COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.,
April 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The
International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) in partnership
with Five9 (NASDAQ: FIVN), a leading provider of cloud contact
center software, today released the 2015 report, "Agent Apathy: The
Root Cause of Poor Customer Service." The report reveals that
contact centers tend to place the agent low on the scale of
organizational importance, resulting in detached agents and
ultimately, poor customer service. To avoid the consequences of
agent apathy, the report provides actionable insights into how to
raise the significance of valuable employees.
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Findings from this report were taken from, "The Modern Agent:
Understanding Performance, Productivity, and Positive Results," a
survey issued to 404 contact center leaders by ICMI and Five9 in
early 2015 to discover the state of today's contact center agent
and how to ensure their success. For more information and to
download the full report, visit:
icmi.com/Resources/Research/2015-Root-Cause-Poor-Customer-Service.
"As the importance of the customer experience heightens, so does
the role of the contact center. At the core of it all is the
agent, individuals who day in and day out are the true frontline
and the voice of our organizations," says Justin Robbins, senior analyst for ICMI. "While
our discovery that most of them are under-equipped and
over-stressed is not a surprising one, it is unacceptable
nonetheless. This report exposes the dirty little secrets that are
holding a majority of organizations back and provides food for
thought on how they can drive success moving forward."
Agents Today Carry More Weight than Ever Before:
Until now, the agent has been viewed as an entry/bottom level
necessity; however their role has become increasingly more
important as they juggle a higher workload volume. Today, 48
percent of contact center agents support multiple channels, and 75
percent of contact center leaders plan on that number increasing.
As a result of these increased responsibilities, contact centers'
current low prioritization of agents will not be sufficient in the
coming years.
"Agents have a critical role in the success of any call center.
They must be provided with the best tools and solutions possible so
that they can perform at their best," said Liz Osborn, vice president, product and solution
marketing, Five9. "The results of this survey underscore the
necessity for successful call centers to correctly prioritize what
makes the biggest impact on their business."
Tweet This: Survey reveals root cause of poor customer service
is agent apathy. Via @CallCenterICMI @Five9 #contactcenter
Agents' Needs Are Not Being Met:
As of now, agents' basic needs are not being met. For example, 71
percent of respondents recognized difficulties with their system
and inefficiency of their tools as the top contributor to agents'
workday stress. Being equipped with the necessary tools to do their
job effectively is thought to have the greatest positive impact on
performance.
Agents First: Next Steps for Contact Centers to Improve Agent
Satisfaction:
It is time for contact centers to reevaluate their priorities and
put their most important asset—the agent—at the forefront. To start
this transition, contact center leaders must ask themselves:
- Do your agents have the authority to do what is necessary to
resolve the customer's issue?
- Are their tools and technologies as efficient and effective
as possible?
- Are you holding them accountable for things they can
actually affect?
ICMI and Five9's research report helps customer management
professionals to determine the answers to these questions and
highlights actionable insights to place agents as a top priority
for the successful progression of their organizations.
Agent Apathy: The Root Cause of Poor Customer Service
highlights the effects of agent apathy and how it is hindering the
success of today's contact centers. To view the full report
please visit:
icmi.com/Resources/Research/2015-Root-Cause-Poor-Customer-Service.
Media can obtain a copy of the report by contacting the ICMI PR
team at ICMIPR@ubm.com.
To learn more about current industry trends and hear from top
professionals in the field, register for the 2015 Contact Center
Expo & Conference, taking place May 4-7 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort
in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
For more information and to register please visit:
icmi.com/Contact-Center-Expo-Conference.
About ICMI
The International Customer Management
Institute (ICMI) is the leading global provider of comprehensive
resources for customer management professionals -- from frontline
agents to executives -- who wish to improve customer experiences
and increase efficiencies at every level of the contact center.
Since 1985, ICMI has helped more than 50,000 organizations in 167
countries through training, events, consulting, and informational
resources. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry
insiders, trainers, and consultants are committed to helping you
raise the strategic value of your contact center, optimize your
operations and improve your customer service. ICMI is a part of UBM
plc (www.ubm.com), a global events-led marketing services and
communications company.
About Five9 Inc.
Five9 is a leading provider of cloud contact center software,
bringing the power of the cloud to thousands of customers and
facilitating more than three billion customer interactions
annually. Since 2001, Five9 has led the cloud revolution in contact
centers, helping organizations of every size transition from
premise-based solutions to the cloud. Five9 provides businesses
secure, reliable, scalable cloud contact center software to create
exceptional customer experiences, increase agent productivity and
deliver tangible business results. For more information visit
www.five9.com.
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SOURCE International Customer Management Institute (ICMI)