Call Centre Press release - ACC Changes direction
ProtoCall One has identified three key areas where new regulations will
have a major impact on contact centre operations over the next 12 months:
Utilities - The utilities sector will face increased
regulatory demands during the next year. These will relate to how companies'
service levels are measured and will require firms to meet increasingly
stringent KPI (Key Performance Indicator) requirements. The water industry
in particular will come under stricter interpretation of rules from
regulatory body Ofwat, and areas facing the clamp-down include
call-answering performance in contact centres.
Mike McGowan, Head of Customer Services at Bristol Wessex Billing Services,
believes companies in this sector face a major challenge: "many utilities
companies already suffer from a negative image on the customer service
front, and the tightening of regulations will only make it more challenging
for firms to improve this. It will be essential for companies to undertake
reviews of their internal processes to ensure they can offer the best
possible service within the regulations."
Public Sector - The standard of customer service provided
by public sector organisations has always come under severe scrutiny from
all angles, and will continue to do so over the next twelve months. The
Varney Report, commissioned by Gordon Brown in December 2006, concluded that
there is a 'wide variation in the quality of services provided', and has
outlined a programme of 'Service Transformation' in all public
organisations. Suggested KPI targets include: a 50 per cent reduction in
avoidable contacts, all sub-200 seat contact centres to share resources with
others, and a transfer to make the Internet the primary point of contact for
customers.
Keith Tinson, Public Sector and Utilities Manager at Genesys
Telecommunications, comments: "there is certainly continued encouragement
from central government to reform customer service in the public sector.
Some of the more immediate aims are to reduce call times and eliminate
unnecessary calls. The long-term ambition, though, is to consolidate many of
the contact centres, take advantage of Shared Services, operate
consistently, reduce cost and transfer a large portion of information and
services access to the web. Public sector organisations are going to have to
take these changes into account and review long-term business plans
accordingly."
Silent Calls - Ofcom has once more reiterated its
long-standing commitment to eliminating silent calls to consumers, and the
entire contact centre industry runs the risk of prosecution if it fails to
meet regulations. In February 2007, Ofcom for the first time imposed
financial penalties to four companies found guilty of failing to meet the
guidelines, and future policies are set to further clamp down on offending
companies.
ProtoCall One will be hosting a webinar entitled 'Silent Calls: One Year
Later' on Wednesday 25th April. This interactive presentation will offer
advice to companies on Ofcom's Silent Calls regulations, along with a
customer case study highlighting the development of effective business
practices around the laws. More information on Silent Calls, as well as
webinar enrolment, is available at
www.pc-1.co.uk
About ProtoCall One
ProtoCall One is UK's premier systems integration consultancy for the
contact centre industry. It is the leading independent advisor to the
country's top telecommunications service providers, helping them develop
advanced network-based solutions for large contact centres. It is also
widely recognised as the 'Number One' professional services and support
organisation for the industry-leading Genesys Call Centre Solutions.
ProtoCall One helps organisations to identify and resolve the technical and
business issues involved in integrating contact centres into mainstream
business processes, with a strong focus on financial services,
telecommunications, travel and public sector markets. Additional information
is available at
www.pc-1.co.uk or for more information please contact:
| receive our free newsletter |