by Laura Álvarez | Mar. 2023 | Speech Analytics
Contact Centers have become customers’ primary points of contact, making them critical to the success of modern businesses.
A well-managed contact center can bring a wealth of benefits to a company, improve employee productivity, increase customer service efficiency, reduce operating costs, and enhance brand image.
As a result, contact centers today are focusing on 5 keys to achieving efficient and quality customer service, which include technology, automation, customer experience, data analytics, and security. These keys are essential to improve customer satisfaction and drive loyalty through effective and personalized communication.
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The importance of Contact Centers
Contact Centers are responsible for managing a wide variety of interactions, including phone calls, emails, text messages, live chats, and social media. These interactions must be handled quickly, efficiently, and professionally, which can make a big difference in customer satisfaction and loyalty.
A well-managed contact center can bring a host of benefits to a company. For example, it can improve employee productivity, increase customer service efficiency, reduce operating costs, and enhance brand image. In addition, it can help collect valuable customer data, which can be used to improve service quality and provide more personalized solutions.
The importance of the contact center for businesses is such that you only have to look at the data:
- 49% of customers are looking for more empathy from customer service agents.
- 63% of support leaders say CX is more important to their company now than it was a year ago.
- Data shows that 76% of customers want phone support when faced with a complex issue, such as a malfunctioning product.
- 62% of customers consider having to repeat customer information the worst part of a customer service experience.
- 61% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company because of a poor customer service experience.
This data demonstrates that effective contact center management is essential to business success, as it provides companies with the opportunity to improve customer satisfaction and foster customer loyalty through effective and personalized communication.
As a result, contact centers today are focusing on 5 keys to achieving efficient and quality customer service.
The 5 most important keys for Contact Centers
1. Technology
Brands are embracing technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the efficiency and personalization of customer service.
Complete solutions, such as Recordia, are incorporating these technologies to offer contact centers an all-in-one solution that facilitates not only call recording but also call analytics to uncover key information that allows brands to improve service quality, analyze sales, improve customer experience, detect customers at risk of churn or even ensure regulatory compliance.
2. Automation
Many brands are looking to automate processes to improve efficiency and reduce operational time and costs. This includes implementing artificial intelligence and voice recognition systems to handle calls automatically.
According to Gartner, 63% of service and support leaders say improving their operations is one of their top goals for 2023. As customer expectations continue to rise and simple problems are solved with self-service, service leaders must ensure that their service and support functions remain flexible to customer needs.
3. Customer Experience
Improving the customer experience is a priority for many contact center brands. This includes implementing strategies to ensure that customers feel heard and understood and to ensure that their issues are resolved efficiently.
To improve the customer experience, contact centers have implemented various strategies using advanced AI-based technology to monitor and analyze customer behavior, train staff to be more empathetic in resolving issues, streamline processes to ensure a fast and efficient response, and facilitate the use of multiple communication channels to give customers a choice in how they communicate.
In addition, contact centers are also using voice biometrics solutions to perform faster, more secure, and more efficient customer authentications that achieve an excellent customer experience.
4. Data Analytics:
Data analysis of interactions recorded by contact centers is becoming increasingly important for brands as it allows them to gain a deeper understanding of their customers and improve call center efficiency.
The solutions that more and more Contact Centers are using make use of automation and Artificial Intelligence to extract key insights that allow brands to learn more about customer needs and dissatisfactions, allowing them to improve their service, improve the customer experience, and all this is reflected in better efficiency and greater business success.
5. Channel integration
Brands are looking to integrate different communication channels, such as email, online chat, and social media, to provide a more complete customer service experience.
Today, many companies are not only communicating with their customers through phone calls but also using other types of unified communication platforms, such as MS Teams and Webex, to engage in conversations with them. These channels also provide valuable information to the Contact Center, and it is necessary to have solutions that facilitate the integration of all channels on the same platform to perform a complete analysis of the data and not lose any detail for decision-making.
The most complete solutions for Contact Centers, such as Recordia, combine all these priorities and keys in a single platform for these brands to achieve greater business success. Do you want to find out more about how Recordia can help Contact Centers?
by Laura Álvarez | Mar. 2023 | Biometric Identification
If there is one thing that is certain in the cyber threat landscape, it is that every year attackers are intensifying their activity, looking for ways to attract more victims and obtain better results.
Between 2020 and 2021, reported cases of smishing and vishing have increased by more than 20% worldwide, underlining the eagerness of cybercriminals to attack by different means and with different techniques.
Last year, nine out of 10 workers in Spain received at least one suspicious message in their inbox. However, according to Proofpoint’s ‘State of the Phish 2022’ report, 57% of users trust that their organization will automatically block any malicious email; and this is not the case.
For all these reasons, it is important for users to be aware of the types of techniques cybercriminals use to carry out cyber-attacks. Most Internet users are already familiar with the term phishing, but there is another type of attack that also occurs very frequently and is less well known: Spoofing.
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What is Spoofing and how does it differ from phishing?
Phishing and spoofing are two different types of computer attacks that may seem very similar because sometimes cybercriminals use them together in the same attack to be more successful. But there are differences between them.
Spoofing can be defined as an impersonation that consists of the use of hacking techniques, i.e., techniques used maliciously to impersonate the identity of a website, entity, or person on the network, with the aim of obtaining the user’s private information.
The main difference between spoofing and phishing is that phishing seeks to obtain sensitive information from a person by impersonating a trusted agent, involving social engineering techniques, and aiming for an emotional response from the victim by creating urgency or pity.
A spoofing attack occurs when a person (referred to as a spoofer) pretends to be someone else to induce the target to share personal data or to take some action on behalf of the spoofer.
