The data is in: Mid-sized businesses around the world are embracing digital transformation.

A new report from Frost & Sullivan found that more than 75% of top-level executives at mid-sized companies expect digital transformation to significantly affect their businesses. They believe in its tremendous potential to transform their brands, attract new customers and retain existing ones. And they’re confident in their strategies to engage customers on new digital channels.

For many contact centers, this means foregoing the traditional voice channel in favor of email, chat, messaging apps and bots.

Why Digital Channels Are Winning the Race

Businesses face the mammoth task of acquiring and retaining customers in an overly competitive environment. In pursuit of growth, they look for ways to stand out. The smartest businesses are betting on strategies that forge unique and positive bonds with their customers.

No longer seen as just a cost center, the contact center is a focal point for competitive differentiation. To improve customer loyalty and customer lifetime value, contact center leaders are prioritizing their investments according to the channel that customers want most — digital.

Experts have forecasted that, over the next three years, digital interactions will increase three times. Businesses that place emphasis on digital engagement are poised to manage this increased volume seamlessly. There’s good reason to start the shift to digital now.

Digital Is Where Your Customers Are

It’s time to engage with your customers across the channels they prefer to use daily. As consumers, most of us turn to a brand’s website or mobile app before we pick up the phone to call for live assistance. Companies that make it easy to find information and self-serve online pull ahead.

When it comes to the channels that mid-sized contact centers support today, digital channels top the charts, according to Genesys research. Live voice interactions are currently supported by only 60% of respondents, tied with webchat.

Rank Channel Respondents supporting the channel
1 Email 86%
2 Web (site, forum, FAQs) 84%
3 Social media 70%
4 Mobile self-service 55%
5 Web chat 60%
6 Live agent voice 60%

Digital Is Cost-Effective

When it comes to the contact center specifically, companies are focused on improving customer experience while aiming to reduce costs.

Prioritizing digital channels buys mid-sized contact centers some time to operate at a lower cost. Many businesses don’t feel the need to support live voice interactions until they reach a certain operational scale. And because agent interactions can cost 25 to 75 times more than self-service interactions, you can keep costs low while providing a convenient option for your customers.

Digital Is Fast

For your customers, digital channels are fast and convenient. There’s little to no waiting time associated with digital self-service — and it’s available on the go.

For your business, digital transformation offers an opportunity for you to move quickly. Solutions for digital channels are often cloud-based, making them fast to deploy, quick to update, easily scalable and less costly to own.

And, although adding digital to your mix of interaction channels presents challenges, it also offers mid-sized call centers an excellent opportunity to level the playing field against much larger organizations. It gives you agility.

Get Insights to Lead a Digital-First Transformation

Use that agility to your advantage. Learn how 600 business and IT leaders are refining their customer service strategies, systems and processes to lead the digital transformation — without disruption. Get the full report today.