Call Centers Archives - Etech Global Services

How Big Data Analytics Is Gold for Call Centers?

Call centers generate data like no other department within a company. Information coming in from the outside, such as customer demographics, common questions, and favorite product features are gold mines for marketing, development, and customer engagement. Data gleaned from internal processes such as hold times, how long it takes to resolve an issue, and the number of calls managed per shift provides valuable information for departmental and company management. Best of all, the automated nature of a call center means that almost everything is recorded, cataloged, tracked, and measured with accuracy. As a bonus, it’s available indefinitely for future analysis and decision making. How Can Companies Use All This Data? • Unstructured data : Unstructured data can be defined as “information, in many different forms, that doesn’t hew to conventional data models.” An example is voice recordings from callers to a call center. The efficient call center software can analyze the tone of voice, content, and emotion. That knowledge can help a representative gauge the caller’s mood even before the conversation starts. This kind of processing is also called speech analysis or natural language processing (NLP). • Text data analytics : Call center is something of a misnomer as consumers now interact with companies via social media, email, messaging apps, and more. Text analytics programs can evaluate all those forms of communication, looking for themes and potential issues. The software can perform this kind of study on messages going out as well as those coming in. • Cross channel analytics : Customers use multiple avenues to interact with vendors, and it’s critical for businesses to understand those methods. For example, if a customer makes most purchases online, the company will want to make sure the client knows that he or she can get support the same way. Knowledge of how customers interact lets a company put more resources into the most used forms of engagement. • Quality control : Every call center has metrics related to customer service and the engagement experience. The data gathered through the call center makes this easier. Friction points become clear, and areas of difficulty for your agents are easier to spot. Also, all this data is prime material for training new agents, and better-trained agents mean improved customer metrics. The Process of Using Big Data Big Data analysis is a four-stage process: 1. Defining the data sources : This involves setting forth a description of all the pathways by which data is collected. You’ll want to include social media, email, and all other forms of communication. 2. Data gathering : This data involves the transformation of raw data into something manageable and organized. Depending on the nature of the data, this may or may not be a traditional database. Unstructured data requires more work to put into a manageable form. 3. Modeling : The data is used to create a hypothetical model for testing and evaluation. Big data gives you a laboratory to try out new ideas in a safe environment. 4. Deploying a model : At this stage, the company takes some action based on the information from the models. The management team has more confidence in decisions based on hard evidence. Get Started Now Businesses from healthcare to banking to manufacturing are finding uses for the big data collected through their call centers. Whether it’s artificial intelligence, machine learning, or predictive analytics, big data is becoming a priceless resource. If you’re ready to make the most of the information flowing through your call center, you have many options, and Etech Insights can help you with data insights for your organization. Contact Etech to find your way to improved customer experience and increased profitability through the use of data you’re probably already collecting. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Using AI To Enhance the Customer Experience in Call Centers

In the past Companies controlled the buying process and the customer journey, with the IoT that shift has moved to the consumer. If you really want to lead in the marketplace you must focus on customer experience. As customer service evolved, the consumers now do business based on customer experience. In this blog we will discuss how the greatest advantages technology can give us is access to this information. One example is purchase tracking, which companies can use to supply suggestions based on past buys. You can apply this same concept to your customers’ experience with service representatives if you have the right tools. Problems With Traditional QA Processes Quality assurance (QA) exists to ensure that consumers are receiving the best experience when they communicate with your company. However, many businesses make a mistake right out the gate by establishing QA standards based on what they think their customers want, rather than what customers are actually asking for. This isn’t necessarily a business’s fault. The crux of the issue is a lack of concrete data, which may be caused by limited resources to collect said data. When employees are responsible for all call monitoring, only a tiny portion of calls—sometimes as low as 1 percent—can actually be listened to. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to be a representative sample for analysis purposes. A lack of real data can lead companies to guess at what creates a great customer experience, which may do more harm than good. To better offer what your clients want, you need a reliable, efficient way to monitor calls and collect data—which brings us to AI. AI and Data Collection Artificial intelligence (AI) is a vital component of automation and can be a powerful tool when used correctly. Since according to an article by eMarketer, about three-fourths of customers feel that the best service is provided by a real person, the key isn’t necessarily more automation but strategic automation. In the case of call centers, AI can be utilized to evaluate calls, thereby increasing both efficiency (since software can listen to more calls) and data collection. When it comes to this second point, it’s essential that the AI used is dynamic, meaning that it can learn. An AI programmed to listen to agent and customer interactions, for example, can learn to identify a number of factors that may influence a QA score, such as: Tone Business policy Contextual conversations Keywords that indicate an escalation In fact, you may be able to customize your AI to recognize different factors based on your market. For example, if your company is a virtual bank, you may want the AI to track how many calls are related to website navigation, so you can determine if your site is easy to use. The Customer Experience Of course, AI alone can’t create the prime experience your customers expect. You need knowledgeable people to analyze the accumulated data and identify any trends that result in churn. You then need people to take this information and translate it into practices. Finally, you need people to implement those practices in the day-to-day and deliver that human touch. Think of AI not as a replacement for human employees but a valuable tool your business can use to elevate your call center to its greatest potential. Here at Etech, we pride ourselves on supplying innovative solutions to help our clients offer the best customer experiences to their own consumers. To learn more about our call-center technology, call us at 936-371-2640 or visit us online. This blog was first published on LinkedIn.