There are multiple spoofing techniques through technological means, such as cell phone impersonation, sending fraudulent emails, forging devices and addresses, etc.
The truth is that spoofing as a technique is not illegal if the purpose is not fraudulent. However, whoever uses such activity for a fraudulent purpose, depending on the type of fraud, can be fined and/or even sentenced to prison.
What types of spoofing techniques are there?
1. E-mail spoofing
Email spoofing is the most common of all the modalities found on the network today.
This technique has similar traits to phishing as it is a technique through which the spoofer sends emails to many email addresses impersonating real identities, using official logos and headers.
The most common form is emails with attached links to fake web pages where it is the victim who, by entering their log-in credentials, sends the information to the scammer.
2. Spoofing by IP address
All devices that are connected to the network have a unique IP address. This code is used to maintain order in the forwarding of packets requested for communication on the public network. In short, the IP address is what allows traffic to be routed.
The purpose of IP address spoofing is to falsify the IP address by assigning a reliable IP address that does not belong to it, causing the security system to admit the incoming packets and a cyberattack to be carried out.
As mentioned above, not all spoofing practices are illegal, and this is one of them. For example, the use of a VPN is based on this spoofing technique, but its main purpose is to protect the user’s identity, allow access to restricted content and prevent cyber-attacks.
3. DNS Spoofing
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a protocol for translating website names into their respective IP addresses. It is the easiest way for the user to access each site they wish to visit without the need to remember their IP address.
For example, when you type a web address into your browser, your computer contacts a DNS server and asks it to translate the domain name into an IP address. The DNS server responds with the IP address of the website’s server, and your browser connects to the server using that IP address to retrieve the website.
DNS Spoofing is the method by which IP addresses contained in DNS servers are modified to redirect the user to fake or malicious websites.
This practice is also known as cache poisoning: cybercriminals introduce corrupted DNS data into the user’s terminal, which results in the user not accessing the web pages he/she wants to visit.
4. Website Spoofing
This technique may be the simplest to understand, since it consists of spoofing a website to obtain the data of users who browse it, whether email addresses, passwords, or even their digital identity data.
This fake website usually has the same design as the original and even has a similar URL. The cracker imitates the website in such a way that the user is not able to recognize that it is unofficial.
Caller ID Spoofing
Caller ID Spoofing occurs when the caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to the caller ID screen so that the person receiving the call or text message believes they are in contact with the person, financial institution, company, or official body making the call.
It is possible and not at all complex to spoof the SIP header of the call and impersonate a person, entity, or company for fraudulent use. Moreover, telephone spoofing is relatively unknown, even though it is not new, which poses a great threat to companies and users.
How can Caller ID Spoofing be avoided?
Spoofing methods become more complex the more secure the identification method is. As we have seen, hacking a password, creating fake or malicious websites, or impersonating a customer in a phone call is relatively simple for a cybercriminal.
Therefore, companies must ensure that their identity verification methods are the most sophisticated and secure.
One of the best tools to counter spoofing attacks, especially telephone spoofing, is the use of identity verification technologies based on biometrics and Artificial Intelligence.
These systems make it possible to verify people’s identities quickly and securely through their voices. However, there are also spoofing methods that try to trick identity verification systems with prerecorded or synthetic voices.
Having comprehensive voice biometrics solutions, such as Recordia, that have anti-fraud capabilities capable of detecting these attacks is important when it comes to achieving the highest possible security.
Recordia Voice Biometric Authentication allows associating a voiceprint with a phone number and detecting whether the caller’s voice matches the one stored in the database.
In addition, Recordia allows managing blacklists containing voice records of individuals previously identified as fraudulent. By comparing the user’s voice with that on the blacklist, it can be determined if a caller is attempting to access a system or perform an unauthorized transaction. These lists are constantly updated to reflect the latest cases of fraud.
Best practices to avoid spoofing
Here are some best practices that can be used by companies and users to avoid spoofing.
- Incorporate double authentication for users and systems.
- Do not have the same password in different portals and changing them periodically will avoid that if you have been a victim of spoofing the cracker can access all your accounts.
- Have the anti-spam filter activated in both calls and e-mails, which will help us to identify spoofing, alerting us of those e-mails or calls in which we should be suspicious.
- When we receive a suspicious email, it is worth spending a few minutes to examine the message well, usually, they contain spelling mistakes, incorrect grammar, or unusual linguistics.
- Check every time you access a web page, to see if the URL begins with ‘HTTPS’ or if an e-mail is valid.
- Be cautious when downloading attachments in emails from an unknown sender. If necessary, type the link manually in the browser.
- Keep both the operating system and the antivirus updated for all attacks.
Find out more about how to avoid Caller ID Spoofing with Recordia Voice Biometric Authentication by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Feb. 2023 | Call Recording
It is undeniable that companies face the challenge of knowing and complying with all the complex and demanding regulations depending on the sector in which they operate or the location of the customers they do business with.
However, in the current context, this recording is not focused on fixed-line calls but contemplates other types of devices and platforms that have become popular.
Teleworking was already beginning to become normalized in sectors such as IT; however, it was not until the crisis of Covid-19 that the adoption of remote work accelerated, whether it was to connect teams, provide consulting, service clients or even provide support.
453% increase in MS Teams active users after the pandemic.
Such was the urgency of the need to connect work teams that the increase in the use of other communication platforms such as UCaaS (of which MS Teams, Webex, Zoom, or Google Meets are part) or mobile calls was 41% and 57%, respectively.
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The importance of Unified Communications platforms (UCaaS) for compliance
Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) are helpful collaboration tools, transforming the way millions of people work. For this reason, companies are eager to reduce costs and increase productivity by incorporating Unified Communications platforms, such as MS Teams or Cisco Webex.
