Positioning the Contact Center (Part 4 of 5)
By Jeremy Lee

In the last article, we mentioned of the segregation of knowledge between the sales and marketing function of an organization from that of its customer service division. We added that there is a genuine need for these two functions to be integrated to create value for the customer and the company.

This sharing of knowledge is critical because both these two functions interact with customers most often. They obtain a significant amount of information about each and every customer. Unfortunately most organizations still believe that a sale is just a sale. A sales person job is to prospect, build interest, build relationship, set expectations and close the deal. Anything else becomes the responsibility and prerogative of the after sales-department. This practice may lead to conflict between both parties as sale and marketing is seen as getting the glory with customer service seen as the bearer of bad news.

The increasing prominence of the contact center dramatically and drastically change the way these two functions work. It is now possible for these 2 functions to be aligned into 1 single process; thereby allowing better strategic focus and strategic implementation. Instead of having two different parties serving the customer; the customer will only face one united cohesive front. This front under the responsibility of one person will have a greater holistic view of the workings of the organization. Strategies derived and implemented will be beneficial, aligned and adding value to the customer instead of causing headaches. Decisions made will be from a wider perspective allowing the organization to be more competitive and efficient.

Setting of customers expectations is likely to be more consistent. Traditionally sales and marketing are always said to be over-hyping a product which after sales service departments find extremely difficult to deliver, resulting in animosity. However under one roof, this means that the key performance indicators will be under the capable hands of 1 person and he or she will have to derive only strategies which are holistic, profitable and sustainable; resulting in the organization only setting expectations that can be delivered. Additionally, they will be more willing to provide assistance to one another as the results are tied together.

Customer knowledge will be more readily gathered and accumulated to serve all parties involved. The sales and marketing personnel will be sharing critical and unique knowledge to the customer service team and vice versa. This intensive knowledge sharing and development will result in better ideas, better knowledge and better creativity of how to create more value to benefit the customer, and ultimately the company.

Seeing all this, it is natural that the contact center’s position in the organization should have or achieve the following aims:

• The contact center is a front line department not administrative. It is no longer a must have, but the main and most critical point of interaction for most organizations. This is because it is in constant interaction with customers through the various mediums including face to face.



• It should encompass the sales, marketing and customer service functions to provide an integrated front to the customer. This if necessary, may include logistics (petroleum and logistic firms) and various other administrative functions (banks and insurance).



• The person responsible for the contact center should also be the person in charge of overseeing all customer interactions in the organization. If necessary, such a position should be created as organizations seek to become more customer centric and customer value orientated.
  

In the final article, we will examine the various ways the contact center can be used for an integrated sales, marketing and customer service purpose.

Last updated - 30 December 2004