contactmanagement.ca September / October 2009

Business strategy & leadership Slaying dragons against all odds

Call centres –force for customer experience Top 10 ‘sacred cows’ of contact centre metrics Metrics that matter most in a downturn

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| Toll Free: 866-987-2255 | Email: [email protected] | table of contents SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009

departments

features ◗◗ 4. From the editor 5 ◗◗ 9. Staffing matters CRTC ruling sparks broadband backlash By Jeff Doran

Business strategy & Leadership ◗◗ 5. Readerboard The latest industry news ◗◗ 12. Cover story Slaying dragons against all odds 12 Strategy is envisioning the improbable or impossible, leadership ◗◗ 10. People is inspiringpeople to attain them. Who is on the move? By Colin Taylor

◗◗ 13. Call centre 3.0 ◗◗ 17. Coming events Use of text mining software and advanced analytics to empower agents By Michael Turney 14 ◗◗ 23. Ask Affy ◗◗ 15. Call centres—force for customer experience We are now considering launching Today call centres play a leadership role in delivering positive customer experiences. an at home agent program. How do I By Ken Redekop know if my team leaders are effective in coaching in my current environment Focus on metrics and should I be changing how we coach when we move to a virtual 19 ◗◗ 18. Top 10 ‘sacred cows’ of contact centre metrics environment? By Afshan Bye Here are the top metrics and assessments of how well each works

◗◗ 20. Metrics that matter most in downturn ◗◗ 25. Software Solutions Contact centres need to avoid cutting corners with existing »» Customer Relationship customers to weather storm. Management tools By Tom Sullivan 22 »» Business Intelligence systems

◗◗ 21. Metrics that measure customer satisfaction

Combining metrics, rather than using one in isolation, can yield significant insights. ◗◗ 29. Association News By Mark Selcow Contact Centre Canada

◗◗ 22. Person profile ContactNB A conversation with Steve Levy Alberta Call Centre Association By Elizabeth Winter CAM-X B.C. Contact Centre Association International Customer Service Association-Toronto chapter From the editor

CRTC ruling sparks broadband backlash

he broadband wars the CRTC recognize that competitive five countries a chance to call free are heating up with access to broadband and the Internet between each other, eliminating any September/October 2009 the emergence of a is essential long distance charges.” Volume 9 Number 5 campaign to reverse “The competitive framework Facebook has more than 250 » Publisher Ta decision by the Canadian for broadband Internet services is million active users and more than Steve Lloyd Radio-tv Telecommunications hanging by a thread as a result of the 120 million users log on to Facebook [email protected] Commission (CRTC) that is seen as CRTC decision” says Tom Copeland, at least once each day. More than » Editor potentially throttling retail Internet chairman of CAIP. “Independent two-thirds of Facebook users are Ron Glen competition. service providers, in many cases, are outside of college. The fastest [email protected] The Canadian Association of the engine that is driving broadband growing demographic is those 35 » Marketing Information Coordinator Internet Providers (CAIP) has joined expansion and coverage to small years old and older. Adam Lloyd others in forging an Internet- communities who may otherwise Facebook users can get the [email protected] based “Campaign for Competitive be overlooked in a single-supplier ClickSaya widget by logging in at » Creative Director Broadband”. It’s meant to convince market. There must be a realization www.clicksaya.net and, add the Vanessa Dhanbeer the federal government to overturn in the federal cabinet that a retreat ClickSaya widget to any Web page, [email protected] a CRTC decision that could stifle to monopoly conditions will erode soft documents or email signature. » Advertising Sales Manager competition in broadband Internet, the natural incentive for expansion Users must first sign up for a free Mark Henry Ethernet and other next generation and innovation that only competition account at www.clicksaya.net to [email protected] communications services. can provide.” place a call. » Senior Account Manager CAIP, MTS Allstream, the Canadian “The ClickSaya team is also Peter O’Desse Federation of Independent Businesses B.C. firm makes Facebook developing and working with [email protected] and more than a dozen individual click-to-call widget partners to enable ClickSaya click- For subscription, circulation and companies are collaborating to inform In the meantime, the big Telco’s to-call button to be embedded into change of address information, consumers of the pending risks are themselves facing a new threat 70 plus social Web sites,” says Yong. contact to competition that may produce to their long-distance businesses. “ClickSaya buttons turn clicks into [email protected] Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063311 unconstrained monopoly pricing for Provider of innovative Web-based calls. We plan to turn people into Return undeliverable Canadian broadband Internet services. The global Internet telephony solutions, Clickers, a people of the future, addresses to: campaign aims to ensure network ClickSaya Communications Inc., where calls are connected simply by Circulation Department facilities built by incumbent phone Richmond, B.C., has developed a clicking on one’s ClickSaya button 302-137 Main Street North companies with the aid of public click-to-call widget for Facebook from their laptop, netbooks, iPhone, Markham ON L3P 1Y2 subsidies are accessible to a diverse members to initiate phone-to- blackberry and many others.” t: 905.201.6600 range of competitors that want to offer phone calls. The company claims ClickSaya Communications Inc. is f: 905.201.6601 services to businesses and consumers. more than 300,000 people have a developer of ClickSaya click-to-call [email protected] Bell and TELUS, which control these already signed up for a free ClickSaya “Click-Me and Click-BIZ” buttons for www.contactmanagement.ca networks in most regions of the account, which does not require any users and owners of Web sites, PCs, Subscriptions available for $40.00 year or country, could shut out competitors if download, headset or contract. cellular phones, landline, broadband $60.00 two years. the CRTC decision stands. A February 2009 Compete.com phone and other communication 2009 Lloydmedia Inc. All rights reserved. CAIP and the other campaign study ranked Facebook as the most tools. Users include professionals, The contents of this publication may not participants urge Canadians to learn used social network by worldwide entrepreneurs, small businesses, as be reproduced by any means, in whole or about the risks to them if the CRTC monthly active users, followed well as Web sites. in part, without the prior written consent decision is not reversed by visiting by MySpace. Facebook is a social of the publisher. Printed in Canada www.competitivebroadband.com. networking Web site operated and Call Centres for Dummies Reprint permission requests to They are also using the Web site privately owned by Facebook, Inc. new edition use materials published in Contact to make their concerns known to Users can join networks organized by SwitchGear Consulting, Toronto, Management should be directed to Industry Minister Tony Clement and city, workplace, school, and region recently won the contract for the publisher. other members of Parliament. to connect and interact with others. producing the second edition of Through www. People can also add friends and send Call Centres for Dummies. It will Next issue… competitivebroadband.com, CAIP them messages, and update their be available next year. Our Ask Affy is providing Canadians with an personal profiles. columnist Afshan Bye is leading the NOVEMBER/DECEMBER—The opportunity to learn about the “Facebook is the biggest social project. essential theme is rewards, incentives issue, join a growing online petition, Web site and at the moment, there The first edition was written by & agent productivity. Special section email the federal government, the are no widgets that offer members Real Bergevin of Transcom. But he will consist of guide to British CRTC and their local MPs, as well free phone-to-phone service wasn’t available to do it this time and Columbia Contact Centre Association as encourage others to join the with the click of a button on their passed it on to Bye. Call Centres for Awards of Excellence. Hardware campaign. A petition filed by MTS Facebook profile,” says ClickSaya Dummies is sold at most bookstores solutions will focus on headsets, wall Allstream to the federal cabinet asks Founder Alan Yong. “We were very like Chapters, Indigo and online. boards and furnishings. it to take the necessary steps to have happy to be able to offer people in

4 contact management.ca September / October 2009 readerboard

Avaya wins bid for Nortel’s Enterprise Solutions unit

Global provider of enterprise provide partners and customers with assets by a buyer chosen by the communications systems, Avaya, innovative business communications bankrupt company. Nortel chose Basking Ridge, N.J., was selected to technologies and responsive customer Avaya to make the first bid to avoid acquire Nortel Enterprise Solutions support going forward.” low-ball offers. The stalking horse bid for US$900 million in proceeds to The proposed acquisition includes essentially sets the initial minimum Nortel and an additional pool of $15 the Nortel Enterprise Solutions bid for the assets of the bankrupt million reserved for an employee voice, data and government systems company. retention program. businesses. Other bidders were kept The selection follows completion of “Avaya’s proposed acquisition of confidential. However, it was an auction held September 11. In mid- Nortel enterprise solutions is good rumoured that Aspect and Siemens July, Avaya had signed agreements news for our customers, who would were two other vendors in the to purchase Nortel’s Enterprise benefit from the broadened range running for the Nortel unit. Another Solutions business for US$475 million, of compelling solutions,” says Hanif possible outcome was that Nortel’s which amounted to an opening bid Lalani, CEO, BT Global Services. “BT enterprise unit would have been on the bankrupt company. The final and Avaya have been working closely, broken up by regions and sold to the transaction is still subject to court and and successfully, over the last couple highest bidders. With Avaya’s winning customary regulatory approvals in of years. Building on our success, BT bid and likely acquisition of the entire Canada and the U.S. has plans to expand this engagement Nortel unit, Avaya stands to increase “Our successful bid brings us with Avaya over the next year to offer a its already large market share, inherit closer to adding Nortel and its full unified communications portfolio.” Nortel’s large reseller network and complementary channel, portfolio, The transaction requires the leverage new upsell opportunities research and development, and approval of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court among Nortel’s customer base. global presence to Avaya,” says Kevin for the District of Delaware and the “Nortel’s broad base of products Kennedy, president and CEO, Avaya. Ontario Superior Court of Justice. would create the need for “We believe the acquisition brings The combined Avaya/Nortel entity another round or two of portfolio inherent value to both organizations’ would account for more than 30 rationalization,” say the Datamonitor customers, employees and partners, percent of the global contact centre analysts. “Therefore we see the and we look forward to its successful market and cement Avaya’s market primary driver behind Avaya’s conclusion.” share lead in North America while interest in Nortel to be channel “As the largest reseller of Avaya fortifying its position in other global expansion and a renewed play for and Nortel equipment to Canadian regions for the next several years, say mid-market customers. business, Bell believes Avaya’s Datamonitor Group analysts Daniel “Nortel, however, presents history of leadership in enterprise Hong and Ian Jacobs. However, the something of a mixed bag for Avaya communications makes it an combined company would face a in this regard. Nortel once had a  Kevin Kennedy, president and ideal candidate for this proposed confused product portfolio with a vibrant and active channel, and its CEO, Avaya, says the successful bid transaction,” says Stéphane Boisvert, good deal of overlap and a channel dealers were some of the most loyal brings his firm closer to adding Nortel president of Bell Business Markets. “Bell that has been beaten, bruised and in the tech industry. However, the and its complementary channel, was the first major service provider battered during Nortel’s long sunset. long downward spiral Nortel has portfolio, research and development, to standardize on both Avaya and The earlier Avaya pact was a suffered left the channel dispirited and global presence. Nortel IP telephony solutions, and we “stalking horse” sale agreement, an and depleted in number.” are confident Avaya will continue to initial bid on a bankrupt company’s

U.S. judge fines Canadian telemarketers US$7.8 million

A U.S. federal judge has fined individual defendants James Stewart, credit card interest rates reduced, For $675 plus $20 for shipping and an allegedly fraudulent Canadian Luigi Paulozza, and Philip J. Richards. according to the commission. handling, the complaint alleges, telemarketing operation more than According to the FTC, the The operation defrauded about the defendants sent consumers US$7.8 million and banned it from defendants targeted U.S. consumers 12,000 consumers out of more than promotional materials with promises telemarketing, according to the with false claims that it could reduce $7.8 million between 2005 and to substantially reduce their interest Federal Trade Commission (FTC). their credit card interest rates. 2007 by falsely claiming that it could rates, and a “financial profile form” Named as defendants were: Select U.S. District Court judge Charles substantially reduce consumers’ for them to complete and mail back, Personnel Management Inc., based R. Norgle, Sr., of the Northern District existing credit card interest rates according to the FTC. in Ontario, doing business as Select of Illinois entered a permanent and save them thousands of dollars The complaint alleged that the Management Solutions Canada; injunction that also bars the in interest and finance charges, defendants promised to reduce the 1402473 Ontario Ltd.; 1489841 defendants from misrepresenting according to the FTC. interest charged on credit cards to Ontario Ltd.; 2105635 Ontario that they are affiliated with The defendants falsely stated or rates between 4.75 and 9 percent, Ltd.; Special T Services Group Inc.; consumers’ credit card companies, implied they were affiliated with save consumers at least $2,500, and United Registration Services Inc. and or that they can get consumers’ consumers’ credit card companies.  see readerboard page 6

