RSMUS.comToday, organizations are constantly vying for the next competitive edge that is going to enable them to stretch above their competition. Often, this involves collecting data and using performance analysis techniques to determine where business processes can be tweaked for improved efficiency. One area where organizations often overlook an opportunity for operational insight is within their Unified Communications (UC) platform.
There are a number of areas in which the data provided by a unified communications platform can empower an organization and allow them to secure a new competitive edge. Call data from an organization’s UC solution can be integrated with a CRM and, together, the two solutions can provide a healthier picture of their customer base than either one could have done alone. Instead of call center agents having to collect customer information, then using that information to pull up that customer’s profile in the CRM, caller ID can be used to automatically identify a customer and pull up the CRM profile for the agent. This simple step can save time and create a better overall customer experience. With the use of simple wrap-up codes, a unified communications solution can label each phone interaction within a CRM with information regarding the call subject matter. This not only makes the first agent more efficient, but also improves the ongoing customer experience. The next time the customer calls, the agent with whom they interact will have immediate access to additional insight about the customer.
Inbound call analysis can improve customer service
Analyzing how efficiently calls are being answered is another area where an organization can benefit from unified communications data analytics. Data collected on inbound calls can provide invaluable insight into an organization’s ability to answer the phone and provide whatever service the callers require. Some easily obtained call statistics include:
- How many calls are received
- How quickly calls are answered
- How many calls are abandoned before an agent answers the phone
- How long callers wait in a queue before abandoning a call
With these few data points, an organization can quickly infer some general knowledge about the quality of service being provided to their customers. With this knowledge, leadership can adjust training and staffing to address any issues. The results of those adjustments are easily measured with the same metrics that were used to determine they were needed.
Vendors offer built-in reporting tools and APIs
The beauty of unified communications analytics is that many of the UC manufacturers provide the consumer with analytic and reporting tools for little to no additional cost. Mitel and Cisco have their own robust call center reporting suites designed for this form of analysis. Application programming interfaces (APIs) are often available for application development as well, enabling an organization to develop their own proprietary applications to parse call data for analysis. Whether your organization lives and dies by the relationships built over the phone, or not, a case can often be made that UC data analysis and CRM integration is an inexpensive approach to increased efficiency and gaining a competitive edge in your market.
If you would like to learn more about RSM’s ability to help your technology team become more effective for the organization, please visit our website. You can also contact RSM’s technology and management consulting professionals at 800.274.3978 or email us.