Benefits of UCaaS:
- Immediate installation
- Scalability
- Affordability
- Easy use
Companies should be aware that calls made through UCaaS must also be recorded and stored while the platform is being used to connect with customers, obtain their data and consent and provide services to them.
While it is undeniable that the adoption of unified communications has assisted businesses in improving efficiency, they are highly regulated industries, such as finance, that face the challenge of ensuring compliance with its use.
With the revision and publication of the MiFID II directive, the requirements for recording and storing interactions have increased. Thus, all those conversations that result in or may result in a transaction are required to be recorded and securely stored. For this reason, new complexities arise regarding the recording of interactions, and it is possible to lose track of when you are obliged to record.
For these types of companies, regulated by the FCA and MiFID II, UCaaS recording for compliance is critical. They must have complete recording solutions in place to ensure that all their communications – audio, video, file sharing, and chat – are captured and stored in their entirety to ensure they are compliant.
The benefits of MS Teams call recording
MS Teams call recording is an effective way to comply with these regulations. By recording all the conversations that take place on the platform, companies can ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
But MS Teams recording doesn’t just offer compliance benefits. Some of the most important reasons why companies should record MS Teams calls are:
- Legal and regulatory compliance: Companies operating in regulated sectors are required to comply with certain regulations that require the recording of voice calls. By recording these calls, companies can ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and avoid potential penalties or fines.
- Dispute resolution: MS Teams call recording can be useful in resolving disputes or legal disputes that may arise in the future. By having a recording of the conversation, companies can prove what was discussed and avoid misunderstandings or false accusations.
- Improvement of service quality: By MS Teams call recording, companies can analyze them to identify areas for improvement in customer service or internal communication. This can help companies improve their processes and provide better service to their customers.
- Fraud protection: MS Teams call recording can also help companies detect and prevent fraud. If there is a suspicion of fraudulent activity, companies can review the recordings to identify fraudulent activity.
MS Teams call recording is essential for compliance and to protect companies in the event of legal disputes or potential sanctions. If your company operates in a regulated sector or wants to defend itself against potential legal risks, consider recording MS Teams calls as an effective and necessary solution.
Discover how to record MS Teams calls with a complete call recording solution, such as Recordia, by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Feb. 2023 | Biometric Identification
Data privacy in the healthcare sector is a critical issue, as patients’ medical data is extremely confidential and may contain highly sensitive information. The leakage of this information can be disastrous for both the reputation of healthcare institutions and the personal privacy of patients.
Moreover, these leaks are a reality: in 2021 alone, more than 20% of the personal data breaches registered with the AEPD were related to healthcare data. Therefore, it is crucial to implement adequate security measures to protect patient data.
One such measure is biometric authentication, which uses unique physical or biological characteristics of an individual to verify his or her identity. In the healthcare sector, this technique is used to ensure the privacy and security of patient data, as well as to improve efficiency in appointment management and health information collection.
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Benefits of biometric authentication in the healthcare sector
Biometric authentication offers several benefits in the healthcare sector, including:
- Security of patient data: Biometric authentication helps ensure that only authorized personnel have access to patient records, which helps prevent unauthorized access or leakage of sensitive information. After all, the voice is a unique characteristic of each individual and provides greater security than traditional authentication methods, such as passwords, which can be vulnerable to hacking or theft.
- Telephonic patient authentication: Biometric authentication allows patients to be authenticated using their voice, without the need to provide personally identifiable information, which helps protect patient privacy.
- Improved appointment management efficiency: Patients can use their voice to access their appointments and to provide information about their health, which helps improve appointment management efficiency.
- Improved customer experience: Thanks to voice biometric authentication the user and patient experience is more convenient and easier, eliminating the need to remember passwords or carry health ID cards.
Challenges of biometric authentication in the healthcare sector
Despite the benefits, there are also challenges in the use of biometric authentication in the healthcare sector. Some of these challenges include:
- Biometric data protection: biometric data is highly sensitive information and vulnerable to security attacks and data leakage, so it is important to ensure that it is stored securely and protected from unauthorized access.
- Patient consent: It is important to obtain explicit patient consent before collecting and using their biometric data.
- Accessibility: Not all patients can provide biometric data, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, so it is important to consider this when implementing biometric authentication.
Using comprehensive and fully secure solutions that can deal with all these challenges is essential when performing effective, secure, and frictionless biometric patient authentication.
How biometric authentication is practically used in the healthcare sector
Biometric authentication is used in a variety of ways in the healthcare sector. Some examples include:
- Patient authentication: Patients can use their voice to authenticate themselves instead of providing personally identifiable information, which helps protect their privacy.
- Access to medical records: Medical staff can use biometric authentication to access patient records, helping to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to this sensitive information.
- Appointment management: Patients can use biometric authentication to book appointments and provide health information, helping to improve efficiency in appointment management.
In conclusion, biometric authentication offers several benefits in the healthcare sector, such as securing patient data and improving efficiency in appointment management. However, there are also challenges in the use of this technology, such as the protection of biometric data and patient consent.
It is important to consider these challenges when implementing biometric authentication in the healthcare sector and take appropriate measures to address them. When choosing a biometric authentication solution for the healthcare sector, it is important to ensure that the technology is easy to use and accessible to all patients, regardless of their physical capabilities.
Complete voice biometric authentication solutions, such as Recordia, enable fast, secure, and frictionless voice authentication. In just a few seconds of natural conversation, without the need for preset phrases, patients can authenticate their identity.
Health data privacy is of utmost importance and Recordia voice biometric authentication can be an effective tool to protect confidential patient information. Find out more by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Feb. 2023 | Speech Analytics
Customer service has become a critical part of brand loyalty. Why? Because the contact center is often the first line of contact for providing assistance and information and this has resulted in a direct correlation between the customer experience and the quality of service provided by the agent.