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 5 readerboard

 from readerboard page 5 From 1 September, existing service bundles, but the inherent clients of Butler Group, Datamonitor issue is retention of customers,” refund the cost of their services to Technology, and Ovum are accessing Donovan Neale-May, executive consumers who did not save at least these new and expanded services, director of the CMO Council that much money, says the FTC. giving them a wider portfolio of told Direct Newsline in the U.S. Instead, the defendants did little research and analyst support. In “Marketers don’t own the customer more than add their own fee to addition, clients of either Knowledge experience. Contact centres are run consumers’ credit card balances. Centre have the ability to access independently, and the data is not The extent of the defendants’ a much wider group of skilled and shared with marketing. It’s all about rate-reduction services consisted experienced analysts than ever how cost effectively you can process of setting up three-way telephone before, with a community of 500 a call. It’s not about utilizing the calls with consumers and their credit analysts globally now being part of interaction to build the relationship.” card companies, and asking that the the Ovum team. Clients are also able However, in hard economic companies lower the interest rates.  Datamonitor Group CEO Mark to take advantage of the extensive times many companies cut costs in Those requests typically were denied, Meek says two new Knowledge program of events which Ovum offers, customer-facing areas. reports the FTC. Centres will be at the heart of a new designed for Ovum’s huge base of “As market pressures increase The commission charged that generation of Ovum research. enterprise technology customers. and margins erode, the commitment the defendants’ misrepresentations With the entire range of technology to operational excellence and violated the FTC Act and the combined with the Ovum Telecoms services under the Ovum brand, back-end efficiency frequently Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). It and the Orbys Black Book of Sourcing Ovum says it is also increasing its lags, often undermining the quality also charged the defendants with Knowledge Centres, the ICT industry focus on customer service and and consistency of the customer violating the TSR by “spoofing” capabilities of the Datamonitor support. Customers in the ICT vendor experience and the level of brand telephone numbers so that their Group are tremendous.” community have streamlined and advocacy and affinity,” according to calls appeared on consumers’ caller Ovum’s Enterprise IT Knowledge more efficient ways to ensure that the Customer Experience Board’s identification services as coming Centre delivers research to support they can brief Ovum when they are report. from another number, and by enterprises, as they aim to create, bringing new products or services to Upstart providers don’t failing to provide the names of the select and manage the technology market. Enterprise customers have offer a confusing array of plans defendants or their telemarketer on portfolio that delivers improved improved analyst access, ensuring they around minutes and data. There caller identification services. business value. It brings together the can tap into the much wider expertise is a convergence of new options existing strengths of Ovum and Butler and resource base Ovum now offers. and alternatives to how people Datamonitor Group Group’s research, and leverages communicate and react. integrates three the business research of the wider Telco’s sloppy service But the traditional Telco’s technology businesses Datamonitor Group. As such, sends customers away see the new providers making enterprise ICT functions will be able encroachments largely on economic Datamonitor Group, London, to gain a much greater and broader Traditional telecommunications terms. Fifty five percent said the England, is integrating its three understanding of the business needs companies are confronting mounting new providers are disturbing the technology businesses (Butler Group, their ICT solutions must address. pressure from a variety of sources. marketplace by undercutting prices, Datamonitor Technology and Ovum) Ovum’s Technology and Industries They are being challenged to furnish while another 37 percent indicate under the Ovum brand. It took effect Knowledge Centre provides research innovative offerings to compete with the upstarts are targeting the September 1, 2009. which helps ICT suppliers identify and those from mobile device suppliers most lucrative competitors. Only On that date Ovum also launched address new market opportunities, while fending off price cuts from 19 percent feel the new providers two new research services based on to solve the real business problems of upstart providers. are delivering a more compelling its Knowledge Centre platform - their clients. It leverages the research Where the Telcos aren’t faring well customer experience. Ovum Technology and Industries strengths of the Datamonitor is fending off customer defections, Asked about the programs or Knowledge Centre and Ovum Technology and Ovum analyst teams. contends a recent study from the initiatives that have become more Enterprise IT Knowledge Centre. The “For years the analyst industry Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) important in the current recession, existing Ovum Telecoms research has been fixated with technology, Council’s Customer Experience Board. 56 percent cited better customer service and all other Datamonitor and has paid little attention to the Only 40 percent list increases in retention and monetization. Another Group business research services, needs of the businesses,” says David churn and attrition rates as a “biggest 43 percent indicated customer including Consumer markets & Mitchell, senior vice-president of IT challenge”, according to the board’s support and handling efficiencies Retail, Energy & Utilities, Financial Research at Ovum. “Instead it has survey of communications firm’s are a major concern. But only one- Services, Automotive & Logistics focused on technology minutiae. marketing executives. third of the marketers surveyed and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, We’re aiming to change that model. What are they concentrating mentioned quicker problem solving remain unchanged. “We’ve developed an approach on instead? Their attention is on and responsiveness, reflecting the “The two new Knowledge Centres that we’re calling Collaborative creating brand preference and split between the marketing and will be at the centre of a new Intelligence. It allows us to harness the differentiation, increasing innovation service departments. generation of Ovum research,” says insight of 350 plus business analysts and facing down price pressure, and Asked about the forces that Datamonitor Group CEO Mark Meek. in Datamonitor and combine this rapidly delivering new applications undermined the customer “It will be more influential than ever with 150 plus ICT analysts to produce and services. experiences, 54 percent said their and offer unparalleled insight into the research that really tackles the “There is massive spend on  see readerboard page 7 business value of technology. When problem of the business value of IT.” marketing new devices and new

6 contact management.ca September / October 2009 readerboard

80 Telco marketers’ response to customer churn

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

Customer satisfaction Behavioural targeting, Finding up-sell, cross-sell Customer analytics, Creative acquisition, studies—76% personalization—43% opportunities—43% predictive marketing—41% retention schemes—37%

 Eighty four percent of respondents to CMO Council study reported the cost of acquiring and sustaining customer relationships was increasing. The most common ways marketers for Telco’s are dealing with it are shown in chart above.

Do Not Call List (DNCL) that came Datamonitor names UC applications provide all the  from readerboard page 6 into effect a year ago. The services Aspect leading global capabilities these organizations organizations are not culturally include batch processing solutions, outbound centre vendor need to improve their outbound or operationally aligned around individual look-up solutions, and campaigns,” says Serge Hyppolite, the customers. Forty one percent customer privacy database solutions. Unified communications (UC) director of interaction product characterized their business Companies must ensure solutions provider, Aspect, management, Aspect. “Our practices, billing policies and consumers who do not wish to Chelmsford, MA, has been named leadership in the outbound market personnel as not being customer receive telemarketing calls are the leading global contact centre offers a strong proof point that friendly. Slightly more than one- excluded from their call files. vendor for outbound capabilities organizations are turning to Aspect third said their IT, back office or There are costly financial as well as by Datamonitor, an international for our innovative UC solutions, our operational systems subvert claims reputation risks for companies that business intelligence firm. The Market reliability, scalability, reputation, and made by marketing, and fail to meet fail to comply. Share Insight: The Contact Centre ultimately our ability to help improve customer demands and expectations. With the batch processing service, Universe report found that Aspect their business results.” Eighty four percent of respondents telemarketers can submit a file of has 29 percent of the market, with Blended Interaction is a UC reported the cost of acquiring and telephone numbers and determine the next leading vendor maintaining application that furnishes inbound, sustaining customer relationships which numbers are available to call a 16 percent market share. outbound, self service and workforce was increasing. Two-thirds said churn and which numbers should be under “Outbound contact centre optimization capabilities. By and attrition rates were also rising. suppression. This cost-effective, capabilities continue to be heavily in eliminating complex integration and How are Telco’s’ marketers efficient service is said to allow users demand in 2009 as companies search providing common management, responding? to get on with their telemarketing for advanced capabilities to reach reporting and administration, Blended Seventy six percent are using campaigns while minimizing risk. their audiences at the right time for Interaction yields greater visibility, customer satisfaction studies to Individual look-up is a Web- business processes that are critical control and staffing efficiency in a measure and enhance the customer based service. Agents and direct to revenue goals, such as collections multi-channel contact centre that experience. Forty-three percent are sales representatives need a way to and sales,” says Ian Jacobs, senior helps enhance customer satisfaction improving their behavioural targeting check if a number is “callable” prior analyst, Datamonitor. “We’ve found and improve business results. and personalization efforts, while to placing the call. Cornerstone’s that many companies are turning to Streamlined Collections is a UC a similar percentage were looking Internet-based solution lets field Aspect for these outbound features application that automates early for ways to up-sell and cross-sell agents or client representatives due to the depth and breadth of the stage collections and enables to existing customers. Another 41 check numbers against the national vendor’s offerings, in addition to their expert agent engagement for a percent are investing in customer DNCL in real-time. reputation in the market.” more effective delinquent account analytics and predictive modeling. With Customer Privacy Database Aspect offers outbound targeting strategy to help users get Thirty seven percent are introducing Solutions, Cornerstone’s DNC capabilities as part of a number of UC more promises to pay faster, reduce more creative acquisition and services and solution also allow applications for the contact centre, servicing costs and write-offs, and retention programs. Canadian telemarketers to include including Blended Interaction and improve collections results. their own privacy suppression Streamlined Collections. Aspect’s In other news, Prime Teleconnect, Cornerstone offers database in addition to the federal UC applications are said to help Manila, provider of hosted contact national DNCL DNCL. Through this completely companies target operational centre services, is taking advantage compliance services integrated service, telemarketers objectives with specific software of the multi-tenant capabilities can commit to not only meeting their capabilities. of Seamless Customer Service, List management company, legal requirements but also building “More companies are looking a UC contact centre application Cornerstone, Toronto, is offering their brand by respecting customers’ to increase the effectiveness and for the contact center, to offer different services to telemarketers to and prospects’ preferences. productivity of their outbound comprehensive call response. This help them comply with the national contact centre processes, and our  see readerboard page 8

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 7 readerboard

 from readerboard page 7 application lets Prime Teleconnect’s Communications (UC) applications. includes coordinated self-service, 100 agents leverage Microsoft VoIP Local Service is part of Global live service and integrated assistance Unified Communications to Crossing’s suite of SIP Trunking to improve first call resolution and contact an appropriate expert in Services. overall customer experience for its the enterprise to increase first call “We’re continuing to expand the domestic and offshore contact centre resolution and enhance customer availability and flexibility of our Local customers. interactions. VoIP Service globally,” says Dave Seamless Customer Service Carey, the company’s chief marketing is one application in the Aspect Access fees to rise on officer. “As a leading global provider Unified IP and PerformanceEdge U.S. DNC registry of VoIP services, Global Crossing platform products. Others include is committed to broadening the Blended Interaction, Productive The Federal Trade Commission, geographic reach of our SIP transport Workforce, Streamlined Collections, Washington, DC, is increasing the  Interactive Intelligence Chairman services to support the demand for and Optimized Collections. Prime cost of accessing the U.S. national and CEO Dr. Donald E. Brown says the multinational enterprise IP telephony Teleconnect worked with Aspect do-not-call registry. Effective Oct. company received several significant and UC deployments. With support partner Call Design, a contact centre 1, the annual fee rises to $55 per orders in the second quarter including for over 70 different IP-based vendor technology and solution provider, area code, or $27 per area code three exceeding US$1 million. devices on the network, Global to define and implement a system during the second six months of an Crossing is uniquely positioned to which best met its needs. organization’s annual subscription solutions company AcroSoft, meet the needs of customers looking Prime Teleconnect is also period. and the expected launch of our to move away from a traditional leveraging Ask an Expert capabilities The maximum amount that would communications-based process telephony solution.” using instant messaging (IM) and be charged to any single entity for automation solution later this The expanded VoIP Local Service presence powered by Microsoft accessing area codes of data will year. We believe these initiatives comes at a time when Global Crossing Unified Communications. The increase to $15,058. will help drive more value to our is experiencing increasing demand company is using Seamless Customer existing customers and prospects, for its VoIP Services. In the first Service’s inbound, outbound and Interactive Intelligence and generate additional revenues quarter of this year, 3.3 billion IP blended call handling capabilities reports quarter, first half in 2010.” interconnected minutes traversed to support its customers’ sales, revenue gains First half 2009 results saw total Global Crossing’s VoIP network, telemarketing and customer service revenues of US$62.4 million, a 3.8 representing a growth rate of 58 business process outsourcing (BPO) Interactive Intelligence, Indianapolis, percent increase over revenues of percent compared to the first quarter operations. IN, a global provider of unified IP US$60.1 million for the first half of of 2008. IP Interconnected minutes Prime Teleconnect has deployed business communications solutions, 2008. Net income was US$7.2 million, represent more than 40 percent of 100 seats of Seamless Customer recently reported operating results compared to US$5.3 million for the total VoIP minutes. Service in its 1,000-square-meter for the three and six months ending same period last year. location in Mandaluyong City. The June 30, 2009, with revenue increases in both periods. Global Crossing expands Serge Hyppolite, director of The company reported revenues VoIP service in Europe interaction product management, of US$32.9 million for the second Aspect, says more companies are quarter of 2009, an increase of 7.5 Global IP solutions provider, Global looking to increase the effectiveness percent over revenues of $30.6 Crossing, Florham Park, N.J., recently and productivity of their outbound million for the second quarter of extended its Voice over Internet contact centre processes. 2008. Net income of US$2.1 million Protocol (VoIP) Local Service to was up from US$845,000 in the include four new countries in second quarter of 2008; mainland Europe, enabling enterprise “As previously announced, we and carrier customers to reach a total received several significant orders of 25 countries worldwide and more in the quarter, including three than 500 cities across Europe. The exceeding $1 million,” says Interactive company also says it made a variety Intelligence Chairman and CEO Dr. of enhancements that make the Donald E. Brown. “At the same time, service more useful for customers. we had continued year-over-year Global Crossing VoIP Local growth in services revenues driven Service is now available in the by increasing maintenance and Czech Republic, Greece, Poland and support fees resulting in record total Slovakia. The service provides local revenues. origination of direct inward dialled  Global Crossing Chief Marketing “We continue to focus on numbers from major business centres Officer Dave Carey says the company new product development and throughout Asia, Europe, Latin is committed to broadening the expanding our existing offerings. America and North America, offering geographic reach of its SIP transport These activities include our customers a cost-effective single services to support the demand for acquisition in May 2009 of IP connection to support today’s multinational enterprise IP telephony insurance content management advanced IP telephony and Unified and UC deployments.

