A Practical Guide to Call Center Technology
A handy, comprehensive guide for those setting up technology-based phone systems to manage customer matters.
TABLE OF CONTENTS A Practical Guide to Call Center Technology
Chapter 18: The Technology Acquisition Process
Throughout this book, we have discussed the applications and issues involved in using a customer contact center system, particularly an ACD as the center of a customer contact center workflow system. We have spent little time focusing on the technology acquisition process. The politics of buying any system, particularly for a customer service center are complex and unique in each situation.
A hallmark of this book has been to show that saving money by buying the least expensive systems is illusory. Spending a little more money wisely at the outset can save and win vast amounts of revenue and goodwill for your company. This is revenue that far outweighs the relative few dollars invested in the system most appropriate for your application.
STRATEGIC BUYING
the process of buying is more difficult than selling. There are many potential antagonists in this process; particularly if you are buying on the behalf of a modern corporation. There are also political issues to contend with in the company.
First, there is recognizing the need and gaining the blessing of upper management for the project. This in itself may be a hurdle. Information is provided throughout the book to help you calculate the costs of not only upgrading your contact center, but also the costs of poor service levels; then leveraging those figures against the cost of the resultant lost business opportunities.
Second, there are the antagonists that belong to the other interested operational entities within a company. These may be the telecommunications, data...
Copyright Andrew Waite 2001 under license agreement with Books24x7