Artificial Intelligence Benefits in Call Centers Worldwide

Many of today’s adults remember a time when artificial intelligence was something mentioned only in relation to science fiction. Such mentions frequently involved futuristic self-driving vehicles, computers capable of taking over the world or robots that became so proficient, there was no real meaning in life for humans. Today, many of those adults could pause and take a look around and see that there is truly artificial intelligence everywhere. From the automated systems that run stop lights to cars that really are capable of being self-driving, it would seem that yesterday’s science fiction has become today’s reality. Humans are learning each day just how beneficial this type of intelligence can be. Artificial intelligence is not only changing traffic lights, commuting and homes worldwide, it is also changing the way companies do business. Systems that are automated have recently been shown to boost call center performance statistics and capabilities. In fact, a recent Gartner presentation predicted that by the year 2020, non-voice interactions in call centers will have risen to an unbelievable 85%. Those contact centers that recognize how beneficial artificial intelligence can be lead the industry in both customer and agent satisfaction rates. Those that are still leery of technology and classify AI as something that should still belong in a science fiction movie often spend more on agent training and retention. They are also known for having a more volatile customer base as they are less able to meet the needs of their customers quickly or accurately enough. Today’s consumers have learned just how quickly they can accomplish things when they are allowed to do it themselves. Contact centers that understand the need for both artificial and human intelligence frequently offer easy-to-navigate self-service options combined with available live customer service agents. Such digital solutions can predict and recognize what customers need which creates a seamless experience. Understanding that artificial intelligence will never make the human element obsolete can help more call centers to implement this crucial technology. Effortless Customer Experience Driven by AI and HI Today’s customer is one that is willing to share details about their experiences with a company, whether they were good or bad. Perhaps this is why more than 70% of businesses say that their top priority is improving customer experience rates. This is most likely due to the fact that US companies today are said to lose over $60 billion every year due to subpar customer service. Companies benefiting from AI can dramatically improve customer satisfaction rates in the call center environment. Some of the ways include: Increased operational excellence Increased flexibility and versatility Improved business agility Human-centric interaction with machine-centric intelligence Ability to predict customer behavior 24/7 ability to meet customer needs Reduce operating costs Automation of calls coming into a contact center, when done correctly, can handle a large percentage of the incoming customer needs. Increased efficiency and other systems, such as speech recognition systems, also help to lighten the burden for call center management and staff. AI systems that are capable of speech recognition are frequently put into place today and can help relieve high call volume. Customers who call after normal business hours often benefit from this type of system. Though full call center capabilities may not be available, many customers find answers they need through an automated system. Even more advanced interactive voice response systems (IVR) help customers to get through menu options by using their voice instead of punching the right numbers repeatedly. Additional options that benefit from speech recognition technology include call routing, speech-to-text, and voice dialing. When used effectively, a blend of automation, artificial intelligence, and empathetic human agents can be the perfect solution for any call center environment. Many customers prefer being in control of system navigation while knowing that there is always a reliable agent available should the need arise. Such solutions help call centers to cut costs, improve overall customer experiences and increase efficiency rates. The Human Touch Will Always Make the Difference While there are call centers that have chosen to rely completely on artificial intelligence and technology and save money by hiring very few live agents, this is typically not a combination that builds customer loyalty. Instead, disenchanted customers work to find a company that they feel values their business. The human element in a call center lends reality, compassion and out-of-the-box solutions to a call center environment. None of which can be replicated by programs or machines. Conversely, AI systems are able to compile massive amounts of data, are not influenced by a customer’s emotion, and are not prone to glitches or mistakes. In order to provide customers with the best experience, companies must be willing to invest in the right combination of human and artificial intelligence. By moving technology and artificial intelligence from the realm of science fiction to the reality of today’s business world, call centers and customers alike will benefit greatly. This blog was first published on LinkedIn

