Numbers Game: Survey Says Better Call Center Reporting Needed

Numbers Game: Survey Says Better Call Center Reporting Needed

May 05, 2015

It’s easy to say that more reporting capability in the contact center is a necessity, but in an era of tight budgets and major issues, proving it is another matter. Or at least, it was another matter until a new report from DMG Consulting and Connect First brought out a set of new statistics that underscore the point: having better reporting tools on hand in the contact center should be a priority, and upgrades in that direction are a smart idea.

The Connect First / DMG Consulting report titled “Guide to Contact Center Reporting,” turned to a pool of contact center leaders to get better information on both historical and real-time standards of reporting. These include the so-called “cradle-to-grave” reporting tools and just what goes into those requirements as far as data retention goes (both customization and ad-hoc analysis), and what difference the cloud is making as far as contact center reporting goes.

More specifically, the report noted that, for around half of those surveyed, getting enhanced reporting tools in the contact center was a “top goal” for 2015. Meanwhile, 36.3 percent of executive respondents at the enterprise level noted that there was a clear need for enhanced reporting.

The report didn’t just spell out the need for better reporting tools; it also provided some insight into just what to look for when it comes to evaluating and ultimately selecting such tools. Though there would likely be some differences between firms in which only assets are needed as part of a reporting package, reports suggest looking for things like system performance alerts and notifications in real-time, as well as detailed diagnostic reports for performance. The user should also have the ability to define the lengths of the intervals going into the reporting, and reports should be able to immediately, right out of the box, be able to provide the necessary information to business units. Given the environment these days, it may also be worthwhile to look for customization points, mobile capability, and the ability to download to third-party tools for use therein.

There’s an old adage about how if something can’t be measured, it can’t be managed. While that might sound like the Dilbert strip fodder writ large, it’s a point so essential that noting it could be mistaken for belaboring the obvious. Having the right tools on hand, meanwhile, is an equally necessary part of the operation; if a contact center doesn’t know where it’s not doing well, its ability to improve is limited accordingly. If it can’t improve, it’s likely to fall behind, impact the overall customer experience, and potentially even drive business to competitors who do know what’s wrong and can improve accordingly.

With so many contact center authorities looking to make the jump to augmenting reporting tools, and some clear evidence to suggest its necessity, looking into these new tools and finding the right ones for an organization might be a good idea to undertake this year. No one wants to lose business, after all, to the companies that did take the need for contact center reporting tools to heart.