their workforces remotely face a myriad of challenges around agent performance, quality, and compliance. When deployed properly and used to its full potential, a speech analytics tool can be incredibly useful, not just in addressing these challenges, but also in creating opportunities to drastically reduce risk, identify and scale best practices, and unlock your calls as an unprecedented source of insight for your business. 

What follows are our top tips for how speech analytics can help you to run your virtual contact center more efficiently and effectively, and the main things to consider when choosing a tool.

What are speech analytics?

Speech analytics is a tool that “listens” to and analyzes call center conversations for the purpose of gathering data, improving future interactions and strengthening call center compliance. Delivered as part of a cloud call center software platform, speech analytics can not only identify the words and phrases a customer uses but glean meaning from them. 

In many cases, speech analytics software can also determine the sentiment of a conversation, which is helpful in understanding the customer’s state of mind. Real-time speech analysis can be deployed to give agents instant tips for how best to proceed with a call based on the customer’s language and emotions. For example, an agent might engage in some small talk or recommend an upsell for a customer who’s in a positive mood, whereas they might tread more lightly with one who’s impatient or angry.

Another function of speech analytics is to take the raw audio from a recorded phone conversation and use speech to text to turn it into structured, searchable data. This is immensely powerful for quality management purposes, giving you a vast reference pool for future training sessions. Any past conversation can be tracked down by searching for a keyword, just like with a search engine, which gives call centers a massive body of data to use for drawing business insights (more on this below). 

The benefits of speech analytics software when managing a remote workforce: Our top tips and considerations 

Drastically reduce risk by monitoring all interactions.

Even if you record 100% of your calls, due to sheer volume, it would be impossible to listen to them all. That’s why, on average, around 98% of contact center interactions go unmonitored or unreviewed. Remote work only exacerbates this problem, as managers are unable to walk the floor, listen in on calls, and get a general feel for the quality of interactions taking place in their contact center. 

Speech analytics tools allow you to improve upon this rate exponentially, taking you from 2% of calls reviewed to 100%. The basic process with most solutions goes as follows: you upload your calls, they are transcribed by advanced AI and then analyzed based on keywords and phrases chosen by you, to match your business needs. This data is then used by the platform to automatically populate customizable scorecards, though be careful, as some solutions will charge extra for that. 

Useful tools will then allow you to create reports; view aggregated data and surface trends using a vast range of data points, from keywords and sentiment to any call metadata you desire. Done well, this will transform your ability to identify and understand performance, quality, and regulatory risks in your organization. And, by understanding these customer interactions you can create effective handling strategies be they self-service workflows or triggered automations.

Be alerted to emerging risk, fast.

Leveling up your quality and risk management processes is, of course, important, but some incidents need to be spotted and addressed immediately. With your workforce all at home, it’s impossible to say what problematic behaviors could occur on unmonitored calls in an uncontrolled environment.

If and when the worst occurs, you want to be informed as quickly as possible. By using the same keyword, phrase, and sentiment recognition technology as the above, the best speech analytics tools can be configured to provide you with custom alerts and notifications. These can be completely customizable by you, set up to notify the most appropriate people on your team, and alert you to risk in close to real-time. Applied to 100% of calls, this is going to reduce the chance of something risky slipping through unnoticed to a fraction of what it was before.

Understand call sentiment when you have no managers on the floor

It’s impossible to replace the value of having an experienced manager walk the contact center floor, listen in on phone calls, and generally get a feel for the team’s morale and performance. However, an advanced speech analytics tool can help you go a long way to filling this void. 

The best tools use advanced AI to measure the sentiment of all of your calls accurately. The most obvious and foremost benefit of this is going to be the insight it will give into your customer experience. However, it will also allow you to keep an eye on your team’s morale and how they are dealing with the lockdown, given the potential for stress and feelings of isolation that it represents.

How are your customers being affected?

Of course, while they might be your most immediate concern, your agents are not the only ones being affected by our current situation. With public health, job losses and social isolation being just a few of the issues that we are facing right now, it’s highly likely that the way that your customers need and want to interact with your business has changed.

While we can make assumptions about these effects, to truly understand this dynamic takes data and insight. This is where speech analytics comes in. You’ll be not only able to gauge overall sentiment but also use intelligent search, word clouds, and trend data from hundreds of thousands of calls to uncover your customers’ specific concerns and what they need from your business. The insights are not only going to help you provide a great customer experience but will also help to inform the operational, marketing, and coaching strategies needed to adapt to these extraordinary circumstances.

Identify and scale best practices.

