1. Naming Conventions
Your Amazon Connect application is going to be around for some time and multiple developers are going to be involved. So, from the start, set out your stool with a naming convention that all developers follow.
Examples of good naming conventions:
- Use Camel Case
- Do not use white space
- Do not use foreign characters
- Have reference IDs for each module
2. Set Logging Level to TRUE
It is strongly advised to set the logging level to True at the beginning of every call flow. When developing the application, you can review the logs to understand or find any defects in the code. Additionally, having this set will mean you can troubleshoot any issues that occur when the system has gone live.
Enabling logging will mean you have access to valuable data:
- Start time
- Duration
- Options chosen
- Errors
- Module Reference IDs
3. Profile Permissions
You must set a user up with only the permissions they require. Additionally, enable MFA to ensure that user accounts cannot be breached by known passwords.
4. Documentation
Having a technical document that details the solution is excellent best practice. Contact Centres become more and more complex, so having an FDS, TDS, HLD and LLD will be essential. In addition, governance and runtime documentation could also include:
- Release Notes
- Test Documentation
- Change Control Document
- Lessons Learnt
- Knowledge Base
5. Sensitive Data
Above all, the developer must ensure they are not capturing and logging out any sensitive data. This is easily done when capturing input from the customer or when executing a Lambda function. The sensitive data sent via an API call must be protected by an encryption mechanism. In the UK, if data is not managed correctly huge fines can be handed out.
Also, be aware that data governance will vary from one country to the next. Additionally, they are subject to change and should be evaluated on a case by case basis regularly.
6. Production and Development Environments
We recommend that you have a Production, Development and maybe even a Test environment. A common mistake seen is that some developers make changes on the fly. However, Speech and Amazon Connect applications are too complex and require rounds of testing before going live.
7. Unexpected Call Spikes
If your business is subject to unexpected call spikes, building an application that allows you to react quickly is essential. One way to manage this challenge is to use deflection messaging to inform the caller of any urgent announcements. Keeping callers up to date with current matters will enhance their overall experience.
8. Personalisation
A great way to increase customer satisfaction is to build personalised experiences. Historically, Contact Centres would offer static experiences that do not change and that are the same for every customer. But we can do better. Build your Amazon Connect functional design by:
- Only offering menu options that are applicable
- Looking up the caller profile based on CLI or ID and making the experience unique to them
- Announcing to the caller – "Welcome to IVR Expert – Is that <customer name>?"