Revolutionizing Contact Center Performance: Ozonetel’s AI-Powered Insights Unveiled in 2023 Report

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, the convergence of artificial intelligence and automation has ushered in a transformative wave, reshaping the very foundations of contact center performance. At the forefront of this revolution stands Ozonetel, a trailblazing omnichannel and AI-powered customer experience platform provider. The culmination of their groundbreaking endeavor is unveiled in the pages of the “State of Contact Center Report,” a comprehensive study that illuminates the profound insights gleaned from 10 million calls coursing through Ozonetel’s Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform. Across diverse industries spanning e-commerce, healthcare, education, insurance, fintech & NBFC, banking, real estate, and logistics, this report not only captures the essence of the technological metamorphosis but also paints a vivid portrait of the evolving customer experience landscape.

AI-led automation has brought about a transformative wave in the realm of contact center performance, marking a pivotal moment in the business landscape. The findings of a comprehensive study, “The State of Contact Center Report,” conducted by Ozonetel, a prominent omnichannel and AI-powered customer experience platform provider, shed light on compelling insights into customer experience and contact center performance across diverse industry verticals. This analysis is based on a substantial sample of 10 million calls made on Ozonetel’s Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) platform by hundreds of thousands of agents spanning sectors such as e-commerce, healthcare, education, insurance, fintech & NBFC, banking, real estate, and logistics.

Key findings from the study indicate a significant enhancement in customer engagement, with a remarkable 41% reduction in abandonment rates. Agents demonstrated increased efficiency by answering calls 10% faster on average compared to the previous year. Moreover, customers were 15% more likely to answer calls from businesses this year, underlining a positive shift in consumer behavior. The overall efficiency of agents in handling inbound conversations witnessed an impressive 20% improvement.

A deep dive into the performance trends over the past five years unveils noteworthy progress in five critical areas, reflecting the positive impact of AI-led automation on contact center operations.

1. Reduced Abandonment Rates Signal Elevated Customer Experience Standards:
   The ‘Abandon Rate’ metric, indicating the percentage of calls disconnected by callers while in the call queue, showcased a remarkable improvement. In 2023, only 20% of calls were abandoned, compared to 34% in 2022. This improvement can be attributed to the implementation of intelligent automation and call routing, enhancing agent availability and prioritizing customer calls. The shift towards utilizing chat and messaging platforms for simpler interactions aligns with evolving customer preferences for a seamless omnichannel experience.
2. Intelligent Automation Reduces Pickup Time:
   The ‘Average Agent Speed of Answer’ or ‘Pickup Time’ decreased to 6.9 seconds in 2023 from 7.7 seconds in 2022. This reduction is attributed to the implementation of ‘webrtc’ calling and an auto-answer feature, streamlining the connection process. The relaxation of regulations further facilitated this shift, emphasizing the industry’s commitment to efficiency and prompt customer service.
3. AI-Enabled Conversational Intelligence for Agents Reduces Talk Time:
   The ‘Average Talk Time’ metric, indicating the time an agent spends talking to a caller, witnessed a substantial reduction to 2.64 minutes in 2023 from 3.7 minutes in 2022. This improvement is driven by the integration of smart agent assistance and deep CRM integrations, empowering agents with relevant customer data and smart suggestions to resolve queries more efficiently.
4. Automated Call Dispositions Reduce Wrap Time:
   ‘Wrap Time’ or the time used by agents for post-call administrative tasks decreased to 43.6 seconds from 47.4 seconds in 2022. The integration of AI-provided automated call transcripts and insights played a pivotal role in automating after-call work, contributing to a significant boost in agent efficiency.
5. Improved Connection Rates Indicate Higher Customer Engagement:
   In outbound calling, the ‘Average Contact Rates’ saw a significant increase to 45%, compared to 39% in 2022. This improvement reflects a strategic shift in contact center roles, with a focus on interacting with customers at key points in their journey. Verified business IDs and automated outbound calls contribute to reducing cart abandonment, improving collections, and increasing customer lifetime value.

The Vertical Report Card provides a detailed analysis of industry verticals that outperformed and struggled under various parameters, offering valuable insights for businesses to benchmark their performance. Sectors such as quick commerce, direct-to-consumer (D2C), and banks have maintained high customer service standards throughout 2023.

Prashanth Kancherla, Chief Product Officer at Ozonetel, emphasizes the evolving role of contact centers in the customer journey. He notes that AI’s impact is evident in the improvement of all efficiency metrics, foreseeing further advancements in 2024. AI is expected to free up agents for high-value conversations, deepen customer relationships, and drive business growth.

