Technology has radically changed how people bank today - especially how customers interact with their bank. But technological solutions don’t always improve company-customer relations. While driving efficiency, technology can also be impersonal. Customers might be left frustrated and dissatisfied, missing the human aspect of a face-to-face interaction. So how can technological development enhance rather than undermine customer service? Can technology be used to both build trusting relationships with clients and simultaneously enable a smooth and efficient digital banking experience?

Co-browsing and its benefits
Co-browsing is a perfect example of technology that advances both efficiency and customer service. Co-browsing, or collaborative browsing, allows banks to join their customers in their browsing sessions, interacting with customers within their web browser in real time. Agents can collaborate with customers, view documents alongside them, and guide them through different processes. Co-browsing allows banks to engage with customers on a personal level, in a way unique to each individual, as though the agent were there in person.

Cobrowsing can take different forms. The agent might want to view what the customer is doing in real time and draw their attention to certain things within their browser. There is also embedded co-browsing, which allows the agent to collaborate with the customer within the platform, as well as universal co-browsing whereby the agent and customer can navigate together to anywhere on the web. Finally, in document co-browsing, the agent can guide the customer through complex documents.

The greatest benefit of co-browsing is that it provides personal, human, and hands-on guidance. Issues are resolved much faster and because agents are able to ‘show’ rather than just ‘tell’ customers what to do, it prevents repeat problems in the future. The result is reduced costs, increased customer satisfaction, and increased customer loyalty and conversion rates. Another benefit? Security. Unlike screen-sharing, co-browsing shares only your browser, not your entire desktop, making it safer for agents and customers alike.

How does Co-browsing work?
There are different ways to use co-browsing to improve your customer service. Different practices will be necessary for different customers and co-browsing is most effective when adapted to the individual’s needs.

Co-browsing allows you to interact with your customers within their browsing session, including within mobile apps, which is where many customers do their banking. Observing their online experience in real time allows agent’s to witness any issues as soon as they arrive. What’s more, while you can guide your customers, they can also guide you. Switching control is quick and simple and allows customers to point out certain things they are finding problematic. The agent can then explain them.

With co-browsing, you can share and view documents alongside the customer, talking them through complicated documents and pointing out important information. Sharing such documents is done with the highest commitment to security and there is guaranteed protection for the customer’s information. The field masking function governs exactly what is visible to an agent when customers input their personal information during a session. Furthermore, unlike screen-sharing, you’re only able to see the website or application, and nothing else.

Using the Draw and Highlight functions, the agent is able to visually guide the customer to certain information on a page. Rather than a phone conversation that lacks any visual context, the customer is able to clearly see what the agent is referring to. Co-browsing also allows companies to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’ customers how to do something, allowing customers to learn for themselves. This means issues are resolved faster and there is less chance of repeat problems in the future.

Co-browsing augments a phone or chat interaction. Co-browsing creates a personalized customer service and adds a human element to an exchange. The visual context also makes it superior to a phone call where customers might become confused when being guided through complicated transactions. Finally, unlike screen-sharing, co-browsing doesn’t suffer from delays or poor quality, instead maintaining the same standard as the original browser.

Co-browsing and Unblu
With over 120 financial services institutions using Unblu, we have the knowledge and experience to successfully deploy co-browsing within complex and secure infrastructures.

Learn more about Unblu’s co-browsing solution here. Or request a demo here and a member of the Unblu team will reach out to learn more about your needs and prepare a personalized proposal.

See original blog: https://blog.unblu.com/en/co-browsing-for-better-online-conversations-how-does-it-work