All entries for July 2014![]() Rants & Raves: Summertime & The Living Is Easy... Or Is It?
The Call Center has historically been linked to "production" environments in which the dynamic is to process as many calls as possible in as short a time-scale as possible. The focus on how many calls came in and how many calls each person handled has historically caused a perceived conflict in quality. The agents on the phone are often torn between the call they are on and the These conditions certainly do not have to be true. Just for the record, in a well-run Call Center, 1. Make sure that the Call Center is part of the big picture. 2. Evaluate your planning process. 3. Focus on quality. We must understand that it will always take longer to do it over than it will to do it right. If we ask 4. Commit to training. Call Centers must also be creative about training because we simply cannot take staff off the When preparing your budget, plan for a minimum of ten hours per year per person for training.(This is a minimum – not a recommendation; I believe it should be much higher). Then measure Study the error rates and types of errors in your center to adjust the training curriculum. Have Finally, make your monitor program an absolute training vehicle and not necessarily a strict Naturally, the right kind of training is essential - product knowledge training, Customer Service The configuration of your people should also drive the type of training provided. For example, Many Call Centers receive training from a designated corporate training department, somewhat Kathleen Peterson is the Founder and Chief Vision Officer of PowerHouse Consulting. Kathleen Peterson is an acclaimed Contact Center consultant and industry visionary. Kathleen has emerged as one of the most sought-after experts in the field of Customer Experience and works with the world's top customer-focused companies. She is widely published in prestigious journals in the US and abroad. Kathleen is a featured speaker at conferences and Fortune 500 companies. She has shared her humour, philosophy and experience in keynotes in the US, London, Paris, Turkey, Dubai, and Hong Kong. Kathleen will be speaking at the Contact Center Summit in Sarasota-FL this November, covering the topic of "Backstage at the Customer Experience." ![]() On the Line: The New Recording Battle
While companies often say they record service calls for future training purposes, experts say recording calls is beneficial should legal scenarios arise. Glenn Conley, president and CEO of Metropark Communications Inc., tells Market Watch that most calls are archived and used in the case of a legal or policy dispute. “It’s more in line with covering what legal issues might arise down the road,” explains Conley. To the dismay of large telecommunication companies, experts are now advising consumers to record calls too. While permission to record is often required, experts warn consumers that there are fewer legal reasons for the second party to seek recording permission to record if one party is already recording, particularly if the conversation is no longer considered confidential. While some companies, like American Express, have set processes to prohibit consumer call recordings, the Digital Media Law Project by Harvard University reports most state wiretapping statutes permit recording if one party to the conversation (the consumer) gives consent. These laws vary by state, California and Washington being two states that require two-way consent. As contact centers battle to stop two-way recordings, technology is making it easier for callers to do just that. Google voice is just one app that records all incoming calls and while Apple makes recording more difficult, placing a device on speaker phone makes recording easy for any device user. Lessons to be learned from one failed retention rep? Customer treatment is key, especially when you’re not the only one recording. ![]() Hiring & Keeping Millennials
Businesses across the country are learning to adapt to an influx of employees from the millennial generation. These younger employees are breaking onto the professional ground in rocket numbers and are demanding a new perspective from the 9-5 workday. As employers – it’s our job to make sure that companies adapt to meet the expectations of this up-and-coming workforce. Millennials – who are they? - Born between 1981-2000 - Nearly 80 million in population (Baby Boomers = 72 million; Gen X = 41 million) - 41% of the total population - 25% grew up in single-parent households - 75% grew up with working mothers - About half are currently in the workforce Below are several tips to tailor your training technique for Millennials. Be Straightforward. Be Technologically Friendly. Be an active coach. Say it with visuals. ![]() Forum Events Kicks Off the 4th with Team Wars!
The Forum Events team took just a few moments out of their office event planning duties to participate in a fun round of team building exercises for a cause. Located in sunny Sarasota, the team paused for some good ol' challenges in honor of Independence Day. The office is divided, with Forum originating in the UK - many of our staff are english, therefore it only seemed fair to play in true revolutionary war style - the red coats versus the blue coats!
