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In our customer experience consultancy, we spend a lot of time educating people about the components of a great customer experience. Some companies get it and they’re creating an emotional connection that brings them loyal fans. But many others look to technology. If customers just had a gadget that could do more or electronic kiosks they could play with in the store, or a virtual reality app – well, then the customer experience would be great.
I just returned from Influence 2017 , the annual conference put on by the National Speakers Association. My friend and one of the world’s authorities on trust, David Horsager was one of the amazing keynote speakers. He shared an excellent customer service example that can be summed up this way: Trust your customers and they will trust you. The quick version of the story is this: A farmer owns a fruit and vegetable stand where his customers pay on the honor system.
David Merrill, renowned educator and coauthor of Reclaiming Instructional Design, defines instructional design as a “technology that incorporates known and verified learning strategies into instructional experiences which make the acquisition of knowledge and skill more efficient, effective and appealing.” We all want our employees to receive the most effective training, and to apply their new […].
I remember being a new manager preparing to deliver bad news to a group of executives. I was nervous, fearing I would get questions I couldn’t answer and thinking I’d get slammed in the meeting. My boss, the executive vice president of the company, helped me prepare for the meeting. “Here’s the strategy you use. You go in there and answer their every question, before they even have a chance to ask you anything.
AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.
Posted by Andrew Kokes, HGS Senior Vice President, Global Marketing In June 2017, HGS partnerships found golden success—receiving first-place recognition for Best Outsourcing Partnership and [.]. The post HGS Harvests Gold at CCW Awards Ceremony appeared first on Team HGS Blog.
Small Call Centers Go Big with Speech Analytics. “But we’re small.” This is often the reply leaders of smaller call centers use when they look at many of the contact center solutions in the marketplace. They just think they can’t have what the larger centers can because of their size. Well ‘small’ is not a barrier for speech analytics in contact centers anymore.
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Small Call Centers Go Big with Speech Analytics. “But we’re small.” This is often the reply leaders of smaller call centers use when they look at many of the contact center solutions in the marketplace. They just think they can’t have what the larger centers can because of their size. Well ‘small’ is not a barrier for speech analytics in contact centers anymore.
I was shopping for a graduation card the other day, and all of them seemed to say something like this: “Dream big and reach for the stars, your goals are within reach and you are on your way to an amazing future.”. If I was just getting out of school I would find this rather terrifying. I think I’d much prefer a hearty “Congratulations – well done!” instead of a bunch of vaguely inspirational words reminding me how far I had yet to go.
I will always remember my first marketing class in college when we learned about the 4 P’s – Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Well, now there is a fifth P. Before I go any further, as a customer service and experience expert, I believe that service and experience are all about marketing. The first P is about Product. It is assumed that the product is going to do whatever it is supposed to do.
There is no doubt that technology has accelerated the pace of change in contact centers. Yet when it comes to the human element, some things have remained the same for decades. Agent turnover has been and remains a top challenge in centers. The repetitive nature of the job and limited potential for career advancement create […].
What does customer service excellence look like in 2024? According to our report with insights from CX expert Shep Hyken, customer expectations are at an all-time high, and there’s a bigger shift toward self-service and leveraging AI capabilities.
HGS Harvests Gold at CCW Awards Ceremony. Posted by Andrew Kokes, HGS Senior Vice President, Global Marketing. In June 2017, HGS partnerships found golden success—receiving first-place recognition for Best Outsourcing Partnership and Best Use of Self-Service Technology at the 2017 Contact Center World Awards. “We are honored to be recognized by one of the world’s largest contact center associations as a trailblazer in outsourcing partnerships and self-service technology,” said Chris Lord, Global
Building a call center culture that breeds motivated and empowered agents is a lot easier said than done. With so much at stake in every customer interaction, call center managers tend to be too reliant on old redundant policies that simply breed frustrated customers or a lack of sales. In 2017, it is now more important than ever to focus in on making sure your call center agents are focused and goal-orientated.
Retailers are using technology used in espionage efforts to remain relevant in today’s online shopping world. Throughout Europe and the U.S., brick and mortar retailers are employing high-tech spy techniques to obtain information about a shopper’s in-store experience—and using it to improve their Customer Experience. Spy Tech and the Customer Experience.
My brother, Rusty Hyken, was on a trip to Utah with his wife and two dogs. It’s a leisurely three-day drive for them. He made their hotel reservations, and for each hotel they planned to stop at on the way to Utah he asked, “Is your hotel dog-friendly?” All of them said, “Yes.” But to his surprise, while checking into one of the hotels he was told there would be a $120 charge for the dogs to stay in his room.
Start building the AI workforce of the future with our comprehensive guide to creating an AI-first contact center. Learn how Conversational and Generative AI can transform traditional operations into scalable, efficient, and customer-centric experiences. What is AI-First? Transition from outdated, human-first strategies to an AI-driven approach that enhances customer engagement and operational efficiency.