Of course, more insight often leads to more questions, and the next layer to peel back once you have identified your customer’s current concerns is understanding how your agents are dealing with this. Depending on the function of your business, it could be very likely that they’re having a much higher volume of sensitive conversations than they were under normal circumstances.

For the sake of your business’s reputation and customer and client retention, these conversations must be handled appropriately and effectively. With speech analytics, not only can you monitor effectively for this, but you can also far more easily identify the best examples of high-performing agents doing it well.

That’s also one of the main benefits of speech analytics more generally. With the ability to analyze both the linguistic details and overall sentiment of 100% of your calls, you are far more empowered to uncover the best practices that already exist in your organization. 

Improve your ability to train and coach agents, even as they are working from home

Most speech analytics tools will allow you to uncover not only agent best practice but also the other side of the coin – poor performance. However, only the best tools have built-in functionality to allow you to translate this insight directly into training and coaching strategies. That means being able to search and retrieve the most important calls, manually review them while adding notes and tagging specific parts of the audio, and then distributing these to teams or individuals as coaching resources – all while working remotely.

These capabilities will allow you to provide detailed, objective, targeted feedback to your agents wherever they are, whether you are looking to support underperformers, or scale the talents of a shining star across your whole team.

Gain invaluable business insights.

The best source material for making improvements to your business is real data from your agents and customers. When everyone’s working remotely, though, you lack that finger on the pulse of what’s going on in your office and with your customers. Think of speech analytics as your personal barometer for how things are going and what needs your attention. 

Call center speech analytics can help you find out:

• Why do customers call? By identifying the top five or ten reasons people make contact, you can develop self-service resources to divert calls away from live agents and better prepare agents to deal with those issues that are more complex. 
• Which agents are excelling and which are falling short. These findings may be surprisingly different from those of your regular QA program and can help you identify additional coaching opportunities. 
• What types of coaching are needed. Not all agents who are struggling need help with the same thing. Speech analytics can identify who needs more training with the technical side of things versus who could use some more coaching on how to deal with challenging callers. 
• The reason for holds and transfers. You’ll likely see some patterns for why customers are being made to wait, which can help you figure out where agents need better coaching, where your workflows are falling short or where gaps exist in how your agents collaborate.

Checklist: Things to consider when choosing a call center speech analytics solution

Ease of implementation and ongoing use

Now might not be the time for a lengthy integration project to adopt new technology – something that could lead to both financial and logistical challenges. Nor is it necessarily a good time to be hiring new data analysts and call center speech analytics experts.

When you are reviewing your options for a speech analytics tool, think about these things:

• Will it require on-premises technology, or is it cloud-based?
• How long and complicated is the implementation process?
• How easily will it integrate with my existing platform and processes?
• Will I require in-house analyst expertise to use the tool and access insights?

Security

All contact centers have security concerns, especially if they are taking payments, and scattering of agents to private locations has only magnified these. The main two things to consider with regards to speech analytics in this area are:

• Are calls being uploaded via a secure FTP to a PCI compliant platform?
• Is the transcription AI sophisticated enough to redact sensitive data from the call transcripts automatically?

Speed to insight

Things move fast and alerts and notifications, particularly, are only as effective as the speed with which they can be received. 

It’s worth finding out how fast the process of upload, processing, analysis, and feedback will take. The best tools will provide this intraday, but some companies will charge extra for this service.

Hidden charges

Speed is not the only thing that some companies charge extra for. Think hard about what capabilities speech analytics can offer, and which of these are going to be most valuable for your business. Then consider that some companies will charge extra for things like:

• Automated scorecards
• Call tagging
• Data exports
• Speaker separation
• Sensitive data redaction
• Ongoing support and consultation

So, hopefully, we have demonstrated that, while there is a lot to consider when choosing a call center speech analytics solution, deployed well, it can offer a vast range of benefits – especially in the context of managing your operation remotely. 

At its core, it’s about being able to unlock the potential of hundreds of thousands of your business’s interactions as a source of data for your business, and then having the tools you need to turn that data into insight-led strategies. Done well, it can transform your customer and agent experience, drastically reduce risk, and allow you to introduce operational efficiencies that will drive your bottom line.

Speech Analytics FAQs

What are speech analytics?

Speech analytics is a tool that “listens” to and analyzes call center conversations for the purpose of gathering data, improving future interactions and strengthening call center compliance.

How can my contact center benefit from speech analytics?

Harnessing the benefits of speech analytics can propel your contact center’s efficiency and customer interactions to new heights. This technology offers a multitude of advantages that can revolutionize your operations:

– Enhanced customer experience: One of the benefits of speech analytics is that it allows you to delve into customer conversations, revealing insights into preferences, pain points, and expectations. By understanding customers deeply, your agents can personalize interactions for lasting relationships.