8 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Staffing Matters steps to nurturing your culture You need to grow your call centre culture and make it work for you. But you must first figure out the nature of that culture before you can nourish it. Here are the steps to follow. By Jeff Doran

s a contact centre Define “brand congruent culture”. This and consistent fashion. leader, you wear If you are not sure what your contact model focuses on that fact that You should develop a 12-month many hats. You centre culture is, you need to find people believe in the organization, communication plan that will must be a motivator, out. The best place to start is to products and services. They are incorporate various media into the Adisciplinarian, statistician, analyst, define the word “culture”. Wikipedia positive about what their company is mix. Some of the external channels strategist, mentor, coach, project defines culture as: “the set of shared trying to achieve and work together that my organization uses to promote manager, advocate and servant. But attitudes, values, goals, and practices to achieve it. newly certified employer of choice there’s another hat you must wear - that characterizes an institution, They are passionate about their contact centres include: press the hat of the “brand marketer”. organization or group” work and see their job as being releases to traditional and on-line As a “brand marketer”, your job Your culture is defined by your important. Their personal goals newswire services, press releases is to articulate and promote the people. So why not ask them? Have are aligned with the goals of the sent directly to editors of trade positive attributes of your contact your employees describe why they organization. They go the extra publications, speaker opportunities centre in a way that is compelling and think the contact centre is special mile and use personal resources to at conferences and symposiums, enriching. You need to be able to tell and give examples of why they like to proactively solve problems. trade show booth displays, magazine the “story” of your contact centre. work there. articles and expert interviews. “Where did you come from and Dr. Stephen McGuire, professor Develop You need to look at internal where are you going?” of management at California Whether you’re developing a new promotion opportunities as well. The message needs to be powerful State University, defined a model culture or improving an existing one, They could include town hall and unique. It needs to describe of organizational culture called you need executive support. You also meetings, annual meetings, team your culture and why it makes your “Entrepreneurial Organizational need to establish a core team that meetings, newsletters, Web sites, operation special. But why is this Culture (EOC)”. This model of shared will be responsible for managing the intranets, emails, blogs, reader important? values, beliefs and norms of members process. This group needs a strong boards, TV monitors, information Defining and promoting your of an organization has a particularly leader and should be comprised of boards, posters, banners, plaques and culture is critical for attracting, good application to the contact people with attitudes and values that special celebrations. retaining and engaging staff. If you centre world. The following lists the strongly support the desired cultural Spreading the word about your can’t explain why your operation is a elements of the EOC model: vision. unique culture generates attention. leading employer, you’ll find it very • People and empowerment AIR MILES Customer Care is The more attention you can generate, difficult to find and keep top talent. focused dedicated to being an employer of the more impact you will have both It’s also very important for • Value creation through innovation choice. An individual oversees the inside and outside the organization. identifying your position within and change employer of choice development Culture is one of the most difficult the larger organization. If • Attention to the basics processes. A volunteer group of things to change in any organization. senior executives have a better • Hands-on management employees called “Advocates”, among However, if you are making changes understanding of your goals, • Doing the right thing other duties, looks into development for the right reasons - to benefit the aspirations, mission and values, • Freedom to grow and to fail opportunities for improving the people who work there and create a they will have a better appreciation • Commitment and personal people-focused culture. stronger, more viable business brand for the decisions you make and the responsibility As a result of the focus on - you will have a more compelling resources you need. • Emphasis on the future continuous improvement and culture story to tell and greater chance Now you may be saying, “Wait development, AIR MILES Customer of succeeding. Remember, your a minute, why should we have to Assess Care was recognized as a Gold Level people help you define your culture, define our own culture when we Once you have defined your culture, Contact Centre Employer of Choice make sure they are a big part of the are already part of the corporate you need to assess it to determine for 2009. This represented a full solution. culture?” That’s a good question. In- the degree to which it exists within level rise in the CCEOC certification house contact centres usually adopt the organization. This is typically program from 2008. Jeff Doran is president of CCEOC the corporate culture and leave it to done through survey and focus AIR MILES was successful because Inc., Newmarket, ON, which the communications department to group sessions. These are effective it focused on what was truly oversees the administration and do the PR. methods of data collection in an important to all staff and proactively delivery of the Contact Centre But in reality, contact centres open, trusting environment. implemented positive change. The Employer Of Choice (CCEOC) are distinctive business units However, a big obstacle to gaining accreditation helps align the contact certification and development with their own unique cultures. honest feedback from employees centre culture with the corporate program for regional, national They have their own language, – ironically – is your culture. If you culture and reinforced the company’s and international centres. He has dress code, scheduling, structure, don’t have a trusting, supportive commitment to its employees. worked with many organizations technology, traditions, rites, rituals culture to begin with, it may be including FedEx, Scotiabank, CAA, and social mesh. difficult to solicit honest input. Promote HILTI International, The Shopping In essence, it’s a culture within a Depending on your requirements, You don’t have to have a master’s Channel, Netelleer, CIBA Vision, culture. And like any culture, it needs you may need the assistance of an degree in marketing to effectively Rogers Communications, Roche to be independently defined, assessed, outside facilitator. promote your culture. You need to Diagnotics, Crawford Adjusters developed, and promoted to create an An interesting culture model incorporate some basic elements and Grand & Toy. He can be effective employer brand. that supports an employer branding that will allow you to introduce your reached at 416-886-7007; jdoran@ approach is Arthur F Carmazzi’s story to the masses in an interesting ccemployerofchoice.com

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 9 People

People

People 1990s, he became a member of management and marketing. desktop software for IP-based Brother team, deceased the senior management team at In his previous position, Sheridan contact centres. Goodmanson was Unitel Communications, where he was also the executive liaison with promoted from chief financial officer executive get Telecom contributed his powers of persuasion the UC teams at Microsoft. This to replace Paul Lidsky. Hall of Fame honours and national presence to the efforts Lidsky becomes president and to bring competition to Canada’s CEO at Datalink Corporation. As a Canada’s Telecommunications long distance telephony market t Mike Sheridan current board member of Datalink, Hall of Fame has conferred its John and Paul Downs of the provides he was called upon to lead Datalink 2009 Career Service Awards on Nexicom Group of companies have executive as it expands into new growth areas. the late Jim McDaniel of CNCP worked tirelessly for the past three leadership for Lidsky remains on the board of Telecommunications and Unitel decades on behalf of thousands of all sales teams directors at Calabrio, contributing Communications (now MTS rural Ontario telecom users across across North his deep knowledge and strong Allstream), and on the brother team Ontario. The Nexicom companies and America, Europe, Africa, leadership in the telecom and of John Downs & Paul Downs, heads their predecessors have provided Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the software industries. Goodmanson of the Nexicom Group of Companies telecommunication services to Central Latin America regions. also joins the Calabrio board. and leaders of Canada’s modern-day Ontario for more than 100 years. independent telephone company John and Paul Downs were responsibility transitions to Andy movement. literally born and raised in the Bezaitis, senior vice-president of t Goodmanson The McDaniel family and the independent telephone industry, corporate development at Aspect. was promoted Downs brothers will receive their living and learning much about the Sheridan brings more than 20 years to CEO from awards at the 2009 Telecom Laureate early days of telephony in Ontario of experience in communications chief financial Awards gala dinner and induction from their father, Ed Downs, who and technology to his new role. He officer to ceremony on Wednesday, November worked with many of the start-up has been with Aspect for more than replace Paul Lidsky. 4th, 2009 at the Canadian Museum of independent Telco’s in the mid- eight years in various marketing Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec. 1900s. After the death of their father and product strategy roles. Prior to “We are delighted to recognize in 1978, the Downs brothers devoted Aspect, he held a number of positions t Paul Lidsky the tremendous role that these themselves on a full-time basis to the in sales and information technology becomes Career Service Award winners betterment of telecommunications at leading companies like Hewlett- president have played in advancing in rural and underserved Ontario. Packard. and CEO of telecommunications in Canada,” says Since then, Nexicom has Datalink Corp., Lorne Abugov, founder and director grown from a basic small town Contact Centre where he is a of Canada’s Telecommunications telephone company to a vibrant Canada appoints four current board member. Hall of Fame. “Jim McDaniel was a and integrated quadruple-play giant in the telecommunications provider of communications new directors field who devoted his entire services, equipment and supplies Prior to joining Calabrio, career to promoting Canadian to its customers. Despite their Contact Centre Canada appointed Goodmanson held several senior telecommunications. He made business success, the brothers have four new directors to its board at leadership roles, most recently as telecommunications a household never lost sight of the core values of its recent annual general meeting. chief finance and administrative word in Canada. John and Paul Downs exceptional products and services They are: Arlene King, vice- officer of Gelco Information are worthy recipients of our Career and conscientious customer service president, client care & data network Network, a leading Software as a Service Award for their tireless efforts that have shaped their company. assistance, TELUS, Montreal; Service (SaaS) business, which was in growing rural telephony, promoting Dave Dobrosky, vice-president, acquired by Concur Technologies in independently-owned telecom Aspect appoints Sheridan Atlantic customer contact centre, October 2007. service firms and bringing the highest EVP of Worldwide Sales Scotiabank, Halifax, Nova Scotia; standards of service, customer care Kathryn Ogorman, director, call Fry gets prestigious and telecom innovation to small town centre operations, Tribal Win-Chi- HDI lifetime and rural Ontarians.” Mike Sheridan has been named Way-Win Capital Corporation, McDaniel was widely known by executive vice-president of worldwide Winnipeg, Manitoba; and Pat Solman, achievement award Canadian TV viewers throughout sales for Aspect, Chelmsford, MA, a vice-president customer care, the 1970s and 1980s as “Mr. unified communications (UC) solutions consumer markets division, MTS Malcolm Fry, a recognized IT industry CNCP - the best known man in provider. He reports directly to CEO Allstream, Winnipeg, Manitoba. luminary with more than 40 years telecommunications”. His career Jim Foy. experience, has won the HDI Ron spanned the last century’s In this new role, Sheridan is Calabrio names Muns Lifetime Achievement Award. It technology revolution from Morse responsible for providing executive Goodmanson CEO, Lidsky was presented at the 2009 HDI World code to fibre optics to the beginnings leadership for all sales teams across Conference on Technical Service and of the Internet. North America, Europe, Africa, becomes CEO at Datalink Support held recently in Las Vegas, NV. In the twilight of his lengthy Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the HDI is the world’s largest career, he advocated forcefully Latin America regions. Previously, he Tom Goodmanson has been named membership association for against the telephone monopoly, served as the company’s senior vice- president and CEO of Calabrio, help desk and technical support speech-making and lobbying Ottawa president of strategy and marketing, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, provider of professionals and a premiere to promote competition. In the driving UC initiatives across product workforce optimization and unified industry certification body.

10 contact management.ca September / October 2009 People

The award was created in honour and current CEO, remains with the technology equipment. year, the firm collected more than of HDI Founder Muns, who retired in firm as board chairman. ReCellular recently released 5.5 million phones, resulting in 1.2 2008 after a lifetime of dedication Manning most recently served its 2008 Sustainability Report, million pounds of materials being and service to the IT support as senior vice-president for highlighting its significant growth diverted from landfills and more industry. Recipients of this award business development and field and success in collecting and than $4 million in donations to reflect the principles Muns followed services operations at Solectron processing electronic waste. Last charitable causes. throughout his stewardship at HDI Global Services, which was a and demonstrate a dedication to the $1 billion post manufacturing services division of Solectron t HDI Founder Corp prior to its acquisition t Stephen Manning most recently served as senior Ron Muns (left) by Flextronics International. vice-president for business development and field presents Previously, he was president and services operations at Solectron Global Services. the lifetime CEO of Sequel Inc., a service and achievement manufacturing IT outsourcing award named company focused on the after him to Malcolm manufacturing and repair of Fry, who has authored many publications, articles and papers on IT services and support. improvement of the support industry. This includes a willingness to share WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT by IEX CORPORATION their expertise with others through publications, training, presentations, and a never ending dedication to Improve Planning • Enhance Performance • Streamline Tasks • Integrate Data advancing the professionalism of the entire industry. Fry has an unparalleled breadth of knowledge and experience in IT business and technical issues. He For over 15 years, Xentrax has been has authored many publications, articles and papers on IT service a pioneer in offering innovative turn and support including A step-by- key Contact Centre Software solutions step Guide to Building a CMDB to the Canadian Marketplace. It is our and Building an ITIL-based Service Management Department. He singular focus and specialized expertise is currently working on a new in Workforce Optimization that allows our publication to be announced soon. customers to rapidly leverage the power As a notable resource for technology journalists and keynote speaker, he hidden within their contact centres. has presented in 50 countries. He was also featured in an As IEX’s certifi ed Canadian partner, acclaimed HDI video series. He was Xentrax provides Systems Installation, a member of the ITIL v3 Advisory Group and a mentor for the Service Product Training and On-going Product Operations book. Fry currently Support of the TotalView Workforce serves as an independent executive Management Suite of Products. advisor to Computer Associates.

Manning brings experience to growing green cell firm To learn how we have powered some of Canada’s more customer focused contact centres, call 888-XENTRAX (888-936-8729) or Stephen Manning has been named email us at [email protected]. chief executive officer (CEO) of ReCellular, Ann Arbor, MI, which is said to be the largest collector and processor of used cell phones in the world. Chuck Newman, the founder Innovative Contact Centre Solutions

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 11 Business strategy Cover story & leadership

Slaying dragons against all odds Strategy is envisioning the improbable or impossible. Leadership is inspiring people to attain these. Here’s how to deliver both through your contact centre. It all starts with a plan. By Colin Taylor

very business today has a find themselves in. business plan. It can range So what is a manager to do? from multiple binders Many will simply work with what built through months they get. This is a recipe for limiting Eof off-sites, meetings, reworking your career potential. and reassessing, or it may simply be After all what is the likelihood scribbled on a restaurant napkin. of success in meeting performance Regardless of the detail and the and budget goals without a detailed format all businesses need to have a plan of how to do so? The net result plan. Every business needs to know is usually poor performance, missed where it is and where it is going. service levels, budget overruns for Key business units further refine labour and an unhappy workforce. the business plan to focus on how it impacts on and is impacted by Mushroom management their area of responsibility. The In a contact centre environment result is a sales plan, marketing plan leadership skills can become evident or similar document. It is this plan much faster than in most other that provides the parameters for departments or disciplines. This is managers to operate within and to due in part to the all too common set goals to assist the organization ‘mushroom management’ approach to progress towards achieving and organizations take towards their call realizing the plan. centres. The contact centre managers Now imagine managing a left to their own devices with little significant unit of the organization, guidance from above must define for one that is a primary communication themselves what their strategic role is channel for interacting with the within the organization. company’s customers. All you have to Stated another way the manager work from is the napkin. must identify and document what the What would you do to ensure that contact centres role is in supporting the actions of your department align the business plan of the company. with the business plan? Articulating this role and defining what it is and how it is to be achieved Common misconception is the core of a contact centre This is a situation found in contact strategic plan. Like a business plan for centres of all types, sizes and an organization, a sales plan for sales across many verticals. The common or a marketing plan for marketing, misconception is that contact centres the contact centre plan becomes the and customer service in general is roadmap of what is expected to occur reactive: answering customer calls, over what timeline and with what contacts, and inquiries. The thinking specific impacts on both the centre is often that no plan is required. All and the organization. the contact centre needs to do is Understanding how to support the ‘answer the phone’. organizational goals and aspirations Detailed plans (sales, marketing as evidenced in the business plan, etc.) are perceived to only be is a critical task for any contact required with proactive activities centre manager. Translating this that will support the increase and/ understanding and appreciation into or attainment of revenues. Much less action requires leadership. attention is devoted to maintaining the customer base in place today “A leader is a man who and protecting the existing revenue can persuade people to do stream. This lack of attention or what they don’t want to do, understanding, lack of a plan and or do what they’re too lazy therefore the lack of a well thought- to do, and like it”--Truman out and reasonable budget is the situation that many contact centres u see Slaying dragons... page 13

