Good Morning!

Once again, CFI Group has supplied our industry with some valuable information on customer satisfaction.  Among other things that it shows us is that customers are more satisfied with domestic contact centers.  Where your contact center is located can have an effect on your branding and on customer loyalty, especially during tough economic times.  Now, more than ever, we need to do everything we can to keep every one of our customers happy.

If you need more information on this topic or how our domestic contact centers can help you with your customer service needs, please contact me at 800.972.3237 or check out our website at www.hamiltontm.com.

Thomas Kell Executive Vice President

Customer Satisfaction and the Contact Center 

CFI Group has released the 2009 Contact Center Satisfaction Index (CCSI).  CFI Group is the company whose methodology is the driver of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, the world standard in customer satisfaction measurement technology.  The CCSI examines the success and shortcomings of contact centers to reveal what actually affects customer satisfaction, loyalty, and behavior. 

Some of the conclusions of the CCSI report are:

• The contact center experience continues to be an integral part of overall satisfaction with a company or organization, a crucial element in securing customer loyalty, and the basis of a sound strategy for promoting positive customer word-of-mouth.
• Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) drive satisfaction.  Organizations that have great CSRs also have high CCSI.
• Strong processes and highly skilled agents lead to resolved issues, which make for happier, more loyal customers.  Almost two thirds of customers that received First Call Resolution (FCR) were satisfied with the level of service they received with the contact center. 
• Offshoring, inconsistent information, long wait times and inefficient call routing continue to frustrate customers who want swift and error-free service. 
• Ultimately, better contact center experiences translate into more loyal, revenue-generating customers.

If you look at these conclusions as a whole, a pattern begins to emerge.  Customers want well trained CSRs that can solve their issues.  They also want to get to that agent quickly; no long IVR processes or long wait time.  Additionally, they do not want to deal with a contact center they perceive as being offshore.  These factors directly affect customer loyalty.

If we look specifically at the issue of offshoring, you know that this is not a new idea, nor is it one that is going away any time soon, if ever.  Whether or not to go offshore with your company’s contact center solution is one that every company needs to decide on their own based upon specific needs, budgets and business strategies.  As part of your cost analysis you need to consider the economic impact of customer satisfaction and public relations.

There is no doubt that offshore call centers offer competitive hourly rates.  There are however, other considerations than just the cost of the agents.  According to CFI Group, domestic contact center representatives received a score of 84 out of 100, while offshore reps received a score of 62.  Add in other factors such as the First Call Resolution rate and domestic contact centers outperformed offshore centers 78 to 56.  This is a 4 percent jump for domestic centers and a 5 percent drop for its offshore counterparts compared to last year.  Customers clearly prefer U.S. based contact centers.

The impact that offshoring might have on your company brand is another subject that needs to be considered.  According to Sheri Teodoru, CEO of CFI Group, “Customers are nearly twice as likely to recommend the company to others if they think the contact center is in the U.S., while they are three times more likely to defect if they believe it was based offshore.” 

A customer might wonder why, in these troubled economic times, a U.S. based company is not upholding their corporate social responsibility by using domestic services.  There can be a concern that customers will be turned off by the loss of American jobs.

If you’ve made a decision to outsource your contact center needs domestically, Hamilton has your solution.  We have three contact centers in the heartland of the country and can provide you with highly educated and experienced reps.  If you want to learn more about Hamilton Contact Center Services, check out our web site at www.hamiltontm.com or call us toll-free at 800.972.3237 and ask for This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .