The income tax filing deadline is fast approaching and like other events that cause seasonal customer service spikes, it serves as a good time to reflect on whether companies are embracing next generation IVR and call center solutions. Unfortunately, several recent experiences show that enterprises still have a long way to go to take advantage of the customer-oriented solutions that are at their fingertips.

 

Too many phone numbers, not enough information at the agent’s fingertips, an inability to track customer interaction across multiple communication channels or divisions; these are just some of the problems you could easily encounter when you decide you need to contact the customer service department of a large organization. In fact, is it a stretch to say that as a consumer, this is what you expect your experience to be like?

 

Am I exaggerating? Just consider the recent experience of one of my colleagues. While using the subject company’s tax software to prepare her taxes, she encountered an error in the software that miscalculated her deductions. When she became aware of the problem, she phoned the company to ask for assistance. She was given a case number and was asked to fax some documentation of the problem. She did so, but three weeks passed and she still hadn’t received confirmation that her documentation had been received.

 

She then phoned the company for an updated status on the case, and that’s when the fun really started! She was transferred multiple times and given five different numbers to call for assistance. At one point, she was on hold with a representative for 25 minutes before the representative determined that she was the wrong agent and unable to help. Asking to speak with a supervisor resulted in another 30 minute wait and the same response. The supervisor told my colleague that he couldn’t help either.

 

Seeking an alternative route to a solution, my colleague sent an email into the support group and received back an email that asked her to call the 800 number “so that we can assist you.” No joke.

 

Obviously with call handling times of 55 minutes or more, this type of interaction kills some of the key performance metrics being tracked for the call center, but more importantly imagine what this interaction does to customer loyalty.  Would you rush back to use this software again?

 

All of these problems could be addressed with some simple policy changes and technology solutions. For instance, an email or outbound phone notification confirming receipt of the fax would have erased a lot of anxiety. Next, a self-service application tied to an order status system would have provided all the information my colleague needed. A CTI system providing agents with information on the order status and the caller’s interaction history (via email, phone and other communication channels) would have given the agents the information that they needed to answer the question on the first call with no delays.

 

Each of these systems can be implemented today for a fraction of what they would have cost in years past. Standard-based IVR and CTI (News - Alert) systems can be plugged into existing environments with ease and the cost of the systems has been lowered to the point where they are affordable not just by large companies, but small and medium sized organizations as well. This is especially true with the pay-as-you-go pricing models associated with hosted (or software as a service, SaaS (News - Alert)) CTI or IVR solutions. It is safe to say that costs are no longer a barrier to adoption.

 

So why aren’t these solutions in place already? Well, let me share a conversation I had last year with Rose, a customer service executive at an insurance company. Rose was commenting on her organization’s customer service versus that of a competitor, in fact, the competitor that is regularly recognized as setting the industry’s standard for great service. As a customer of that competitor, I can attest that they offer great service and it has made me a very loyal customer. I have found that no matter when I call or whom I reach, they always have the information they need to answer my question. I feel like they know me and I admire their efficiency. I go back to them for all of my insurance needs purely because of the customer service that they have provided in the past.

 

Rose stated that the competitor was able to provide personal/effective service because they are “more selective about their customers and they don’t have to serve as broad a clientele.” Sorry? It’s been a year since she told me that and I still don’t get it. To me, the competitor has a good CRM system, a self-service system that collects the account number, and screen pops that provide the agent with the information that they need to answer customer requests. Likely they also have policies for what information the agent needs to document as part of a call. These principles don’t change based on the size of audience that you are serving, large or small it makes no difference. What can change is the cost invested in systems and the belief by the organization that customer service investments will result in greater customer loyalty, more revenue and more profit. They sure have for Rose’s competitor!

 

I think part of the issue is that there is still a lack of understanding about what is possible with today’s standards-based IVR and CTI solutions. For example, a recent ROI analysis performed by Walt Tetschner of Tern Systems (News - Alert) and Get Human revealed that even small call centers can conservatively count on a payback on their CTI investment within 9 months of their purchase. In addition, a recent CTI/CRM deployment by TransUnion resulted in an increase in first call resolution of more than 200 percent and a reduction in call duration of 60 seconds/call. That’s an impact large enough to change the mindset of the organization toward customer service while giving them extra capacity to have agents be more proactive in dealing with customers and thereby lock them in with great service.

 

So, while there is no way around paying taxes, there are options in every industry for getting great service. Darwin has taught us that our current world of “haves” and “have nots” will evolve so that those organizations that have invested in customer service will win out in the end. Although the current situation is frustrating for consumers, it is also a time of great opportunity for organizations to differentiate themselves by putting next generation capabilities to work in their call center. Like the adoption of other new technologies, the adoption of standards-based CTI solutions will be adopted early by some and later by others. With customer loyalty and profits at stake, here’s hoping that your organization is an early adopter rather than a laggard.