The team then took to an equally divided hot dog eating contest. Again, the winner is up for debate but there were no hard feelings at the patriotic catered lunch that followed. We hope everyone enjoyed the fourth of July weekend safely and are back to making business better this week! Looking forward to meet everyone at upcoming events, Patriotically, The Forum Events Team ![]() Featured Article: Security on a Budget
A good place to start is the front door of any campus facility. By Patrick V. Fiel, Sr., Guest Speaker & Security Expert There’s an old axiom that a good salesman could sell virtually anything to anybody—even if the item isn’t always the best fit for a need. Unfortunately, school administrators can be victims of a good, but deceptive sales pitch. Often, K-12 school districts purchase expensive security components designed to protect students, staff and property. This equipment is likely high quality and serves a legitimate purpose, but does it really meet the district’s overall needs? Does it integrate with other equipment already in place? Or, could security needs be met while spending less? Through careful planning and following a checklist, it is possible for schools to develop a quality security plan that meets campus needs without breaking the budget. Any new or upgraded security plan should begin with a risk assessment performed by experienced, independent security professionals, who will work closely with school administrators and local law enforcement to complete the process. Assessment results serve as the initial step in developing an action plan for each campus. Assessments should begin with the surrounding neighborhood as businesses, parks and traffic patterns can impact a school. Student passages to and from school, landscaping, parking lots, athletic fields, outbuildings and communications systems should also be included in the plan. An assessor should then move on to one of the most critical points on campus—the main public entry. Sourcing the Entry For too many K-12 campuses, the front door provides open and easy access for parents, volunteers and vendors but also for registered sex offenders, thieves, vandals and even active shooters. By controlling this entry and locking all others, school administrators can go a long way toward protecting their campus. The goal is to provide layers of security, each contributing to keeping unwanted visitors away from students. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) requires that the front entry is free from trees and bushes that could serve as a hiding place for people looking to piggyback into the school with other visitors or hide weapons and other contraband. Also, make sure lighting is bright enough to identify anyone trying to enter on a dark afternoon. Here is a look at the basic equipment that can be purchased and installed at a reasonable cost to provide layers of security to protect one of a campus’ most vulnerable points. Signage. Have signs in the parking lot and around the perimeter making it clear—in multiple languages, if necessary—that all visitors must use the main entry to access the school building. Remote-controlled locks. Keep the front door locked at all times while providing a receptionist or other front office workers the ability to remotely open the door with the push of a button. Video intercoms. Consider these to be a school’s video doorbell. A video intercom lets an office worker see and talk with a person who is requesting access before unlocking the door. If the person has a legitimate reason to enter, the lock is opened; however, should there be any doubts, the door stays locked. Signage should clearly explain the process for using the intercom. Security screens. Glass doors at many schools still leave locked entries vulnerable. The shooter at Sandy Hook elementary, for example, shot his way through a glass panel next to the locked front entrance doors of the school to gain entry. Stainless steel mesh security screens can make any glass in doors or windows virtually impervious to gunshots or knives. Entry vestibule. Once inside the main entry, visitors still should not be cleared to enter campus areas such as classrooms, cafeterias, libraries and auditoriums. A vestibule should open into the office for the next step in the entry process. In many schools this may require the building of a wall and an extra locked door. Visitor management. For years, schools have simply asked visitors to sign in upon entering the campus, and too many schools are still using this method. Instead, once a person arrives in the office, he or she should be asked to present a government-issued ID to swipe through a visitor management system. In seconds, the system should check the card’s information against federal and state databases for registered sex offenders. The system also can check locallyentered data to identify non-custodial parents or former disgruntled school employees. When a visitor is approved, the system prints a temporary photo ID badge to be worn throughout the campus visit. At this point, a visitor can be cleared to enter the rest of the campus with the remote unlocking of the vestibule door. There are also a couple of add-on pieces of equipment that can further enhance security at the entry: Panic button. A discreet button under a receptionist’s desk, tied to a school’s access, intercom or intrusion system, can immediately notify first responders of an emergency situation on campus. Video surveillance. Cameras mounted just inside the entry can help guard against piggybacking at the front door. Another camera placed in the office will provide another view of visitors as they check in at the front desk. Keeping the Rest of the Campus Secure Most of the solutions for protecting the entry will have applications throughout the school.
Policies and Procedures Don’t spend the money to secure a campus without the proper policies and procedures to make sure the equipment is being properly used. Train several people on the use of the video intercom system. Although its operation is simple, you want to make sure the operator asks the right questions of would-be visitors before allowing them access. Instruct all faculty and staff members to challenge anyone in the school building that is not wearing a permanent or temporary badge. Impress upon all staff members—even students—the dangers of propping open a door. It’s an open invitation for would-be criminals. Also, budget funding to maintain the various systems and keep them running as intended. When it comes to protecting students, you want to put as many layers as possible between the public and all classrooms. Concentrate on what has been proven to work while being aware of slick sales pitches. Salespeople can make any product sound like a vital piece of any security plan when, in fact, it may not be appropriate or is more than what is necessary. It all starts with securing and limiting front entry options and then tightening down on the front door. The solutions outlined here are generally affordable for most schools and districts, and are valid for virtually all schools no matter age, design or type of construction. ![]() The Pulse of Social Media
Change is coming for the customer service world. A recent study found 50 percent of consumers prefer using social media to reach their service provider than calling a contact center. Long gone are the social media skeptics as large, growing companies turn to these outlets for customer engagement, lead generation and brand development. Amdocs found using social media as a platform for customer service is beneficial for multiple reasons: one, it cuts down on call center costs, and two, it improves the customer experience by boosting engagement. Emerging software connects customers’ social media identities to their profiles stored in the customer relationship management (CRM) system. Using and managing the data from social media outreach, companies are able to analyze trends and media shouts, identifying and resolving problems in just moments. Contact Center software like Five9 is constantly introducing new technology that includes social media integration and social engagement tools. To prove that social media is here to stay – Five9’s Summer Release 2014 raised $73 million. In a study by BI Intelligence, they found that social activity is the top internet activity. This means that Americans spend more time on social media than any other major internet activity – including email. Of that time, 60% of social media is accessed on smartphones and tablets, not desktop computers. Of the social media networks, Facebook attracts roughly seven times the engagement that Twitter does, meaning that user interaction on Facebook is more influential. Here are some key facts regarding social media in the customer service world and correlating tips to improve the consumer experience:
For more information on customer service via social networks, check out the infographic below.
![]() When (Corporate) Social Media Goes Horribly Wrong
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