In conclusion, Ozonetel’s commitment to advancing customer experience through AI-powered solutions positions it as a leader in the Customer Experience (CX) space. With over 2,500 businesses benefiting from its robust, omnichannel platform, Ozonetel continues to simplify, manage, and analyze customer interactions across voice, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, and other digital channels. The integration with CRM and other business applications underscores its dedication to delivering a truly omnichannel experience for customers, paving the way for a future where AI plays a central role in shaping the contact center landscape.

Ozonetel is a cloud communication company that offers contact center solutions powered by AI and automation. Some of the features that Ozonetel provides are:

• Conversational AI: Ozonetel integrates with ChatGPT, a generative AI model, to create intelligent virtual agents and chatbots that can handle customer queries and requests across voice and digital channels.
• Speech Analytics: Ozonetel analyzes customer conversations using natural language processing and understanding, and provides insights on customer sentiment, intent, satisfaction, and feedback.
• Omnichannel Routing: Ozonetel enables seamless and personalized customer interactions across multiple channels, such as voice, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Intercom.

Some of the other companies that offer AI and RPA solutions for contact centers are:

• Infosys: Infosys is a digital services and consulting company that helps enterprises transform their contact centers with AI and automation. Infosys has launched Infosys Cortex, a cloud-based solution that leverages Google Cloud’s Contact Center AI platform to deliver omnichannel customer experiences.
• Google: Google is a technology giant that offers Google Cloud, a cloud computing platform for businesses. Google Cloud’s Contact Center AI is a platform that enables contact centers to use AI to enhance customer interactions, improve agent productivity, and optimize operations. It consists of four components: Dialogflow, Contact Center Insights, Agent Assist, and Conversational Topic Modeler.
• Automation Anywhere: Automation Anywhere is a leader in robotic process automation (RPA) that helps enterprises automate various tasks and processes. Automation Anywhere has partnered with Google Cloud to integrate its Automation 360 platform with Contact Center AI, which helps virtual agents access all systems and applications in both legacy and modern infrastructure, and complete more complex end-to-end requests.
• Uniphore: Uniphore is a conversational service automation (CSA) company that provides AI and automation solutions for contact centers. Uniphore has acquired an exclusive third party license for RPA technology from NTT DATA, which helps drive innovation and deliver intelligent front office automation for modern contact centers.
• C-ZENTRIX: C-ZENTRIX is a cloud telephony company that offers AI solutions for contact centers. C-ZENTRIX uses AI to improve various aspects of contact center operations, such as quality, compliance, and assurance, as well as customer self-service, engagement, and retention.

Let me try to explain what these companies are telling about AI and RPA in contact centers. Here are some key points from each company:

• Infosys: Infosys stands as a worldwide frontrunner in digital services and consulting. They have published a report on how AI and automation can transform contact centers and make them more resilient, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. They have also launched Infosys Cortex, a cloud-based solution powered by Google Cloud’s Contact Center AI, which helps enterprises deliver personalized and omnichannel customer experiences.
• Google: Google is a technology giant that offers various products and services, including Google Cloud, which provides cloud computing solutions for businesses. Google Cloud’s Contact Center AI is a platform that enables contact centers to use AI to enhance customer interactions, improve agent productivity, and optimize operations². It consists of four components: Dialogflow, which builds conversational agents; Contact Center Insights, which analyzes customer interactions; Agent Assist, which provides real-time assistance to human agents; and Conversational Topic Modeler, which identifies topics and trends from customer conversations.
• Justcall: Justcall is a cloud-based phone system that allows businesses to make and receive calls from anywhere. Justcall uses AI to improve various aspects of contact center operations, such as call routing, speech analytics, quality assurance, and customer engagement. Justcall also integrates with other AI-powered tools, such as Google Dialogflow, IBM Watson, and Amazon Lex, to provide virtual agents and chatbots for customers.

As we stand at the precipice of a new era in customer interaction, the commitment of pioneers like Ozonetel to advancing the realm of customer experience through AI-powered solutions becomes a beacon guiding the industry forward. With over 2,500 businesses reaping the benefits of its robust, omnichannel platform, Ozonetel stands as a testament to the potential of harnessing artificial intelligence to simplify, manage, and analyze customer interactions across an array of communication channels. As we gaze toward the future, where the orchestration of AI plays a central role in shaping contact center landscapes, Ozonetel’s vision is not merely a glimpse into 2023 but a roadmap to what lies beyond—an era where human and artificial intelligence harmonize to redefine the very essence of customer engagement. The narrative woven by the “State of Contact Center Report” serves not just as a reflection of the present but as a compass guiding businesses into a future where the fusion of technology and empathy propels us into a new echelon of customer-centric excellence.