Multi-Contact Centers/CRM: It's Not Just Technology - Don't Forget the People!
Prepared by Intulogy
Your call center is an integral part of customer relationship management (CRM). Your representatives are ambassadors and every time one of your customers contacts your organization, it is a moment of truth—a chance for your organization to shine. To your business, call centers have a huge impact on customer retention and in the end analysis, your revenue and profit. Delivering consistent, quality service is not accomplished by accident. You know it takes a great deal of training and preparation to succeed.
The situation is complicated because you are now contacted by customers via e-mail, the web, mail, and by telephone. Customers expect you to deliver seamless, integrated service regardless of the method of contact. The affect on agents of moving into a multi-contact environment can be staggering. The new skills they need to acquire will demand an ever-increasing knowledge of automated systems - skills that may not come easily. Your training will require sound instructional design that melds soft skill, system and product training, into cohesive, yet specific, learning objectives. It will have to be modular, media-appropriate and timely, while flexible enough to change with technology.
This is a huge challenge whether you are implementing a new software solution, increasing the number of call center representatives, starting a new company, or offering new products and services. It is proven that a well-trained and supported representative is less likely to leave your organization. Decreased turnover equals reduced costs and a better bottom line.
You're organization may be planning an implementation of a CRM package. You've purchased the hardware and software. Your implementation team is working like crazy to implement in record speed. However, don't forget a critical component of the implementation-training and end user support. The most common reason cited for an unsuccessful implementation is employee resistance and lack of training. You know you can't just put the system in and hope that people will figure it out by themselves. Because training is near the end of the project timeline, this phase of the project doesn't always get the attention that is needed to ensure success.
You're implementing CRM for a variety of important reasons: to increase customer satisfaction, to increase revenue, and to improve sales margins. None of these goals will be met if your employees can't use the system to help your customers. As an example, how many of you ordered merchandise over the holidays via the web? Did you receive the flawless service you expected? For many of you, the answer may be a resounding NO. Examples of common problems included orders not shipped in time, out of stock merchandise, duplicate orders, poor service, and a lack of communication from the organization. Poor customer satisfaction is your worst enemy and can sabotage all of the effort and money you've expended to implement a state of the art CRM system.
Learn from others and train your employees to successfully use the system and help your customers. If you don't have internal resources that are available to help, contract with a professional training organization. You need the following to ensure your success and return on investment:
When moving into a multi-contact environment, or implementing a CRM system or philosophy, make sure you fully plan and follow through with training the front line. You need to:
The benefits you will receive from a commitment to training and end user support include higher customer satisfaction levels, cost savings, faster user acceptance, and a smoother go-live. All of these benefits save you money and help build your business-and that's what it's all about!
