The term “Blended Agent” reflects current trends in the development of contact centers, where hyper-personalization of customer interactions and effective resource utilization are becoming increasingly important. Although there is no direct equivalent in Ukrainian, the essence of this concept is widely understood and used in contact center practices.
In this article, we will explore who Blended Agents are, the benefits they bring to contact centers, and how to set up this operational model.
What is a Blended Agent?
About 20 years ago, call centers had a clear division between inbound and outbound operations. Inbound agents handled incoming calls, while outbound agents made calls to clients. According to the specialization of the call centers, there were agents specialized in inbound calls (primarily customer service and technical support) and outbound calls (telemarketing, sales, phone surveys, etc.).
With the evolution of workflows in call centers and contact centers, the need arose for “blended” or “universal” agents who could handle both inbound and outbound calls. In the English-speaking business world of call centers, the concept of the “Blended Agent” emerged—these are agents who, functionally, can manage both types of calls.
Where Did Blended Agents Come to Be Needed?
The increasing requirement for adaptable experts who can swiftly transition between different jobs gave rise to the necessity for blended agents. Customer expectations and behaviors changed as a result of the rapid advancement of technology, necessitating more immediate and individualized service. The following are the main causes of these changes:
Communication over Multiple Channels
Flexibility in managing phone calls, live chats, emails, messengers, and social media was required due to the proliferation of communication channels. Contact centers require blended agents who can effectively answer to inquiries across many platforms in order to maximize workloads and swiftly transition between jobs.
Changes in Customer Expectations
Alongside technological advancements, customer expectations for service speed grew. A few years ago, the acceptable waiting time for phone service was around 2-3 minutes. However, according to modern service standards, customers now expect a maximum wait time of 60 seconds for phone calls and 15-30 seconds for chats. This heightened the demand for blended agents who can quickly transition between inbound and outbound requests, ensuring high-speed responses and continuous attention to customers, which is now a key factor in quality service.
Automation and CRM System Development
The integration of CRM systems and automated dialers enabled agents to handle a broader range of tasks across different types of contacts, rather than focusing solely on one direction. Technology allows contact center agents to seamlessly switch between tasks and easily navigate customer data.
Economic Efficiency
Using blended agents allows companies to reduce costs, as this approach helps optimize staffing levels and decreases the need for additional agents for each type of call. This is especially important for contact centers that handle large volumes of both inbound and outbound inquiries.
Thus, the demand for blended agents is a response to modern expectations for speed, flexibility, and efficiency in customer service in contact centers.
Key Advantages of Blended Agents for Modern Contact Centers
Universal agents help to use resources more effectively and ensure continuous service by quickly responding to changes in the volume of inbound or outbound calls. The model of using Blended Agents allows for optimized workload management, improved customer experience, and cost reduction.
The key advantages of blended agents for modern contact centers include:
- Flexibility in Responding to Demand Fluctuations: Agents can easily switch between inbound and outbound calls, ensuring smooth service during peaks and low periods.
- Improved Customer Service: The presence of universal agents allows for quicker response times and reduces wait times for customers.
- More Efficient Use of Resources: This helps avoid idle time for agents during low-demand periods, improving overall productivity.
- Cost Reduction: Optimizing the number of agents needed for different tasks lowers operational costs.
The approach of selecting and training universal blended agents is becoming increasingly important in modern contact centers, where responding to customer needs and adapting to changing business conditions is crucial.
Examples of Engaging Blended Agents Across Different Industries
Let’s take the example of an e-commerce contact center. Retail giants use the skills of blended agents to handle calls and process orders across various channels during peak periods, such as seasonal sales, holiday periods, and more. During off-peak times, agents can engage in outbound communication, reminding customers about personalized offers, promotions, or discounts.
An even more telling example of the use of blended agents is in crisis situations, as happened at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During this period, the inbound support line of one of the largest mobile network operators, managed by the outsourcing contact center Global Bilgi, was overwhelmed. To ensure all customer requests were addressed, not only outbound agents were involved but also the least busy agents from other projects were brought in to assist.
Requirements for Blended Agents in Contact Centers
Can anyone be a blended agent? Clearly, the answer is no. Some people are better at persuasion and closing sales, while others excel at active listening, showing empathy, and providing better service. However, the demand for versatility and “multi-skilling” is growing, especially for blended agents.
Multifunctionality requires not only communication skills but also quick responses, flexible thinking, and the ability to address different types of customer issues during a single shift.
Moreover, blended agents must have a high level of stress resistance and well-developed time management skills. They often need to work in conditions where they must switch between tasks that require different approaches—such as providing quick information in a chat to engaging in more in-depth phone conversations to resolve complex issues.
Blended agents must also be quick to adapt to new technologies that support call center automation and the integration of various service channels, ensuring they can effectively interact with customers at every stage of communication.
Blended Agent: Conclusions
Blended agents offer significant advantages to contact centers by combining versatility and efficiency. They are capable of handling various types of tasks—ranging from inbound inquiries to customer outreach and cross-selling—which makes them an ideal solution for contact centers focused on flexibility and fast query resolution. This multifunctional approach reduces downtime and improves resource allocation, boosting the overall productivity of the contact center.
However, certain tasks still require specialization. For example, sales specialists handling cold calls or technical support agents dealing with complex products or services require in-depth knowledge that universal agents may not possess. These niche roles ensure high-quality service for specific customer needs, which is crucial for certain business processes.
With the development of AI, knowledge bases, customer service chatbots, and other automated tools, the demand for blended agents is increasing. These technologies now support agents in real-time by providing instant access to customer data and information, enabling blended agents to handle a wider range of queries. This not only streamlines processes but also meets modern customer expectations for fast and continuous service across various channels.
