The era of the DTMF voice server is coming to an end. Too cumbersome, too inflexible, and more importantly, no longer meeting the expectations of callers who have become adept at bypassing navigation menus, the touch-tone voice servers are destined to disappear from the customer relationship landscape. Thanks to recent innovations in voice recognition and natural language understanding, voice assistants are outperforming DTMF. Major players in phone-based customer relations trust these assistants to interact directly with their clients and identify their reasons for calling, enabling quick connection to an advisor or an automated service to assist callers.
Because the challenge of voice assistants in customer relations lies here: responding to a caller's request in the simplest and quickest way. In terms of vocal customer relations, the key is to support clients in resolving an issue, rather than engaging in prolonged discussions. Through natural language understanding, the use of a channel suited for simple communication and easily integrated into large companies' information systems, voice assistants naturally fit into the customer call handling process.
The implementation of a conversational assistant for a French telecommunications operator
Pioneering in voice assistants for customer service, Bouygues Telecom continuously improves the comprehension scope of its solution to make it simple and effective. And the effort pays off! Over 30 million calls are directed to the group's customer service representatives or to autonomous modules 24/7 with performance rates exceeding 95%. By optimizing the connection process, the caller experiences smoother and faster handling of their requests, while the operator optimizes call flows to enhance the service provided by its advisors. Indeed, calls are now immediately directed to the right expertise, and the first-contact resolution rate has significantly increased. A win-win relationship is thus established between callers and the operator. It allows giving customers more autonomy when possible or offering expertise and guidance during exchanges between customers and online advisors.
Sensitive to the challenges of data lifecycle and compliance with the GDPR, players like ViaDialog have taken a different path from the cloud services implemented by major international players. By prioritizing data security and a specialized approach for each client, these French companies stand out by offering a personalized experience and full control over the lifecycle of both assistants and data.
Callbots, an operational reality
Today, voice assistants support customer relationship management tools upfront, allowing for easier call handling so that the online advisor can fully focus on the client and their needs. This is not a revolution underway; it's an operational reality contributing to the renewal of the client-advisor relationship. One thing is certain: artificial intelligence will never replace the human relationship but it significantly reduces caller frustrations and offers considerable operational gains. The hybridization of customer relations is no longer a myth or an exploratory field, and in France, hundreds of millions of calls per year are directed through telephone voice assistants. Some players are establishing themselves in this landscape, like ViaDialog, which alone handled over 40 million calls per year in 2019.
Article updated: October 26, 2021
