The year 2015 has been a jam-packed year for the customer service industry. Both customers and brands have played an equally important role in shaping the way customer experience must be delivered.

It s also the year wherein customers are making the demands and setting the pace of customer service. Brands, on the other hand, actively try to woo their customers by fulfilling their wants and needs.

As though these factors weren t enough to drive the entire industry forward, technology is also another key element that shaped some of the biggest trends in delivering call center solutions. In a broad sense, these complex interactions gave birth to the most notable milestones we ve seen so far in the call center industry.

1. The birth of multichannel

True enough, we all can t stop talking about multichannel customer service. What brought this buzz about was the mobile phone, which made the web easily available for most consumers.

As mobile devices surpassed desktop usage, brands responded by offering a variety customer service platforms. A combination of live chat, email, social media, and voice calls is common among outsourcing companies. Other brands are taking it a step further by offering video calls and customer service mobile apps as well.

 

2. A more humanized customer care

Call center automation is indeed rising, and many managers would say that it enhances the way they deliver services. However, if we thought for one second that this might kill authenticity and personalization, it had the opposite effect. This year, there has been a greater clamor for personalized and humanized customer care. Customers expect brands to single them out and make them feel special. This means providing personalized services to cater to customers unique preferences.

 

3. The rise of ecommerce

Ecommerce expanded our view of sales. Online stores are convenient, fast, and easily accessible. It s no wonder every customer in many parts of the world are falling in love with the joy of shopping at their fingertips. But behind the scenes, brands have to innovate the customer management process.

To make ecommerce successful, brands have to prioritize efficiency, alignment of customer channels, and online marketing. Altogether, these components serve as the backbone of online business platforms.

 

4. Web-based self-service tools

Two years ago, we predicted that self-service would also be a game-changer in the customer service industry, along with other forecasts that also came true. To cut customer complaints, call centers are encouraging customers to consult FAQs, instructional manuals, and videos. This also has the added benefit of providing retrievable information that customers may need again.

 

5. Focus on becoming agile

Agility and speed are two of the qualities that matter the most when delivering call center solutions. Brands can t afford to be slow in a time when customers expect everything to happen in an instant. A prerequisite of delivering a smooth and memorable customer experience is the ability adapt to changing trends and to do it fast—of course without compromising quality and branding.

While these achievements may not at all be surprising, looking back at how customer management services have evolved this year will allow brands to think, strategize, and transform in the next few years.