Contact centers were forced to pivot their strategies back in 2020 to adapt to the changing world. There were a variety of lessons learned during this transition period and gave us experience on how we should operate businesses in the future. Now in 2022 a lot of the changes that we rushed to implement have been fine-tuned and integrated with what we previously knew. Here are three main takeaways from the past two years that are beneficial to us now.

1. External factors can have internal consequences

Your business is not immune to external factors. Many would never have thought that public health could have a direct effect on a local restaurant yet that in turn did happen. Once COVID-19 swept over every business it forced them to become dynamic and flexible in how they were going to best run their business and suit their customer's needs. This flexibility showed businesses that anything can happen in a flash and riding it out is key to surviving.

2. The smallest interactions hold the most weight

Saying “Hello” to customers or “Is there anything I can better assist you with?” goes a long way in their minds. COVID changed these interactions from in-person to online or a virtual space. However, even with the change in communication, these interactions mean more now. Customers were not going into stores as often and didn't have the ability to create a bond with you in person. So any interaction that occurs virtually holds even more weight. Customers come to you for a specific need and providing them with what they need in a friendly manner goes a long way.

3. Data can be optimized and leveraged to create success

Data is nothing new and was being optimized pre-pandemic, yet, with all the changes that occurred in consumer behavior taking a deeper dive into the data is key. Tracking how consumers have changed over the past two years and which of their habits have been altered are noteworthy for any type of business. Data is becoming an essential part of businesses to track where your shortcomings are and where improvements can be made in the short and long term.