CRM - December 2008 - (Page 41)

CUSTOMER-CENTRIC STAFF according to Nicholson. “Really it’s that dual-prong strategy system,” he explains, adding that consistency and repetition are that’s going to give you the best chance for success,” he says. very important. “We have weekly team meetings in which new members can hear others who have [been with the company LOOKING AHEAD longer] talk about current issues. It’s very rigid…. We meet at Enkata’s Hildebrandt believes that, in four or five years, when the same time every week and have the same kind of roll call.” we talk about hiring and training customer-centric employees, To Hildebrandt, there are two more areas in which contact more companies will understand—and have the budget for— center agents must be trained in order to keep up with today’s what’s necessary.“It’s still relatively new, so there are lots of fits, changing job definition: product knowledge and best practices. starts, and half attempts. Coaching and training will be more “We have to make sure the agent is very confident in discussing [suited] to better solving customer engagement,” he says. “It the different offers and opportunities for customers to expand takes money to change the way you approach handling calls,” their relationship with the company [by utilizing] a lot more he notes, and that change will remain “hard to come by until product training,” he says.“Since most agents aren’t very good there are more success stories from leading-edge companies.” salespeople to start—this is a learned skill—you have to give For now, the ability to focus on customer-centric workers may people a field guide in how you execute during certain call sitdepend largely on the way the unstable economy works itself uations. [You want them] to deliver great customer experience out, according to Shea. “In most economic downturns, usually but also have the confidence to ask for—and close—that sale.” the first place [companies] cut is service,” she recalls. “So, it’s Training is commonly thought of as only occurring at the going to be very interesting to beginning of employees’ tenure, see how organizations start to before they hit the floor—or respond to this and the extent headset. Some solutions, how“IT’S GOING TO BE VERY to which they start pulling back ever, work with representatives INTERESTING TO SEE…THE EXTENT on the level of talent provided on an ongoing basis. Companies first-hand to customers.” including Cupertino, Calif.– TO WHICH [COMPANIES] She believes that financially based customer experience prostable companies running vider Chordiant Software and their businesses from a longerBoston-based marketing suite term perspective will be able to solution provider Portrait Softkeep a customer-centric focus ware have offerings that can intact. She doesn’t have the take customer insights and recsame outlook for companies ommend next steps for an agent driven by monthly or quarterly to take, for both issue resolution figures. “I don’t believe that and sales opportunities. [those organizations] know Jeff Nicholson, vice president how to do anything else,” she says.“The concern is, when we’ve of product marketing at Portrait, says that today’s software can been through years of tremendous cost-cutting and driving finally help provide your customer-centric employees with production and efficiency, there aren’t a whole lot of other customer-centric technology, a goal he says has long been out places to look. So the challenge becomes really trying to quanof reach for CRM solutions. “Existing systems do a very good tify the tradeoff—and, unfortunately, I think those forced to job at collecting and presenting information, and sometimes run their businesses more short term won’t have a choice.” it’s assembled using statistics and analytics in terms of a dashEconomics aside, those who don’t focus on hiring the right board,” he says. “What’s missing is the guidance for that rep employees risk losing not only customers, but prospects, too. on what to do that’s best for that customer at that moment. “Clients [treated well] become advocates and ambassadors that It infuses an existing CRM environment with intelligence to end up loving what you’re doing so much that they want their drive that interaction contextually.” family and friends to know about it,” Caliper’s Sweeney says. This way, Nicholson explains, agents can glean additional In other words, customer-centric employees drive customer pieces of information throughout the call, and can enter satisfaction, and satisfied customers drive more business.“One those new pieces into the existing desktop screen. Using that of the biggest sources of prospects for any company [is] referexpanded data record, the system can give the agent the best rals, which can only come from customers who are pleased, recommendations instead of simply triggering automatic not just satisfied,” Sweeney says. “That’s when a company actions. That leaves the agent responsible for assessing the becomes electric.” And a customer-centric staff is what prorecommendations, and choosing the right one for the case vides the current. at hand. In Chordiant’s Recommendation Advisor 6.1, agents are given options based on historical and current customer information—or they can simply make their own Contact Editorial Assistant Christopher Musico decision. The mix of human thought and technology is vital, at cmusico@destinationCRM.com. start pulling back on the level of talent provided first-hand to customers.” www.destinationCRM.com CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | DECEMBER 2008 41 http://www.destinationCRM.com

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

CRM - December 2008 Contents Front Office Feedback Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point The Rave Is Over CRM on Twitter Financial Frenzy Will Customer Experience Survive in a ‘Soft’ Economy? Holiday Humbug Empowered Consumers Are Ready to Flip the Switch Required Reading Transparency Spiff Up Your Site! They Aim to Please Mixing In a Little Sugar Sweetens the Deal A Newsletter Employs New Tactics A Site Stops Feeling Overtaxed Make ’Em Laugh—Personally Secret of My Success Re:Tooling Scouting Report Pint of View

CRM - December 2008

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