Mutare Blog How Mobile Apps Will Transform Contact Center Operations

The explosive growth of data sharing through mobile devices reached another milestone in 2014 according to CNNMoney, which reports mobile Internet traffic has now surpassed usage by PCs and is continuing to surge. Just as significant, nearly 50% of all Internet traffic is being generated through the use of mobile apps.Facebook and Instagram aside, numbers like that cannot be ignored by companies hoping to capture the attention of their mobile first customers if they want to build better relationships and continued loyalty.I for one love being able to locate items in a store, download coupons, print photos, scan barcodes and compare prices all from company apps on my smartphone. Those apps save me hours of time, not to mention plenty of money. So how come, when I actually need to contact customer service, I have to resort to the old-fashioned phone call and waiting in queue for an agent? Sure, many companies provide the opportunity to text with a customer service rep from their websites, but SMS has its limitations. For one it's expensive, and for another it is unsecured so inappropriate if I need to share sensitive financial, medical, or other personal information.Thankfully, all that is about to change as innovative software developers like Mutare, Inc., are finding ways to add encrypted, secure chat capabilities directly into a mobile application.Mutare has developed a Smart Chat application which is designed for easy embedding in a company's existing mobile app. Smart Chat can also be integrated with the company's existing CRM/ERP and contact center software so agents have instant access to their customers' profiles and history, resulting in less time spent gathering information and an easier time resolving problems.The application also takes advantage of capabilities inherent in the mobile experience, like location awareness, ability to take and share ad hoc photos and video, and identity awareness.It's just a win-win for companies and their app-loving customers (who, by the way, tend to be their most valuable customers). Faster service and issue resolution means happier customers who express their satisfaction through their purchasing power. It also means lower costs for contact center operations because of quicker and more effective service delivery.I predict 2015 to be the year when mobile applications emerge as the preferred method of contact for customers seeking support. Smart companies will take heed and make sure their contact centers have the tools they need to fulfill that promise.