As the pandemic raged across the globe, education for both school and college-going people was severely impacted.
In such testing times, online learning lent a much-needed helping hand and assured return of some sort of normalcy.
The popularity of online classes was evident from the forecasts that the online education market is stipulated to reach an evaluation of $350 billion by 2025!
This is not to say that remote education did not come with drawbacks. The foremost was the lack of access for students without a functional internet connection or computers.
So the minute schools and colleges reopened, students flocked back to physical classrooms by the dozen. And this is where the real test of ed-tech companies has begun.
Sustenance is at stake as both physical and virtual learning modes have come to swords.
Hence it's vital that ed-tech companies choose the right set of tools to retain their existing customers as well as provide appealing services to potential leads.
Out of the numerous tools, call center coaching software and call monitoring software are effective at providing a unique experience to both students and parents.
How can these tools prove to be game changers? We will explain it all today.
- The TWO big challenges Ed-Tech industries are NOT THINKING ABOUT!!
- How does call center management and coaching come into the picture?
The TWO Big Challenges Ed-Tech Industries Are NOT THINKING ABOUT!!
From a call center management POV, the pandemic has proven to be a turnaround for the ed-tech industry.
Case in point- Byju’s. The company is arguably the biggest ed-tech firm in the world. During the pandemic, it registered a stupendous jump of 200% in the number of learners subscribing to its app and platform.
A somewhat similar uptick has been registered by other learning platforms too.
But when everything seems so inspiring why would more than 50% of customers say that customer experience across firms needs serious attention?
There are two prominent reasons for this. Before we discuss these, we’d like to clarify that no call center coaching or workforce management call center solution can solve fundamental problems in the way your business functions.
Along with using the best call center agent coaching tools and best call center management systems, it’s also necessary to employ efficient business practices to keep your company in shape.
Disclaimer done? Now back to the problems
- Overt gamification but no progress in content
One of the major ways Ed-tech has made it's potential realized has been ‘easy, interactive explanation of tough topics’.
Indeed this claim has been the main selling point for online education platforms. The gamification aspect of mundane topics is appealing as it is an excellent visual aid for learners.
But if you look a bit closer, the whole ‘interactiveness kills education boredom’ aspect appears more like an offshoot of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Ed-tech currently focuses on the how of things, not the what. The topics being taught are the same, only the way of presentation has changed. You can’t expect too long a student engagement if the learning modules follow age-old syllabus.
Yes, there is an education board to follow but nowhere does it mean there can be platforms that can't offer innovative subjects.
A call center solution helps understand customer needs but the drive for novelty should come from the Ed-tech companies first. The industry prides on calling itself ‘the trendsetters’. High time that the term is put into action.
- Holistic Emotional Learning
While online learning firms focus on improving ‘skills’, they have been letting a far more important factor become collateral damage. This is the mental health of the learners.
Most of the course modules are all about theoretical knowledge but hardly anything has been done to take into account the emotional well-being of learners.
WHO reported that in 2020 itself, the cases of depression and anxiety rose by a shocking 25% across the globe.
Many would disregard this as a trivial matter but shouldn’t. The reasons are pretty straight and right in front of you. The very thing required to access online lectures is a phone/computer and a working net connection.
This means that an Ed-tech company is asking learners to proactively use their phones at a time when 63% of people aged 18-25 reported suffering from major depression. The study was carried out from 2009-27 which starkly contrasts with the rise in smartphones.
Of course, online learning is not to be blamed for this but it does need to ponder whether its attempts at enlightening students factor in the improvement in their emotional skills as well.
How Does Call Center Management and Coaching Come into the Picture?
The questions we raised above are not to be patched up immediately. Instead these are fundamental issues that the whole industry needs to ponder and address.
But in the meantime, it is also necessary to plug several other gaps that can harm business continuity. For that, you can make use of effective call center coaching and management models. Below we explain how these can be helpful.
- Utilizing remote contact center agents
The pandemic has given rise to a ‘work from anywhere’ culture.
This is essentially useful for call center workforce management as companies can attract the best talent across the globe without being concerned about geographical challenges.
Remote agents have the option to log in from their phones, desktop, or laptop and attend customer calls from the comfort of the space of their choice.
- Leveraging the power of AI and Machine Learning
Several call center coaching platforms use AI and machine learning to automate repetitive tasks, leaving agents enough time to focus on customer experience.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning-led call center management can have other benefits also.
The first one is automatic dialing. The automatic dialing feature comes in pretty handy when agents have to contact a large number of parents, students, and teachers. It also contributes to improving agent productivity.
The second one is the call transfer algorithm. In this, an inbound call is automatically transferred to the agent best suited to handle that particular call. Automated call transfer algorithms are useful for improving the first call resolution rate (FCR).
- Efficient evaluation of agent’s performance
Call center solutions also help you to effectively evaluate all your agents’ performance. You can listen to recorded calls and analyze them on parameters such as handling time, time taken to resolve a query, phrases used etc.
Regular monitoring lets managers know their agents are faring on live calls. Depending on this analysis, you can even put up agents for coaching or training.
There is no doubt that Ed-Tech has revolutionized the approach toward academics. But at the same time, its penetration and encompassing abilities still remain in question.
Ed-tech firms should target improving the overall experience of all stakeholders involved. This can be effectively done by making use of call center management tools.
Ed-tech companies should also look to implement call center coaching solutions that help call center reps acquire requisite skills. This way agents can assist customers in the best possible manner.
Your Ed-tech business requires only the best call center solution. Sign up here and see how Convin can combine the best of all worlds.
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