Call Deflection: How Knowledge Management Platform Helps Re-route Calls

Rerouting calls to digital channels is one solution to better attend to customers’ queries.

Call deflection is the act of reducing the number of calls at your contact center through alternate means such as assisted digital channels, self-service, etc. call deflection is the need of the hour.

It is a winning strategy from all perspectives: the customer, the agent, and the organization.

How does call deflection help?

Call deflection can happen through multiple means. Some call deflection methods include messaging, diverting customers to social media accounts, email, etc. No matter what channel, it collectively helps with the following:

1. Gives instant support

• Customers dislike long hold times or waiting for a call for too long. There is no way an agent at the contact center might rush through calls to answer all customers. Even if it does happen, it takes a toll on the agent.
• The customer is given instant support by rerouting calls or call deflection. If the agent cannot receive a customer’s call, they can be directed to any digital channel. This either gives an idea of when the customer would be attended to or offers alternate solutions on the digital channel until an executive can get to their problem.

2. Enhances CX

• The ultimate goal of any contact center is to achieve a positive customer experience. But with no call deflection, calls would not be rerouted, and customers would be left hanging, which is not considered good service. To improve upon this situation, call deflection must be adapted.
• When customers’ problems are addressed immediately or at least informed about when an executive can get back to them, it leaves customers in a declared state rather than hanging. If digital channels can provide customers solutions without needing an agent, it contributes to an enhanced customer experience.

3. Improves productivity

• When an agent has too many calls to attend to, it becomes a burden and a huge task to consistently deliver to all customers without a miss. It will significantly help an agent reduce the load if the number of calls is reduced.
• Call deflection makes an agent’s work easier by deflecting calls from customers whose problems can be solved through self-service. This could be in the form of articles, FAQs, etc., that the customer can go through by themselves and not require an agent to get to the solution.

4. Reduces support costs

• When we look at it, the solution to managing more incoming calls at the call center is hiring more agents to attend these calls. It is, however, not a financially feasible option to hire every time there is an influx of calls. An intelligent solution to this problem is having your digital channels well-equipped to answer customers’ questions.
• Solutions like an AI chatbot backed by a knowledge base for customer service or answers through emails, and articles that help understand the crux of the situation to prepare a customer better, all help at least a bit and eventually help decrease support costs. Effective solutions through self-service portals mean fewer support costs.

How Knowledge management makes the perfect pair for call deflection?

Now that we have understood how call deflection can help, we need to know how it can be powered. This information is organized and put out to customers at the right time. Knowledge management software helps with all needs for call deflection. 

Knowledge management software, like Knowmax, with features to make call deflection, is readily available on a need basis. At Knowmax, we have features that make call deflection a smooth business process.

1. AI-backed knowledge base

• If your customer cannot reach out to a call center agent, you can redirect your customer to a chatbot. Chatting with an AI-based chatbot with complete access to your knowledge base makes the customer feel like they are having an honest conversation with an actual human.
• A knowledge base enables the AI-powered chatbot to find solutions the customer is looking for by accessing the information on a single platform. So with this, you can deflect calls to the call center and answer your customer’s queries to their point of satisfaction.

2. Decision trees

• Another feature your AI-backed chatbot can be empowered with is a decision tree. An agent at a contact center usually uses decision trees to make customers call short and crisp while getting to the solution in a few steps. Similar is the case of decision trees on a chatbot for self-service.
• When you have a knowledge base pushing out information for you, you can present it in decision trees. Decision tree software for call centers offers a multiple-choice environment for the customer to choose the problem and find the appropriate solution.

3. Visual guides

• Imagine a customer has bought your product, but the guides have not been clear about how to use the product. When customers are confused about how to use a product or avail of a service, they are bound to call for help. How knowledge base software comes into the picture is you can create step-by-step guidelines for using a particular product.
• For example: If a customer just bought a gadget, they can go to your website or any place you are accessible to go through visual guides. Visual guides have the screenshot while circling the same option to click. These guides make customer self-service seem effortless.

4. FAQs and articles

• If you have just launched a product or have repetitive questions about a similar thing at your contact centers, a wise thing to do about this is to have guides like FAQs and articles for access to the customers, so they do not have to call and ask you the same thing over and again.
• Pushing out knowledge through an internal knowledge base makes handling calls easier for agents. It has self-service options for customers who can avoid calling for queries that can be answered through self-service portals on digital channels. Having FAQs could lessen your call traffic and let contact center agents focus more on other complex customer calls.

Conclusion

Implementing a DIY knowledge base and adopting knowledge management software practices help re-routing or call deflection. Call deflection through self-service is a necessity, especially since one needs to consider that customers do not want to wait for a long time to get their turn and then be answered. 

This also makes an agent’s job easy as they would have less call traffic, decreasing hold time. Call deflection methods by implementing knowledge base management software help improve customer experience.