There is no such thing as, “just an address change” or a “simple customer question.” Every interaction is a loyalty situation: How that interaction is handled can either generate customer commitment or drive that customer away. For example, I called my phone company to request a business calling card. I had to navigate a painful […].
I had the pleasure this week of being invited to Wimbledon by IBM to see for myself how their systems, artificial intelligence, and cognitive tools (Watson) underpin the customer experience. What?! Isn’t Wimbledon all about ‘being there’? The atmosphere; the proximity to the athletes and pundits; the strawberries! Doesn’t the world divide for two weeks in July between those who are there and those who would like to be there?
Agent training is a huge part of call center life. In fact, in an industry that suffers the most from agent turnover, agent training should be viewed as everything.
Harness the True Power of your Contact Center In today’s fast-paced business environment, selecting the right contact center solution is critical for enhancing customer experience, improving operational efficiency, and optimizing costs. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential factors to consider when choosing a contact center software that aligns with your business needs.
If you haven’t read Jeff Bezos’ latest letter to his shareholders, put it on your to-do list pronto. There are many takeaways from his letter, but one that stands out to me most is this: “ Obsess over customers, not competitors.”. Most companies are obsessed with their competitors. Their mission statements might suggest that they are dedicated to their customers, but in reality, all they do is constantly check up on what their rivals in business are up to and try to emulate them.
There’s an old joke that goes something like this: A guy goes to the doctor. He raises his arm and complains, “It hurts when I do this.” The doc says, “Then don’t do that.”. In other words, “Stop it!”. That reminds me of a very funny video I saw on YouTube that features comedian Bob Newhart. It’s called “Stop It!”. In the video, Bob Newhart is a therapist and his patient is complaining about a problem she is having.
In May 2017, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) recognized Bob Furniss, VP, Global Service Cloud Practice, Bluewolf, an IBM Company, with its Lifetime Achievement Award. According to ICMI, the recipient is “a person who embodies the spirit of customer service and has contributed to all aspects of the contact center industry—the people, the organizations, […].
With IT budgets projected to grow 9.8% in 2025, leaders must invest wisely—not just cut blindly. This whitepaper introduces The Future-Proof IT Cost Optimization Model, a framework to reduce costs while maintaining service quality. Learn how Cloud Efficiency, AI-Powered Workforce Automation, Vendor Optimization, Cybersecurity Resilience, and Unified Communications can drive savings and improve efficiency.
There are too many times when it seems like the fog has rolled in and it’s hard to see where you need to go. When it comes to trying to figure out the contact center communications cloud landscape, the fog began to lift for me somewhat at Call Center Week. End Finger Pointing in the Contact Center Communication Cloud Click to Tweet. I was helped to see a little more clearly by Matt McGinnis of 8×8.
My primary objective of this article, is to warn and guide call centers through the shark infested “call center technology” waters. This article may not make me popular among technology providers however, I would hope that technology provides will take note and consider what I am sharing in this article in regard to call center … Continue reading "SWIMMING WITH THE TECH SHARKS".
For many organizations, the initial improvements in Customer Experience have long since passed. The early gains in Net Promoter Score (NPS) have faded into legend and the NPS now languishes in a plateau, quarter after quarter. Many organizations are scratching their heads wondering, “What now? However, they would be better off asking, “What’s next?”.
Mason Duchatschek on the Internet Boogeyman, and What to Do When You Encounter Him. What should you do when someone posts a negative review about your company or your products or services? Shep Hyken interviews keynote speaker and author Mason Duchatschek on steps you can take to protect your online reputation. First Up: Shep Hyken’s opening comments focus on why it is important for any business, not just a retail or online business, to protect their online reputation.
Step-by-step instructions on how to use AI for growth in your contact center Learn how AI can transform your contact center operations. In this ebook, dig into the different AI technologies, then see how each can help automate tasks, streamline service, and turn your contact center from a cost center to a profit house. Plus, we’ll give you practical tips on choosing the right AI tools, getting them up and running, and measuring their impact.
Our latest webinar, Bringing Quality Monitoring into the heart of the Contact Center, was packed with an array of knowledge and best practice techniques on the topic of quality monitoring (QM). On the back of this, here is a bite-sized version of the most valuable takeaways from the day. Refining the QM Performance Cycle Step […].
In today’s customer-focused business world, that means you need to view customers as the boss. At the very least, focus on their concerns and satisfaction.
or, does allowing a little "customer pain" actually help? This original article was written by Steve DiGioia. Pursuing excellence, customer centricity and continuous improvement are obsolete; so says Sampson Lee in his 2015 article “ Turn Upside Down How PAIN is Perceived in Innovating CX and Brand Management”. I am glad to say that I haven’t really had many bad customer service experiences, just some that fell short of expectations or I was disappointed in.
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