Hybrid work is here to stay. Recent research shows that 90% of employees want flexibility in when and where they work. Hybrid work offers just that, providing employees with the option to work remotely, while some work from a physical location.
While businesses are still considering their journey toward hybrid work, it’s worth recognising its benefits. Offering a blend of office and remote options can boost employee experiences, drive up engagement with work (meaning better client experiences) and enable businesses to tap into bigger talent pools that aren’t tied to a specific location.
However, for the hybrid model to work, investing in the right technology is vital. And for customer-centric organizations, choosing the best tools to support hybrid work is particularly key. For that reason, we spoke with Jeff Reekers, Chief Marketing Officer of Aircall, the leading cloud-based call centre and phone system, about how hybrid work can unlock incredible customer experiences.
A productive future for hybrid contact centres
The sudden shift to remote work that took place at the start of the pandemic busted the myth that productivity was only possible in the physical office. Rather than battling low productivity, Reekers saw that the real challenge businesses faced was finding the technology to rapidly provide teams with the right tools and support to do a great job, wherever they were.
“We didn’t migrate to the cloud. Aircall was born in the cloud. It was designed to be remote-first so we were able to support our partners as they rapidly scaled remote operations,” Reekers explains. Aircall’s cloud-native approach has enabled them to meet the hybrid needs of customer service teams who traditionally would have a wide range of tools at their disposal and, in legacy operations, standalone hardware.
“Our solution works with virtually any device—desktop or mobile—and we have a robust feature set designed to adapt to any business’s needs. But most importantly, we also have the leading app ecosystem for voice. That means dozens of tools businesses are already using, from CRM to AI transcription tools, can be seamlessly integrated with Aircall,” Reekers explains, emphasising how the tool is ready to adapt to any remote environment.
Creating meaningful customer experiences with real-time intelligence
Two essential requirements for great hybrid customer support work that Reekers highlights are trust and real-time intelligence. “In a hybrid work environment, you have to put your team in the driving seat and empower them to make the right decisions for customers in real-time,” he notes.
The unparalleled app ecosystem Aircall provides is clearly an important part of that empowerment, putting everything—from AI-powered assistance to a customer’s sales history—instantly at their fingertips.
However, while agents need autonomy in their roles, hybrid work doesn’t need to lead to a lack of transparency or accountability. Reekers is keenly aware that in the world of customer support, listening, learning and adapting is key. Customer demands move quickly, and having oversight of those interactions is vital for businesses looking to keep delivering great experiences.
“We give both agents and the business a full 360-degree view of the customer in real-time,” Reekers says.
“This means businesses can ensure agents are properly trained and supported, and those agents are able to gauge performance and adapt on the go,” he explains. “As companies shift further toward hybrid work, they’ll be investing in these solutions because customer expectations are only growing. Enabling agents not just to deliver on those expectations but to exceed them and delight customers is a critical driver of competitive advantage in today’s world”
Clearly, Aircall’s vision is resonating in the hybrid future of work, with thousands of global businesses choosing the cloud-based call centre and phone system to deliver brilliant experiences for their customers.
Find out more about Aircall’s cloud contact centre platform.
