Explaining Asynchronous Communication
Asynchronous communication is the exchange of information when participants do not need to be present or engaged simultaneously. It allows individuals to respond to communication at their own convenience, accommodating different time zones, availability, and preferences. In business communication, it has particularly found its feet in a post-pandemic world of remote and/or hybrid work patterns.
Examples of asynchronous communication include emails, messaging services like WhatsApp, project management tools like Trello and Slack, and pre-recorded video or audio messages.
Advantages of asynchronous communication include:
- Flexibility – participants can join according to their own schedules
- Productivity – responses can be more thoughtful and detailed, as all participants can join in their own time
- Inclusion – it accommodates different time zones, working patterns, and preferences
- Record keeping – there is a written trail of communication that can be useful to refer back to
Disadvantages include:
- Delayed responses – time lag between messages can slow decision-making or resolution
- Miscommunication – misunderstandings that require clarification can extend conversation times
- Engagement – the lack of immediate or in-person interaction may leave team members feeling disconnected, particularly if most of a conversation takes place out of their time zone or working hours
Asynchronous Communication in the Contact Center
The benefits and the flexibility of asynchronous communication in the contact center are clear. Customer wait times are no longer restricted to the availability of human agents to answer their queries and customers benefit from being able to communicate on their terms, rather than the contact center’s opening times.
The use of email in the contact center, for example, enables agents to be more productive. Customer service platform provider Local Measure highlights research from SBR, which found that customer service agents tabbed between an average of two computer screens and seven different windows during a customer interaction to gather necessary information. Using asynchronous communication such as email enables agents to manage several cases at once, accommodating this research in a way that telephone conversations would not.
How Asynchronous Communication is Alleviating Pain Points in the Contact Center
Challenge One: High Call Volumes
High call volumes can overwhelm agents and lead to long wait times, resulting in frustrated customers.
- Adding asynchronous communication channels like email, chatbots and messaging apps enables customers to send messages without requiring instant responses. This lightens the live workload for agents and reduces wait times for customers using phone lines.
- Asynchronous communication channels enable inquiries to be placed in queues according to priority, which can smooth call volume peaks and potentially improve customer experiences.
Challenge Two: Agent Burnout
Agent fatigue and burnout can lead to high churn levels – making recruitment, training, and retention of employees a time, resource, and cost challenge.
- Using asynchronous communication channels enables agents to manage their workload more effectively. They can respond to customers on a more flexible schedule and when they are most productive – away from the pressures of real-time interactions.
- Queries can also be more evenly distributed among agents, preventing overload on individuals.
Challenge Three: Time Zone Differences
Asynchronous communication facilitates more seamless, effective conversations across time zones – removing the need for customers or agents to engage in real-time. Customers can send their comments or queries 24/7, ensuring they are not restricted to business hours.