Charting a Career Path in Today’s Call Centers

It is a myth that call centers lack growth opportunities. Many think that the only path is from agent to director, and many of those jobs are already taken. While call centers tend to have many employees, and many of them are likely vying for the same promotion, that doesn’t limit anyone from working their way up the ladder. The key is to make yourself stand out. Make yourself noticeable by doing the things necessary to show you are not only capable of doing the job you are in, but are capable of taking on much more. There is a career path to be charted for agents with the right temperament and performance. Here are some of the steps toward moving up in the call center world: Benchmarks for Career Building So how do you stand out in a large workforce? Simply stated, do your job and do it well. You must demonstrate a strong skill set that allows you to rise to the top of the stack ranks, that has people coming to you for help, and puts you in a place where you continue to stand out from the crowd. If the call center has a high turnover rate, the most reliable agents can quickly establish their value. Here are some other indicators for employees who might excel in leadership roles: Consistency : Agents who don’t call in sick, who show up for work with a good attitude and who volunteer for extra hours demonstrate a level of loyalty that often is uncommon in large places of employment. Dependability and consistency go a long way in today’s call centers. Dedication : Agents who come to work each day motivated and ready to do their best can inspire other team members to do the same. They continually are looking for ways to raise the bar and in turn motivate others to do the same. Call centers want people willing to work to do more than the norm. Ambition : It is appropriate for representatives to show and tell their leaders that they are looking to move up the career ladder. If someone is willing to put themselves out there, then they understand that they will be in a position where their results, actions, and day to day interaction with others will be evaluated. I have said it often once you put yourself out there you either get exposure or you get exposed. If you find someone willing to put themselves out there, then chances are you will find someone eager and able to move up the ranks. Performance : Of course, no agent is going to be considered for a move up if he or she is not hitting benchmarks on a regular basis. In fact, employees with an eye on leadership must be doing their absolute best in demonstrating teamwork, positive influence and attitude, and performing consistently. Just because you are a great seller does not mean you can lead others to sell. Results do matter and provide you the credibility you need not only in the eyes of leadership, but in the eyes of your peers you may be managing soon. Being proactive : In addition to indicating an interest in career advancement, leadership-worthy agents should be on the lookout for job development opportunities, unique projects and special training that can expand their skill sets. Volunteer when you can, take on tasks others don’t want, self-develop, and say yes when you can. Don’t forget that whatever you take on though, you must continue to perform your current job. Be a leader in all ways! In many ways, the skills and traits needed for a leader in a call center are the same as in any field. Candidates must be good at their jobs, focused on company goals, excellent at collaboration and loaded with problem-solving skills. Even those who don’t move to a management position can still be team leaders if they have the right attitude and multiple areas of expertise. Be willing to lead without the title and be prepared as the title won’t be far behind.