For this reason, agents’ daily interaction with customers is key to making or breaking loyalty and, to ensure good service, it has become crucial to create positive experiences for both customers and agents.
That’s why it’s important to have the right tools to deliver excellent service. Training agents, reducing churn, and improving customer satisfaction at the same time can be quite a challenge, but the effort is worth it.
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Tips for excellent service for both customers and agents
You need to have a platform to manage both customer and agent experiences, as both are equally important. Agents need to feel recognized, motivated, and engaged to provide exceptional service to customers.
Tips for a high-performing customer service center:
- Automate the tracking and management of contact center interactions.
- Create quality control with integrated dashboards.
- Motivate agents to achieve more satisfied customers.
1. Automate interaction tracking and management
By automating the tracking and management of contact center interactions, agents’ work is simplified, and their performance is improved.
The contact center generates thousands of conversations and comments that are important and necessary to improve both service and experience. Obtaining accurate and automated information from 100% of the agent’s interactions with the customer provides a real-time picture of where the contact center stands while saving time and costs.
In addition, by automating the tracking and management of interactions, contact centers can gain complete visibility into customer issues and how agents are addressing them. This helps identify areas where agents can improve and provide timely feedback for agents to continue to improve their performance.
2. Quality Control
Quality control is a key tool for observing and scoring interactions and measuring the effectiveness of a contact center.
The problem arises in that traditional monitoring methods do not analyze 100% of interactions, so they do not give a complete picture of the contact center situation.
A solution that centralizes quality control on a single platform is essential to take customer service to the next level. This will allow contact centers not only to identify problems and take action as quickly as possible but also to provide agents with key points for improvement and training.
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3. Motivating agents to achieve more satisfied customers
There is a direct relationship between agent motivation and customer satisfaction. When agents feel valued and rewarded for their efforts, they are more motivated to provide exceptional service, which translates into higher customer satisfaction.
Therefore, creating recognition programs rewards agents for their performance and motivates them to keep improving.
Ultimately, empowering agents, reducing churn, and improving satisfaction are three critical goals for contact centers. By automating interactions, creating centralized quality controls, and motivating agents, contact centers can achieve exceptional customer service and ensure higher agent and customer satisfaction.
Find out how Recordia enables all of this through its complete conversational intelligence solution by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Feb. 2023 | Speech Analytics
Contact Centers are key in customer service and managing relationships with them. However, with growing concerns over data privacy and transaction security, it is essential to make sure that confidential customer data is treated with the utmost protection.
Conversational intelligence and voice biometrics offer a secure and effective solution to ensure data security in contact center calls.
Customer Authentication through Voice Biometrics
Voice biometrics is an advanced technology that uses the recognition of unique patterns in the human voice to authenticate an individual’s identity. By using this technology in contact center calls, customers can be securely authenticated before providing confidential information or conducting transactions.
Discover your potential savings: with our Voice Biometrics ROI Calculator
In addition, voice biometrics can also be used to prevent fraud and ensure customer privacy by detecting inconsistencies between the registered customer’s voice and the voice of the caller.
Credit Card Data Anonymization
In addition to customer authentication, it is also important to ensure the privacy of credit card data and other confidential information during contact center calls.
Data anonymization is a process that allows for confidential credit card information to be removed from both call recordings and stored transcripts, ensuring that the original data cannot be tracked or linked to a specific individual.
Download Now: How to comply with PCI DSS and ensure card data security
In contact center calls, credit card data can be anonymized during the transaction, ensuring that confidential information cannot be intercepted or used for malicious purposes.
The importance of data security and protection for customer experience
The security and protection of customer data are critical to ensuring a good contact center customer experience. When customers are confident that their data is secure, they are more willing to share confidential information and resolve their issues.
Lack of data security can lead to serious problems, such as identity theft or fraud, and can damage a company’s reputation. Therefore, it is important for companies to invest in technologies and security measures to protect confidential customer information and ensure a satisfactory customer experience.
To ensure the security of customer data in contact center calls, it is important to use complete solutions, such as Recordia, that implement advanced security measures and functionalities such as customer authentication through voice biometrics and credit card data anonymization. These functionalities allow more efficient and secure management of confidential customer information, contributing to a better customer experience and protecting their privacy and security.
In this way, contact centers can not only comply with the highest security standards and regulations but also ensure a safe and excellent customer experience.
Find out more about the most complete solution, Recordia, by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Jan. 2023 | Speech Analytics
The Importance of Listening to the Voice of the Customer
Customer satisfaction is a crucial element to the success of any business. However, it can often be difficult to truly understand customers’ needs and expectations. That’s why listening to the Voice of the Customer has become so important to learn about your customers’ opinions, needs, and desires to improve service, products, and the overall experience.
Over the years, methods of listening to the voice of the customer such as surveys or interviews have been conducted, but with the advancement of technology, conversational intelligence has become one of the most effective tools for this task.
Discover our new Use Case: Customer Experience in the Contact Center
Conversational Intelligence as a tool for listening to the Voice of the Customer
As we say, conversational intelligence is emerging as a valuable tool for companies looking to listen to the voice of their customers. Through conversational intelligence, companies can collect and analyze data on all conversations between customers and customer service representatives, allowing them to gain a more global and complete view and discover key insights into how customers perceive and experience their products and services.
But what are the benefits of conversational intelligence solutions for listening to the voice of the customer?
1. Uncovering valuable information about Customer Satisfaction
Conversational intelligence can help companies identify problem areas in customer service, such as delays in response or lack of problem resolution. These solutions help identify opportunities to improve the customer experience, offer greater personalization in customer service or provide more efficient solutions to solve problems.
