Most contact centers have an abandon rate problem; you would be super efficient or overstaffed if that is not the case. Waiting in ever lengthening queues is a well acknowledged source of customer dissatisfaction. Deploying automation – either to move customers to self service options where practicable or IVR based ‘call back’ bookings have been the solutions used. These approaches have certainly reduced dissatisfaction.

The lack of a human touch is often felt by customers who have grown to dislike punching their way through lVR menus. Benefits of investing in increased staffing for that all important human touch have been (hither-to) off set by high cost. Nirvana’s Initial Response Service seeks to provide an ‘on demand’, pay-as-you-use service which changes the cost-benefit trade-off dramatically.

Nirvana’s Initial Response Service

• Calls in the customer service queue for more than (say) 60 seconds are redirected to the initial response service team.
• The calls are fielded with a view to
  • Assure the customer.
  • Establish the nature of the problem/customer need.
  • Set the call back time(s), preferred telephone number to call; where possible ‘push’ time slots preferred by the contact center.
  • Based on the nature of the customer need, provide the customer with appropriate information that could improve call efficiency / reduce call duration. An example of this could be informing the customer about the documents/information to have handy when the call back happens.
• Dispose the call using predefined categories of problem type and if immediate attention is required.
• Forward these dispositions to the customer care team in an ‘actionable’ format enabling efficient rostering.
• Flexible ‘turn on/ turn off’ service with a pay-as-you-use engagement model.
  

Added Options
The call out (during the scheduled time) can be set-up by Nirvana and the call can be identified and handled as a priority call by the customer service team. If call out is not feasible in the appointed time slot, Nirvana will call back the customer and set up a fresh time slot.

Key Benefits

• Speed of contact, reduced abandon rate. Flag emergency / ‘need immediate attention’ calls.
• Enable better facility utilization by working towards depressing peaks and elevating troughs; attempt to ‘push’ off peak slots for call back.
• Human touch ensures better acceptance than with an automated ‘call-back’.
• Flag scheduled calls; should the customer call before the scheduled time, this could flag an extinguishing of the call-back.
• Better prepared customer, more efficient calls by the on-shore team, reduced call time.