The Effect of Rewarding Talent on Outsourced Call Centers

The BPO industry is known for its high turnover rate, but it doesn’t have to be that way. When contact center outsourcing is done correctly, you can reap the benefits of happy employees and customers. Rewarding talent at your call center goes a long way to improve the overall effectiveness of your business. Start With the Best In order to reward talent, you need to have talented individuals working for you. Your recruitment process needs to be focused on finding the right people for your positions. Look for candidates with excellent sales and customer service skills. Online recruitment portals, internal advertisements, and rigorous training programs can all contribute to adding talented professionals to your team. Having a productive and loyal staff begins with the point of hire. Retaining Excellent Employees Once you have dependable employees, you need to incentivize them to stay. Developing a culture of mentorship, training, and engagement makes employees feel valued and productive. Performance management and compensation packages both play crucial roles in retaining your employees. Situational Leadership Adopting a strategy of situational leadership is a great way to prioritize team building and productivity. The theory of situational leadership is that using various managerial styles according to different people produces better results. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to management. Your BPO staff is a group of diverse people who are motivated by different factors. When you have a people-focused managerial approach, you will get your employees focused on delivering real results. Celebrating Customer-Centric Behavior You want your call center staff to be dedicated to providing solutions to your customers. Rewarding your employees is one important part of building a company culture that values the customer experience. Here are some ways to reward employees: Pay attention to surveys: As you peruse surveys, keep an eye out for whom your customers are praising, but don’t stop there, listen to your employees and find out what drives them. You would be surprised to see some of the little things agents want in terms of rewards. Offer competitive benefits: When you provide employees with great compensation packages, they will be more likely to do excellent work. Give Promotions based on quality not tenure: Giving promotions based on certain qualities versus tenure allows anyone to earn the right to become a leader. Consider rewards other than simple commission payments. Qualifying them for prizes is a creative way to create incentives. When you encourage and effortless customer experience through rewards programs, you will see increased employee loyalty and productivity. Don’t Neglect Your BPO Increasing performance is all about the culture you create at your company. If you neglect the outsourced aspects of your business, you will not reap the full benefits of a motivated workforce. The call centers are full of hardworking professionals who are passionate about quality assurance, customer service, and information technology. Differentiating your company from your competitors starts with the structure and culture of your organization. You need to align your managerial style with the brand that you promise your customers. Your outsourcing destination will only benefit your business if you put in the effort to ensure you have talented employees and you reward that talent. When you have the right employees and implement smart rewards programs, your company will see more productivity and better customer service. This blog was first published on LinkedIn.

6 Secrets to Live Chat Efficiency

Once you’ve added live chat to your websites, don’t stop looking for ways to improve the customer experience. While there is no magic formula you can use to make everything about your business’ online presence perfect, here are some ways you can improve the efficiency of your company’s live web chat services. Establish Chat Priority : Establish a system that allows chats to be answered right away. That system should also have some kind of survey or a brief set of questions for customers to answer to ensure their chats are routed to the right agents. Chat agents that handle multiple chats should be able to establish priority to ensure that each one is handled efficiently and properly. Minimize Chat Times : Your agents may occasionally get a customer who has concerns that require them to engage longer than usual, but that doesn’t mean that all chats should take a long time to resolve. Implement measures to help your agents to minimize the amount of time it takes for them to address and resolve customers issues. Minimizing chat times can decrease response times and prevent long wait times. Live Web Chat Training is Important : The best chat agents are those who undergo regular training and are always looking for ways to improve. In your quest to achieve the perfect balance between live chat agent productivity and efficiency, you need to invest in your agents’ skills by providing training and support. Don’t expect them to automatically know what to do and how to respond to different types of customer scenarios. Doing so can be counterproductive to them and your organization. Train your agents to enhance their soft skills and you’ll see an improvement in their responses to customers and reduce the amount of time it takes them to resolve customer concerns. Integrate Web Chat into Your CRM : Your online chat team can become more efficient if you train them to capture customer information and update it as needed in your CRM. This makes it much easier for them to cater to the needs of your customers when they return at a later date for service or assistance. Canned Responses : Even if your agents are required to be able to type 100 wpm, canned responses can greatly reduce their response times. One of your goals may be to provide customers with a more personable experience, but it certainly doesn’t hurt for your agents to use canned responses. In fact, these responses can provide your agents with additional time to provide customers with the resolutions they seek. Workstation Setup : All of the shortcuts and canned responses in the world cannot reduce response time and increase agent productivity like having a dual monitor setup for each workstation. It’s easier on your agents’ eyes, their hands and facilitates a more immediate acknowledgment of customers to improve the overall efficiency of your organization’s live chat services. While the key to improving chat efficiency isn’t rocket science, it does require you to have a good chat solution. Etech Global Services recommends for you to periodically evaluate the tools, processes and agents you have in place so you can better determine their effectiveness and make improvements as needed. This blog was first published on LinkedIN