On the other hand, listening to the voice of the customer through conversational intelligence allows companies to detect and identify customers at higher risk of churn faster. When a customer is at risk of churn, there are warning signs that indicate that the customer is at risk of churn. Knowing and being able to detect these signals quickly with conversational intelligence technology allows you to take corrective actions early and even define new loyalty strategies.
Improve Customer Experience with conversational intelligence
2. Evaluating Customer Service Representative Performance
Conversational intelligence can also help companies evaluate the performance of their customer service representatives. Along with these solutions, it is possible to assess problem-solving skills, the ability to provide accurate information, or even the ability to handle difficult situations effectively. Assessing supervision together with conversational intelligence allows for improved training and coaching of agents, which in turn will lead to improved customer satisfaction.
Integrating Conversational Intelligence into Customer Service Strategy
To fully leverage the potential of conversational intelligence, companies must integrate it into their overall customer service strategy. In fact, many companies are choosing to include conversational intelligence solutions in all customer touchpoints, such as email, online chat, and phone calls, to extract as much information as possible.
But in order to make decisions faster, the data collected by conversational intelligence solutions need to be accessible and easy to analyze for customer service and decision-making teams. Complete conversational intelligence solutions allow all the information extracted from customer contacts to be visualized through customized dashboards.
Ultimately, while traditional methods of listening to the voice of the customer extract valuable information, conversational intelligence solutions provide a deep and complete understanding of how customers perceive and experience a company’s products and services. By integrating conversational intelligence into the customer service strategy, companies can discover key insights and take actions that increase their long-term success.
Find out more about how conversational intelligence solutions can help contact centers listen to the voice of the customer by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Jan. 2023 | Biometric Identification
The new Customer Service Law that has been implemented aims to solve the problems detected in customer services, since most of the complaints registered were due to deficiencies in these services.
This new law is intended to improve the provision of this type of service by large companies and thus improve the protection of consumers to guarantee their rights and ensure a quality experience.
The Customer Service Law in brief
The new Customer Service Law is aimed at all companies that provide essential services in Spain.
This new law seeks to provide free, efficient, accessible, and inclusive customer service, where more personalized service is provided, complaints are facilitated, and waiting times and deadlines are reduced.
<<< Learn about all the key aspects of the new Customer Service Law here >>>
Waiting times and personalization, keys to the new law
Among the biggest complaints registered in customer services, there are two that are undoubtedly the most mentioned: service personalization and waiting times.
On the one hand, many customers today complain about the new customer service methods based on answering machines or robotic systems. In fact, according to some surveys, more than 80% of consumers prefer to talk to a real person rather than a bot, which demonstrates the importance of personalization of contact center service for customer experience and satisfaction.
On the other hand, the waiting times associated with dealing with an agent or resolving an incident are still very high. So much so that, although most customers prefer to deal with an agent rather than a bot, those who prefer electronic systems highlight the reduction of waiting times as their main benefit.
If we add to this fact that, during an average customer service call, 75% of the time is spent on routine research or identification tasks and only 25% on customer interaction, there is a lot to improve.
For these reasons, the new law proposes to limit waiting times for general information, complaints and after-sales services to 3 minutes. In addition, companies will be obliged to offer personalized and professional attention to those who request it.
In this way, the government seeks to make customer service as personalized as possible, which represents a new opportunity to build customer loyalty with quality customer service in accordance with their needs.
Voice biometrics for quality, personalized customer service
Contact centers are an integral part of customer service as they are often the first line of contact for help and information.
However, traditional methods of customer identification are tedious and time-consuming, causing frustration for both customers and employees.
Voice biometrics is a technology with great potential to revolutionize the call center experience. Through biometric authentication, a customer’s voice is used as an identification factor that can instantly verify identity and provide more personal and secure customer service, improving the experience and preventing fraud.
For the customer, one of the clear advantages of implementing this technology is that it eliminates the need for them to go through a lengthy authentication process, saving time and reducing frustration.
And the advantages for companies are also clear: a more efficient call center, faster customer service and, as a result, greater customer satisfaction.
Learn more about voice biometrics and how it helps to comply with the new Customer Service Act by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Jan. 2023 | Biometric Identification
What is Biometric Authentication?
Biometric authentication is a method of verifying a person’s identity by using unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial features or the sound of their voice. Unlike traditional authentication methods, such as passwords or security questions, biometric authentication relies on an individual’s unique traits to confirm their identity.
Biometric authentication has become increasingly popular in recent years as a means of protecting sensitive information and systems and has begun to be used in a variety of applications, such as access control systems, online banking and cell phone unlocking.
<<< Discover our brochure about voice biometrics authentication solutions >>>
Here are the types of biometric recognition that exist.
Types of Biometric Authentication
There are several types of biometric authentication, including:
- Fingerprint recognition: involves using a sensor to scan a person’s unique fingerprint patterns to confirm their identity.
- Facial recognition: involves using a camera to capture and analyze the unique features of a person’s face, such as the distance between their eyes and the shape of their jaw.
- Iris recognition: involves capturing and analyzing the unique patterns of the iris, the colored part of the eye.
- Voice recognition: involves analyzing the unique characteristics of a person’s voice, such as pitch and timbre.
Although fingerprint recognition is one of the most common types of biometric authentication, voice biometric recognition has become popular for those services or processes that we perform over the telephone, such as calls to customer service numbers of our bank or our telephone operator.
Voice Biometric Authentication
Focusing on voice biometrics, this authentication consists of using the unique characteristics of a person’s voice to confirm their identity. It is often used as an additional layer of security alongside other forms of authentication, such as passwords or security questions, and can be used in a variety of applications, such as access control systems and online banking.
