Years back in South Africa, an experiment was performed where a person was to stay in a Johannesburg home and see if he could survive through digital shopping alone. Today, this is a reality. We can live, work and socialise - simply with a connected device.
One thing that still remains pretty much the same as in the past however, is the logistics company. All these goods that we are able to so quickly and easily order online still need to be delivered to us, and so, customer service is a principal to any logistics operation.
However, as Ayesha Borker, solutions consultant at Ocular Technologies' partner company Aspect Software says, most players in this arena suffer due to a lack of cutting-edge innovation in their customer service channels.
She explains that the majority of them are using longstanding systems, having scalability issues while also being stuck with traditional Interactive voice responses that do not serve most of their self-service needs.
"It is quite common to find message boards of their sites filled with complaints of unpleasant agent experiences. These businesses have an immediate need for a holistic and smart customer service model."
She believes that the adoption of cloud technology and embracing the self-service model of the millennial mindset, or "better still the 'bot-brigade'", would go a long way in drastically improving customer satisfaction and agent experience for most logistics firms.
The reason Borker provides is that cloud technology works towards hassle-free speed to market and minimises ownership stakes from a contact centre point of view. Also it allows smaller players access to modern technology.
"With rise of e-commerce and traditional need for goods delivery, it is important that a solution can cater to all kinds of businesses - big or small," she says.
The actual delivery of a package can sometimes result in couriers having to do multiple trips, due to issues such as a person not being at home or not reached on the phone.
Using a natural language processing or a disposable app could go a long way in reducing load on agents and increasing contact centre productivity, explains Borker.
"It is also an easy way for customers to have their queries addressed as most people today prefer to 'see' their answers than 'hear' them."
The logistics industry plays a vital part in the success of the e-commerce industry, and if the logistics industry adopts the latest customer service technology it can only be advantageous for both.
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