Despite suggestions that the rise of digital channels will lead to reduced customer service and contact center outsourcing and a shift away from offshore service delivery, the opposite is the case, and India is set to benefit, according to research from Nelson Hall.
As organizations transform to digital customer experience, they will increasingly implement new digital customer service process models that combine the following:
- High customer-centricity led by customer journey mapping and improved user experience design;
- Increased emphasis on customer retention and sales;
- New technologies, such as cloud-based platforms, natural language processing, analytics, robotic process automation, and machine learning, and new channels, such as cognitive chatbots;
- Improved knowledge base, analytics, and insights; and
- Upskilling of agents to multichannel with focus on digital channels and proactive support.
Digital channels, the study suggests, will lead to greater adoption of customer service outsourcing, with shoring largely unaffected by the introduction of next-generation customer service models. Additionally, increased automation/digitalization will lead to increased activity in India, especially in areas like analytics.
Customer service organizations will increasingly seek help in designing digital services, implementing digital channels and technologies, and applying analytics, where India excels, according to the research, which was presented in the "Digital Customer Experience Services: How India Can Lead the World," report.
Hence, India's CX value proposition will increase, from one based on agent availability and scalability to one of high-skill digital CX center of excellence.
While traditional customer service was largely transactional, with limited multi- and omnichannel provision, India's advantages were based on the availability of a large, willing, and capable talent pool, ease and speed of scalability, and competitive costs. However, in the emerging world of digital CX, India's service delivery will become consultancy/digital transformation-led and provide full digital omnichannel service, researchers concluded.