One of the main advantages of voice biometric authentication is that it is relatively easy to use. A person simply speaks into a microphone and the system verifies his or her identity based on the unique characteristics of his or her voice. It is also non-invasive, as it does not require the person to provide any personal information or physical contact.
There are several tools and technologies that are used for voice biometric authentication. These include voice recognition software, which is used to analyze the unique characteristics of a person’s voice, and voiceprint technology, which creates a digital template of a person’s voice that can be used for comparison.
Among the industries that can benefit from biometrics, one of the industries that could enjoy these advantages the most is BPOs and contact centers. But what are the advantages for contact centers in industries such as banking and telecommunications?
Advantages of Voice Biometric Authentication for Contact Centers
- Optimize operating times: thanks to voice biometrics, contact centers can reduce the average time-to-market (TMO) rate by more than 30 seconds per call. In this way, agents become more efficient and can spend more time resolving customer calls.
- Prevent fraud: customer authentication and verification by voice biometrics is fully secure to prevent fraud and identity theft by using a unique parameter inherent to each person.
- Improve customer experience: voice biometric authentications are much faster and more efficient than traditional authentications through passwords or security questions. Through a natural conversation with a customer or the repetition of a specific phrase, authentication is performed quickly and securely, optimizing operating times, reducing waiting times, preventing fraud and, ultimately, improving the customer experience on every call.
Biometric authentication is a secure and convenient method of verifying a person’s identity and, with advances in technology and the need for secure authentication, it is expected to continue to gain popularity as a means of protecting sensitive information and systems.
Find out more about voice biometric authentication solutions such as Recordia by clicking here.
by Laura Álvarez | Jan. 2023 | Call Recording
What is PCI DSS Compliance and why does it matter for your Business?
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment. Compliance with PCI DSS is a requirement for any business that handles credit card transactions, and it is important that businesses understand the importance of PCI DSS compliance and take the necessary steps to ensure that they are compliant.
Download Now: Call Recording for PCI DSS Compliance
So, what is PCI DSS compliance and why is it important?
PCI DSS compliance involves meeting a set of requirements established by the PCI Security Standards Council, an organization created by the major credit card companies to ensure the security of credit card transactions. These requirements are designed to protect sensitive customer information, such as credit card numbers, expiration dates and security codes, from being compromised in a data breach or other security incident.
There are several reasons why PCI DSS compliance is important for a company.
- It helps to protect customers’ sensitive financial information. When a company is PCI DSS compliant, it takes steps to ensure that customer data is secure and less vulnerable. This helps build customer confidence and can ultimately increase customer loyalty and revenue.
- It helps to protect businesses. Failure to comply with PCI DSS can result in significant fines and legal action in the event of a data breach, which can be costly and damaging to a company’s reputation. By complying with PCI DSS, companies can mitigate these risks and protect their financial well-being.
Risks of Non-Compliance: How PCI DSS Affects Your Business’s Security and Reputation
Because of the sensitive information involved, non-compliance with PCI DSS can have serious consequences for businesses.
- Threat of data breach.
When a company is not PCI DSS compliant, it is more vulnerable to attacks that can compromise confidential customer information that can be stolen and used for fraudulent purposes, such as identity theft and unauthorized charges on customer accounts. In addition to the financial losses that customers may suffer as a result of these leaks, companies can also face significant legal action and fines if they are found to be non-compliant.
Download Now: Insurance Industry: how to drive business with conversational analytics
- The impact it can have on a company’s reputation.
Customers are increasingly concerned about the protection of their personal and financial information, and they are more likely to do business with companies that they believe are taking steps to safeguard their data. When a company is not PCI DSS compliant, it may have difficulty gaining the trust of potential customers, which can mean a loss of business and revenue.
- Increased operating costs.
Companies that fail to comply with PCI DSS may face fines and legal action or may be forced to invest in additional security measures to comply with the standard. These costs can add up and ultimately affect a company’s bottom line.
Overall, the risks of PCI DSS non-compliance are considerable and can have a significant impact on a company’s security, reputation and financial well-being. It is important that companies understand the importance of PCI DSS compliance and take the necessary steps to ensure that they are compliant.
Steps to achieve and maintain PCI DSS compliance: Protect your business and customers
According to PCI DSS, all payment card data that is classified as Sensitive Authentication Data, which is the full tracking data, CAV2/CVC2/CVV2/CVV2/CID codes, and the PIN block, must be anonymized.
Therefore today, methods of ensuring PCI DSS compliance are focusing on automating the processes of anonymizing sensitive data through conversational intelligence and speech analytics.
Anonymization through artificial intelligence, such as that used by Recordia, automatically detects and removes PCI data from call recordings. Credit card data is automatically erased from the recording, returning the cleaned recording and transcript with the data removed to users.
When companies use PCI anonymization of sensitive data, they can securely query and share call recordings with managers to discover key service information without violating compliance regulations. Thanks to these solutions and technologies, contact center agents and managers do not see increased management time, efficiently detecting, redacting and deleting all PCI data from call recordings, transcripts and conversations in the background.
These new PCI data anonymization methodologies enable companies to meet and maintain PCI DSS compliance, protect their customers’ sensitive financial information, and reduce the risk of fines and legal action in the event of a data breach. Ensuring PCI DSS compliance is an ongoing process, but by staying current and vigilant, companies can protect themselves and their customers.
Want to find out more about these new methodologies for ensuring PCI DSS compliance? Discover more about it, here!
by Laura Álvarez | Nov. 2022 | Call Recording
On May 9, 2022, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new ruling called the CMS Final Rule 2023. Part of these CMS call recording requirements 2023 is the agents’ obligation to record and store all Medicare and Medicaid “marketing” calls. This rule was slated to go into effect on October 1, 2022.
