What is a CX platform in the context of contact centers?
Customer experience (CX) is the collective result of every customer interaction with a business. Whether it be a Facebook ad, a retail interaction, or an online purchase, a consumer uses the impressions from each touchpoint to form an opinion of the company. Ultimately, the opinion informs decisions, like whether or not to do business with the company. This means every touchpoint matters and needs to be carefully designed, monitored and managed.
The touchpoints that matter most happen in the context of customer support. Customers who need help can form a quick, relationship-altering opinion based on the quality of service they receive. That's why many businesses implement robust, full-featured technical solutions in their contact centers that can also serve as CX platforms.
Businesses use CX platforms to design and implement touchpoints and then monitor the performance of those touchpoints so they can continuously improve them. In contact centers, the CX platform provides customer-facing functionality, the "behind-the-scenes" tools like forecasting and scheduling, and sophisticated analytics tools to assess the quality of customer experience.
As an example, an interactive voice response (IVR) system is a typical component of a CX platform. This is the recorded menu that greets customers when they call support. Callers are getting lost in the menu tree, causing them to bail out of the IVR. Next, they sit in a queue for 15 minutes, waiting to talk to a customer service agent. The agents struggle with the issue causing so much phone volume, which drives up handle time. Altogether, awful customer experience.
A strong CX platform would alert leadership to several issues along the customer journey. First, it would pinpoint places in the IVR where customers are bailing out of the menu at high rates, thus directing redesign efforts. The CX platform would highlight high queue times and facilitate timely intraday staffing adjustments. Next, it would identify call drivers and enable managers to push out information to agents so they can better assist callers. Finally, customer satisfaction scores would let contact center leaders know if these adjustments worked.
This example illustrates how good CX platforms can help businesses control, improve, and monitor customer experience. Contact centers with strong CX platforms can quickly identify problem areas and implement improvements that can lead to more satisfied, loyal customers.
Different Types of Customer Experience Management Platforms
As you venture into enhancing your customer’s journey, it is essential to understand the diverse range of customer experience management platforms available. Each type caters to various facets of customer engagement, communication, analytics, and more. Let's break down the key types:
1. Customer Feedback and Survey Platforms
These platforms focus primarily on collecting customer feedback through surveys, questionnaires, and reviews. They enable businesses to gain insights into customer satisfaction levels and identify areas of improvement.
Example: Qualtrics XM
2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
CRM systems are robust platforms that manage a company’s interactions with current and potential customers. They use customer data to monitor engagement, streamline processes, and improve business relationships.
Example: Salesforce
3. Customer Data Platforms (CDP)
Customer Data Platforms collect and structure customer data from various sources. They create comprehensive customer profiles that can be used for personalized marketing campaigns and behavior analysis.
Example: Adobe Audience Manager
4. Contact Center Platforms
These platforms are essential for businesses that engage with customers over phone calls, emails, or chats. They assist in managing customer communications efficiently, providing support, and maintaining satisfaction.
Example: Genesys Cloud
5. Digital Experience Platforms (DXP)
DXPs offer tools for web content management, digital marketing, and e-commerce. They help create engaging, seamless, personalized experiences across various digital touchpoints.
Example: Adobe Experience Manager
6. Social Media Management Platforms
These platforms focus on managing and optimizing a brand’s presence on social media. They are used to schedule posts, track performance, engage with the audience, and monitor mentions.
Example: Hootsuite
7. Customer Success Platforms
These platforms ensure customers achieve the desired outcomes while using a product or service. They aid in reducing churn and increasing customer lifetime value.
Example: Gainsight
8. Customer Journey Analytics Platforms
These platforms utilize data analytics to analyze the touchpoints across customer interactions and understand customers' paths throughout their lifecycles. They are essential for optimizing customer journeys.
Example: NICE CXone
