In a world of rising customer expectations and ever-more complex service conversations, helpdesks are empowering a huge range of companies. The right helpdesk environment provides a useful landscape where team members can align over shared information, track crucial analytics, and manage omnichannel interactions.
As companies continue to focus on CX as the ultimate differentiator for any industry, helpdesk solutions have grown increasingly innovative. Today’s tools feature everything from powerful automation tools to AI analytics and insights.
Today, we’re going to explore some of the most significant trends you’re likely to see when browsing the helpdesk technology space in 2022.
1. Powerful Automation
Automation is a significant trend throughout the entire CX landscape. In the helpdesk space, automation has the power to minimise a number of repetitive tasks, otherwise responsible for pulling an agent’s attention away from customer service. Automated tools can help with everything from reminding agents to follow up on a case, to storing data securely.
The helpdesk automation market is growing much faster than the helpdesk space in general, at a CAGR of 32%. This means the landscape will reach a potential value of $17 billion by 2024 alone. By bringing more automation into the helpdesk, companies can streamline their workforce, boost productivity, and increase agent engagement.
Automation elements can also open the door for predictive customer service, by tracking information about users, and notifying employees when a follow-up might be necessary.
2. Self-Service Solutions
Help desk solutions not only provide agents with more of the information and guidance they need to deliver solutions to customer problems fast, but they can also help consumers to solve their own issues. Currently, 69% of consumers say they prefer to find solutions to issues themselves before reaching out to customer service agents.
With a customer portal built into your helpdesk environment, you can provide clients with access to useful FAQ articles, knowledgebase information, and other forms of support. The right portal can also come with access to AI bots and virtual assistants to help guide customers through the troubleshooting and repair process.
The key to making helpdesk self-service solutions successful for most companies will be creating the best possible user experience. The right customer portal will be convenient, streamlined, and require virtually no technical knowledge to access.
3. Agent Experience
There’s an increasing focus in all aspects of the customer service landscape, on the importance of employee experience. Concepts like “Total Experience” are gaining more attention, as industry leaders draw attention to the clear connection between employee engagement, and end-user interactions. Helpdesk technology can help to strengthen the agent experience.
There are multiple ways a good helpdesk offering can make life easier for your employees. They provide a unified environment for seeking out valuable information about products and customers. These tools can also assist team members in keeping track of their day-to-day tasks. Automation solutions also reduce the number of repetitive tasks engaged in by any employee on a regular basis.
Many of the most popular helpdesk tools on the market today also come with ways for agents to personalise their helpdesk experience. Teams can add notes to customer information, change the appearance of dashboards to track crucial metrics and more. Higher levels of customisation in your helpdesk environment could assist in making your employees more informed, efficient, and productive.