– Performance optimization: Tracking agent performance can pose challenges. Speech analysis aids with real-time call monitoring, identifying improvement areas, successful strategies, and actionable feedback. This empowers agents to refine skills, regardless of location.

– Data-driven decision making: Speech analytics provides comprehensive data on customer trends, agent efficiency, and emerging issues. Bridging the gap for decision-makers, it can help you make informed choices that drive operations forward.

– Compliance and risk management: Speech analytics helps you ensure compliance with industry regulations and internal protocols. It detects breaches, safeguarding your brand’s reputation and minimizing legal complications in customer interactions.

– Operational efficiency: Streamlining your contact center operations is vital. Speech analytics identifies workflow bottlenecks, optimizing processes for reduced costs and improved resource allocation.

– Empowering remote agents: Remote work can lead to agent isolation. Another of the benefits of speech analytics is that it offers real-time insights, enabling timely support and acknowledgment for a motivated and empowered remote workforce.

– Trend identification: Speech analytics identifies industry trends promptly, enabling your contact center to adapt strategies. This agility positions your workforce as trendsetters.

Embrace the benefits of speech analytics to revolutionize customer experiences, optimize operations, and empower agents. This technology equips your contact center with the tools it needs for virtual excellence.

How does contact center analytics software enhance performance?

Contact center analytics software, often referred to as call center analytics software, serves as a dynamic catalyst in enhancing the performance of remote workforces. This powerful tool goes beyond surface-level interactions, delving into the intricacies of customer conversations to extract valuable insights and drive continuous improvement.

One of the primary ways call center analytics software boosts performance is through comprehensive data analysis. It meticulously examines a vast array of customer interactions, identifying patterns, trends, and customer sentiments. This deep analysis empowers remote agents with a profound understanding of customer preferences, pain points, and expectations. Armed with this knowledge, agents can personalize interactions, creating genuine connections that resonate with customers, even from a distance.

Furthermore, call center analytics software fosters a culture of continuous improvement. By monitoring and evaluating real-time call data, you can identify areas of improvement in remote agent performance. Successful strategies can be identified and shared across the team, while areas needing enhancement can be addressed promptly through actionable feedback. This iterative process ensures that remote agents refine their skills consistently, regardless of their geographical location.

Remote decision-makers also reap the benefits of call center analytics software. It provides them with a comprehensive view of customer trends, agent efficiency, and emerging issues, bridging the gap between remote workforces and strategic insights. This data-driven decision-making approach enables the alignment of remote operations with overarching business objectives.

Moreover, call center analytics software is pivotal in compliance and risk management. In a dispersed setup, maintaining adherence to compliance standards can be intricate. This software detects compliance breaches, ensuring remote interactions align with industry regulations and internal protocols. By mitigating risks, it safeguards the brand’s reputation and minimizes legal complexities.

In remote workforces, call center analytics software stands as a beacon of empowerment. By harnessing its capabilities, contact centers enhance performance and build lasting customer relationships, drive remote agent development, and enable data-driven decisions that steer operations toward success.

What benefits does a comprehensive contact center analytics solution offer?

A comprehensive call center analytics solution presents a wealth of advantages tailored to the needs of remote workforces. This multifaceted tool helps you transcend the surface of customer interactions, diving deep into conversations to extract invaluable insights that drive efficiency, engagement, and performance.

At its core, a call center analytics solution provides a panoramic view of customer interactions. It analyzes diverse data, uncovering patterns, sentiments, and trends within conversations. This profound understanding enables remote agents to tailor their approach, offering personalized experiences that resonate with customers despite the geographical divide.

The impact on remote agent performance is transformative. With real-time monitoring and analysis, managers can discern strengths and areas for improvement. Successful tactics can be shared and scaled across the remote team, while constructive feedback empowers agents to refine their skills continuously. This results in a consistent enhancement of remote agent capabilities, irrespective of their physical location.

The strategic benefits extend to decision-makers in the remote landscape. A call center analytics solution furnishes them with actionable insights into customer preferences, operational bottlenecks, and emerging trends. This real-time data-driven approach bridges the gap between remote workforces and high-level strategy, ensuring that decisions align with overarching business goals.

Compliance and risk management receive a substantial boost from this solution as well. In a dispersed environment, adhering to compliance standards can be intricate. The analytics solution acts as a vigilant guardian, swiftly detecting deviations and ensuring remote interactions adhere to industry regulations and internal guidelines. This proactive stance safeguards the brand’s reputation and minimizes legal complications.

