Call Center Management Featured Article
Why Call Center Management Needs the Right Information in Real-Time
In the customer service space, call center management has to pay attention to specific metrics. There are numbers that can give indication that systems and processes are working correctly or that agents are missing the mark. There are also numbers that can give insight into the customer experience. The question is – are you capturing the right information to give you the insight you need?
The reality is that call center management can spend a lot of time measuring Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that don’t do much to help overall outcomes. Not all call centers are created equal and not all have the same goals at the end of the day. Why would you measure exactly like the other guys if they aren’t in the same market or have the same target outcomes?
Monet Software recently posted a blog on this topic, referring to the KPIs that tend to appear on metrics sheets for management in the call center space. Things like completion rate, calls per hour, average handle time, abandoned calls, waiting calls, average call volume, first call resolution, average call value and more may be on your list as well. What are you doing with the information you capture?
The key to making this information work to your advantage is first knowing what to monitor and then knowing how that information can help you make proactive decisions. When you get the information, is there still time to do something about a weakness or are you simply getting a picture of what happened in the past? Are you monitoring in real-time or simply reporting on activity levels?
Call center management has to be effective in monitoring activity within the customer service department or improvements will be out of reach. As such, it’s important to put a workforce optimization solution in place that can deliver operational data in real-time. This helps you ensure you receive the information you need, when you need it. As a result, you’re better equipped to make decisions on the fly that will help you better meet the customer service goals of the call center.
To effectively focus on consistent improvements in the call center, make it a point to identify the information you need to make informed decisions. Implement a solution that allows you to capture information in real-time and make changes where necessary to drive better performance. In doing so, you’ll realize the outcomes you need to positively impact the bottom line.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi