June 22, 2015
Picture it. Joan, a brand new customer, sends an email to a general email address at an electronics company with an important question about a product she’s just purchased. The email sits in limbo, in an infrequently checked folder – for days. She finally makes a frustrated phone call to headquarters. After being transferred (twice), she hangs up and never buys from that brand again. Sound familiar?
According to an article by Buffersocial, “86% of customers quit doing business because of a bad customer service experience.” Many small companies fall victim to this – no internal team member in charge of customer contacts and no effective process for how to deal with them when they come in.
Why is good customer service so vital to business success? Because it can:
- Provide human interaction with your company
- Help your company differentiate itself from competitors
- Lead to repeat sales
- Lead to free referrals by delighted clientele
What’s the bottom line? Every interaction with your customers is an opportunity to make or break your relationship. Being successful starts with the interactions you have with your customers on a daily basis. So whether you have a contact center of 100+ or a contact center of one, good customer service is a critical component to your success.
The trends in the way customers contact businesses is evolving as technology advances. Twenty years ago, the telephone was the primary method customers used to contact businesses. Today, phone is still king, but email, web chat, text and social media are gaining importance. And the same customer may utilize more than one channel when contacting your business. According to this Salesforce blog, 60% of customers will change their contact channel of preference depending on where they are and what they’re doing.
So how do you take this information and turn it into a plan for your business? Mitel provides a variety of communication solutions for small one-location businesses with one contact center representative, to large-scale enterprises with multiple locations across the country. For discussion purposes I’ll be focusing on a specific solution designed for small to mid-sized businesses in need of an entry-level solution, but know there are solutions available for businesses of all sizes.
The MiContact Center Office Edition provides call management tools, real-time business intelligence and optional upgrades. Here’s a brief overview of its features:
Improved Customer Experience
The Connection Assistant allows contact center agents to control their telephone extension from their computer and monitor call status of colleagues. It integrates with your existing communication infrastructure and provides you with the flexibility to add capabilities as your needs change and grow. Automated dialing, enhanced call control and screen pops help optimize productivity.
Real-Time Performance Monitoring
Better known as The Motivator – the Real Viewer is a window that displays agent, call and email stats on everyone’s screens (in real time!). This allows contact center staff to monitor their performance, adjust based on the information and assist in trouble-shooting using visual and audible alarms. Filter options allow for customizable performance monitoring statistics – depending on your customer service goals.
Reporting
Over 200 filterable statistics, 500 real-time graphical displays and 100 historical reports mean analysis can be done any way you want it. Essentially, this will help you understand how effective your contact center is – historically or in real time.
Call Recording
High-quality call monitoring and recording allows you to access conversations at any time. Use these recorded calls for coaching, training and recognition. Use them to improve interaction between your employees and your customers.
Mitel MiContact Center solutions improve employee productivity and control operational costs within businesses of all sizes. There’s a solution for your company – no matter the size or budget. It will provide you with the flexibility to add capabilities as your needs change and grow. And you’ll likely never lose a “Joan” again.
