What is Digital?

The technical definition of digital is: The representation or transmission of data expressed in binary code.

However, the use of the term digital has expanded to mean much more than this. Businesses view "digital" as the many ways they have available to interact with consumers, using digital channels such as social media, mobile apps, and mobile messaging tools. Always connected consumers have demanded it and organizations have responded with rich content, personalized offers and creative interactions.

The proliferation of digital channels has transformed how businesses provide customer service. Customers can choose to chat with an agent online or have their issue solved via Twitter. And mobile apps and home electronic assistants have empowered more customers to self-serve. Some companies offer video chat for more high-touch assistance. Consumers value choice, and digital channels have enabled organizations to give it to them.

This has, of course, had a significant impact on customer service organizations. Call centers have had to transform into contact centers that can support these digital channels. Agents have to be proficient in digital channel support, workforce managers need to forecast and schedule for multiple channels, and contact center technology has to route and automate digital interactions. It's a substantial undertaking, but also the price of doing business in the digital world.