ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the technologies used in customer service departments or by service staff. It aims to define customer service and service automation (SA), before describing some of the functionality that is available in SA software. Customer service has always been a necessary preoccupation of service-producing organizations because they have understood that customers are responsive to the quality of the service they experience. Companies deliver customer service across multiple channels – face-to-face, telephone, email, mail, SMS, multimedia messaging, social media, web chat, through the corporate website and automated self-service channels including chatbots. Call centers need integration between the software on the customer service agent’s desktop, and the automated call distributor or switch hardware, so that calls are prioritized and routed appropriately. Coca-Cola Bottling Unit installed service level agreements, scripted responses and screen customization, to ensure high levels of customer service.
