What is an Agent Desktop?

A software application or set of applications that provide contact center agents with all the information and tools they need to perform their customer-facing job functions. It includes a customer database, product information, and contact management tools.

A contact center desktop also allows agents to access company knowledge-bases and support forums. Agent desktops improve customer experiences by providing agents with comprehensive information, data and context to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently.

What does an agent desktop do?

The modern call center operates across channels. Therefore, an agent’s desktop needs to be designed in a way that communicates all the necessary information and conversation history of a particular customer, no matter what channel they used, in an easy-to-understand and thorough way. All the relevant information, the customer database, product information, and contact management tools must all be easily accessible for the agent and always up-to-date.

Dashboards for these purposes should be clear, intuitive, and visually appealing in their presentation. A visual system should include:

• Customer interaction history
• The current issue
• What the customer has attempted so far
• Customer preferences

Benefits of an agent desktop

The agent platform can be a web-based application or a desktop application. Web-based agent portals are accessed through a web browser, while desktop solutions are installed on agent computers. Either way, there are a myriad of benefits to implementing a comprehensive cloud-based agent desktop.

• Improved efficiency and agent productivity: First contact resolution (FCR) is a measure of how often a contact center agent is able to resolve a customer issues on the first call. When agent portals are well-designed and informative, FCR rates increase.
• Compliance and security: Agent desktop solutions can help your contact center meet industry compliance standards, such as PCI DSS and HIPAA. Agent desktops are equipped with security features, such as data encryption, to protect sensitive customer information.

Top agent desktop features

An effective agent desktop is an essential part of any contact center. It generally includes the following key elements:

• Customer database: A customer database is a necessary component of any agent desktop. It stores customer information like contact details, order history, and account details. A good customer database is easy to search and provides agents with the information they need to resolve customer issues quickly.
• Product information: Product information is another key component of a contact center desktop. It should include product descriptions, pricing information, and technical specifications. This information will help agents sell products and services to customers and answer customer questions about products and services.
• Contact management tools: Contact management tools help agents keep track of customer interactions. These tools include a call log, email client, and chat client. Contact management tools help agents follow up with customers and provide managers with visibility into agent performance.
• Company knowledge-base: A company knowledge-base is a valuable resource for agents. It typically includes information about products, services, and company policies. A knowledge-base should be easy to search and provide accurate and up-to-date information.
• Support forums: Support forums provide a place for agents to ask questions and get help from other agents. They’re also used to share best practices and tips. Agent desktops should provide access to support forums so that agents can get the help they need to resolve customer issues.
• Performance monitoring and reporting tools: Performance monitoring and reporting tools help contact center managers monitor agent performance. These tools provide agent activity reports, call logs, and customer satisfaction surveys. Performance monitoring and reporting tools assist managers in identifying areas for improvement and making changes to improve the overall efficiency of the contact center.