Vaughan, Canada, March 11, 2015 – 3C Contact Services Inc., North America’s premier cost-effective provider of contact center solutions for small- and medium-sized businesses, is weighing in on the Contact Center Satisfaction Index rising slightly in 2014. 3C Contact Services is also commenting on the kind of critical functions necessary to enhance the customer experience and increase sales.
After dropping to a score of 69 out of 100 in 2013, the lowest reading in its eight-year history, the Contact Center Satisfaction Index increased slightly in 2014 to 72. The index looks at data collected from close to 1,500 consumers, spread equally across six major industries: banks/credit unions, cable and satellite TV, cell phone service, property and casualty insurance, health insurance, and retail. (Source: “Contact Center Satisfaction Index 2014 (CCSI),” CFI Group web site, February 25, 2015; http://cfigroup.com/resources/industry-studies/call-centers/contact-center-satisfaction-index-2014-ccsi/.)
“While the slight three-point improvement in 2014 is encouraging, it still matches 2008 as the third-lowest score since the index’s inception in 2007; the highest reading, 77, came in 2012,” says Damian Reyes, customer service manager at 3C Contact Services Inc. “Solid economic indicators suggest 2015 will be more positive when it comes to how consumers feel about their contact center solutions experiences.”
Reyes explains that the report found that despite technological advancements, the majority of consumers still prefer to deal with a knowledgeable, live representative. In fact, talking to a contact center representative is critical to the customer service experience and a leading factor in additional purchases.
According to the report, 41% of customers expect a contact center representative to make recommendations and 43% are either very (17%) or somewhat (26%) receptive to those recommendations. Most strikingly, 40% of consumers who purchased additional products or services did so based on how knowledgeable the representative was.
“The only influence that had a bigger impact on customers’ purchases was their overall satisfaction with the company,” Reyes adds. “But even here, that can be tied directly to the customer service experience, since contact center representatives are the company’s front line after a purchase has been made.”
Reyes observes that 3C Contact Services Inc. has an overall customer satisfaction rate of 97%, exceeding industry standards of between 90% and 95%. Companies that use 3C Contact Services Inc. have seen their save rates improve by 43%. 3C Contact Services Inc. also has a shared services leading customer combined retention rate of 55%.
“A highly trained, knowledgeable customer service agent will go above and beyond customer expectations and build brand loyalty, all of which will have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line,” Reyes concludes.
To learn more about 3C Contact Services Inc., visit the company’s web site at 3CContactServices.com or call 1-888-353-2335.