12 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Business strategy & leadership

u from Slaying... page 12 managers from appreciating the takes you so far and quickly the of calls to lower cost channels in Faced with big goals, small budget effects of their plan on the contact leader seeks other solutions. What another, redesigned processes and limited if any detail regarding how centre. When a business plan is percentage of calls can we shift (and elimination of dysfunctional the contact centre is to support the handed down from on high, leaders in to lower cost channels like email, processes and procedures that attainment of these goals is a recurring the contact centres need to struggle chat, self service? Can we eliminate cause customers to call) resulting in theme in many organizations. The to the best of their abilities. internal processes that actually cause a 75 percent reduction in calls per manager who succeeds in achieving If the plan can’t change, possibly customers to call us? Assembling task customer. this will have a rosy career and they change the sequence and timing forces to deal with these and other In a leadership role you have a opportunities for advancement. Those of events. For example in a contact strategies, the leader works to make choice. Be a leader or wait for the who fail will often find new sources of centre it is preferable to have a a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. organization to replace you with one. employment. million piece mailing featuring the Bitching and complaining has never A leader when faced with such toll free number dropped in 22 equal The confidence factor achieved success. a situation will first endeavour to mailings over a month rather than all It is critical in engaging staff, Lead from within management. change or influence the goals and at once. If you can’t change the plan subordinates and peers that Act proactively to publicize your supporting methodology. Given or the sequence, inform the nabobs leaders exude confidence. They point of view and the concerns, point a stage for their views they will of the likely result. must believe that the goal can be out flaws (albeit gently if talking ask “how many calls per customer In a real world example we achieved and will be achieved. up the chain of command) and, if are we expecting with the new informed a client that given their plan They must suspend disbelief and unable to influence to the plan, share product?”, “What level of service do and constraints, they would get an engender that belief in others. the consequences and then seize we want to provide?”, “how many estimated 40,000 calls during their the impossible. Make it a personal unique campaigns will marketing be busiest month and likely abandon 70 “Management is like challenge to make it attainable. conducting to support the launch?” percent of all calls. Oh and by the way, dog sledding: get the Once you have slain the dragon and “how much does the contact since the switch isn’t partitioned then and overcome impossible odds, centre budget increase to support the president likely won’t be able to right team, give them you will be recognized for your these initiatives?” get dial tone over the same period. the right equipment, the achievements. Perhaps. Or maybe the Being at the front of the process, This tactic isn’t always successful right direction and the nabobs won’t have noticed the efforts in the planning stage it is possible in getting a plan re-examined. But it right instructions (mush!), or results, just assume that it was to ensure that the organization is fun to watch the colour drain from good plan that was well executed and constructs reasonable goals, faces around the room. If you are then hang on for dear see no need to involve the contact objectives and perhaps more successful then you have met the life”—Taylor centre in planning for next year. importantly budgets to deliver test set out in the preceding quote by support for these objectives. former U.S. President Harry Truman. A motivated team that actually Colin Taylor is chairman and CEO of At the end of the day with no believes the impossible is possible The Taylor Reach Group Inc., Toronto, Plans from on high appeals left and no concessions or can achieve great wonders. This is an award winning, international Of course in many organizations quarter given, the real work of a repeatedly seen in contact centres call and contact centre consulting the business plan is created off-site leader comes to the fore. How do I around the globe; 70 percent and advisory firm. If you have any by nabobs with little contact or get my staff of 40 people answer calls reduction in calls, increased questions or comments on this connection to the real world. This that really require 100? revenues, higher satisfaction in article, email the author at ctaylor@ absence of context frees the senior Multitasking of course only one case, migrating 30 percent thetaylorreachgroup.com.

Call Centre 3.0 Forward-thinking continues to evolve, companies that activity is expanding the Web (a data on the Web. It analyzes Web organizations are using want to compete successfully in our recent metric had it at 7.3 million new data and turns it into information text mining software 24/7 global marketplace must take pages posted daily), making it a rich that, when put in the hands of a call advantage of its benefits – especially source of data for companies to mine centre employee, can make a sale or and advanced analytics in the call centre, where ongoing for insights into customer behaviour save a customer from departing for technology to empower customer contact is the name of and attitudes. your competitor’s latest offer. the people handling their the game. Text mining software What are people blogging, Telephony is still a crucial part customer calls. Here’s and advanced analytics technology tweeting or posting in online forums of the call centre environment – what is happening. provide call centre employees the about your company’s latest product? especially when it comes to customer information they need to execute on What are they saying about your satisfaction. Most people will call BY MICHAEL TURNEY a growth strategy dependent upon competitors? a company to complain about its he information age acquiring and retaining customers. Sophisticated text mining product or service. allows us to access and Take for example the explosive software uses “entity extraction” Imagine the power of having exchange knowledge growth and adoption of social media technology capable of digging out voice-to-text software that and ideas freely, at the tools such as blogs, Facebook and brand, company and product names monitors and analyzes calls for Tclick of a mouse. As technology more recently, Twitter. Such online from the vast sea of unstructured u see Call Centre 3.0 page 14

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 13 Business strategy Feature story

u from Call Centre 3.0 page 13 verbal and tonal clues. Key words Some 50,000 people had visited that are already being used, or are Identify issues and and phrases, or a voice that deviates the mortgage section of the unwanted or unneeded. This is opportunities from a set baseline pitch, will bank’s Web site; more than 8,000 especially relevant to companies that Text mining technology can be cause the system to flag an irate were repeat visitors who used the offer multiple services but do not especially helpful to spot customers’ customer, for example, allowing a mortgage calculator tool. Several have interconnected operations. concerns as they develop; a quick supervisor to step in and handle the thousand of these individuals were Telecommunications companies response can nip potentially difficult call. Recordings can be analyzed identifiable customers, and not only are using business analytics software problems in the bud. Proactively numerically and customer comments were they using the calculator, the to identify changing customer offering a solution on a one-to-one made part of the company’s bank could determine the dollar needs in the wireless space, where basis maintains and strengthens customer relationships, and demonstrates that companies are paying attention. For example, the call centre database for one of the world’s largest IT companies contains an ever-expanding cache of records including emails, customer surveys, warranty claims and product or service issues. With no time to read each record or the thousands of messages hand-scribed on warranty and product forms, the company turned to text mining software to save time, money and resources in answering customer questions and offering solutions. For the customer who misunderstood a warranty and posted a comment on a blog, the company can track this concern and respond so others will not experience the same problem. Using text mining to monitor recurring questions (via email, from resellers, posted on social media sites, online forums, etc.) can help companies create fact sheets which can be mailed to customers and predictive modelling for better figures customers were entering. competition among service providers added to a blog or Web site. accuracy in tailoring an offer. Using marketing automation is fierce. While one customer might Technological innovation is technology from SAS, the bank was start making a lot of long-distance eliminating excuses for poor service. As Warming up the cold call able to push generated leads to the calls, another might be texting more companies look to the future growth It is time to retire the popular proper department, which in turn than before and calling less during the of their businesses, it is essential that belief that to attract customers, could email each customer with a day. By having this information readily they invest in the latest technology companies must contact as many tailored offer, including loan amounts, available, a mobile provider can to empower the call centre. Using people as possible to offer products text mining and advanced analytics and services. Technology allows “Sophisticated text mining software… analyzes software, call centres can help increase us to eclipse this broad approach Web data and turns it into information that… sales and build customer loyalty – a with more targeted outreach. By can make a sale or save a customer.” critical advantage in today’s business understanding individual attitudes, environment. likes and dislikes, you can approach amortization periods, and monthly match plans to individual behaviours, specific customers with an offer payments. This forward-thinking and make an offer before the Michael Turney is they might genuinely value (while process significantly increased sales, customer contacts a call centre sales head of strategy and reducing frustration and hang-ups). and provided the bank with a clear representative to change their plan. field marketing for Some companies understand picture of customers’ needs and Being proactive can increase SAS Canada, a leader that text mining software and online attitudes toward mortgages. customer loyalty because it shows in business analytics software and social networking will make cold consideration for the customer’s services, and the largest independent calling obsolete. For example, a bank Know your customer’s next need needs. An added benefit is any word- vendor in the business intelligence in the UK is using a SAS customer Inaccurate or outdated information of-mouth marketing that comes from market. For more information on SAS intelligence solution to better can lead to preventable errors such customers telling friends and family Canada’s business intelligence and connect with customers and offer as calling existing customers and about their positive experience. analytics software, visit www.sas. tailored loan proposals. offering products and services com/canada.

14 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Feature story Business strategy & leadership Call centres—force for customer experience The transformation of the call centre has been swift and impressive. No longer does it have to work hard to justify its existence; today it plays a leadership role in delivering positive customer experiences. BY KEN REDEKOP

ffering superior customer As customers have become place, organizations look to save their profound impact on any company’s service has never been more sophisticated and demanding, valued customers time, reduce costs bottom line. Still, according to more important and it’s contact centres cannot afford to have and raise service levels by applying Strativity’s Global 2009 Customer a trend that is helping the voice channel disjointed from the real-time integration of customer Experience Benchmark survey, 89 Oto raise the profile of contact centres. online world. knowledge into their interactions. percent of Canadian companies do According to the book Managing Customer Relationships: A Strategic Mobility rules Framework by Peppers and Rogers, The way in which people connect Learning how to be proactive a Connecticut-based consulting with businesses is changing, and To remain competitive call centres can no longer passively wait for clients to contact company, commoditized products and contact centres should be mindful them. In this business, no news is not good news. services are less reliable for business that the use of mobile technology is Customers have become more sophisticated and autonomous in their self-serve profitability and success. growing. A recent study conducted behaviour, and a lack of engagement does not necessarily mean that they are satisfied. As a result, more than ever before, by IDC Financial Insights found that, Fortunately, businesses can leverage new technologies to reach out to their audiences a superior customer experience has in 2008, 44 percent of respondents in the most cost-effective way, to anticipate and possibly deflect a potential issue. A emerged as a compelling differentiator “have and can’t live without” their few low-cost but high-value tips: for companies across all industries. mobile phones. In 2009 that number John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, summed increased to 53 percent. • Use proactive text messages to thank a customer for a bill that has been paid, or it up best when he told USA Today The same research also to confirm their identity for a declined credit card purchase at the retail level. that the hottest area in technology demonstrates an increase in the • Send automated “welcome wagon” communications within the first 60 days (when attrition levels are at their highest) to new customers, potentially opening right now is “getting closer to your market penetration of smart phones, the door to up-selling. customers and getting a larger share of which is expected to continue into • Link Web browsing with proactive invites for live chat to reduce customer their wallet.” the future, further driving non- frustration and recapture lost revenue due to shopping cart abandonment, or But to whom much is given, much voice application usage like texting, incomplete online applications. is also expected. The challenge now is emailing, taking photos and accessing how to maximize the power of the call the Web. centre in a way that directly correlates The message for call centres is clear. not know the cost of a customer Customer online to the brand promise. Customer interaction strategies must complaint, demonstrating a channel preferences Companies must take their cue account for wireless devices, which disconnect between best practices from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky offer new opportunities to engage the and industry implementations. and skate to where the puck (in this customer in a more timely and relevant 40 Cautious predictions of a gradual case, the customers) is going. To do manner. economic recovery, combined 30 this, businesses must be aware of A good example is to enable with maturing of communications three important trends, each with the customers with the ability to text “call 20 technology, means this is an exciting ability to transform the way customer me” instead of waiting on hold. A step 10 time for contact centres. Although service is delivered. further is to enable simple SMS-based the future is always unclear, one thing transactions on a mobile phone, such Live Web site Email remains certain: the contact centre chat answers assistance The rise of Web self service as checking account balances. has clearly established itself as a A recent study by Convergys, an Ohio- driving force for the organization when based consulting firm, found that while One view, one voice One large U.S. bank, for example, it comes to the customer experience. 68 percent of respondents’ first choice Customers demand flexibility in found that many of its senior-age By understanding customer was to connect with a live agent, how they choose to connect with customers contacted the bank preferences and taking advantage preference for online self-service has Canadian businesses, and expect monthly to ensure their social security of new technologies, call centre doubled during the past four years. For them to maintain a unified view of all deposits had been made. This taxed managers can play a key role in those who prefer going online, their customer contact history regardless live agent time, resulting in increased building new and truly responsive ideal communications tools in order of of interaction point. Traditionally, wait times for all customers. organizations. preference were live chat (31 percent), customers have contacted businesses To overcome these issues, the Web site answers (22 percent) and knowing that their call was occurring bank now uses previous call history to Ken Redekop, director of Customer email assistance (17 percent). within a “knowledge vacuum” - that anticipate the intent of the call. The Experience Management Solutions Live agent service is not going is, the agent had only limited, if any, agent can then invite the customer to for TELUS, has more than 15 years away anytime soon, but customers historical context. The absence of receive confirmation through a time- experience helping Canadian businesses are increasingly establishing a knowledge-enabled interactions saving speech recognition interaction, improve customer experience to benefit “non-voice” relationship with not only accounts for a great deal of versus staying in queue. The result has their bottom line. To learn more about organizations to complete customer dissatisfaction, but also been overwhelming with more than 1 how the TELUS Customer Experience transactions or, at a minimum, to results in escalating service costs for million calls each month now able to be team helps Canadian companies build have a prior interaction history the organization. treated in a faster, automated manner. positive customer relationships that drive before connecting with an agent. Today, things have changed. In Taking the time to identify and competitive advantage, contact Ken at The implication? response, with the right technology in resolve common inquiries can have a [email protected].

