No matter what your industry, getting an advantage on your competitors is something every business wants. Wouldn’t it be great if you had access to something that could give you that advantage - all without breaking the budget? If you have consumer data - and every business does - then you already have everything you need!
The problem is that many companies don’t understand how to utilize the consumer data they have access to. That information is useless if you can’t put it to work for you, so being able to do so is imperative to the success of your center.
Here’s how to really get the most out of consumer data and use it to its fullest potential to improve your facility and better serve your consumers - all while outpacing your competitors!
Hire Better Agents
As with most things, everything starts with the right hires - and getting them in the door the right way.
Did you know that studies estimate it takes approximately two hours of paid HR time to hire a single call center agent? That may not sound like much, but consider just how many employees you need to add to your roster - and how much time is probably not accounted for when it comes to hiring each one. For a center looking to pick up several hundred seasonal employees or a center just looking to launch, the cost in terms of time alone is potentially astronomical.
What does consumer data have to do with any of this? Consumer data can help you make the best hires - and is also critically important for those hires to handle correctly, once they’re onboard. Big data offers a better look at what your company does and how you’re serving consumers, which gives you a chance to integrate these things into your hiring.
How? When many call centers hire, they offer short, industry-specific tasks for applicants to complete. This helps to screen these applicants for their ability to perform under pressure, as well as their understanding of the type of work being performed at the job. When you have big data on your side, you can construct smarter, more relevant tasks to use in these screenings. The smarter your hiring process, the better your new hires are going to be at their jobs.
What about once they’re on the job? New hires who are exposed to the concept of big data during the hiring process are better equipped to handle it properly once they are employed. The idea of massive amounts of consumer data can be overwhelming to less experienced agents, so granting them this exposure in the early stages of their job experience is a great way to make things simpler for them from the start.
Use Consumer Data to Personalize Interactions
Today’s most successful companies are always looking for ways to personalize their interactions with consumers. That’s because it’s exactly what consumers are expecting - exactly what they demand. If you want to meet those demands, you need to know who you’re serving, first.
A major part of big data involves past purchases, consumer preferences, demographic information, and more. All of this leads to well-informed decisions on the part of marketers and retailers who can use that data to provide personalized service and goods to these consumers. You’ve already witnessed this in action; just open your browser and see what kind of ads pop up. If they’re relevant to your interests or to things you’ve purchased previously, you can bet major companies are harnessing the power of suggestion through the use of big data analyzation to hook you - the same way you could be doing with your consumers.
Personalization leads to more - more conversions, better engagement, higher revenue - but to get it, you have to understand your audience. This is one of the best things about consumer data. It offers snapshots of of who you’re serving on an intimate level that allows you to really tailor what you’re offering to their needs.
Provide Better Service
Sound simple? It really is. Consumer data allows you to provide better, more comprehensive customer service - and isn’t that the goal of everything you do in the customer service contact center?
How do you harness the power of big consumer data to your benefit? Begin with a call recording solution. This may sound simple, but again, it really is. You already have access to the data, why not put it to work for you?
By analyzing calls to and from consumers, you can better understand their reasons for calling. You can see what kind of complaints they have and what kind of questions they’re asking. This gives you insight into how to better serve your customers - and allows you to predict the kind of issues that can happen so you can avoid them as much as possible.
How do you ensure consumer privacy and stay within today’s call recording laws while also making the best use of this data? A simple, “This call may be recorded to provide better quality of service” is sufficient - and gives consumers the option to opt out if they prefer to. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, today’s consumer is happy to have their call recorded if it means you can use that data to provide better service - and you absolutely can.
Ready to make better use of your consumer data and keep your competitors too far behind to keep up? Give the industry leaders at ChaseData a call. We have the tools and technology you need to really put the information you have to work for you. Our software solutions will make it easy - and your data will make improvement and better service simple. Give us a call today to learn how!