“The recording requirement applies to all agents who enroll beneficiaries into new plans, whether they are current or new clients. The wording of the rule references “marketing” calls, but the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) confirmed that CMS interprets “enrollment” as “marketing.” Online applications that agents walk through with their clients are also subject to recording.”
Medicare recording calls: Helpful Reminders
- Every single call, in which prospects and current members participate, must be recorded and stored in a HIPAA compliant manner for 10 years. You must be able to provide call recordings related to specific beneficiary interactions upon request.
- Face to face virtual interactions on platforms like Zoom need to be recorded.
- If the prospect or member does not want to be recorded, you should stop the recording and the call.
Why were Medicare requirements created?
These rules were designed to address complaints of inappropriate marketing that CMS received from beneficiaries and their caregivers. In response to a significant increase in marketing-related complaints, CMS staff reviewed numerous recordings of calls from different marketing entities, including individual agents and brokers, as well as larger call centers.
The agents failed to provide the beneficiary with the necessary information or provided inaccurate information to make an informed choice for more than 80 percent of the calls reviewed. Examples included beneficiaries being told that if their medication was not on the formulary, the doctor could tell the plan and the plan would simply add it; or incorrectly stating that “nothing would change” when beneficiaries asked if their current health coverage would stay the same.
When did Medicare requirements start?
By October 1st 2022, you had to be prepared to record all calls with potential Medicare beneficiaries (prospects), however, calls with current Medicare beneficiaries have to be recorded in their entirety as of January 1st, 2023, as it is the date on which policies are renewed.
This includes calls that are part of the chain of enrollment into a Medicare Advantage or Part D Plan (the steps taken by a beneficiary since becoming aware of a Medicare plan or plans to making an enrollment decision), as well as post-enrollment telephonic discussions.
Who does this requirement apply to?
The requirement applies to all organizations and individuals that fall under the definition of Third-Party Marketing Organization (TPMO) as defined in 42 CFR – 422.2260 and 423.2260. The definition of TPMO includes all organizations and individuals, including independent agents and brokers, who are compensated to perform lead generation, marketing, sales, and enrollment related functions as a part of the chain of enrollment. TPMOs may be a first tier, downstream or related entity.
Examples of First Tier, Downstream, and Related Entities (FDRs):
- Physicians
- Hospitals
- Pharmacies
- Other Providers
- Claims Processing Vendors
- Patient Management Vendors
- Credentialing Companies
- Field Marketing Organizations
- Call Centers
Does this new requirement to record calls apply only to call centers?
No. This requirement applies to all organizations and individuals that fall under the definition of TPMO as defined in 42 CFR – 422.2260 and 423.2260.
Does the requirement to record calls pertain to captive agents?
Yes. Captive agents fall under the definition of a TPMO as defined in 42 CFR – 422.2260 and 423.2260.
Is it now a requirement for an agent to record all calls with enrollees, even calls that are outside the scope of the chain of enrollment?
Yes. It must be ensured that all calls between a TPMO and a beneficiary are recorded.
Does this requirement to record calls apply to both inbound and outbound calls?
Yes. Both must be recorded.
Are Zoom calls and conversations through other virtual platforms required to be recorded?
Yes. Zoom calls and other calls using virtual presence technology (Webex, MS Teams, etc.) between a Medicare beneficiary and an organization or individual who meets the definition of a TPMO must be recorded.
Does the requirement to record calls apply to in-person interactions?
No. CMS does not require recording of in-person interactions.
When a beneficiary is refusing to have the call recorded, but still wants to enroll in our plan. Are there exceptions to the call recording requirement if a beneficiary refuses to be recorded?
No. There are no exceptions to this requirement. If a beneficiary declines to be recorded, the call must end.
Can an agent complete a sale over the phone if the enrollee declines to be recorded?
No. If a beneficiary declines to have their call with a TPMO recorded, the sales agent must end the call.
Medicare records retention requirements: FQA’s
Do these recorded calls between TPMOs and beneficiaries fall under the ten-year storage requirements for other documentation as outlined in Chapter 11 of the Medicare Managed Care Manual?
It depends on the nature of the call. The CMS requirement to maintain certain records for ten years applies to all calls between beneficiaries and plans, including TPMOs, that pertain to the sales and enrollment processes. If a recorded call does not apply to either process (e.g., the beneficiary is calling to make a sales appointment or to find out the times and locations of sales meeting events, or an enrollee is calling to update an ID card), the plan does not need to ensure that the recording is retained. If, however, such a call becomes a sales call at any point (e.g., if the beneficiary begins asking about products), then the recording of the call has to be retained.
Who is responsible for retaining the recordings of calls between TPMOs and beneficiaries?
CMS holds plans responsible for making sure that the recordings of calls between TPMOs and beneficiaries are recorded and that the recordings are maintained. Plans and TPMOs should arrange for recording and storage of the recordings.
CMS Medicare call recording requirements: When and How?
When do we have to start recording calls between TPMOs and beneficiaries?
The recording requirement went into effect on October 1, 2022, and it applies to enrollments made for January 1, 2023, the effective date of the policies.
What technology or mechanism should we use to record calls between TPMOs and beneficiaries?
CMS cannot recommend a particular brand or mechanism, but Recordia RTS – MediCall could be your best solution to comply with the new CMS call recording requirements 2023 from 40 US$/month. TPMOs should work with the plans for whom they sell to determine the method/format of recording and the mechanism by which the recordings are maintained.
We never had to record calls like this before. We are not set up to record calls with beneficiaries. How does CMS expect us to do this?
The requirement to record telephonic enrollments has been in place for some time. If a TPMO engages in telephonic enrollment, they would have been required, under existing policy, to record calls with beneficiaries prior to the implementation of this regulatory requirement. As such, we would expect TPMOs to leverage their existing process for recording telephonic enrollments when recording all calls with beneficiaries.