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Home agent programs pub Sept.07 31/08/07 12:52 Page 1

Coming events

Coming events the International Offshore Customer All presenters are described as 2009 2009 Awards for service quality Management Conference series, is award winners who will share their excellence as judged by customers SEPTEMBER 21-24: The sixth holding it. The outsourcing summit secrets, challenges and best practices. and employees. New this year Customer Feedback Week returns series aims to create an unparalleled For more information, visit www. are two distinct conferences. The to Atlanta, GA, at the Omni Hotel networking opportunity for buyers contactcenterworld.com. executive SQM conference is designed at CNN. The International Quality and providers of outsourced contact for directors and vice-presidents. centre services. Attendees will take The world class certified CSR and & Productivity Centre (IQPC) NOVEMBER 9-11: HDI Service part in a program of formal and supervisor conference is designed holds it. The program has been Management Conference & Expo. informal networking events, including for CSRs and supervisors. For more expanded to include interactive Location is Hyatt Regency Crystal a series of pre-scheduled one-on- information, phone (800) 446 2095 or sessions focused on a full range of City, Arlington, VA. This event is one meetings between buyers and visit www.sqmgroup.com social media—marrying customer created for service and support providers. For more information, loyalty and retention with Word leaders who want to incorporate contact Chris Wood on +44 (0) 1932 of Mouth and ‘Word of Mouse!’ To more advanced service management NOVEMBER 30: Now in its 341828, email [email protected] or register call 1-800-882-8684 with processes within the support centre. fourth year, the British Columbia go to ccoglobalsummit.com. code 1-1001536374 or visit www. It promises to provide practical Contact Centre Association Awards customerfeedbackweek.com. tips, templates, and tools. Session of Excellence program recognizes OCTOBER 21-22: Contact Atlantic tracks include process management, excellence in the contact centre SEPTEMBER 22-25: CAM-X Conference and Expo; Delta Brunswick people management, service industry and provides an opportunity 45th Annual Convention & Trade in Saint John, NB. The event is held reporting, government focus, and to shine a light on best practices, Show. Location is Grand Okanagan by ContactNB. For more information, strategic business alignment. For employees who go the extra mile Resort, Kelowna, BC. Themes contact Mike Bacon of ContactNB at more information, visit www. and organizations that make a real include “Growing your business in [email protected]. thinkHDI.com/sm2009/ difference in their community. recessionary times” and “Strategies Location is Richmond, B.C. Categories for running a profitable call centre NOVEMBER 4-6: 4th Annual Top NOVEMBER 18-19: SQM’s 2009 include Contact Centre of the Year, in tough economic times.” For more Ranking Performers Conference. Call Centre Summit. Location is Contact Centre Employee of the Year, information, visit www.camx.ca. Location is Red Rock Resort & Spa, Las Sheraton Centre Hotel, Toronto. It Community Spirit Award, Vendor of Vegas. It promises to improve contact features SQM’s 11th annual North the Year. For more information, visit OCTOBER 5-9: The International centre performance for attendees. American Call Centre Industry www.bccontactcentre.com. Customer Management Institute (ICMI) presents the sixth Annual Call Centre Exhibition (ACCE) Conference & Expo at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. 2009. The event aims to provide contact centre professionals with the tools and information that enable companies to enhance the customer service experience and build customer loyalty. Conference attendees are executives and managers involved in or responsible for contact centres, customer service, customer relationship management, help desks, sales & marketing, telemarketing/telesales, field support, channel support, business intelligence, customer data integration, enterprise services, IT/telecom, hiring/ coaching/retention and workforce management. For more information, visit www.icmi.com

OCTOBER 19-20: The London Contact Centre Outsourcing Global Summit will be held at the Grove Hotel and Conference Centre. It will be the launch event for a series of outsourcing summits that will also be held in Miami, Cape Town and Shanghai. ICT Communications, which was previously responsible for the Contact Centre Global Forum and

July / August 2009 contact management.ca 17 Focus on metrics Feature story

Top 10 “sacred cows” of contact centre metrics The evolution of the simple call centre into the multi-channel contact centre necessitates that we rethink the performance metrics used and uncover which are really important to manage our business with this added complexity. Here are the top metrics and assessments of how well each works.

This article is a condensation of a white paper produced by SwitchGear Consulting, Toronto, a call centre consulting and advisory company. The white paper came out of an Innovators’ Roundtable session where contact centre professionals exchanged views on the value of different metrics. For more information or to get the white paper, visit SwitchGear at www.switchgear.ca.

all centres have all the We all accept employee spin on how to measure Customer This challenge might be resolved tools to easily measure engagement as being important - but Satisfaction. In fact, research shows if leaders were managing these most performance areas. is it? One member of the Innovator’s there is a direct correlation between activities with a disciplined approach The problem is we review Roundtable shared, “I worked for a Customer Satisfaction and Net rather than by intuition. For example, Cmetrics “everyone” uses, but often sweat shop, boiler room organization Revenue – more specifically, between providing a consistent methodology cannot see how each metric directly where they could compete on a Net Promoter Score and Net Revenue. for the monthly one-on-one will relates to another and which ones in customer satisfaction level with A leading financial institution produce a much better result rather combination give us the “big picture”. anybody else AND do it cheaper and does a Customer Satisfaction survey than allow every supervisor to use As one member of the Innovator’s NOT have high Employee Engagement focused on Net Promoter Score. It their own approach. Roundtable aptly put it, “We, in the scores. They were a bottom-line has a very statistically sound set of industry, should be looking at these company that had to manage their historical data that shows that if its Net 4. Cost/call: sacred cow metrics and asking costs and they are trying to show Promoter Score goes up by “x”, its Net This metric has become quite ourselves ‘Are we better off after we’ve a return. So I ask you, is employee Revenues go up by “y”. Because of the meaningless. It really doesn’t done all these things than having never engagement really important?” confidence there is a very significant take into account all the different done them at all?’ And if the answer is And on that note, is it Employee correlation between the two metrics, aspects that make up the customer no, we should take a good hard look at Engagement we’re measuring or there is high motivation to achieve a experience like First Call Resolution, why we’re doing them.” something closer to Employee higher Net Promoter score because of for example. It’s an arbitrary number It’s important to remember that Appeasement? Many organizations the knowledge the institution is going that says a call costs $x. So what? while all our metrics should be up are focused more on MAKING to make money on it. Many organizations are moving for debate and refinement, we are employees happy (appeasement) towards more robust metrics like not suggesting that they have no by doing such things as painting 3. Shrinkage/Load Factor: cost per active account and end to value. Rather, the time has come to the bathroom or installing a new A lot of people look for ROI from end cost to serve. Cost per active take a fresh look at these and other employee lounge rather than truly coaching, training and meetings. An account is calculated by taking the traditional contact centre metrics and engaging the employees in their enormous amount of time is invested entire operating budget from every ask whether they are serving us as work. While a purple bathroom in teaching people, but it doesn’t aspect of the operations and dividing well as they could be. In many cases, or company boat cruise might always translate to moving the by the number of active accounts. the metric is worthy of measurement have a marginal and short-term business forward. We can all agree This approach allows organizations to but the way it is used and interpreted impact on the efforts employees that things like training and coaching know the exact dollar amount it costs might be the problem. put into their work, more impact is are very important to the quality of to service an active account. usually achieved with investments calls and our customer satisfaction. 1. Employee Engagement: in a strong coaching program, Yet when we’re trying to meet our 5. AHT While there is some research that involvement in appropriate decisions, service levels, they seem to be the AHT is an end result, a symptom of shows one percent Employee and more leadership attention. first activities cut. something else driving AHT. Service Engagement equals two percent Ultimately, we do ourselves a Level is lost because there was an Customer Satisfaction, and we all 2. Customer Satisfaction: disservice by not mandating that advertisement on TV or a product believe notionally that a happy One Innovator Roundtable member any kind of intervention, learning failure. But because we are sworn to workforce equals lower attrition and had a great discussion at an executive or otherwise, comes with a stated AHT, we try to solve AHT as opposed to higher productivity, we don’t have offsite where everyone was chanting return on investment. It needs to be solving the problem that caused it. AHT a single metric that actually tells us “Customer Satisfaction needs to get more specific than “This training will should be used as a diagnostic tool to how much money we make or save better!” At one point, the CEO stood help.” At the very least, the training find the problem. It is not THE problem. by having engaged employees. We up and asked: How do we make money should be able to identify which One key to breaking the current typically take a survey snapshot once on that? Many were surprised by metric it will affect and by how much. AHT paradigm is to decouple it from a year. Let’s face it, if an employee that question but the outcome of the It’s ironic that we’re so particular the budget. Many organizations see had an upsetting interaction that day, discussion was that the real question about measures like agent hold times this as one of the major budgetary the chances increase significantly for should be: What’s actually going to (AHT), yet we really don’t know what mechanisms and as a result, they hold us getting a bad score. differentiate us in the mind of the goes on, for example, in the meeting agents accountable to the number. So the questions become: How does customer that we can then monetize? room for one hour a month between Let’s face it agents can find any number it drive my bottom line? If it’s going to Once we are clear the reason we supervisor and agent. We’ve given of ways to reduce their AHT if mandated cost me more to engage my employees invest in satisfying our customers is them no structure or tools and monthly to do so and many of those tactics do than the return I get from engaged not to make customers happy but meetings can cost a large contact not support your goal of delivering a employees, then why am I doing it? to make money, it puts a different centre operation $1M plus annually. WOW customer experience!

18 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Focus on metrics

8. Occupancy: (how the customer feels about the Some have admitted that they experience) plus information from have not found a useful application performance metrics and the Quality for Occupancy at the agent level. team who provide trend analysis of But if you take a closer look, you’ll “first contact resolution” to augment find occupancy to be very useful in their diagnosis from their own gauging the pace of calls to agents. observations during side-by-side High occupancy burns out your coaching. The front line leader is the agents and low occupancy burns out only one who can help improve the your budget! If you view it as being experience by increasing the skill of almost like a quality of life metric, it the agent. will serve you well. 10. Speed to Proficiency 9. Quality Assurance: Very few centres, if any, are Many contact centres believe their measuring their Agents’ Speed An excellent approach is to observe be further from the truth. It may quality process defines what the to Proficiency. In other words, agents with very low or high AHT. For be a contributing factor from the customer experience is. This is a how long is the true development those agents with low AHT, capture perspective that having the phone short-sighted view. The only person curve for an agent to become best practices if they are performing answered within a reasonable time who can assess their experience is confident and competent – that is, optimally, and disseminate those best is something a customer would the customer himself, not the Quality highly skilled in delivering a WOW practices to others through effective appreciate. But it’s not the only thing. team. Anything on a Quality form customer experience and generating side by side coaching. For high AHT, Service Level measures speed that is subjective and open to opinion revenue for the business. Increased provide improvement coaching to answer…period. Answering 80 is doomed to be ineffective. Keep proficiency creates customer if you notice they are missing key percent of calls in 20 seconds (the Quality to objective and binary metrics loyalty and delight, a dramatically elements of the call flow. Using AHT industries most popular service and you will be more successful. reduced cost to serve and a greater to do skill development will serve the level target!) uses a weak average Some best applications observed confidence level and feeling of contact centre much better in driving to predict customer satisfaction. It in Quality teams are more marketing success with agents, which translates performance. is very common to “buy” back the driven than contact centre driven. into lower attrition and absence. 80/20 service level – if you are way They are picking up CUSTOMER Innovators build a Roadmap to 6. Utilization: over one day you will get back to insights rather than focusing on what Proficiency for their agents starting Utilization can be defined as the average by being way under the next the AGENT is saying and doing. They with a collective vision of what percentage of time that an agent day. This is similar to sitting with our are honing in on such marketing, First WOW looks like, ensuring that their is occupied with any productive head in the oven and our feet in the Call Resolution opportunities, and agents get good at the basics before activities. It can quite simply be fridge but having a perfect average other insights that can contribute to they ask them to add value to the calculated as follows: (Total Talk body temperature. The 80/20 service decisions that steer positive change customer experience. As one agent Time + Total Hold Time + Total Wrap level did nothing for the customers for the business. was heard saying, “I need to eat the + Available Hours) / Paid Hours. The who called on a day when wait times Unfortunately, there is a real pizza one slice at a time rather than single biggest expense in any contact were unreasonably long. shortage of examples of great the whole pizza at once!” centre is the use of an agent’s time. Truth is most customers would quality programs. What is the right By understanding where the rather wait a few extra seconds and formula for how the Quality Group Summary: agent’s time goes, it helps to start get a knowledgeable person on the should work to give us the best There then is ‘The top 10 sacred cows to clarify what contribution is being other end of the line that can actually results? It’s important to be really of contact centre metrics. “They are made to the Expense to Revenue help them. The best evidence of this clear on what the objective of the well-loved and fiercely protected ratio. In the business of contact is at the world famous Disneyworld. Quality Team is. Is the objective to and in many cases with good reason centres, time is money and the game The way Disney manages line queues gauge customer experience or is it as they all add value in many ways. really becomes how much non- can really teach us a lot about Service to ensure compliance to process, We simply believe that these metrics production time can be turned into Level. There is science that says a policy, procedure and product have been immune to criticism for productive time. customer will be more impatient knowledge? a very long time now and therefore, with a four minute mess in front of a A best practice is to have distinct could use some refinement. It really 7. Service Level: bank teller than a 35 minute line-up roles that align to the common goal begs the question that was asked Many centres perceive Service Level at an amusement park where TVs are of delighting the customer. The at the top of this article, “Are these to be the definitive measure of telling you at various intervals how front line leader takes input from metrics serving us as well as they customer experience which couldn’t far away you are from the front. the customer satisfaction survey could be?”

