State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest bank, has improved its Contact Centre service to provide a more customised client experience.
The redesigned Contact Centre will offer 30+ banking options in 12 languages, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To further ease the procedure, the bank has created 4-digit toll-free numbers (1800-1234 or 1800-2100).
Currently, the Contact Centre handles 1.5 million monthly calls, with 40 per cent handled by IVR and the balance handled by approximately 3500 tele-caller personnel working through four toll-free helpline lines.
Customers may get a variety of services such as accounts, ATM cards, and cheque books, emergency services (ATM card or digital channel blocking), access to digital products and assistance, product information, and so on.
SBI has supplied streamlined scripts and soft skill training skills to all customer care personnel in order to successfully address most banking problems on the phone. In the future, the bank intends to investigate the incorporation of sophisticated AI/ML-based technologies such as conversational IVR and speech bots.
“At SBI, we endeavor to be customer-centric and offer a personalised experience through multiple channels and platforms. While customers are continuously moving to digital channels, we have seen that ‘voice’ continues to be a preferred channel for certain customer segments. Hence, we started this journey of reimagining and building a next-gen Contact Center, under Project Dhruva in 2021,” Dinesh Khara, Chairman of SBI said.
“We are looking at the Contact Center not just as a service channel but as the Bank’s new 18th (virtual) circle that will drive business objectives. The bank is getting higher conversions on pre-approved loan offers with the Contact Center outreach. In addition, the center’s collection outreach has improved asset quality by reducing slippages. These efforts have transformed the Contact Center into a Profit Center”, added Mr. Khara.
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The bank has gotten extremely favourable consumer feedback, as evidenced by high levels of customer satisfaction and call quality. To empower as many people as possible from the comfort of their own homes, the bank will seek to increase consumer awareness and use of the Contact Center.