How to Identify the Best Call Center QA Program

Quality assurance is the cornerstone of call center management practices. Optimizing QA practices increase agents’ efficiency, reduce wasteful spending, and enhance the quality of the service to customers. The combined benefits of optimizing QA practices provides a competitive edge, making identifying the best call center quality monitoring program essential to overall success. Comparing Quality Assurance Platforms A powerful call center quality assurance program can make the difference in agents’ abilities to provide top-notch customer service if it provides customer-concentric and objective evaluations. The three main platforms of quality assurance teams include the following: Internal: An internal quality team is ideal for businesses that want analysts to answer calls during high call volume and have total control over the quality program. There is an inherent risk of lower quality by pulling analysts to help guide call queues because the agents are not being evaluated during those peak times or given proper coaching. Because evaluations tend to be subjective, possibilities are dropped to mentor agents. Outsourced: Cultural issues may arise with outsourced QA teams. There is a significant distinction between customers from the U.S. and those in the Philippines, South America, and India, for instance. A tone or word could mean the difference between losing a customer or establishing loyalty. A call center quality assurance program should provide call center managers with relevant data to properly coach agents properly alongside insight into the customers’ expectations. Pro-sourced: Pro-sourcing quality teams are another platform to consider. An essential component of a successful pro-sourcing relationship is uncovering business intelligence to help an organization reach its goals and objectives. Most pro-sourcing quality assurance teams are located where customers reside, so they have the ability to understand the regional and local culture of the customers. Pro-sourcing quality partnerships work with the business expert to provide an unbiased, customer-centric analysis of strategies to enhance the customer experience and increase client loyalty. Make sure that the program and quality analysts are experts in call center quality assurance. That way they can provide meaningful insight into excellent customer service for your clients. Aligning Call Center Quality Assurance Programs with Business Needs Over three-fourths of consumers view customer service as the real test of how much a company values them. More than half are comfortable severing their relationship with a brand over one poor customer experience. Choosing a call center quality monitoring program is essential for providing outstanding customer experiences every time agents interact with customers. However, selecting a suitable call center quality assurance platform that aligns with the business’s goals and needs is a daunting process., Here are four elements that contribute to the success of a call center quality monitoring program: Precise and to the point Clearly defined agent program Consistency, accuracy, fairness, and objectiveness Integration of managers and supervisors into the process Following these techniques, tool, and tips will help businesses significantly improve their call center quality assurance practices. It will optimize the service their team provides to their clients. The enhanced quality and efficiency will result in a competitive edge. This blog was first published on LinkedIN

10 Influential Ways to Improve Call Center Quality Monitoring

For businesses that rely on the ability of their customer representatives to deliver outstanding service over the phone, call center quality analytics are a must. With call center quality monitoring, you can ensure that your employees are following the guidelines that can help your business succeed. Along with a monitoring program from Etech Global Services, there are additional techniques that can help your company get the most out of this technology. Here are the best ways you can utilize this helpful tool for your company. Let Representatives Be Part of the Process : The most important thing for a company that uses call center quality analytics is that your agents need to be part of the process. This can help foster a more positive atmosphere for evaluations rather than a punishing one. Incorporate Fun, Friendly Competitions to Motivate Team Members : To support a positive atmosphere, you may want to incorporate fun contests that are tied to call quality scores. A little friendly competition between employees can help motivate team members. Identify Common Problems With Agents : When analyzing call center data, look at what some customer service representatives struggle with. If you see a trend, you can address it as a company with new training. Work With Team Members Who Need Help : For those who are struggling to meet the requirements for call center quality, work with the team members who need help. Focusing more energy on training is a better investment than simply replacing these employees. Connect Quality Assurance to Company Goals : Identify the needs of your company, and draft specific goals that you want your agents to reach. All of your quality assurance effort should be directly related to these goals. Focus the Most Energy on Your Top Calls : Instead of monitoring short routine calls, focus your quality assurance program on the most involved calls where there is more interaction between customers and representatives. This is a better use of your time and resources. Analyze Customer Data With Quality Analytics : Customer surveys and other forms of evaluation should also be used alongside of call center quality assurance. Analyze all pieces of information to get the best picture of where your customer service falls. Give Plenty of Positive Feedback : Your call center monitoring feedback should offer plenty of opportunities to recognize those who are doing well. Employees want to continue doing the things that they get recognized for, so this increases motivation and productivity. Implement a Specific Training Program : When new employees come onto your team or existing employees are struggling, use your data to implement a specific course of call center training. This can help your employees know what to expect and give you greater results. Utilize Your Human Resources : Take advantage of all that your team has to offer by putting peoples’ strengths on the stage. Peers training each other can be much more effective than a supervisor or team leader taking the lead. Call center quality is a vital part to keeping your business practices consistent and profitable. Using the top ways to improve your call center effectiveness can help your company increasingly meet its goals. This blog was written by Jim Iyoob, EVP Customer Experience and Operational Excellence for Etech Global Services.

