Newsroom

03 Jul 2006

ContactCenterWorld.com Q&A: Refinements in Contact Centers

ContactCenterWorld.com Q&A: Refinements in Contact Centers Submitted by:
Cheryl Coppens
Director - North America
Customer Operations Performance Center Inc. (COPC Inc.)
www.copc.com

Responses for Refinements in Contact Centers Feature: July 17 - July 21, 2006

1. Since the inception of the call center industry, what do you think are some of the most significant advancements that contact centers of today have undergone?

Call centers evolved as businesses increasingly realized that customers had basic "who" "what" and "how" type questions they needed to ask, and they wanted to be able to pick up a phone and get answers. Thus, the Customer Service Representative (CSR) position made its debut.

Over the years, as an executive managing this evolving customer service function, I have observed the industry come to recognize that a generic CSR cannot occupy these positions. The industry now realizes that they must hire or train employees that have a specific expertise in order to deliver quality service that leads to improved customer satisfaction. Understanding that a profile for these specialized CSR positions must be defined and hired to is critical.

The most important shift in the industry is the awareness that sourcing employees under the heading of "Customer Service Representative" is not as effective as sourcing under the profession for which the candidate is building their career. Nurses, for instance, interested in their invested profession, have the choice to pursue their career in a hospital, private practice, or school, depending on the degree of customer touch they want. And now, they have yet another choice not available 20 years ago - the front line contact center.

2. In your opinion, what factors trigger the need for a change in the call center industry?

Typically, cost triggers the initial change. Once cost is cut, however, ramifications to service and quality inevitably follow. This causes a pendulum swing of activity until a compromised but satisfactorily stabilized environment is established where reduced costs and an acceptable level of service and quality can co-exist. Companies that subscribe to Six Sigma or similar methodologies perform a review of service and quality, as well as cost, before moving to address the need for change. They thus avoid the knee jerk reaction that typically results from an initial focus on cost cutting alone. As new products and capabilities enter the marketplace, the process of evaluating cost vs. service and quality surfaces once again, creating a cycle requiring constant change to which those in the industry must either adapt or be left behind.

3. What are good indicators that a call center needs change?

Out of control cost is the key indicator that a call center needs to do some serious evaluation of its performance management system. High attrition rate, low service performance and customer dissatisfaction are all red flags. A center that reaches the point where it becomes apparent that change is required is already starting from a reactive position. Successful, forward thinking businesses are proactively inventing ways to save future cost, improve performance and increase customer satisfaction. They aren't waiting to experience dismal results to finally make a move towards change and process improvement.

4. What future trends do you see as far as enhancements in call centers are concerned?

Successful call centers, in order to remain efficient, cost effective, and competitive are beginning to recognize that they need to take a close look at how they handle one of their most valuable resources - their employees. Employee satisfaction in these centers focuses on actively listening to employees and demonstrating that they value their contribution to the success of the organization. To many, this may seem like a given. But, all too often employee satisfaction falls into the category of lip service rather than an essential operational strategy.
After personally running call centers of all types and having the opportunity to see the inner workings of centers as a director with COPC Inc., I have identified a common trend among the most successful. That trend is a focus on the employee. In addition to listening and including them in meaningful explanation of the how's and why's of center operations and providing all important feedback on performance, these centers help employees grow their skills through training. They also recognize the employee's need to develop beyond customer service. In a technical support environment, for instance, encouraging and growing careers that will lead outside of the typical call center management function is healthy. A center with this mentality could keep a good Tech Support agent for 4- 6 years.

5. Among the improvements that contact centers of today have undergone, what for you is the least beneficial even detrimental to the industry? Why?

Over investment in tools that are beyond a center's real need has had a negative impact on call centers that fall into this practice.

There is no argument; tools can help us be more efficient and effective. Unfortunately, tools alone are not the answer. In fact, they can often be a major contributor to problems if not selected wisely, and with a specific need and criteria in mind. If centers could step back from the sales pitch of many "tools" companies and align with what they really need, they might realize more immediate and satisfactory results.

For instance, within the centers I visit there is rarely a lack of reporting. In fact, I find most centers are buried in reporting to the point that simple questions can't be answered because the core business requirements were not defined. A classic example is an inability to track true call resolution and determining how many inbound calls are driven by a lack of resolution. This question stumps many center management teams, in spite of tools in place to report on a myriad of center activities. Had they approached the implementation of their reporting system by defining this as a requirement up front, they would have been able to access this important and basic call center information.