ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 - (Page 21)

S T R AT E G Y service announcements, advertisements, etc. — while they are waiting in queue. Centers can also use IVVR to boost their self-service strategy by enabling callers to complete transactions in the IVVR system, where they receive all the inforVideo Contact Center mation they need via Technology Providers automated voice and CISCO www.cisco.com video. (Click here to view COSMOCOM www.cosmocom.com an IVVR demo from EXPERTICITY www.experticity.com CosmoCom.) GLOWPOINT INC. www.glowpoint.com Sultan feels that the RADVISION www.radvision.com “slide-show” video variZIBEX www.zibex.com ant — that which drives IVVR — could end up being even more imporvideo (both agent and caller see tant than “I see you and you see one another) or standard one-way me” solutions. “Slide-shows are a great way to video (only the caller sees the agent), many customers may be have interactive menus and push ” interested in having the ability to advertising, says Sultan. “Imagine, switch to one of these video options you are on hold with an airline, and in the midst of a regular phone you are ‘pushed’ holiday informainteraction whenever elaborate tion on the Bahamas, making you instructions or product descriptions want to click another button to find ” are needed. This can be accom- out more. plished today with what's called a WHERE VIDEO IS MOST voice-to-video switch. VIABLE “We all know how frustrating it can be, as a customer, if we can’t Currently, the only industries that understand an agent’s directions on have actively adopted the VCC platthe call, Sultan explains. “Agents, form are video-relay services for ” too, can get exasperated with cus- the hearing impaired and, as mentomers — even if they can’t vent as tioned earlier, the mobile communimuch as their customers. A voice- cations industry. Sultan believes to-video switch is a useful tech- that certain other specific industries nique, which can be applied to — notably the healthcare and govdemonstrate a solution to a person ernment sectors — could also benvisually when they are trying to efit significantly from VCCs. conceptualize the answer. ” Kowarsky agrees that two-way video holds special benefits for the A NEW “V” ADDED TO IVR healthcare industry, enabling medAnother powerful capability that is ically trained call-takers to see often overlooked during discus- patients and better assess their consions about VCCs is interactive dition. In addition, he believes that voice and video response (IVVR). financial services centers, as well as With IVVR in place, contact centers several other industries that “comcan show callers relevant videos — pete largely on the quality of the e.g., special promotions, product/ customer relationship” will be enough potential in video contacts to warrant many enterprises to at least look into it. Sultan points out that even if most customers are disinterested in standard two-way icmi’s insight among the next successful adopters of VCCs. He also points out that video presentations for callers could greatly enhance selling effectiveness in the travel and tourism sector, as well as in other retail industries. The question many contact center professionals have is whether or not the potential benefits that video can bring justify the cost of VCC investment. Kowarsky acknowledges that video is not all that costeffective a mode of customer contact today, but adds that “it will be, and we still think it will be sooner than some may think. Video will be cost-effective when customers begin to expect it, and when they begin to perceive non-video call centers as old-fashioned. There is a point where the question changes from ‘Can we afford to?’ to ‘Can we afford not to?’ That is the tipping point. ” Enter the Catch-22: Customers won’t begin to expect video until more contact centers begin to offer it — something that Sultan says most centers aren’t willing to do until they feel assured that the investment is worthwhile. “It is still very much a wait-andsee situation, explains Sultan. “It is ” important to note that there is a lot of interest from all vertical markets, but they want to see real ROI before they invest. ” M • GREG LEVIN is the Creative Projects Coordinator for ICMI. gregl@icmi.com. www.icmi.com | JANUARY 2008 21 http://www.cisco.com http://www.cosmocom.com/video/videoCallCenter.asp http://www.cosmocom.com http://www.experticity.com http://www.glowpoint.com http://www.radvision.com http://www.zibex.com http://www.icmi.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 Contents Customer Care Technologies Ad Index Editor's Page Contact Center Spotlight People: Prehire Tests In The Center Strategy: Video Contact Centers Show Preview Operations: Knowledge Management Industry Research Contact Centers Face Today's Realities: A Case for Consolidation 2.0 Is Your Agent Training Process Evolving with the Role? The Key to Innovation Is Maintaining Your Strengths Becoming Strategic: Using Customer Contact Analytics to Empower the Contact Center's Role

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

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