Customer service is under a microscope. From horror stories to acts of kindness to humorous interactions, extreme examples of customer service circulate the web. A new one seems to pop up every week. Even the media has found these stories worthy of coverage. If we take a step back though and look outside of these exceptional experiences at typical day-day interactions a consumer has with a brand, what are the obstacles standing in the way of providing best-in-class service? The simplest answer: lack of data.
It’s astounding that in today’s world of data overload, contact centers could be struggling with data but as Aberdeen’s report “Customer Engagement Analytics: How to Use Data to Create (and Keep) Happy Customers” (May 2014) indicates, it’s not a lack of data but a lack of integration between systems that is the major pain point in the contact center. Overcoming that challenge, ‘Best-in-Class Contact Centers’ had three characteristics in common that help provide agents with the appropriate data to serve customers.
1. Provide agents with recent and historical customer data at the beginning of each interaction
In Best-in-class contact centers, customer data moves with the customer even if they switch channels or get transferred. This is especially important as research has shown that typical interactions involve at least one transfer. Companies that provide recent and historical data enjoyed a 3.5% reduction in average handle time compared to .7% reduction of those without the process.
2. Use customer contact data to support dynamic customer traffic queues
Dynamic queue management captures customer data from the ACD and appropriately routes customers to the best-suited agent. Interesting, but not surprising, is that having a dynamic traffic queue is highly correlated with the ability to integrate technology systems to gain an overall view of the customer interaction.
3. Regularly monitor customer conversations regarding company brand across social media
Best-in-Class contact centers overcome the data challenge on social media by integrating the channel into their business. Companies are tracking customer sentiment across multiple channels to monitor and manage brand loyalty.
The chart below shows a more details look at the building blocks leaders use for superior performance.
Looking for ways we can help you break down the data silos in your contact center and earn your customers’ loyalty through more positive, seamless experiences? Learn more about Aspect’s contact center solutions.