Independent Contact Center Consultants: Bridging Strategy, Technology and Operations Since 2004

A Picture That Paints 1,000 Words

It’s said a picture paints a thousand words. We help clients craft “elevator stories” about their contact centers (with associated visual images) so company leaders fully understand the centers’ value and needs. We also help them prioritize projects and investment opportunities into clear calls for action focused on a few recommendations with the greatest returns…. Read More »

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The Changing Face of Assisted Service

The other day, I was on my bank’s mobile app to view my recent credit card activity when I noticed an icon at the bottom of the screen that I hadn’t seen before. It was a microphone with “Voice” below it. When I hit the button, a “Siri-like” voice asked me to speak or type… Read More »

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The Joy of Callback Queuing

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 »

Contact Center Reporting

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 »

IVR: Reviled or Well-Regarded?

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 »

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Solutions for Knowledge Management

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 »

Is Mobile the Next Great Thing?

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 »

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Take Charge of Your Technology Destiny

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 »

Time to Start SIP-ing?

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 »

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Can’t We Just Outsource It?

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 »

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