Bright Ideas Factory

You Made a Contract With Your Call Center Representatives, So Keep It!

Whether or not you know it, you made a contract with your call center representatives when you hired them. This agreement is known as a psychological contract, a well-documented phenomena that occurs at the time of employment. This circumstance was first reported in 1960 by Chris Argyris, a professor at the Harvard Business School.

Three Ways to Bring the Call Waiting Times Under Control

One of the more obvious changes that has occurred in the call center in the last 10 to 20 years is that the call center has taken on an operational role that is far different than before. In the past the call center for high technology companies was primarily used as a backup to technical support operation for service technicians in the field and on customer sites.

The Problem With IVR: A Call Center Case Study

Author: Paul Roemer

Editor's Note: This article was first run on Customer Management IQ on 4/1/2009.

Call center representatives are trained to respond to only certain call types.

But when voice recognition technology, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), is thrown into the call center mix, problems arise. Voice recognition technology causes issues for both the customer and the call center representative.

The Loyalty Connection: Why Your Customers’ Satisfaction Now Determines Your Revenue in the Future

In a recent research report, I read that 92 percent of customers form their image of a company based upon their experience using that company’s call center. That same report stated that 91 percent of dissatisfied customers never purchase goods or services from that company again and interestingly, that 80 percent of call center executives’ first concern is customer satisfaction and retention.

Beyond Efficiency: The Integration of People and Technology in the Call Center

Author: Stephen Dawson

In recent years, the drive for efficiency has been a major factor in business decisions throughout the United States, and perhaps nowhere has this trend been more evident than in call centers. The economic downturn has made the need for efficiency even more acute, driving call centers offshore and increasing the use of self-service tools and technology as means to reduce costs. Such moves are key to remaining viable in times such as these, but if not done properly, they could yield short-term gains and long-term losses through a loss of customer trust and acceptance.

The Essential Outbound Call Center Checklist

If you’re like most call center managers, your daily routine is pretty consistent. Most likely you haven’t recently taken the time to evaluate what is working and what needs to be changed.

The Business Case for IVRs and Automated Speech Recognition

Over the last five years, leveraging self-service to drive down costs and improve customer satisfaction has garnered a lot of attention from chief executives looking to optimize call center organizations. Providing quality customer service to quickly become both a competitive and comparative differentiator in the marketplace in which core product offerings are being commoditized is more important than ever before.

Stop Visiting Your Customers: Leveraging Sales 2.0 For Increased Customer Engagement

Author: Anneke Seley

Forward-thinking companies are asking their sales representatives to stop visiting all but their most strategic and profitable prospects and customers. Why? They are embracing Sales 2.0—a more efficient and effective way to sell using innovative sales practices and technology. As a result, they’ve dramatically reduced their cost of sales, improved sales productivity and increased revenue.

Soothing the Savaged Consumer Soul: Top 10 Customer Management Tips for Companies and Customers

Author: Jeanne Bliss

Top Ten Customer Management Tips for Companies and Customers

In this economic crisis, when our nerves are raw and we are stretched like a rubberband ready to snap—we all need a kinder hand, a kinder voice…just plain more kindness in our lives. Nearly every interaction tests us now. Opening the cell phone bill and gasping…then endeavoring to get a bit of help. First the queue, then the call. Not much kindness there. Putting gas in our car. Forget about the boat. Buying groceries that are creeping up in price daily. Trying to sell our home or buy one. Calling the support line to have the appliances fixed, which, of course, chose now to conk-out. If you are in the customer service business, now is the time to seek out the intangible opportunities to soothe the savaged consumer soul.

Six Gates Your Call Center Outsourcer Must Pass Through to Improve the Customer Experience

A good customer experience makes it easier for a customer to do business with the call center, but what’s the definition of a “branded” customer experience?  It’s one that is consistent over time and irrespective of location; one that is intentional, specifically designed to support brand values; one that is differentiated from competing brands; and one that makes it easier for a customer to do business.