Many smaller agents/brokers do not have the infrastructure to record conversations, placing them at a severe disadvantage. What flexibility is there for smaller agents/brokers to adhere to the regulation?
CMS treats all agents and brokers the same. Smaller agents and brokers are not exempt from any requirement based on size. CMS does not believe it is appropriate, or even possible, for the purpose of applying regulatory requirements, to distinguish between independent agents who work for a “large call center” versus those agents who do not, as many of these “independent” agents are associated with an FMO, which may employ hundreds or thousands of agents. And those FMOs may have contracts with both clearinghouses/lead generators as well as independent agents.
As a reminder, all agents conducting telephonic enrollments should already have had recording mechanisms in place. We recommend smaller agents/brokers that are concerned about their ability to record their calls with beneficiaries speak to the plans with whom they contract to get assistance in recording and maintaining calls.
Isn’t the recording of calls with beneficiaries prohibited by HIPAA?
Uses and disclosures of protected health information are permitted under the HIPAA Privacy Rule if they are “required by law” (45 CFR 164.103, 164.512(a)). For any concerns about this requirement, CMS recommends reaching out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html).
Medicare recording calls: TPMO Disclaimer, which Materials?
Is the TPMO disclaimer required on all materials, or only the same types of materials that meet the marketing requirements listed in the Medicare Communications and Marketing Guideline’s (MCMG) “Definitions (42 CFR §§ 422.2260, 423.2260)”? For example, is the disclaimer required on tv ads, text messages, banner ads, social media, etc.?
CMS requires the disclaimer to be included “in any marketing materials, including print materials and television advertisements, developed, used, or distributed by the TPMO” (42 CFR 422.2267(e)(41)(v); 42 CFR 423.2267(e)(41)(v)). To the extent that a social media post meets the definition of “marketing” as provided in 42 CFR 422.2260 and 423.2260, the TPMO must include the disclaimer in the social media post.
Is the TPMO Disclaimer required on materials created by the plan for a broker to use and distribute to Medicare beneficiaries?
No. If the document was developed by the plan (e.g., Summary of Benefits) and the agent is using exactly as provided by the plan, the disclaimer is not required. If the agent alters the document, the disclaimer will need to appear.
Could the plan use a separate, one-page insert with the above disclaimer to meet the requirements of the TPMO disclaimer (e.g., an insert would be included as part of an enrollment kit)?
No. If the agent has modified the plan document, then the disclaimer must appear on the actual material.
by Laura Álvarez | Nov. 2022 | Speech Analytics
Currently, most of the complaints that customers filed with Public Administrations have in common the lack of customer service.
For this reason, last June the Spanish Council of Ministers approved the draft bill for the Customer Service Law, which aims to alleviate the deficiencies detected in the provision of this type of service by large companies and thus improve consumer protection to guarantee their rights.
Download Now: Customer Experience
To whom is this regulation addressed?
This draft law will apply to all companies, public and private, that provide essential services in the Spanish territory (water, supply, transport, financial services…), as well as any company, regardless of the sector with more than 250 workers or with a turnover of more than 50 million euros.
What are the objectives of this law draft?
- Provide a free, efficient, universally accessible, inclusive, non-discriminatory and assessable customer service.
- Indicate the available communication channels in an easy and simple way.
- Facilitate the submission of complaints, claims, incidents or queries, follow-up and receipt of the communication of their resolution.
- Reduce the timeframes in which claims must be resolved.
- Indicate the out-of-court dispute resolution systems to which customers can have access and how they can access them.
Keys to be considered in Customer Service Contact Centers
Among the keys to be taken into account by Contact Centers and which will directly affect them with this new Customer Service Law are the following:
1. Reduction of waiting and complaint resolution times
With this law, waiting times to be attended by telephone in general information, complaint and after-sales services will be limited to 3 minutes. In addition, for those incidents affecting basic continuity services such as electricity, water or gas, it will also be applied.
Once the law is approved, it is established that customer complaint resolution times will have to be reduced from the current 30 working days to 15, with the aim of streamlining services and increasing efficiency.
2. Reporting incidents in basic continuity services.
Basic continuity services, such as water, electricity or gas, will have to report possible incidents, indicating at all times the reason for the problem and, above all, giving an estimated peace of mind for the restoration of said service in less than 2 hours.
This new regulation will oblige large basic supply companies to attend to the needs and concerns of customers at all times, trying to provide a quality customer service.
3. The right to be provided with specialized and personalized attention.
Many customers today complain about the new methods of customer services based on answering machines or robotic systems.
It is for this reason that, thanks to this new bill, the aim is to achieve a personalized and specialized attention where the customer, if he/she so wishes, will be attended by an agent with specialized training, regardless of how the resolution of the incident was initiated.
In this way, the government seeks to make the service as personalized as possible, which represents a new opportunity to build customer loyalty with quality customer service in accordance with their needs.
4. 24-hour customer service channels.
Finally, another of the details included in this new law is that companies offering basic services of general interest should offer a free 24-hour customer service channel, 365 days a year.
Artificial Intelligence solutions to comply with the new rules
This bill, as we indicated, represents a perfect opportunity for companies, especially those that provide basic services, to build customer loyalty by creating efficient, personalized and unique customer experiences that adapt to the attention needs of each of them.
To do this, companies should bet on automated conversational intelligence solutions, such as Recordia, which allow them to reduce waiting times as much as possible and, above all, to offer and extract valuable information from each of the conversations with customers. In this way, offering an omnichannel, fluid service that adapts to the needs of each customer will become easier and more accessible.
Find out more about how we can help contact centers comply with this new law by clicking here.
