ICMI is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Advertisement

Let’s Get “Phygital” with Support Centers

Do you feel like an old dog? Do you feel like you have been in the customer support game since the T-Rex roamed the earth? And as a result, does it seem like not much was new in the way of technology for support centers? 

Sure, there were new ways to measure the old metrics. Yes, there are AI and new CRM tools, but nothing significantly different until…(wait for it) PHYGITAL!

“Phygital” is a combination of physical and digital (for support). It’s quickly becoming the latest tool to use in customer interactions, after Augmented Reality. As technologies drive change in our lives, our contact centers need to keep up.

TechTarget describes phygital (physical plus digital) as a marketing term that blends digital experiences with physical ones. As customer interaction channels proliferate, companies aim to seamlessly integrate them.

Now, you might ask yourself:

  • What does phygital have to do with contact centers?
  • How can it help my contact center?
  • What is the experience like for the customer?

Example: How to use Phygital in the Contact Center

Imagine calling into a support center and trying to describe what is wrong with your robot vaccum.

The support agent is trying to explain what to do with the robot vacuum and you say, “Yes, I did that, but it’s still not working.” Then, the support agent can say, “Click on this link I am sending to your phone, so I can see your issue.” No additional software or apps are needed. A safe, single-use SMS Link.

So, you click on the SMS single-use link, and the agent is able to see the robot, and through that — identify steps for you to take. Plus, the agent was able to draw on your screen what was wrong and what needed replacing.

BING BANG BOOM! Next, the agent overnights a new part/robot vacuum and you only spent 15 minutes on the phone.

3 Benefits of Phygital

Let’s take a look:

  • Customer experience: Your customers walk away from your cutting-edge support center feeling heard. Both agents and customers know the problem was solved in real-time.
  • Reduce an agent’s FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt): You’ll cut back on time to resolve issues. If you were running the support team side of this equation, you could significantly reduce the AHT your support staff spends trying to explain difficult issues.
  • It’s better than co-browsing: Although this is a good tool, phygital takes this screen share option to the next level. With phygital, an agent can screen draw and live share at the same time — and both the customer and agent can see it.