There are several issues related to the integration of CTI with other corporate systems. These issues include the following:
§ Linkages to multiple disparate data sources
§ Limitations imposed by vendor-specific protocols
§ Combining standard and custom applications
CTI in the call center brings many benefits as well as changes to businesses, by changing business trends, reshaping the workplace, and providing opportunities for increased productivity, increased revenue, and ultimately, increased profit. The resulting changes in the corporate world are reflected in more horizontal organizations, high-performance workgroups, and empowered employees. CTI also changes the roles of call center personnel and requires skilled CSRs who can identify and resolve customer problems. Call center managers are required to coordinate and manage a broad range of activities and technologies.
The main focus of any organization should be its customers: fielding their calls, delivering service, ensuring orders are filled, and making sales. Customer databases are significant in the application of CTI, as the traditional computer and telephone are replaced by a single unit combining both communications devices. The easier it is for customers to communicate with companies, the better the relationship will be. Establishing and maintaining good customer relationships is one of the ultimate objectives of call center operations. Companies that do the best job of opening the door to customers, making it as easy as possible for customers to find out what they need to know, are the ones that have the best track records in the long term. Small and medium-sized companies that have adopted customer-focused attitudes eventually become "giants" in their industry sectors.
Among the benefits that CTI brings to both businesses and their customers are the following:
§ Shorter calls
§ Significant reduction in hold time
§ Fast transfer of information to the CSR's desktop, then to the caller
§ Reduction in telecom usage costs (the second biggest expense in a call center)
§ Happier customers
§ Most problems solved faster, on the first call
§ Capability to cross sell or upsell while building loyalty
§ Better use of staff
§ Enabling Internet or company intranet connections, offering a range of multimedia sales and service tools
A call center that uses computer telephony knows who its customers are and why they are calling. It knows what they like, what they dislike, and how much they are worth to the company. CTI lets a company respond faster to changing market conditions, but it must be implemented correctly with clear and ongoing support from upper management and a clear-eyed view of the company's goals for the technology.
Applications run on top of operating systems and are designed to perform specific functions (e.g., create spreadsheets, perform word processing functions, manage e-mail, provide contact management data, etc.). In single-tasking environments, such as DOS and Windows, only one program runs at a time; other programs are suspended until the user restarts them. In a multitasking environment—Windows, UNIX, or OS/2—multiple programs can be running with the user switching (or linking) between programs as required. One of the key elements of modern application development and design is the concept of an application programming interface (API). The API provides the defined interface between various devices or software layers in the computing model so that software developers can focus on the application. A printer API is a good example of this type of software. APIs are relevant to both desktop PC applications as well as server applications and are also an important element in CTI.
CTI is an information delivery tool that will assist CSRs to communicate intelligently and knowledgeably with customers by providing them with information they need to address customer needs. In addition to the information-handling features offered by CTI, this combined technology also provides the capability to perform quality control measurements in a call center, enabling calls to be monitored, recorded, and archived so that the CSR and the supervisor can review them and assess performance. The analysis process is made much more productive when it is augmented by the data that passes through the agent's screen during the call. A company record of every transaction can be kept indefinitely, providing an audit trail and a training aid.
Call center productivity improvements resulting from CTI include the following:
§ Reduces operating costs through staff reductions—more calls can be handled by fewer staff
§ Enables smaller companies to look like big ones—without sacrificing the personal touch
§ Enables companies to present an image of greater capability than they may possess—providing automated 24/7 response
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