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 19 Focus on metrics Feature story

Metrics that matter most during a downturn Contact centres need to avoid temptation to cut corners with existing customer base, which does more harm than good in weathering economic storm. Here’s the right way to batten down the hatches BY TOM SULLIVAN

uring a recession, average speed of answer, average Sometimes agents require the The latter method has a higher organizational concerns handle time) but do not provide knowledge of a subject matter expert success rate in getting customers to over decreasing sales and insight as to whether customers are (SME) to resolve a customer issue, but participate, but can miss data from controlling operational satisfied with their interactions with need to know if an SME is available. bad or negative calls if an agent does Dexpenses abound, while pressure a company contact centre. Instead of transferring a call without not transfer the customer to the remains on companies to uphold and For example, which is more knowing whether an SME is available, survey system. even increase the satisfaction of their important to the customer; whether agents can use presence and IM to With customer surveys, the customer base. Companies should their call is answered within a certain see which experts are on hand to help contact centre management team focus on keeping existing customers number of seconds (service level) or resolve the issue. Agents can chat in can view and analyze reports about happy, which is more cost effective whether their issue is solved to their real-time with an SME, manager or customer experiences. These reports than spending resources on garnering satisfaction? another agent to get answers quickly can organize survey results by agent, new customers. and avoid transferring the call or team or contact centre service. Contact centres need to avoid Keeping customers satisfied putting the caller on hold. Paired with performance the temptation to cut corners with Customer satisfaction has become Another critical element to both management software, customer their existing customer base, which more important than ever, as it is FCR and up-selling and cross-selling feedback can provide insight into ultimately does more harm than good increasingly easy for customers is a unified desktop and Web 2.0 when a customer has a negative in weathering the economic storm. to shift loyalties. With the click of technologies. These can help provide experience, and even match unhappy Instead, they should think about a mouse, customers can instantly a richer picture on the agent’s PC of customers to the recording of their strategies for long-term success. compare numerous companies, the best way to serve the customer call for deeper analysis. With this Striving for efficiencies during a products and prices. With so and shave off time and steps that lead insight, managers and agents are downturn is a necessity, but keeping many instant options available to caller frustration. able to immediately address the a close eye on key business metrics to customers, contact centres’ With integrated desktop tools issue, repair the relationship and can reveal when such measures begin competitive advantage now lies in and contact centre applications, the restore loyalty. By having access to weigh too much on performance. customers’ positive interactions. agent can immediately pull together to this information, managers and In a recession, companies need During tough times, customers information about the customer, agents can quickly change their to continue to provide the best still want quality service and, if what services they use, product behaviour and processes before they products and services they can and anything, may even be more sensitive information and new promotions impact service levels and customer ensure that their current customers to how they’re treated because to offer. There’s no toggling back satisfaction. remain satisfied. they’re also feeling the pressures of and forth among applications to The insight gathered from auto- In bad economic times, companies a down economy. Industry research piecemeal together the required generated post-call surveys doesn’t do everything possible to lower costs, has shown that companies who information. stop there, however, and can be used including budget cuts, reducing invest in customer experience realize in agent coaching and training. Direct agents’ hours and salaries, and more frequent benefits in areas Post-call surveys customer feedback will help agents layoffs. When contact centres are such as referral rates and customer To measure customer satisfaction better understand customer needs forced to take dramatic measures, satisfaction. and loyalty, post-call surveys via an and behaviours and what agents are they need a system in place to In a recession, contact centres auto-generated IVR application are or should be doing to improve the keep those measures in check. need to focus less on traditional an excellent way to see how a contact customer experience. Paying close attention to metrics metrics and more on those metrics centre is doing. Contact centres should can provide crucial insight as to that directly affect the bottom line consider the following factors in Implementing new when the cost-cutting is no longer and sales success, such as first call capturing accurate, reliable feedback. performance metrics helping, but has begun to negatively resolution, customer satisfaction and The best time to obtain Before changing the metrics impact customer satisfaction, agent loyalty, and revenue generation. information about a customer monitored, however, contact centre performance and revenues. experience is right after the managers should make sure to clearly But closely monitoring metrics Which metrics to measure interaction is completed. Using communicate agent performance is not enough. Contact centres also First call resolution (FCR), which auto-generated post call surveys priorities and performance need to evaluate which metrics they helps contact centres understand that leverage an IVR, for example, the measurement. For example, if are measuring. how successful they are at solving contact centre can receive immediate performance measurement focuses customers’ problems on the first feedback from the customer. on call handling time, agents may be Traditional metrics and only interaction, is one metric The customer can be asked to inclined to stay within that time goal, Traditional metrics are an important directly tied to customer satisfaction. participate in a survey prior to being even at the cost to the customer. This method of evaluating day-to-day Presence and instant messaging (IM) routed to the agent through the IVR behaviour can result in unresolved performance and costs. These can help contact centres achieve treatment, or the agent can ask the issues, customers who need to call metrics effectively measure team and FCR by easily connecting agents and customer to participate in a survey as back a second or even third time and agent efficiency (i.e. calls handled, subject matter experts. part of the close of the interaction.  see Metrics that matter... page 21

20 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Feature story Metrics focus

 from Metrics that... page 20 and spend additional time with the aligned to business goals. workforce optimization and unified negative interactions. customer to resolve an issue, make contact centre desktop software If agent incentives are geared a sale and ensure the experience Tom Sullivan is a that enables continuous business toward FCR, customer satisfaction is positive. Now more than ever, product manager for improvements in productivity, and loyalty, and revenue generation, contact centres need to take a agent and supervisor efficiency and customer satisfaction. however, agents may be more likely close look at the metrics they are desktop applications He can be reached at tom.sullivan@ to forgo the handling time goal measuring and make sure they are for Calabrio, Inc., a provider of calabrio.com.

Metrics that measure customer satisfaction Approaching customer satisfaction as a strategy by combining a number of metrics, rather than using one in isolation, can yield significant insights into customer satisfaction. Here are some to consider. By Mark Selcow

here is little doubt that in information can then be used to drive what customers actually think three categories – the Promoters, the today’s global economy action to remedy system problems. about their experience. Simple Passives, and the Detractors. any inch of strategic and Web-based surveys or post-call IVR The Promoters are loyal customers competitive ground a Sales Fail Rate surveys that ask customers about who will continue interacting with companyT can gain is worth the effort. Customer churn metrics, such as a specific, recent experience can and buying from the company. To execute their winning strategy, many Sales Fail Rate – a sale a company help companies gauge customer The Passives are satisfied by their companies turn to improving customer believed it made until the customer satisfaction – making sure customers cancels within a certain timeframe “FCR is often a combination of calculations taken from a are happy and will remain loyal. following the “sale,” or a Failed number of operational data sources, such as CRM…” It’s one of the most effective ways Save Rate when a customer closes of ensuring both long-term and short- an account – tell a company how satisfaction, as well as pinpoint areas experiences, but are not emotionally term profitability, while also gaining often people are leaving, and more for operational improvement. attached to a company’s brand and an edge over competitors. However, importantly, their reasons for doing are easily swayed by the competition. with so much data orbiting through so. This information provides critical Net Promoter Score And finally, the Detractors are the contact centre, it is sometimes knowledge of customer satisfaction For example, Net Promoter Score, unsatisfied customers looking to difficult to even gain an accurate make a move. measure of customer satisfaction, let Net Promoter Score has proved to alone improve it. be a reliable metric companies can If customer satisfaction were an use to understand how loyal their easy measurement to get a handle customers are, and to take steps to on, it would not be such a hot topic maximize the number of “Promoters” in the marketplace today. With who interact with the company. multiple customer touch points, it Ultimately, it is the Net Promoters is imperative that companies use who positively impact a company’s the data and information they have bottom line. on hand to measure and improve customer satisfaction. First Contact Resolution Traditionally, metrics such as Finally, some leading companies are quality scores have been used as turning to First Contact Resolution a proxy for customer satisfaction, (FCR) – or ensuring that customer offering an internal view of a queries or issues are resolved in a customer’s experience on a particular single interaction or contact – as a call, against a set of pre-determined measure of customer satisfaction. criteria. But this metric alone ignores One of the best measures of customer other relevant and often readily  Enhancing the customer experience holds several benefits for companies. satisfaction according to various available data. Among them is a rise in stock values as is shown in graph above. studies, FCR is often a combination Some operations are also using of calculations taken from a number customer churn metrics as a measure rates, and can subsequently be developed by Bain & Company, of operational data sources, such as of customer satisfaction. While, used to fine tune or even overhaul generates a measurement of CRM, IVR, quality, customer survey, ideally, the same information could certain processes or employee operational performance (and and speech analytic systems. be gathered before a customer behaviours contributing to customer therefore customer satisfaction) Measuring FCR enables churns, assessing the reason for dissatisfaction. by asking the question, ‘Would companies to diagnose “failures,” a customer’s departure can offer Post-Call Customer Surveys are you recommend us to a friend or a or the underlying processes and/ critical insight into failing processes another metric gaining momentum colleague?’ Based on this answer, Net or behaviours causing repeat calls, or employee behavioural issues. This in helping companies uncover Promoter segments customers into  see Metrics that measure... page 22

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 21 Personal profile Conversation with Steve Levy

 from Metrics that... page 21 Given his mantra of market research and customer loyalty, helping operations to interact Steve Levy sees what happens in call centre world as one with customers more successfully. piece in the loyalty jigsaw. Marked improvements in FCR both reduce operating costs, and more significantly, enhance customer distribution channels might be. So we experience and general customer would be minimizing the risk. At the satisfaction. same time, we would be helping to maximize the opportunity. “Traditionally, metrics such as quality scores Is that where your call centre have been used as a work comes in? proxy for customer Yes, to some degree. satisfaction.” What is one thing about call In data- and people-intensive centres that you understand environments like the contact better than most people? centre, an accurate measurement of customer satisfaction can be elusive. person I I am absolutely buying-in to the However, if companies approach eventually married. changing paradigm of contact customer satisfaction as a strategy, centres. If we look through the rear- taking a combination of metrics like Convert to new call view mirror, call centres were- at the ones described, as a cohesive worst - complaint centres and - at picture rather than looking at single best - customer care centres. At best, metrics in isolation, they can gain centre paradigm they were cost centres, a necessary comprehensive insight into customer A consummate researcher and industry forecaster, Steve evil, if you like. satisfaction to ensure the best Levy sees contact centres shifting from cost to profit Increasingly, I would think of them customer experience, and therefore, more as mechanisms for service customer loyalty. In these uncertain centres. They will become the pillars of customer service providers and manufacturers to build economic times, a company’s and customer relationship management. Here are his relationships with clients, not simply to greatest salvation is its loyal and views. By Elizabeth Winter handle complaints. And in that sense, satisfied customers. increasingly, they may be seen as teve Levy is president of Both of us were unemployed so we profit centres rather than cost centres. Mark Selcow is commercial operations applied for a bunch of different things. That’s a totally different paradigm. president and co- for eastern Canada I applied for a job in market founder of Merced for Ipsos Reid, a major research. They didn’t hire me, but What message would you like to Systems, Redwood SCanadian market research firm. He is they said they would hire me on give to call centre people? What City, CA. He previously was president responsible for all the organization’s contract. I ghost-wrote for them, would you like them to know? of Consumer Health Interactive, a marketing and loyalty research and I got to know the (market software services company focused activities. research) business better. I have to put my sales hat on there on the health insurance industry. He oversees a professional So when we moved back to to some degree. You’ve got to have He also co-founded BabyCenter research staff of almost 100 people. Canada- in around 1985 or early ‘86- I metrics. You have to understand if and managed the company’s In addition to his management role, joined a company here. I worked you’re being successful or not. And by relationships with large consumer he continues to act as team leader there for five years, and that’s where I metrics I don’t necessarily mean – and product companies including Procter for a number of accounts in the learned the process of doing research, certainly don’t only mean- the metrics and Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, technology/communications sector. the business, the practices, and so on. that one commonly sees in the contact Clorox, Charles Schwab, and General Active in the industry, he is centre world: the call length, and the Motors. Merced Systems is a provider involved with the Marketing How would you describe Ipsos metrics that are easy to pick up. of sales and service performance Research & Intelligence Association. Reid’s business? I’m thinking of the metrics that management applications He also sits on the board of the relate to “Did the person at the other focused on improving operational Canadian Marketing Association. I would say that we were in the risk end of the phone get something from effectiveness of sales forces and Born in London, UK, he came to minimization and the opportunity it?” “Did you, in fact resolve the service organizations across a range Canada in 1981. maximization business. Let me explain. problem they had?” of vertical industries. Its products If you’re going to launch a new Maybe you think you did, but you serve Global 2000 customers, and Steve, how did you get into product, you want to reduce the didn’t. And if you didn’t, why not, and include advanced analytics and the research business? Did you amount of risk associated with doing what can we do to ensure that you reporting, incentive compensation choose it, or did it choose you? that. The things that we do would be did in fact, resolve the problem? management, coaching and other to forecast sales, define the market. So the mantra that I have to performance execution applications. I fell into it. When I finished my MBA We might outline the upsides, what use - given what I do, and given that I moved to Southeast Asia with the the barriers might be, what the best u see Convert to new... page 23

22 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Ask Affy Need Advice? Ask Affy! Q-We are now considering launching an at home agent program. How do I know if my team leaders are effective in coaching in my current environment and should I be changing how we coach when we move to a virtual environment? Virtually Yours, Carla

A-Dear Carla or crisis of the moment and when As you enter the new territory of important to know, needs an Being proactive as a leader is a there is time, coaching occurs. being virtual, there are nuances that immediate action or is just a “FYI”. great quality and your question is • You see offline time carved out require some care and attention. • Avoid coaching or worse very timely with the changes in the for coaching activity but results Many in the industry are not aware of management moments by email industry today. Below are some do not naturally follow. In fact the the changes their leadership team has or chat. Leave electronic media good questions to ask yourself to results are inconsistent – they to make to adjust to a virtual agent. for exchange of information or understand at a high level if your fluctuate up and down. After all, how hard could it be? We knowledge or praise that is public! team leaders are effective in engaging are the experts at creating virtual • Lead by example and avoid the your agents to increase their skill If you see these signs in your relationships over the phone every long email strings that are copied level. If your organization has any of organization, respond not only day with our customers! to everyone in the world. Pick up these, now is the time for action! the phone and create engagement “Many in the industry are not aware of the –believe me it is much faster! • Your team leaders have “coaching changes their leadership team has to make to • When your virtual agents come moments” to address lateness adjust to a virtual agent.” into the office, take the time to or lack of schedule adherence. If acknowledge successes and make your leadership team is blurring through your words but through The difference is that we have that face to face time a highly the lines between management your actions. This gives your structure for our agents when they positive interaction. They will and coaching conversations, agent team leaders a clear signal that speak to customers but we have very appreciate it! inaction and disengagement coaching is a priority regardless of little structure when we speak to • Energy breeds energy. When you are typical products of these circumstance and crisis. Many in the our agents virtually. We continue to communicate over the phone, conversations. industry have adopted our coaching over use electronic media and often start your conversation with your • Your agents are not clear on what path which initiates agent self “carpet bomb” our messages across agents in a positive and upbeat they specifically need to do. Your discovery and creates sustainable the Internet. way. This in turn will bring energy agents follow the team leaders change in behaviour. There are better ways, Carla to to your agents who will carry it instructions for improvement but And finally, take a look at your ensure that not only are we heard but forward with your customers. cannot connect the dots between reward structure. Does it directly that we are understood. Following their actions and their results. reward your team leaders for creating are some tips for you to consider. Carla, I hope I have given you some • Your team leaders are “telling” engaged and highly skilled agents? things to think about. Good luck with your agents their commitments. Once you are satisfied that • Think about your message and your virtual adventure! • Team leaders might be saying you have an effective and high learn to use the right media (phone, that their coaching session is performing front line leadership email, chat or face to face) based on Afshan Bye, a partner at Switchgear repetitive, boring and that they team, you have the flexibility to seed context, content and urgency. Consulting, has 20 year’s experience are looking for ways to bring more this culture to any environment, • When using email, create a in the call centre industry. Please energy to their sessions. virtual or otherwise. convention that helps your send your Ask Affy question to ron@ • Coaching is not the FIRST priority. recipient learn quickly if the contactmanagement.ca. We’ll run the Attention is diverted to projects Virtual nuances information in the email is Q&A anonymously in the next issue.

