How Avon's Call Center Turns Customer Feedback Into Valuable Business Insights

Social media is no fad, and the pressure on customer management professionals to engage more comprehensively on networks like Facebook and Twitter reached new heights in 2011.

That, of course, is not to say that many social media advocates did not fall victim to overzealousness, and for such individuals, 2011 brought a major reality check: when it comes to meaningful service inquiries, customers are still picking up the phone.

A firm believer in the value of the call center, Tracy Wright, Avon’s director of North American customer care, stresses why now is not the time for customer management leaders to sweep traditional channels like contact center and email support under the rug.

"What we’ve found [is that] when a customer really has an issue, they’re going to pick up the phone or send you an email," noted Wright, the opening keynote speaker at the 7^thAnnual Call Center Summit, in an exclusive podcast interview with CMIQ’s Brian Cantor. "Social media is not specific to the experience they want fixed…more important is what comes in through your center."

And so if the contact center remains a pivotal link between brand and customer, what improvements should be top-of-mind for customer management professionals, and how can they overcome the challenges along the way? Important issues require the opposite of complacency; indeed, customers are demanding more satisfaction than ever from their call center interactions, while C-level executives want their customer service teams to demonstrate an increased impact on the business.

By maintaining the right perspective and by acting on the idea of connecting the contact center to the other business units, customer management leaders will be able to generate tremendous value and cost-savings for their businesses. And for Avon, the proof is in the pudding.

In this exclusive podcast, Avon’s Tracy Wright shares real-life examples of how she improved the alignment between the contact center and other business units, and how that alignment translated into real success. She also provides valuable insights into "speaking the language" of other business units and the C-level, assuring the feedback gained from customer interactions is funneled productively through the organization.

Listen to the podcast now! And if you enjoy Tracy’s insights and want to hear from other proven call center leaders, register for the 7^thAnnual Call Center Summit!