City Link, U.K.-based express parcels carrier, has resolved to turn around its contact center services in the New Year, and is bent on improving the way customer inquiries are handled. Indeed, Virgin Media (News - Alert) Business has been contracted to help the express service do just that.
Virgin Media’s solution integrates a Cisco unified communications (UC) platform with Enghouse (News - Alert) Interactive software, and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2014. The platform is set to add instant messaging, presence and video capabilities to the rest of City Link’s telephony services.
“This contract is about bringing the contact center world firmly into the 21st century, reducing costs and overall response times,” said Mario Di Mascio, director sales, Virgin Media Business.
Contact centers, though a boon, can be irritating and frustrating for callers when they have to repeat information again and again whenever a query is passed on from one agent to another. This is one of the things that City Link aims to correct.
The Virgin Media solution will ensure that whenever there is an incoming call, information is shared in real-time. With all agents on the same page, customers are saved the hassle of having to repeat the same information over and over again. A lot of time is saved in the process and teams also cut down on response times.
Another great advantage is that an incoming customer call can either be recorded, converted into a video conference or instant messaging chat. Customer details and calls in wait are displayed on the desktop itself, increasing visibility. Enquiries can thus be handled in different ways as required. Such flexibility in handling makes it easy for teams to work smoothly with customers as well as with one another.
Moreover, if an agent has a problem handling a particular issue, calls can easily be transferred to experts that are available on the network. By doing so, calls can be resolved faster on the first attempt.
Many major players competed for the more than $1.5 million contract, but Virgin Media Business emerged as a clear winner. Its capability of working with multiple vendors to suit the specific needs of City Link was a factor in its favor.
Edited by Blaise McNamee