What if you could effortlessly convert your contact center into a low-stress, maximum efficiency operation, delivering unsurpassed customer service all within one contact center application?
It might sound too good to be true. But more and more, contact centers are looking to simplify app management for all the critical tools their front-line communicators use everyday to do just that — for the benefit of agents, IT teams, and customers alike.
The solution? A single pane of glass (SPOG) environment where all apps live within a unified, single system. And the results are substantial, with skyrocketing productivity, higher conversion rates, and improved customer and employee satisfaction.
Let’s take a closer look at what a single pane of glass is and why it’s so important in today’s contact center.
The Concept of a Single Pane of Glass
SPOG, also called a single pane view, is a single, unified interface that merges separate tools previously housed in other screens, windows, or tabs.
Imagine your personal computer displaying email, messaging, social media, favorite shopping site, banking, and streaming service all on your home screen with a single login, seamlessly working together.
Streamlining Contact Centers
A recent agent engagement survey by ICMI revealed that most contact center agents use at least four productivity tools, and more than 20% use a whopping ten or more! That translates to a ton of clicking around, opening and closing windows, and interrupted workflows — a big time-waster for those who need to sift through them all mid-call to find relevant information. It delays call progress and frustrates the agent and the customer.
Not to mention, having all these applications running concurrently also translates to tens of hours of integration and benchmarking time for IT teams, who have to make sure the systems all play nice with one another and don’t “brick” computers by overextending processing resources.
SPOG, however, assembles those individual applications, creating one simple, consolidated on-screen hub that’s easier to use and provides all the needed tools all in one place. Many CCaaS, UCaaS, and CRM platforms have adopted the SPOG model as an inherent UI/UX principle to streamline agent workflows and improve performance.
Conversational AI Embedded in a Single Pane of Glass
Balto is a leader in conversational AI for contact centers with our Real-Time Guidance tools, and we recognize the impact of a unified system with fewer clicks and on-the-spot resources. The platform is all-in-one with all features easily accessible. But we built it initially as a separate, low-demand desktop app.
However, Balto is advancing the benefits of Real-Time Guidance with its next-gen integration. The AI-powered platform that customers depend on to drive conversions, ensure bulletproof compliance, and speed up agent ramp time is now available app-free. Contact centers can easily embed it directly into the software agents already use in their call workflows — whether that’s a CCaaS/UCaaS like Genesys or NICE in Contact.
App-Free, Hands-Off Integration
The new AI-powered system with hands-off integration creates a single pane of glass, benefiting agents, the IT department, and ultimately the customer experience. We’ve supercharged an already successful system by implanting our AI into almost any browser or application.
Balto’s new app-free option eliminates manual starts and stops and the need to push application updates. It also boosts desktop performance and is now available on low-power computers, like Chromebooks — ideal for remote workers.
IT Advantages to a Single Pane of Glass
Benefits to SPOG for agents are a bit more apparent as they’re the primary users. However, there are quite a few behind-the-scenes advantages for the organization.
The IT team, in particular, benefits from a less complicated system and the following features and performance enhancements.
- Simplified integration
- Single sign-on (coming soon!)
- Less monitoring with auto-updates
- Lower security risk
- Desktop performance boost
- Low-power computer support
A Single Pane of Glass Offers Many Benefits to Contact Center Agents
Today’s agents are highly specialized, sometimes working in an omnichannel environment but always multitasking and accessing massive amounts of information.
Regardless of the industry, their formula for success includes:
- Responding courteously but promptly
- Providing accurate information
- Preventing extensive hold times and escalations
- Flawless compliance
Achieving all four objectives is linked to real-time data and guidance. So, clicking through to access individual and remotely-housed applications halts progress, leading to agent frustration, lower productivity, call escalations, mistakes, and a stressful work environment.
However, a single pane of glass gathers the various tools in the agents’ virtual toolbox, bringing them front and center for easy access and a seamlessly integrated workstation. Eliminating multiple touch points is a game changer in today’s hectic contact centers.
The direct benefits of SPOG to agents include:
- An easy-to-use system with a shorter learning curve
- Fewer clicks and less research
- Reduced frustration
- The ability to help the customer faster and more effectively
- Higher productivity
- Greater job satisfaction
- Improved remote or hybrid work accessibility
- Fewer mistakes
- Lower stress levels
When agents provide faster, more accurate, helpful assistance, they’re happier and increasingly productive. And an improved agent experience (AX) leads to a better customer experience (CX).
Enjoy Better Quality Customer Service With SPOG
Your customers have no awareness of the single pane of glass. Nonetheless, they positively experience its influence. 80% of customers are willing to pay more for better customer service, demonstrating the need for contact centers to use all tools at their disposal to achieve it, like Real-Time Guidance and SPOG.
When agents work from a single pane of glass, customers experience:
- Shorter and more productive calls
- Fewer escalations
- Reduced hold times
- Better-quality responses
- Conscientious agents willing and able to help
Benefits from Balto and a Single Pane of Glass
Balto’s AI-driven Real-Time Guidance is an invaluable tool for agents with its dynamic prompts, checklists, and reward system. It keeps calls on track, limits escalations, reduces hold time, and provides agents with instant access to answers they’d typically need to research.
But now, with our single pane of glass option, those benefits are powered up even more with embeddable Real-Time Guidance. Hands-off integration with existing CCaaS, UCaaS, and CRM systems means Balto:
- Is app-free for major CCaaS platforms
- Streamlines agent workflows
- Automatically starts when calls begin
- Reduces security risks with automatic updates
- Is a low-power option (works on Chromebooks) for remote or hybrid agents
Your Single Pane of Glass with Real-Time Guidance is Ready and Waiting
Superior contact center operations can take a business to new levels of success. Agents are the face of the organization and the direct line of communication with clients and customers. Balto’s Real-Time Guidance is invaluable for agents, supervisors, and the bottom line, with an average 26% higher closing rate and tools that support and motivate agents.
We are now a part of the single access point for the critical tools that agents need to perform best at their jobs — directly from Genesys, NICE in Contact, Salesforce, you name it!
Schedule a demo if you’re ready to unleash agent performance, simplify call center management, and make your IT teams happier today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a single pane of glass (SPOG) for contact centers?
A single pane of glass takes individual apps and resources frequently used by agents and brings them to the forefront. Everything is moved to one screen with a single login (typically) and seamlessly works together.
How does a single pane of glass benefit agents?
Agents benefit from a single pane of glass (SPOG) as it provides one-stop access to tools they use frequently but were previously only accessible one at a time. It reduces multiple tabs, provides a more functional workspace, and reduces hold times and escalations as essential resources are front and center.
What’s the difference between Balto’s Real-Time Guidance desktop app and the embeddable option, creating a single pane of glass?
Balto now offers its AI-powered Real-Time Guidance platform as a desktop app and an embeddable option. The desktop app is lightweight, but may require additional implementation, while the new embeddable option is typically easier to implement. Embedding with existing software, like Genesys, NICE in Contact, Salesforce, Zendesk, and other CCaaS, UCaaS, or CRM dialers creates a single pane of glass experience. Depending on the application, Balto may be completely desktop app-free or it may run inconspicuously in the background. Additionally, the embeddable option works on low-power computers, like Chromebooks.