Go BackPeople-driven real time service
There's never been a time when competition has been more intense; nor when maximising the value from each customer contact more important. For many organisations, the harsh reality of operating in today's business world is not only that you can't afford to lose existing customers, but also that you're under constant pressure to eek more sales (and more profit) from them.
Customer Relationship Management (or CRM) was once touted as the 'catch-all' answer to both problems. However, as many companies found to their cost, all that was under the bonnet of many CRM solutions was software - with the reality of much early CRM being a spiralling technology bill without the business benefits to match.
Today, organisations are much more enlightened. They know that computer software won't, by itself, change customer relationships. They accept that channel choice is good but only if consistent and comparable service can be provided across channels. And they recognise that people are often the most important ingredient in good customer experiences.
As the Aspect Index research so aptly puts it "consumers are interested in interacting with contact centres whose agents are knowledgeable and informed, speak clearly and are easy to understand, are patient, act professionally and take responsibility for resolving issues. They also want their inquiries to be answered quickly and their problems resolved swiftly."
It's clear that the secret to delivering successful and profitable customer experiences, time after time, is great people, great processes, great technology. How you deliver those great results with limited resources though is the 64 thousand dollar question. Many customer contact professionals are now convinced that the answer is Real Time Marketing.
Enter RTM
There are many definitions of Real Time Marketing (RTM): some say it's about "CRM meeting the Internet". Others, that it's a "combination of real time data capture, analytics and agent empowerment".
To Garlands, RTM is simply "a way of offering the most appropriate services and products to customers based on their history, profile and requirements at a particular instant in time".
There are broadly three steps to delivering effective RTM in a live agent call centre:
First, organisations require call handling and CRM technology that can deliver relevant customer and product/service data to Advisors at the moment calls are delivered to their desktops. This generally requires computer telephony integration in some form. If the call handling system (or ACD) is able to automatically recognise caller identities from calling numbers, then that information can be passed to a customer database to 'screen pop' customer data onto Advisors' PCs. Alternatively, screen pops can be triggered by customers entering account details into an IVR system.
Second, organisations require intelligent computer software, capable of:
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rapidly and effectively capturing new information about prospects/customers
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storing that information in a format and location that's accessible to other marketing activities
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analysing new data to find out whether it changes customer histories, profiles or perceived requirements in such a way as to suggest a new sales opportunity (or opportunities)
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presenting new opportunities to Advisors. Information could, for example, be presented on a 'best option' basis, as a set of possibilities, or on a "if x, then y" basis
Such functionality can often be provided through CRM software, or may require investment in specialised RTM software.
It's all about people
The final, and most important element in successful Real Time Marketing is 'people'.
For regardless of how cutting-edge your CTI, CRM and RTM software is, and how robust your business processes, if your people don't have the service skills and knowledge to deliver great customer experiences, plus the sales skills to close commercial opportunities, investments in RTM will prove fruitless.
Contact centre managers who currently separate new contact centre recruits into 'service' and 'sales' roles based on perceived strengths - and then train and hone those skills throughout their careers - may need to think again in an RTM world.
At Garlands, RTM advisors are initially recruited, coached and 'skilled' with customer service roles in mind, and it's from this pool that we select people with sales talent. Once selected, Advisors are coached/developed to enhance their skills and knowledge with an on-going programme that includes: monthly performance reviews, continuous coaching feedback sessions, and refresher courses. We find that because of their previous customer service experience, Advisors' generally build customer rapport much quicker than Advisors from a purely sales background - and that delivers results right down to the bottom line.
Everyone can be a winner with RTM. In addition to financial benefits, an RTM programme will tell your organisation much about the characteristics and drivers that cause unprofitable customers to become profitable ones - aiding future customer interaction management and marketing strategies. Customers benefit too from being offered products and services better suited to their needs; while Advisors benefit by gaining a better understanding of customers, as well as financially from any sales commission arrangements.
The key to successful RTM though is recognising that it's as much about successful Advisor empowerment as it is about cutting-edge technology.
Phil Telfer, Sales and Marketing Director, Garlands Call Centres
T: 01429 283081
