Friday, June 22, 2012
Companies are always looking for ways to improve service and save money. According to industry analyst Kelly Teal, one option that more organizations should consider is combining unified communications (UC) with customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Writing for Channel Partners, Teal argued that in several ways, the two technologies are complementary. Used in conjunction in the contact center, they provide a means for organizations to significantly increase customer support offerings.
The source cited Randy Kremlacek, owner and president of a leading telecommunications company, who offered an example to highlight the value of these systems. His firm worked with a taxi company that had to gather information whenever an individual called, even if he or she was a returning customer. By combining the company's UC and CRM tools, the taxi company was able to cut down on call times and automate many conversations, improving efficiency and service quality.
Additionally, as a recent NICE study demonstrated, customers increasingly expect to have a number of different channels through which to attain customer support. UC can help contact centers to provide these options. If these options are lacking, customers become frustrated, leading to reduced loyalty and retention.