The comprehensive benefits of a call center analytics solution culminate in a paradigm shift. Remote contact centers become hubs of personalized engagement, thriving agent performance, data-driven decisions, and regulatory adherence. By embracing this solution, remote workforces equip themselves not just to adapt to the challenges of the modern landscape but to excel and innovate.

How does remote contact center software support distributed teams?

Remote call center software is a steadfast ally in supporting distributed teams, transforming challenges into opportunities for enhanced collaboration, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

First and foremost, remote call center software establishes a virtual bridge that connects dispersed agents seamlessly. It offers a centralized platform where remote team members can access real-time customer information, communication history, and operational updates. This fosters a sense of unity and shared purpose, regardless of physical location.

The software’s communication tools transcend the limitations of distance. Remote agents can engage in instant messaging, video conferencing, and collaborative discussions, facilitating swift problem-solving and knowledge sharing. This virtual cohesion bolsters team dynamics and ensures that remote agents feel integrated and valued, even from afar.

Efficiency gains are another hallmark of remote call center software. It streamlines workflows, automates routine tasks, and provides real-time performance metrics. Remote managers can monitor agent activities, track key metrics, and identify trends, all while offering timely feedback for continuous improvement. This data-driven approach empowers remote teams to excel by aligning their efforts with strategic goals.

Customer experience remains paramount, and remote call center software ensures that service quality endures across distances. It enables agents to access a comprehensive view of customer interactions, preferences, and history. This equips them to provide personalized, empathetic support that resonates with customers, cultivating loyalty and satisfaction.

Furthermore, the software fortifies security and compliance measures in the remote landscape. It facilitates adherence to data protection regulations and industry standards, mitigating risks associated with remote interactions and safeguarding sensitive information.

In remotely distributed teams, remote call center software is more than a tool; it’s a transformational enabler. By nurturing connectivity, efficiency, customer-centricity, and security, remote teams can transcend geographical constraints and deliver exceptional results while fostering a cohesive and empowered remote work culture.

Furthermore, the software fortifies security and compliance measures in the remote landscape. It facilitates adherence to data protection regulations and industry standards, mitigating risks associated with remote interactions and safeguarding sensitive information.

In remotely distributed teams, remote call center software is more than a tool; it’s a transformational enabler. By nurturing connectivity, efficiency, customer-centricity, and security, remote teams can transcend geographical constraints and deliver exceptional results while fostering a cohesive and empowered remote work culture

What advantages does speech analytics offer for improving customer interactions?

Speech analytics benefits play a pivotal role in elevating customer interactions to new heights, especially within the context of remote workforces. This technology-driven approach empowers contact centers to profoundly understand, engage, and connect with customers, transcending geographical barriers.

Here are the advantages that speech analytics brings to the forefront for enhancing customer interactions:

1. Actionable insights: Speech analytics benefits include the ability to dive into customer conversations, unearthing nuanced insights about preferences, pain points, and sentiments. These insights guide remote agents to tailor their approach, ensuring each interaction resonates with customers’ unique needs.

2. Personalization: With a comprehensive view of customer interactions, remote agents can craft personalized experiences. This tailored approach creates a sense of connection, fostering lasting relationships and bolstering customer loyalty.

3. Real-time feedback: Speech analytics provides real-time feedback to remote agents during calls. It identifies opportunities for improvement, highlights successful tactics, and suggests actionable steps, enabling agents to refine their approach on the fly.

4. Enhanced empathy: Through speech analytics, remote agents gain a deeper understanding of customer emotions. This heightened empathy allows agents to respond to customers’ feelings with genuine care and concern, irrespective of the physical distance.

5. Issue resolution: By analyzing historical data, speech analytics identifies recurring issues and pain points. This empowers remote teams to address root causes proactively, resulting in quicker and more effective issue resolution.

6. Consistency: Speech analytics sets a standard for consistent customer interactions. It ensures that remote agents follow established scripts, adhere to compliance protocols, and maintain a uniform service quality across all touchpoints.

7. Strategic insights: Speech analytics benefits remote agents and offers strategic insights to decision-makers. By tracking customer trends, emerging issues, and successful strategies, speech analytics informs data-driven decision-making that steers customer interactions in the right direction.

In the realm of remote workforces, speech analytics benefits are a beacon of customer-centricity. Its benefits go beyond operational efficiency, transforming each interaction into an opportunity to create meaningful connections and exceed customer expectations, all while adapting seamlessly to the virtual landscape.