Call Center Store
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1-866-580-5577
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Because companies are always trying to do more with less and still provide excellent service,
more will be expected of the call center agent. As a way to improve customer service,
companies are moving toward a multi-channel solution; giving their customers the option on
how they want to communicate with the organization. The four key methods utilized are voice,
email, chat and web self-service.
One of the questions to ask before implementation, “Do all of our agents possess the skills to
be classified as a multi-channel agent”. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is probably
“no”. Some people have extremely good verbal skills, while others have a command of the
written word. You will definitely want to re-evaluate your agent’s skill sets. Other areas to
examine are:
• Do you have the technology required to route the various modes of customer contact to
the right agent
• Do you have a process for scheduling agent activities to maximize productivity
• Is the data from these communication modes integrated
• Are there service level objectives for telephone calls and response time objectives for
e-mails
• What training and coaching initiatives are in place to develop both verbal and written
communication skills of new and current staff
Results from a benchmark study conducted by The AbdereenGroup indicated that “multi-
channel support has become a competitive requirement, and is being implemented within 90
percent of best-in-class companies surveyed”. These are the benefits cited by those surveyed:
• Improved service quality through a more complete snapshot of customer needs
• Reduced call waiting times, call handling times and support costs
• A better customer experience, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention
• Higher agent retention and per-agent revenue
• Backlog elimination/reduction and greater flexibility during peak volumes
The multi-channel call center agent is another way to reduce costs. An agent that can support
multiple channels results in less staff required, optimal use of agent’s time and skills, and
generally improved customer service. To ensure the success of this type of center, companies
need to have the right technology platform in place and the agents fully trained on the platform.