Let's say your company has invested millions of dollars on CRM software, and that you're even start seeing a return on your investment. Outbound contacts to existing customers seem to go swimmingly well. Yet, when you look at retention and reordering rates, something seems odd. Numbers should be a little bit higher, shouldn't they?
The answer to this dilemma is surprisingly more common than you'd think. According to Brendan Read at TMCNet, many enterprise companies still have not invested the necessary time or resources in bridging the gaps between front line call centers and sophisticated CRM solutions.
Customer Interaction Management (CIM) and Computer-Telephone Integration (CTI) are two of the latest acronyms to cause your CIO to seek an MRI. Read interviewed Chris Mills from CIM company Servion, who notes that many companies still haven't fully embraced technology's ability to help provide stellar customer service. Leaving these two tools out of a CRM software implementation is akin to leaving money on the table.
For example, if a call center's inbound CIM system doesn't automatically recognize a caller ID, customers may need to punch in account numbers or other identifying codes into their phones. While it simplifies the account lookup process for CRM software, this task often frustrates and confuses callers.
Even worse, without the right CTI tools, a live agent may require customers to identify themselves again. Either of these experiences can cause a customer to feel less valued, possibly encouraging them to take their business elsewhere.
Companies that recognize their best customers and differentiate them from first-time buyers can win repeat business by providing service that replicates the personal attention once reserved for small, mom-and-pop retail shops. Even a well-programmed IVR can provide this kind of service, provided it has the right CRM system on the backend to make the experience feel part of a broader relationship.
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