For customer care teams, a new McKinsey report paints a stark reality. They’re handling more calls than ever – with increasingly fewer agents. Leaders are looking for ways to maintain call capacity while driving down costs.
One solution: make sure teams have the right tech. With app-free visual support software, agents can efficiently diagnose customer concerns at scale. The result: faster problem-solving, fewer truck rolls, and happier customers – all of which save companies money. Here, I’ll show you how.
#1: Cut Your Cost Per Call via Faster Problem-Solving
Many agents know how tough it can be to solve customer problems over the phone. Here’s an all-too-familiar scenario:
- A customer calls in with a problem.
- The customer struggles to clearly describe their issue over just an audio call.
- Without the right information, the agent can’t easily troubleshoot.
- The call drags on, and both sides grow frustrated.
Calls like these don’t generate more revenue – they take time away from other customers. And as agents handle higher call volumes, that time investment becomes costly.
With app-free video support tools, agents can slash their time to resolution. Here’s how the tech works:
- From their smartphone or tablet, a customer taps a link to video-call an agent – no app download needed.
- The customer uses their device camera to show the agent their problem.
- The agent – seeing the customer’s environment for the first time – helps the customer troubleshoot, using augmented reality (AR) markup tools to circle points of interest on their own screen.
Visual support software helps agents get eyes on the problem so they can quickly identify solutions. There’s another benefit, too: something I call “visual empathy.”
When agents and customers can see each other face to face, they can connect with each other on a human level. That connection fosters frictionless collaboration. Agents can solve issues faster and help more customers. This offsets your per-call expenses – a big boost to your company’s bottom line.
#2: Limit Unessential Spending with Fewer Truck Rolls
When calls start to drag on, many agents play things safe and order an in-person tech dispatch. The problem: each truck roll comes with hidden costs.
Let’s say an agent can’t resolve a customer’s microwave issue on the first call. They send out a tech for in-person servicing – about an hour commute round-trip. After testing some solutions, the tech opts for a full microwave replacement to keep the customer happy.
The company pays for something at every stage: fuel, vehicle wear and tear, and a zero-profit replacement product. At scale, these costs add up.
With app-free visual support tools, agents can solve more problems in one call. This way, you only pay for essential truck rolls – and save on unnecessary dispatches.
#3: Spend Less on New Customers with Better Customer Loyalty
Audio calls don’t just hurt agent’s efficiency – they tank customer satisfaction, too.
In many cases, the customer’s problem just isn’t coming through. The agent keeps asking to clarify. The customer keeps re-explaining things. And the longer the call drags on, the more frustrated the customer gets.
But in-person dispatches don’t always help. Customers often wind up in limbo, waiting days or weeks for a resolution. By that time, their entire experience has soured.
After a bad support experience, customers may choose a different company altogether. You lose a revenue source – and have to spend big on customer acquisition.
Here, app-free visual support tech can help. Because video-enabled agents solve problems faster, they can satisfy more customers and preserve your revenue base.
What’s more, after each video call, a knowledge library can capture the resolution step after each video call. Then, an AI engine can recommend this solution the next time a customer calls a support agent.
The result: a valuable support experience that keeps customers happy and loyal while keeping support teams upskilled, efficient, and knowledgeable.
Stay Competitive with the Right Tech
The trend of costlier, higher-volume calls isn’t going away. McKinsey’s customer care report found that 58 percent of leaders expect even more calls by the end of 2023.
That’s why improving the customer care experience remains care leaders’ top priority. The right tech investments can help. With visual support tools, AI assistance, and AR capabilities, companies can satisfy customer needs at scale. This way, they’ll stay competitive in the long run.
About the Author
Rama Sreenivasan is cofounder and CEO at Blitzz, a live, remote video support and inspection platform.
Rama has led the company through its initial inception, launch, and subsequent growth to several million video support minutes per month. Major customers include BMW, Sealy, Fedex, and Rogers telecommunications.
Before founding Blitzz in 2017, Rama spent several years working as a scientist and educator. His biggest joy comes from helping others solve their problems and he is passionate about finding effective ways to disseminate knowledge.
Rama has a PhD and MS in chemical engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also did his post doctoral research at MIT in Cambridge, Boston.
