During lockdown, real-time customer service is an advantage

Quick responses to customer concerns—sent over a bevy of communication tools—have become more important amid the pandemic. “Because of the current COVID-19 quarantine situation, companies are engaging more with their customers and making sure they’re there for them real-time,” said Charist Montenegro, country manager of Infobip, a cloud communication platform.

To streamline customer service, Infobip developed Conversations, an omnichannel solution that allows agents to communicate with customers over multiple channels—Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, e-mail, voice, and live chat, among others—in a single workspace. 

By managing these channels with Conversations, the context of customer interactions is maintained, said Ms. Montenegro. “Most of our customers in the logistics industry, for instance, are able to engage with their customers by providing up-to-date information about the status of their deliveries,” she said.

“The traditional platform is limited and expensive. Digital is more scalable and meets customer demands by letting them choose the communication channel they prefer,” Ms. Montenegro added, citing a survey that found 86% will pay for better customer experience.

Cloud communication platforms serve a vast range of verticals, including business process outsourcing, utilities, retail, e-commerce, logistics, and banks. Infobip itself covers 75% of the local banking sector.

Also integrated within the Conversations support channel are features such as agents’ productivity monitoring, workflow management, customer sentiment analysis, and related analytics. Part of the work can be done offline, giving agents more time to focus on higher-level tasks. — P. B. Mirasol