 from Convert to new... page 22 Canada is correct. it was in the past. The need to retain trend, where is it going, what’s it However, when you flip the switch customers that you have in time of being used for, can it be monetized? my interest is much less in what and say “Ah, the recession is over.” that recession, and the need to stimulate you think of as call centres- and doesn’t mean that you’ve recovered them to spend when they want to save, What do you think? Is it a fad? much more in the bigger picture from it. I sent my boss a link with the is even more important than it was of customer loyalty- is that the link to that announcement, and his when things were going gangbusters. It’s too early to tell. I’m on Facebook, concept of what we all do in the first response was “So does that mean So it is harder to retain and I don’t know if Facebook is a world of call centres is simply one that you are going to up your forecast customers, and loyalty absolutely fad or a trend. But for sure, social piece in that loyalty jigsaw. for the rest of the year?” (Laughs) is at a premium. In many respects, networking is not a fad. it underlines how important call Do you believe the optimistic So how does ‘the recession is centres are. Now is not a time when Elizabeth Winter describes herself Bank of Canada forecast over but we’re still recovering’ you want to give up on call centres. as crazy about call centres and call centre people. She is founder of the that Canada is on the road to affect the role of call centres in Do you Twitter? Contact Professionals Alliance (CPA), economic recovery? the customer loyalty jigsaw? the largest and fastest growing I’ll tell you what I think. There is a One of the key things is that now we I observe. So the answer is no, but peer-to-peer contact centre group in technical definition of a recession, are in a period where the concept of we are measuring Twitter, and we’re Canada. For more information, visit and using that definition, the Bank of retention is even more important that studying Twitter. Is it a fad, is it a www.cpacan.com.

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 23 IB5913_ContactMan_FP.pdf 9/5/2007 1:12:37 PM

readerboardBarbados Prime location for Call Centers

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+ Customer Service + Financial Services + Inbound/Outbound Sales + Collections + Travel + Help Desk CALL US AT: + Technical Support Toronto: 416 214 9919 | Barbados 246 626 2000 New York 212 867 6420 | Miami 305 442 2269 | London 44 0207 580 6077 + Healthcare Fax: 246 626 2099 Email: [email protected] + Insurance www.investbarbados.org

24 contact management.ca September / October 2009 IB5913_ContactMan_FP.pdf 9/5/2007 1:12:37 PM

Barbados Software Solutions Prime location for Call Centers Customer Relationship Management tools

System streamlines info, ticket history, and a list of centres now need to build proactive provide certain people or divisions services, manages entire IT assets that they own. This feature relationships, upsell, and solve with exactly the data they need to synchronizes with Active Directory, problems on the fly. determine the effectiveness of a lifecycle so you can import internal employees Avaya offers a suite of CRM self-service program. This does away Alloy Navigator is billed as a on a scheduled basis. solutions with the latest features to with the ‘all or nothing’ approach comprehensive, integrated IT service Having access to customer help make the contact centre more to sharing information, allowing management solution based on information alongside service effective: IT supervisors to provide tailored ITIL principles. It blends IT service management lets an organization Avaya Contact Centre Express views for certain business users, support, configuration management, provide better customer service. 4.0 is the latest version of Avaya’s while helping IT maintain control and and change management – all Alloy Navigator is said to allow mid-market contact centre solution. confidentiality over information. consolidated into a seamless solution, technicians the capability to see It provides users with advanced focused on streamlining IT service how many tickets a certain person multimedia features, reporting and processes and effectively managing opened, and if they are constantly self-service capabilities designed to Tool discerns customer the complete IT lifecycle reporting the same issue(s), etc. enhance customer service and agent experiences in call centres productivity for mid-size companies or divisions of large organizations. Developer of interaction analytics Avaya one-X Agent gives technologies that optimize customer customer service associates working experiences in small and large- from any location (home, office or scale contact centre environments, a remote location) an easy-to-use Datanautix, Inc., Winter Springs, FL, , interface providing fast access to last spring unveiled its DIAGNOSTIXT C all necessary CRM capabilities. New solution to help companies better

M enhancements include a re-designed manage the experiences their user interface that lets customer customers have when they call into Y service associates better manage their contact centres for support.

CM multiple interactions simultaneously. Sanjay Patel, chief executive The user interface also features officer of Datanautix, says MY new capabilities such as integrated DIAGNOSTIXT builds on years of CY contact lists with ‘click-to-dial’ experience and National Science

CMY and ‘drag and drop’ features for Foundation funded R&D to bring to conferencing and transfers. market a capability that provides K Avaya Intelligent Customer quick insight into the experiences Routing is a SIP-based solution that customers go through when they call  This is an in-progress incident ticket regarding an end-user’s issue with routes customers and their essential into a company’s customer service Microsoft Word. The ticket shows a summary of the issue, a full description, when information to the right agent or operation. Developed through it was created and how much time has been spent on resolving the issue thus far. expert using the most efficient a process of actively listening to route possible. Customers can thousands of recorded conversations For almost any product that tracks In short, Alloy Navigator permits use speech self service to provide between call centre agents and and manages information (help desk call centres to minimize the adverse key information (such as account customers, the methodology allows tickets, asset management, HR, sales, impact technology issues have on number, transaction history and for a rapid review that identifies contract management, procurement, their organization by identifying primary needs) and get connected to sources of potential variability in the etc.), a CRM system at the heart of potential problems before they occur, the best available resource, located overall call process and customer the product is ideal. Specifically and resolving existing ones before anywhere in a business. experience. within a call centre environment, a they escalate. By using it, firms Avaya Voice Portal 5.0 is “Driving an effective customer CRM system can link everything into maximize business performance with Avaya’s speech self-service engine experience at the lowest possible one centralized repository. Help desk a precise alignment between critical for Intelligent Customer Routing cost is critical in today’s economy,” + Customer Service tickets are linked to end-users and business processes and invaluable that enables customers to use says Brendan Conlan, head of technicians, assets are owned by information technology data. spoken commands to provide national customer service strategy + Financial Services people or departments, contracts are information, navigate options & process improvement at Nestle + linked to vendors, etc. and complete transactions. New Waters. “Having seen the Datanautix Inbound/Outbound Sales A CRM system integrated with all Four CRM systems form capabilities include: Integrated DIAGNOSTIXT tool in action for + these processes can help manage effective call centre suite Video and Voice Support so Voice our company, I am impressed with Collections all these activities. Without this Portal now embeds dynamic video how much information Datanautix + Travel integration, there would be no In today’s Internet-driven self service capabilities; Increased can derive from a relatively small automatic way to create and manage environment, customers want the Scale Capacity so Avaya Voice set of calls. Companies that are + Help Desk these relations. ability to communicate using the Portal can now support up to 5,000 struggling to drive costs downward CALL US AT: Alloy Navigator has an most convenient method available, concurrent sessions, or voice calls per and customer loyalty upward should + Toronto: 416 214 9919 | Barbados 246 626 2000 Technical Support organization module that manages whether by email, IM, text, and Voice Portal system, up from 2,000 be considering the benefits of the New York 212 867 6420 | Miami 305 442 2269 | London 44 0207 580 6077 + Healthcare Fax: 246 626 2099 Email: [email protected] these processes. From an individual’s more. Simply taking calls isn’t sessions; and New Measurement Datanautix offering.” record you can see a person’s contact enough to keep customers loyal. Call Tools whereby businesses can + Insurance www.investbarbados.org  see Software Solutions page 26

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 25 Software Solutions Customer Relationship Management tools

 from Software Solutions page 25 relationship management (CRM) it provides the ability to manage costs associated with managing and capabilities to customers with Infor marketing events, such as invitations, collecting feedback through the “The philosophy underlying enterprise resource planning (ERP) response tracking and post-event Internet and phone. Users can access this solution is that it is important solutions on IBM System i platforms. surveys, and also measure a Plum Survey’s contact manager to to identify what to measure and It promises to help Infor’s more campaign’s success. create or maintain a list of target how to measure it,” says Patel. “By than 14,000 System i customers With the software’s sales respondents, enter or update contact identifying the right call elements create growth and loyalty through process management functionality, information or upload contacts from and ensuring they are captured heightened customer dialogue, companies can use multiple sales a spreadsheet. Plum Survey also using quantitative measures where increased revenue, reduced costs, practices as part of an overall provides the option of creating groups possible, it then becomes possible and enhanced customer service. CRM program. User-defined sales of contacts for better organization. to identify areas of variability in CRM i Edition, linked with Infor’s processes include additional sales to Plum Survey users can quickly customer experience delivery, and ERP products, give Infor customers a an existing customer, service without and easily customize the look of a then drive predictable outcomes single, integrated view of customer- a contract, maintenance renewal, Web survey or be guided through the from change initiatives.” related information such as credit sales to a prospect, sales through a process of recording audio prompts Datanautix is also working on an limits, financial transactions, orders, partner or reseller, and major account over the phone. The Web version Expert Quality Assurance Process quotes, shipments, and more. End sales. In each instance, a record of the survey can be embedded Evaluator that will be able to users can access the solution via is created for every opportunity, into an email or a Web site, or sent quickly assess a company’s quality their Internet browser, ensuring data enabling users to review status using to respondents with a link that monitoring and assurance process in availability anywhere, anytime. various parameters such as deal value, directs respondents to a standalone contact centres and discover “blind The system further simplifies predicted close date and others. Web page. The phone version lets spots” that lead to an incomplete use by providing CRM data to users Additional functionality in respondents call in or, alternatively, perspective of the customer’s through a single access point. CRM Infor CRM i Edition lets users Plum Survey can make the calls experience. In addition, this expert i Edition has robust capabilities for manage quotations and orders by directly to target respondents in the system will proactively recommend campaign management, opportunity taking advantage of the abundant user’s contact list. changes that companies can make management, sales process information contained in the Phone respondents have the during call monitoring to get a more management, and quotation and company’s existing ERP system. This option of speaking their answers or customer-centric perspective. The order management. data includes pricing, discounting, entering them via dual-tone multi- underlying “intelligence” comes from “Infor CRM i Edition helps our promotions, sourcing, and more. frequency (DTMF) key presses. Users Datanautix’ experience in various System i customers leverage their Using this data, the software can track individual answers from verticals including technology, ERP data with new capabilities that simplifies the prospect-to-customer their respondents as soon as a survey telecommunications, financial will help them increase sales revenue, and quote-to-order conversion is completed. services and consumer products. reduce sales costs, expand data processes, enabling users to For outbound call respondents, Patel says the Expert QA Process visibility, enhance forecast accuracy, increase the number of inquiries users can track to see who has Evaluator will give call centres a and improve customer service,” that become orders. This conversion completed the survey along with their quick assessment of current quality says Kevin Piotrowski, director of rate is also boosted by the answers. Plum Survey’s real-time assurance processes and evaluate System i solution marketing, Infor. solution’s opportunity management analytics include a variety of reporting the potential of using the process “Providing innovation and support capabilities, which help improve features (histograms, pie charts, and as a leading indicator of customer to our large installed base of System close rates and shorten sales cycles. line diagrams) that allow users to experience and satisfaction. Vendor i customers is an important priority examine and share key findings. contends that combined with tools and commitment for Infor and a such as Statistical Process Control major factor behind our recent Tool lets users create survey, (SPC), Lean and Six Sigma, a well establishment of a business unit deploy it via Web or phone RebelCRM ‘On Demand’ executed QA Process can be business dedicated to our worldwide base of service furnishes highest transformational. customers who use IBM System i.” Plum Survey is described as the first tool availability CRM i Edition lets companies that allows users to create one survey manage campaigns using CRM and and deploy it over both the Internet and A Web hosting and managed hosting System taps ERP, CRM ERP data to easily target subsets of the phone to targeted respondents. provider, Rebel Networks, Toronto, functions to hike sales, their customers with offers tailored The real-time analytic tools let users has launched a new service offering to specific wants and needs. Using navigate responses to identify trends, that helps automate business by customer service email, call lists for telesales and the patterns and behaviour. giving workers the ability to track Infor, Atlanta, GA, recently unveiled mail merge function, the solution Plum Survey eliminates the need to sales and marketing efforts and do Infor CRM i Edition, software that enables companies to better define work with multiple vendors including some project management, as work provides enhanced customer and execute campaigns. Additionally, IVR and Web developers, cutting  see Software Solutions page 27

t Datanautix CEO Sanjay Patel says DIAGNOSTIXT brings t Kevin Piotrowski, director of System i solution marketing, Infor, to market a capability that provides quick insight into the says CRM i Edition lets System i customers leverage their ERP data experiences customers go through when they call into a with new capabilities that will help them increase sales revenue, company’s customer service operation. reduce sales costs, expand data visibility, enhance forecast accuracy, and improve customer service.