Importance of Text Messaging

Mobile devices have become indispensable tools in the 21st century. Most notably smart phones have changed the way consumers interact with brands. With a single click, a customer is online and can access any information they want. Contact centers, being the bridge between consumers and companies, have to provide customer service where the customers are. Text messaging is a fundamental platform when reaching out to them. Did you know research shows individuals read an SMS within the first four minutes of receiving it? Check out these statistics to further understand the impact of cell phones and smartphones in the marketplace: More than two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone or a tablet. 90% of adult Americans own a cell phone. 98% of teenage Americans own a phone. And these are the four primary benefits of why you should be using text messages in your contact center: Lower Communication Costs Most contact centers have high operating costs. Finding a way to reduce these costs and still maintain the quality standards of service is vital to the company’s growth. All communication mediums have costs attached to them, service provider costs attached, and contact center costs. Sending text messages is cheaper than making outbound calls. Both are effective ways of reaching customers, nevertheless, when you are looking at reducing costs, text messages will save the day. For example, an outbound call may cost $3.80 to $ 31.68 while an SMS could cost as little as $0.10 to $0.25. The difference in cost is huge when multiplying the number of outbound calls or SMS made by a contact center. And this new, updated, final cost will make a significant reduction in operating costs. Effective Service Delivery Being effective is important in a contact center. You do not want to run programs for the sake of it. You want to have tangible outputs from the input. We measure effectiveness in terms of time and value created within that time. From the agents’ perspective, sending out an SMS notification takes 2.5 seconds compared to sending the same message via a telephone call, which will take 2 minutes. Simply put, agents can reach dozens of customers in the same time it takes as making a single phone call. Customers also expect an instant response and what better way to provide that than through the device they look at every few minutes. Have you ever left the house without your smart phone? A majority of people would risk being late and go back to fetch their phone before spending the whole day without it. Consumers are admittedly attached to their smartphones. Agents and customers are more satisfied with this service delivery because it saves time and is effective. Enhance Marketing Promotions Marketing is about informing customers of your latest products and promotions, whether it is a new product or an advancement. Promotions are at the core of a marketing campaign, it is important to run one that is cost-effective. For example, a retailer who wants to run an in-store promotion can send out targeted texts before the event date. Customers who receive the communication will be ready for the day, and it will save the retailer advertisement money. Not only can you inform your consumers about the event, but you can also send reminders and discount coupons. Your business will certainly remain top of mind with your customers. This is being proactive in your marketing campaign while increasing revenue. It is also easy to track response rates of text messages by analyzing the data collected during the event. Improve Staff Communications A contact center can employ thousands of team members. Sometimes planning work schedules can be difficult due to demand increases such as during a crisis and you need to quickly outsource extra staff to ensure customer satisfaction. With text messages, you can inform seasonal agents when work is available and they can respond immediately to confirm availability or otherwise. For permanent staff, when shifts have to change for any reason, you can send them an SMS regarding these changes and what you expect them to do to cover the shortage. Text messages save your in-house staff time and effort in calling their colleagues. It also reduces the number of agents involved in such an exercise. Introducing text messaging to the call center can reduce costs, provide efficient service delivery, enhance marketing promotions, and improve staff communications. Begin to include text messaging with the other lines of communication within your call center. Take advantage of SMS for convenience and reliability. This blog was originally published on LinkedIN

