ICT resellers have a golden opportunity to upgrade customer contact solutions based on research carried out by customer care technology specialists NeosWave.
The study asserts that UK businesses are wasting £2.1 billion annually by failing to move to new generation models of customer contact management.
The study, based on analysis of over 100 organisations with contact centre operations, investigated levels of cost wastage arising from outdated call centre structures and insufficient integration of automated capabilities with live enquiry handling.
The report estimates that customer contact management operations across the UK could save over £2.1 billion per year by moving to new business models, while also giving themselves significant competitive advantage. Specifically, in the telecoms sector, £284 million is being wasted annually.
The research concludes that contemporary requirements are at odds with outdated contact centre business models that have a vested interest in live, lower skilled personnel working in centralised operations.
Graham Ede, Director at NeosWave, said: “Digital media has caused a revolution in the way consumers interact with the companies they buy from. Yet the contact centre industry – both outsourced and in-house – is still working with business models that have changed little in the last 20 years.
“In today’s world, customer contact and experience management should be handled through a smart and seamless combination of automation and live super-agents. Contact processes and capabilities need to be developed on current business strategies and commercial objectives.
“These new ways of working, built from an optimum combination of technology and people and removed from any vested interests, have to be able to deal with volatile peaks of demand and focus highly skilled staff on more complex, problem-solving enquiries.”