Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
October 23, 2008
Call Center Scheduling Essential with Self-Service Model
As the global economy faces a tightening of the belt, companies are seeking ways to reduce their operation costs, while also delivering what customers expect to keep them coming back. Proper call center scheduling can play a key role in critical strategies.
This increased pressure is felt the most within the call center as agents are often the first – and sometimes only – point of interaction between the customer and the company. To ensure that the center can effectively support demand while controlling costs, many have moved to a self-serve model and examined the effectiveness of their call center scheduling.
According to Forrester (News - Alert) Research, the average self-service session costs the company $1. This is a significant savings over $10 for e-mail responses and $33 for a phone call. These numbers can jump substantially if resolution is not provided for the customer and they must continue to contact the company. Worse yet, the customer may decide that the company does not value their business and opt to instead interact with a competitor.
According to estimations by the Patricia Seybold Group, the average company loses 10 percent of its customers every year. Decreasing that defection rate by as little as 5 percent can drive profit increases of 25 to 125 percent. Customers will remain loyal if they are offered good products, reasonable prices and a strong customer experience. That experience must be consistent in all channels.
This increased pressure is felt the most within the call center as agents are often the first – and sometimes only – point of interaction between the customer and the company. To ensure that the center can effectively support demand while controlling costs, many have moved to a self-serve model and examined the effectiveness of their call center scheduling.
According to Forrester (News - Alert) Research, the average self-service session costs the company $1. This is a significant savings over $10 for e-mail responses and $33 for a phone call. These numbers can jump substantially if resolution is not provided for the customer and they must continue to contact the company. Worse yet, the customer may decide that the company does not value their business and opt to instead interact with a competitor.
According to estimations by the Patricia Seybold Group, the average company loses 10 percent of its customers every year. Decreasing that defection rate by as little as 5 percent can drive profit increases of 25 to 125 percent. Customers will remain loyal if they are offered good products, reasonable prices and a strong customer experience. That experience must be consistent in all channels.
The benefits of a self-service model are such that customers can access information when they want and from a number of different channels. The challenge for the contact center then is to make sure that there are skilled agents available in the event that the self-service channel does not provide the resolution the customer needs and a live interaction must take place.
This is where proper call center scheduling is critical. If a customer is frustrated with a self-service application and they cannot get the resolution they need from the company, they are at the most risk of defecting to a competitor at that moment. To make matters worse, they are also more likely to tell friends and family about the experience.
A self-service model can only be effective if live agents are scheduled according to the projected needs of the call center in handling the overflow from the self-service channel. A vendor such as Monet Software can provide the call center scheduling solution necessary to achieve this goal.
This is where proper call center scheduling is critical. If a customer is frustrated with a self-service application and they cannot get the resolution they need from the company, they are at the most risk of defecting to a competitor at that moment. To make matters worse, they are also more likely to tell friends and family about the experience.
A self-service model can only be effective if live agents are scheduled according to the projected needs of the call center in handling the overflow from the self-service channel. A vendor such as Monet Software can provide the call center scheduling solution necessary to achieve this goal.
It must be a priority for the call center to monitor its self-service channels, measure performance and satisfaction, and identify peaks in volume. In taking such a proactive approach, the call center can effectively schedule the right agents at the right time to deliver the level of service the customer expects. Such a strategy not only protects the base, it also establishes a level of service that ensures strong growth over time.
Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Michelle Robart