Although today’s all-in-one, all-software call center systems – including both on-premises and hosted offerings – frequently offer “out-of-the-box” reporting, there are a lot of call centers out there that are trying to get as much mileage as possible out of their legacy ACDs and systems, and aren’t ready to make the investment in an all-new call center system. At the same time it is becoming increasingly important for call centers to capture, package and report statistics and KPIs for the purpose of finding new operational efficiencies and improving customer service.

 

For call centers that use a mix of solutions from different vendors, the challenge is finding a reporting tool that can integrate with those systems and unify, or centralize, all the of the data so that it can be packaged into detailed reports which in turn can be used to improve call center performance. Once the data is captured from key systems, including the ACD, it can then be packaged in a variety of ways (numerically, graphically) and delivered to end users including agents, managers, supervisors, and upper management.

 

Spectrum Corporation, a leader in call center reporting solutions, offers both hardware and software which is used to deliver real time KPI’s to call center agents, managers and supervisors. The company offers a server-based, on-premises system that draws data from disparate call center systems and allows it to be packaged into detailed reports that are precisely tailored for different workers throughout an organization. Because the system is standards-based, it is capable of sending reports to just about any type of end-device, including LCD screens, wallboards, desktops, dashboards, email, web reports, smartphones and IP phones. Spectrum’s (News - Alert) proprietary software is what collects the real time and historical data and allows for it to be packaged into a wide variety of reports.

The benefits of this system are increased efficiencies, reduced operating costs and improved customer service. One of the primary benefits is improved agent performance and adherence to goals and standards. The solution allows call center managers to capture and deliver data in compelling ways to motivate and empower agents to make and exceed their goals.

Most companies that deploy the solution use it to deliver key stats and KPIs directly to agents – either via digital signage (LCDs or wallboards) or directly to agent desktops. The advantage is that the agents are constantly “in the loop” with regard to their performance – either as a collective whole, by group, or by individual: They can see whether or not they are meeting the “goal” – such as number of calls completed, number of units sold, or whatever else that might be – and can “self-adjust” in order to meet that goal within the desired time frame. In this regard these systems empower agents to make good judgment calls in real-time, thus reducing dependency on “hands-on” supervision.

So flexible is this solution that you won’t find it deployed in quite the same way in any two call centers. Call center managers, therefore, are free to capture whatever data they wish, not just from the ACD but from other systems as well, package it whatever they wish, and send it to any end point on the network they wish – with the ability to customize the reporting to any end-point. So, while a call center agent might be looking at his individual cross-selling/up-selling performance stats on his desktop, a call center manager might be viewing first call resolution or call duration stats for the entire group, while a company owner might be looking at a dashboard showing overall call center metrics in graphical form on his laptop while working remotely.

A couple of years ago, Landata Systems Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services Corporation and a provider of award-winning software and high level IT services to the real estate title industry, deployed Spectrum’s Ultra-Link software in order to optimize communication within its call center. Specifically, technicians needed to see what type of calls were coming in, reduce the number of abandoned calls and improve overall customer service.

With SpectraLink, the company’s call center technicians are now able to record all ACD activity and report this information to key players. In turn, the data is used to improve agent training and performance. 

Ultra-Link is a software application that collects real-time or historical data from any open data source. This critical data can be displayed on wallboards, desktop screen-pops, web pages and more. Ultra-Link software includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the addition of enhanced alarming and messaging features that allows statistical data to be viewed by more people in different environments. Some of the key advantages of Ultra-Link include:

 

--Alarms and thresholds: helps agents and management proactively participate in the success of the department and organization

--Collection of real-time and historical data: gives a complete view of the contact center

--Greater visibility of the business: empowers agents and management to make better business decisions and effectively manage resources

--Monitor the call center: aligning everyone with company goals and objectives

Integrating Ultra-Link into Landata Systems was very easy. Total installation took only half a day with no downtime. It was installed on a stand-alone PC workstation and started collecting and distributing data immediately after the initial installation.

With Ultra-Link, Landata’s call center managers can now collect data from the ACD and distribute it to any devices throughout the center. Important KPIs can now be viewed on the wallboards in the call center. For agents who do not have a direct view of the wallboard, this same information can be viewed on individual desktops.

“We are able to collect real time stats that assist us in better serving our customers,” said Robin McNeil, Customer Service Professional for Landata, in a customer case study posted to Spectrum’s Web site. “We are able to do this because we can see calls holding in our CSC (News - Alert) queue, how long they are holding, and what skill set they are holding for.”

Managers also used these real-time metrics to manage technicians, as they can now receive information relevant to technicians regarding adherence, benchmarking and overall performance.

“This product is very powerful and assists us in other areas besides calls holding, such as, login/logout stats and specialized reports,” McNeil said. “As a result, these reports were essential to technician training. Landata has experienced a reduction in dropped or abandoned calls and improvements in technician stats and overall customer service.”

To access this free customer case study and learn more about Spectrum Corp.’s call center reporting solutions, click here.