Fonolo: How Call-Back Solutions Improve Contact Center Performance

The contact center industry has revolutionized itself by incorporating technologies like social media and smartphone applications, enlarging the scope for consumer interactions. “With so many communication technologies to manage, the foremost issue for contact centers is how to deliver a smooth flow across these channels,” says Shai Berger, Co-founder and CEO of Fonolo. An additional challenge for contact centers is managing long queue times and inefficient IVRs (Interactive Voice Response). “Hold time is still ranked as one of the most frustrating aspects of phoning a call center and it has led to the rise in call abandonment rates,” adds Berger. Based in Toronto, Canada, Fonolo provides cloud-based call-back solutions that eliminate hold-time and improve the customer experience. “Maintaining and improving the customer experience is important for most, if not all contact centers. By mitigating hold-time, organizations can offer a better customer service experience,” adds Berger.

Fonolo’s flagship product, In-Call Rescue, is designed to deliver a customer experience free from hold-time. “With In- Call Rescue, callers have the option of a call-back when hold-times are too long. When customers request a call-back, Fonolo’s automated system waits on hold on their behalf and, when an agent is free, Fonolo calls them back,” says Berger. Call-back solutions not only remove the frustration of long hold-times, they also improve call center operations. “In-Call Rescue consistently helps organizations reduce their abandonment rates and smooth out spikes in call volume, thereby further enhancing the performance of the contact center,” adds Berger.

Fonolo also provides call-backs from the web and mobile devices. Web Rescue enables the online customer to request a call-back from a website, while Mobile Rescue allows customers to connect to a live agent from within a mobile app. In essence, both products provide the same solution –– keeping customers on their channel of choice, while still embracing live support. “Most consumers begin an interaction online. However during the process of self-service, they often need live assistance,” adds Berger. In fact, studies show that 35 percent of consumer inquiries eventually escalate to voice. By adding Fonolo’s automated components, customers can easily request to have an agent call them, right from within a website or mobile app.

Recently Fonolo announced the addition of interactive SMS functionality to its call-back solution. This new feature allows callers to stay informed about their status in the hold queue while waiting for their call-back.