November 10, 2016
While managing a contact/call center of any kind can be a challenge, few have as important of a job as those in telephone triage call centers. These medical professionals work in what appears to be standard contact/call centers, but instead of working for a private business, they are using their expertise to provide medical advice and guidance to patients over the telephone. Their role is part healthcare and part customer service, and people’s health is literally on the line.
With such an important responsibility, we need to provide these professionals every resource and tool we can to improve service and reduce wait times. Cisco UCCX is a perfect contact call center platform for this task and includes a number of advanced contact/call center features that will streamline operations.
Healthcare over the Phone
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR): A clear and concise IVR is a great place to start. Using simple voice or number pad command and responses, a patient can input key information that will guide them to the best professional for their particular situation.
- Intelligent Routing: IVRs are excellent, but they aren’t perfect. Cisco UCCX also includes intelligent routing features that will aid in further directing callers to the agent best suited to their needs. Accessing patient records, the system may automatically know that the caller from this number is Spanish-speaking, and UCCX will make sure to direct the call to a nurse who can properly communicate.
- Presence Tools: Despite an effective IVR and intelligent routing tools, call transfers may still need to happen, and in a telephone triage call center, connecting the caller to the right nurse is essential. Presence tools allow the nurse on call to check which other nurses are available with a mere glance. This prevents multiple transfers and frustrations for the caller.
- Expected Wait Times: Healthcare cannot always wait, and yet a nurse can only answer so many calls at a time. UCCX will provide the caller with an approximate amount of time the customer will have to wait before speaking to a nurse. From there, the caller can decide whether they can wait, should call back later, or go directly to a hospital.
- Multi-Channel: Today, we have technologies and forms of communication beyond the telephone at our disposal. UCCX can equip the triage center with chat and video communications to provide callers with more options.
- Workforce Management: On the management side, staffing the triage center with the right healthcare professionals at all times can be a challenge. Workforce management tools allow for easier scheduling, transparency in the scheduling process, and analytics that allow management to predict peaks in call traffic.
Customer Service Is Customer Service
Whether you’re selling a simple product or providing essential healthcare advice, proper customer service is key, and an organized, well-oiled contact/call center is half the battle. If the callers are moving through the call flow at a steady pace, no one is getting left behind, and the caller reaches a nurse who can help them, your customer service is on the right track. UCCX is designed to provide all the necessary tools to make this a reality.
As technology infrastructure consultants, Mindsight can provide the equipment and licenses necessary to transfer your contact/call center to Cisco UCCX. Contact Mindsight today to discuss how we can enhance, augment, or change your infrastructure.
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