Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

To compete in the commercial sector today, companies are beginning to understand the importance of customer-centric strategies and processes in order to achieve differentiation through service excellence. As a result of this importance, Astute Solutions announced its backing of the new AberdeenGroup benchmark report, “The Multi-Channel Call Center Agent: Reality or Myth?”

 

In its research, the firm has concluded that multi-channel support has become a competitive requirement. In fact, such support has been implemented within 90 percent of best-in-class companies surveyed.

 

This study from the AberdeenGroup examines the cost, customer and competitor factors that are driving the market need for multi-channel agents, those who are more versatile and can handle multiple channels. The study states that organizations across all industries are challenged to support multiple channels in a unified way. Major obstacles for achieving a multi-channel agent environment include a lack of integrated data and appropriate software systems for managing communications.

 

"Implementing multi-channel call center agents drives significant improvements in areas like customer satisfaction, support cost reduction and agent retention. Over 59 percent of best-in-class companies have seen an improvement in their first call resolution rates after doing so," said Alan Hubbard, senior vice president, sales and marketing practice, AberdeenGroup, in a Monday statement. "But it is important to note that these results are achieved through supporting technologies such as CRM, CTI and IVR, and by resolving integration challenges."

 

The AberdeenGroup study identified several benefits that can be realized through enabling multi-channel yields, including an improved service quality as it delivers a more complete snapshot of customer needs; call waiting times, handling times and support costs are reduced; the customer experience is improved, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention; higher agent retention and per-agent revenue; the elimination or reduction of backlog and greater flexibility during peak volumes.

 

"Results speak volumes. Aberdeen found that 94 percent of companies who have integrated data across channels and implemented supporting technologies have improved customer satisfaction. This aligns closely with our experiences," said Astute Solutions President, Joseph Sanda, in Monday’s statement.

 

"By coupling our solutions with top-down, customer-centric business strategies, our customers have proven that the multi-channel agent increases customer satisfaction and opens up more revenue generating opportunities."

 

The competitive advantage that companies can gain through multi-channel agents is the level of service that can be delivered to the customer. Each customer wants to believe that their business is the most important for the company and wants to be treated as such. In this type of environment, that level of service can be achieved and the company can foster customer loyalty. As a result, the company can protect its base while also driving growth in the market.

 

 

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMC and has also written for eastbiz.com. To see more of her articles, please visit Susan J. Campbell’s columnist page.