CRM - April 2008 - (Page C7)

Sponsored Content April 2008 7 The intelligent Customer Front Door: Rolling out the Red Carpet for Increased Customer Satisfaction KNOCK, KNOCK – WHO’S THERE? WHEN CUSTOMERS COME Making Callers Feel Welcome An inviting, interesting storefront compels customers to come inside. Once inside, the entire store layout, the merchandise, the atmosphere, the energy – all set the stage for a positive, brand-reinforcing customer experience. This very same fulfillment of the brand promise needs to occur when customers call the company’s contact center. After all, calling the contact center is increasingly the only way customers can interact with a business. When they pick up the phone, customers enter the “front door” of the company. This “front door” greets customers and guides them into a deeper experience of the organization. With a well-designed, intelligent Customer Front Door in place, companies now have the opportunity to make their initial brand experience as vibrant and compelling as the best storefront. Organizations can offer unique, personalized services based on the caller’s intent instead of forcing customers to navigate rigid, complex call menus and options. This type of relevant, personalized service mimics the brand experience delivered in person and improves satisfaction CALLING, WHO’S GREETING THEM ON THE PHONE? IT’S YOUR CUSTOMER FRONT DOOR! IT’S THE AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEM THAT GREETS, INTERACTS WITH, AND SERVES YOUR CUSTOMERS. AND IT MUST DELIVER AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE TO YOUR CUSTOMERS AND PROSPECTS OR YOU RISK LOSING THAT BRAND VALUE YOU’VE BEEN BUILDING. and loyalty – creating the opportunity for higher lifetime customer value. DRIVING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AT A CRUCIAL TOUCH POINT There’s a wealth of studies documenting the positive effects of improving customer satisfaction and loyalty: above average stock performance, organic growth, and long-term profitability to name a few. As companies make customer satisfaction and loyalty the center of their business strategy, delivering exceptional customer service becomes essential. Research conducted in 2007 by GBC Consulting found that customer service is the biggest influence on customer loyalty and more than 74 percent of those surveyed would do business with a company based on a great contact center experience. Similar results were reported in an earlier study by Benchmark Portal that showed 86 percent would do business in the future based on good caller experience. The study also showed that the telephone is still the most dominant channel used by customers to contact a company. Undoubtedly, the phone remains the most frequent touch point for most companies – and one that exerts a strong impact on the customer experience. STOP SLAMMING THE FRONT DOOR IN THE CUSTOMER’S FACE When customers call the contact center, they’re often confronted with poorly- http://www.genesyslab.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CRM - April 2008

CRM - April 2008 Contents Front Office Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point A Tenancy of One’s Own The Rebirth of Taxes destinationCRM Dashboard Labor Disputes Reach The Contract Center The Plight of the Wirelines Required Reading The 2008 Service Awards The 2008 Service Leader Awards Customer Self-Service Microsoft Genesys Oracle eGain Astute Solutions The 2008 Rising Stars The 2008 Service Elite Awar Re:Tooling Scouting Report Pint of View

CRM - April 2008

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