26 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Software Solutions

 from Software Solutions page 26 centre achieve flexibility in service is powered by a Web services Sword Ciboodle helps improve the to enable faster service and achieve Application Programming way large organizations interact with flow automation improves. higher customer satisfaction. Interface (API) for easy integration their customers. The combination of RebelCRM is built on the SugarCRM with third party and legacy process-managed CRM software and Community edition architecture. By Features include: applications. specialist consulting and delivery using the SugarCRM open source • Ecosystem - CRM Integrations with services permit Sword Ciboodle’s license, Rebel Networks is able • Agent console – each agent Facebook, Twitter, Google, chat clients to achieve higher revenues to take and host it on its cluster has a 360 degree view of every and phone systems. from their customers and reduce cloud computing environment. customer • Mobile – Use any mobile device to operational costs. So RebelCRM “On Demand” Cloud • Case and solution collaboration gain mobile access to customer Vistaprint offers small businesses Computing is built out of the latest – share case and solution and service information everything they need to market their clustered architecture to provide the information organization-wide • Customizable search - depth and business with brand identity and highest availability. • Computer Telephony Integration flexibility to access customer data promotional products, marketing RebelCRM is said to offer a more (CTI) – Integrated with the most they way you want it services and electronic marketing secure environment compared to popular telephony systems solutions. As the company expanded, other hosted CRM solutions because it sought an agile, scalable CRM the data, application and API’s are product, including support for managed independently. multiple languages. For additional security an SSL Sword Ciboodle brings advanced certificate is included upon request. technology to Vistaprint’s contact By using RebelCRM hosting of your centre operations and allows the CRM solution, you have a team company’s design, sales and support of experts who can maintain and divisions to effectively process support the application, says vendor. appropriate customer orders. In most situations On Demand “Our business is constantly hosting compared to in house hosting evolving, and many of the existing will improve uptime and lessen CRM packages in the market were complaints from your staff. not the right fit for this kind of With an On Demand hosted model, dynamic business environment,” says staff gets access to the CRM system, Michelle Healy, vice-president design on the road, at home as well as at sales and service, Vistaprint. “Sword work. They will also have access to the Ciboodle provided us with the agility system via their Blackberry or iPhone. we need to respond to changes, while providing a host of features we required out of the box.” Online CRM suite delivers “Successfully delivering this cross-channel capabilities • Workflow and Escalation – best Vistaprint deploys Sword project on time and on budget for an workflow in On Demand CRM, Ciboodle for enhanced established and trusted brand like Salesboom.com, a major vendor time-based workflow Vistaprint, with such a large customer customer support of Cloud Customer Relationship • Knowledge Base – deliver the right base, is a key step in our strategic plan Management (CRM) Software-as-a- answers, at the right time, via any Sword Ciboodle, Chicago, IL, provider for growth and again demonstrates Service Solutions, describes itself as channel of customer-oriented business the short timeframe in which Sword perfect for managing both inbound • Analytics – real time reports, software and services, recently Ciboodle can deliver comprehensive and outbound call centres providing dashboards keep you in control of delivered a comprehensive CRM CRM solutions,” says Paul White, support or sales. Its pre-integrated service metrics system to online marketer Vistaprint CEO, Sword Ciboodle North America. suite of online CRM delivers cross- • Email tools – Automatically to help enhance its customer service “This is a key deployment for Sword channel service capabilities, create cases via email and email capabilities. After only six-months, Ciboodle in North America and we empowering agents with the tools to templates for fast and reliable the first phases of the deployment are looking forward to a successful deliver world class service whether service were completed, and the Sword ongoing relationship with Vistaprint, on the phone, via email or the Web. • Customer portal – Engage with Ciboodle customer interaction and rolling out many more successful A free 30 day trial is available at customers via your own customer platform is now the central projects across this continent and www.salesboom.com to experience portal technology hub for Vistaprint’s into Europe.” how Salesboom can help a contact • Web Services API – Salesboom customer support.  see Software Solutions page 28

 Salesboom.com Cases and Solutions are integrated t Sword Ciboodle North America CEO Paul White says his firm with major phone systems. Shown here is Salesboom. is looking forward to an ongoing relationship with Vistaprint and com Case Management Module that is pre-integrated rolling out more projects across the continent and into Europe. with full CRM suite.

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 27 Software Solutions Business Intelligence systems

 from Software Solutions page 27 Recommendations might include: is also essential that organizations consistent global view of all • A simple product offer, such as, take a systemic look at their quality customer inputs: in-house contact Making real-time decisions “Do you want batteries with so they can retain those hard-fought centres, offshoring and onshore in the call centre and online that?” customers, and convert prospects outsourcing. • A simple yes/no decision, such derived from marketing campaigns ClearMetrix includes flexible Today’s customers expect a as whether to authorize a into sales. features such as specific evaluations, personalized experience whether it’s transaction. Quality is often a dysfunctional hosted reporting and dashboard through the call centre, Web or other • A prioritized list of offers that a metric at large enterprises. Various suite functionality. It also provides customer touch points. Customers call-centre representative can customer contact centres may have in-depth reporting sliced-and- want to be sure companies address present, such as 10 percent off; different quality assessments and diced in multiple ways for precise measurements, making it virtually analytical knowledge. impossible for a large organization Examples of specific reporting with disparate sales and support include agent evaluations, team functions to get the necessary performance, auto failure details, analytical view of quality across the and coaching comments. Because

 SAS Real-Time Decision Manager allows users to build simple or complex decision processes using an intuitive graphical interface.

their needs and treat them as buy one, get one free; or free individuals. shipping. SAS Real-Time Decision Manager • Specific conditions that should automates the decision-making be applied to an offer, including process to provide recommendations terms, transaction fees or annual for customer-facing systems. percentage rates. The solution lets business users construct decision-making processes These processes can be repeated in an interactive, visual environment. as many times as needed during These customized decision flows can a customer interaction. Plus, the operate on data from any source and solution ensures that the same apply advanced analytic techniques criteria can be used for consistent  ClearMetrix provides detailed analysis of virtually all contact centre functions and business logic to determine communication and treatment of to help managers determine quality trends. In this view, data notes quality scores decisions and recommendations. customers across channels, products over a 12 month period, plus a more detailed 30-day view. Dozens of other reports When SAS Real-Time Decision and business units. All of this adds available in ClearMetrix help managers understand the strengths and weaknesses Manager receives a decision request up to a dynamic, highly relevant within a centre. from an operational system, it and profitable relationship with processes a decision flow that can customers. company. However, independent ClearMetrix can be accessed from determine a customer’s eligibility, QA provider HyperQuality has any PC, anywhere in the world, it score a customer’s propensity to developed a proprietary Web- delivers a universal functionality to buy a certain item and calculate ClearMetrix drills into based software that tracks quality on-the-go management who are the customer’s creditworthiness quality equation across a company in a systemic often directing multiple domestic based on the latest transactional way, enabling an organization to and international contact centres. information. The result of the Common business wisdom concludes identify trends, pain points and best As a result of the precise data decision flow is a recommendation it is almost always more expensive practices. captured across the enterprise, that is passed back to the operational to acquire new customers than ClearMetrix from HyperQuality ClearMetrix from HyperQuality system, where it is presented to the retain those you have. Certainly is described as the first software enables a culture of quality starting customer. acquisition needs to be a part of any dedicated entirely to the quality in operations and extending up successful enterprise; however, it function. It provides one, through management.

28 contact management.ca September / October 2009 Association News

10:00am-12:00pm > The Turnaround 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm > Dinner Theatre 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm > Keynote Lunch Interview - presented by Montana HR – Bruce Sweeney “Simply for Life” 12:00pm – 1:30 pm > Keynote Lunch Day Two: 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm > Inspiring – Martin LaTulippe Thursday October 22 Greatness in the Workplace – Connie 1:45 pm – 3:45 pm > The Turnaround 9:00 am – 10:00 am > ContactNB Smith SpotOn Enterprise. Interview - presented by Montana HR Annual General Meeting In keeping with the Contact Centre (continued) 10:15 am – 11:45 am > Managing after For more information on registration, Canada (CCC) motto, You Talk. We 4:00pm- 5:30 pm > Managers’ the Cutbacks: expo and sponsorship opportunities, Listen, CEO Donna Miller is continuing Roundtable Role Clarity, Accountability, and go to the Web site www.contactnb.ca to actively meet with industry 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm > Exhibitor’s Organizational Effectiveness - leaders across Canada through her Reception/Networking Montana HR  see Association News page 30 nationwide tour. These sessions are critical for CCC, as it enables the organization to stay abreast of human resource trends, as well as industry changes and activities that could potentially create further challenges and skill gaps in Canada. During the last year, Miller has visited many cities QUALITY & PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT by eTALK CORPORATION in all provinces and will be back in Montreal, Toronto and London this fall. She is open to talking to industry Monitor • Measure • Improve • Understand on a regular basis by attending conferences, provincial industry association meetings and AGMs. Contact Centre Canada wants to encourage industry partners to contact it with their views and For over 15 years, Xentrax has been insight as to how to strengthen a pioneer in offering innovative turn and showcase Canada’s contact centre industry and enhance global key Contact Centre Software solutions competitiveness. The CCC mandate to the Canadian Marketplace. It is our is “to contribute to the health and singular focus and specialized expertise prosperity of the contact centre industry and its workforce,” and it in Workforce Optimization that allows our accomplishes this through active customers to rapidly leverage the power participation of the industry vertical and its sub-sectors. hidden within their contact centres.

As etalk’s certifi ed Canadian partner, Xentrax provides Systems Installation, Product Training and On-going Product Support of the Qfi niti Quality and Next up on our major events calendar Performance Management Suite is Contact Atlantic, the association’s annual conference and expo coming of Products. up in Saint John NB on October 21 & 22. This event draws about 200 contact centre executives, managers, To learn how we have powered some of vendors and suppliers, as well as Canada’s more customer focused contact centres, other government and industry call 888-XENTRAX (888-936-8729) or representatives. Following is the email us at [email protected]. two-day agenda:

Day One: Wednesday October 21 8:00am -10:00am > Registration Innovative Contact Centre Solutions

September / October 2009 contact management.ca 29 Association News

 from Association News page 29

It is clear that 2009 is a year based on a pre-determined point on October 22-23, at which you ICSA-TC claims to meet all of change in the industry, and scoring process. Only companies who can learn the art of cross-selling training needs. It suggests placing change – no matter its shape – is an achieve an overall score of 80 percent and upselling. It is also holding its a call for on-site customized opportunity to evaluate, innovate or higher will receive the Award of highly rated Effective Email Writing, training. For more information on and improve. The association Excellence, presented at the CAM-X Coaching for Performance and Train Staff Appreciation Night and all its has coined this year as”the Year Annual Convention & Trade Show. the Trainer programs. programs, it recommends calling of Change: Looking At Things Now available on its Web site, the or checking the Web site for more Differently - Embracing Change & Call Centre Award of association is offering two Elearning details: 905-477-5544, www.icsa. Seizing Opportunity.” Initiatives will Distinction: February, 2010 Email Writing training programs. on.ca, [email protected]. fall under four main priority areas: The Canadian Call Management connections and collaboration; Association (CAM-X) Call Centre financial viability, industry awareness Award of Distinction program focuses and development and education. on customer relationship management MarketPlace Connections and collaboration (CRM), courtesy, etiquette, and includes continuing to build professional call handling. relationships with other provincial Participants should include in house call centre associations, forging new or outsourced call centres providing networking opportunities through social Order Entry, Fulfillment, Registration, networking sites, and launching a vendor Surveys, Web Applications, Escalated marketplace on the ACCA Web site. Emergency Response, Reservations Financial viability entails continuing and Help Desk. to use sound business practices for Test calls are placed during a six- financial decisions and budgets. month period. Calls are judged by Industry awareness involves two independent judges using a pre- enhancing the association and determined point scoring criteria industry image within the province. Development and education spans enhancing the member portal of the ACCA Web site, maintaining monthly luncheons, sharing and highlighting member success stories and introducing Webinars, tour events and workshops. Coming up next is the BC Contact Centre Association’s Awards of Excellence Gala planned for November 30th. This is the centre- piece of the events calendar and always an event much anticipated by The Canadian Call Management our membership. Association (CAM-X) is planning The association provides a TM to launch its 2010 Benchmarking forum for recognizing excellence Programs. For registration information in the industry in the following contact Linda Osip, executive director categories: Contact Centre of the Year, CALL CENTER & CUSTOMER SERVICE JOBS at 1-800-896-1054 [email protected] Community Spirit, Vendor of the Year, and Employee of the Year. This year the Gexel Telecom specializes in delivering the most effective mix of Award of Excellence Program: association will offer Contact Centre live people and automated solutions to meet your requirements. January, 2010 of the Year awards for both large and Our qualified, reliable, proactive, multilingual contact center The Award of Excellence program is small contact centres. Keep watching team is committed to the success, growth, profitability of our a ‘mystery caller’ program that offers the BC CCA homepage for news on the clients. CAM-X members the opportunity to Awards of Excellence Gala! Our range of services includes: have their call centre agents evaluated
Customer & technical support by an independent panel of judges,
Account retention, order taking during a six-month period. The
Incentive selling and cross-selling
Telemarketing, Activation, renewal mystery callers will conduct a test call Also inquire with us today about our Emergency services and based on the client profile information our automated interactive, outbound and inbound voice members provide when registering to messaging service that can reach thousands of recipients per participate in the program. The ICSA-TC is gearing up for a busy hour via phone, SMS or Email. At the completion of the program, line-up of fall programs, including For further information, please call 1.800.263.5161 Ext.500 two independent judges will listen to the launching of its new Service or visit us at www.gexel.com the call recordings and assess a score that Sells Certification Program

30 contact management.ca September / October 2009 ad1.pdf 1 9/16/2009 3:54:53 PM

1/3 of call centre callsAssociation News are billing related

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Learn more about our enterprise solutions for generating and managing communications 1.800.268.DATA or visit http://go.pbinsight.com/ccm

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You can’t buy customer loyalty. But we offer the tools to help you earn it.

Keep your customers coming back with Intelligent Customer Routing from Avaya. Now you can more accurately identify callers and their needs — and even optimize wait times by giving them productive options while in queue. So you can deliver a personalized experience from start to finish.

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