Advances in call center hardware and software technology have enabled support teams to cut down many common call center issues.
Of all the businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, call centers saw unique challenges, with a huge increase in call volume and difficult calls, and many call centers moving their employees into remote settings for extended periods.
According to a 2020 study by Harvard Business Review, during the pandemic difficult calls increased by 50% overall. Call service reps were not equipped yet with more advanced technology solutions to automatically route calls, and as a result there was a 68% increase in escalations as reps tried to deal with customer complaints.
This process of manual routing and escalation resulted in a 34% increase in hold times during early phases of the pandemic. Customer service reps were further challenged with remote work and unreliable internet connections, along with a lack of coherence with the rest of their team and leadership.