Quality Metrics — Unveiling the Strategic Information for your Business

It is often said that if something cannot be measured it cannot be managed or improved. Some aspects of a business are easy to put into measurements – sales or revenue per hour, conversion rate, contact rate, etc. These key indicators are critical to determine sales success. Inbound channels have additional standards to ascertain the level of service being provided the caller – Service Level, Average Speed to Answer, First Contact Resolution to name a few. However, other areas of a business are more difficult to measure. Do you have a way to measure the impact of leadership development classes? Can you track emerging leaders who’ve participated in development courses to see if this investment made an impact on their team’s sales performance or attrition? What about Quality Assurance? Most track agents’ QA scores over time to observe changes but what other metrics can be used to track the customer impact of your interactions and more importantly, how does this effect your business? A metric is a verifiable measure stated in either quantitative or qualitative terms – ie; 95% quality monitoring score or as evaluated by our customers, we are providing above average service. A verifiable measure, metrics capture performance in terms of how something is being done relative to a standard. It allows and, actually, encourages comparison. In quality assurance we use metrics to translate customer needs and satisfaction levels into company performance measures. These metrics can be used to: spot trends both positive and negative identify necessary changes and then track performance of those changes predict future performance based on past results and outcomes The wealth of data that is contained in customer interactions can provide critical vision into the future strategies of the business. However, this data has to be transformed into measurable metrics in order to analyze the results. Once metrics are derived, the analysis must include actionable insights that can be communicated and turned into process improvement plans to drive any needed change. Quality metrics can also help you determine the break points in your service. Break points are used to determine the levels where improved performance will likely change customer behavior. For example: Waiting on hold for a customer service agent – How long will the average customer wait on hold before becoming dissatisfied? 2 minutes? Wait longer than 2 minutes — customer is dissatisfied 1-2 minutes — customer is satisfied less than 1 minute — customer is extremely satisfied Based on these findings, what steps should the company put in place to meet this expectation? How much is the company willing to spend (add more customer service agents, etc.) to meet this expectation? Will the higher customer satisfaction result in more revenue and offset the additional cost? In this example, understanding the break point will come in three steps: A trained analyst listens to calls and captures the customer feedback Sample data is transformed into measurable insight (metrics) Measurable insights are turned into actions For the most meaningful metrics, the sample size should represent a decent percentage of the interactions. As with survey and poll results, too small a sample may skew the findings. By transforming data into metrics, analysis will provide strategic information for the direction of a business. “We best manage what we can measure”. Click here or send us an Email to set up a meeting with the Etech team at Call Center Week 2016, June 27 – July1.

The Call Centers Role in a Recovering Economy

There is perhaps no more difficult time for any country than when they are experiencing an economic downturn and conversely, there is no better time than when the economy begins to turn around and show signs of life again. Here in the United States, we are slowly beginning to see signs of economic recovery. As a businessman, it is always interesting to me to observe the industries that feel the recovery quickly as opposed to those industries that feel the recovery later. One industry that tends to feel the recovery more quickly is of the call center industry. In recent years, the call center industry has evolved from being a cost center to playing a more strategic role. How? By being the first line of contact with customers. Whether a call center is providing customer service or functions in a sales role, the call center has become the representative of the corporate brand. The Call Center is the place that delivers your promises to your customers and during a slow-growing economy, they can improve sales and build customer loyalty……. All while reducing your operating costs. So how does this work? Below are a few tips that will build a strong contact center and reduce overall operating costs: Well-trained agents: Investing in your agents is one of the primary ways to reduce operating costs. Agents should be trained in the software system as well as be well-versed in product knowledge. A well-trained agent will tend to stay at the job for a longer period of time, reducing turnover and improving overall efficiency. Empowering Agents: Once agents are trained, they should be given the authority to take the necessary actions that will best help the customer. Quick resolution of customer issues is one of the primary elements of superior customer service, giving companies an edge over their competition. This goes a long way in building customer loyalty that can be the difference in growing versus simply surviving in a down economy. Integrated Systems: Providing an integrated system, such as Etech’s ICE, that is easily integrated and provides multi-channel communication. Our ICE system is easily adaptable to any existing platform and offers products that can be used individually or jointly depending on need. Certainly, there are other factors that can reduce operating costs, but by implementing these tips in your call center you present a streamlined and efficient frontline of communication for your business. This builds customer satisfaction and loyalty that will bring your company through the down economy and to a great place as we move into the recovery. If you would like more information on how Etech Global Services can assist you, contact us here.

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