I was in a taxi on my way to LaGuardia on a snowy Friday afternoon. A proactive text message informed me that my flight was cancelled (drat!), launching my desperate effort to find a route home. Of course everyone was calling the airline, so the queues were backing up. They offered a callback, so I… Read More »
Almost without exception, our clients express frustration with their contact center reporting. Important data located in various applications and strategic information requests drive the need to export data into warehouses and spreadsheets to meet business needs. But in doing so, the value of contact center technology reporting applications is lost. It’s time to get back… Read More »
The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is probably the most reviled component in the contact center technology portfolio. We’ve all heard people say “I hate those automated machines… I just want to talk to a live person.” And yet IVR STILL PERFORMS A LOT OF USEFUL SERVICES that benefit callers and centers. For example: They validate… Read More »
Most centers struggle with knowledge management (KM), and it’s not hard to understand why. There is a wide variety of information to structure, review, and manage – on products, processes, policies, current issues, etc. Many different players produce and distribute information without a mandate to coordinate their efforts with others. A lot of information is… Read More »
While I try not to be sensitive, I cringe whenever folks regale me with their latest miserable customer service experiences. Studies show that customer satisfaction measurements lag far behind internal view measured through quality monitoring scores. Where are the “Wow!” experiences we all seek? A good mobile app, integrated with the contact center, can achieve… Read More »
As consultants, we often hear clients complain about their technology. But when probed for suggestions to improve their circumstances, they’ll say, “We don’t know what we don’t know!” This post and the associated full-length article explore practical ways that you can close the knowledge gap and take responsibility for getting more from your technology. FIRST:… Read More »
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is among the latest contact center technology innovations that carry the promise of delivering unique capabilities to benefit your company and your customers. But is it for real? Here are a few of the opportunities we’ve identified for SIP in contact centers… Platforms built on SIP support routing of all media… Read More »
There are a lot of reasons why executives are drawn to outsourcing like moths to a flame. Financial pressure. Growth/acquisition management. Dated technology (and no heart for investing). Tight time lines for action. Need for flexible staffing model. Belief that contact center specialists are simply better at it. But there’s more to outsourcing than meets… Read More »
Many of our clients want to know how they compare with centers of like size, maturity, and industry. They’re often drawn to benchmarking resources and other studies and surveys. While interesting, the data that drives these reports do not necessarily reflect what the best centers do, nor do they focus on what’s possible. And even… Read More »
Contact centers have long been interested in cloud contact center solutions to compensate for scarce IT resources and pursue enhanced contact center technology. As cloud solution providers have expanded the features/functions, architecture choices, and services provided, there truly is something for everybody. Contact center management, contact center support, and IT in centers of all sizes… Read More »