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Call Centre & Customer Services Summit

7 ways Generation Z will change the working world

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A new study has revealed a number of key ways that the next generation of workers will affect the landscape in 2017.

Traditionally described as being born between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, ‘Generation Z’ represents the new wave entering the workforce this year.

Communications specialist 8×8 has released a study in which full-time and part-time employed Generation Z, Millennials and Generation X workers were surveyed on their preferences, and here’s a rundown of how Gen Z are presenting a new hope in the workplace.

 

1. Email & Landline Decline

A huge number surveyed saw email as a dying art, and just 5% of Generation Z said they prefer landlines, as the smartphone continues to become the new communication hub. When taking the survey, twice the amount of Gen Z used a smartphone compared to other generations.

2. Embracing the Bot

Almost 70% of all participants in the survey agreed that many current jobs could be replaced with automated services, with even more agreeing that bots will continue to take over jobs in the future.

3. Blur the Lines of Personal and Work

56% of respondents admitted they’d rather use the same tools for their work as well as personal lives, such as phones and laptops.

4. Value Communication

As more and more conversation becomes digital, the value of genuine conversation is growing, with one in four Gen Z preferring talking in person. This is contrary to Millennials (aged around mid-20s to mid-30s), who believe face-to-face communication is becoming less important to business.

5. Smart Workplaces

Across generations, over half believed that connected devices and applications, such as wifi-enabled cars and smart fridges, could have untapped workplace applications, as many believe work environments need to catch up with the constantly evolving leisure landscape.

6. Less Tech Dependent

Generation Z hasmore in common with the older Gen X (aged around 35-50) when it comes to technology in their life, with only around 26-27% owning wearable tech such as smart watches, or wireless appliances. With the generation still being young and many of these applications being fairly expensive, however, it’s yet to be seen if these statistics will change in the years to come.

7. Effectiveness over Efficiency

The majority of Millennials admit to wanting to use the communication tools that save them the most amount of time, such as messaging and chat apps. Gen Z is  the least likely of all generations to embrace informal methods of communication for work, instead admitting they would prefer to use tools that are the most effective for the job, even if doing so takes more time.

If you’d like to learn more, you can read the full study, “Rogue One: How Generation Z is Going to Bring Balance to the (work)Force,”

Top tips for workplace recovery

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Business continuity is critical for building resilience within your company by allowing you to work through a disruption and giving you time to recover.

Most understand the need for business continuity, but it’s often seen as too expensive or time consuming to address, but this doesn’t need to be the case.

IT and recovery specialist DSM has compiled its top tips to avoid disaster:

 

1. Carry out regular risk assessments

Taking steps to eliminate or minimise potential threats is a vital step in the operation of your business.

2. Consider possible scenarios

Planning and analysing threats to determine the impact on your business is a simple and straightforward way to protect yourself.

3. Compile an action plan

Maintaining business as usual makes a huge difference during a crisis, and putting formal contracts in place will enable fast recovery of essential operations

4. Document key business processes

In case of emergencies involving staff either being absence or busy, having basic processes on paper helps maintain the situation. Making sure no critical activities are operated by a single individual will also help.

5. Review supplier resillience

Are your suppliers capable of meeting your Service Level Agreements? A quick review and multiple sources help reduce reliance on any one single supplier.

6. Protect company information

Ensuring it can be accessed and rapidly restored will help during a disaster, but not at the risk of security, which should be a top priority.

7. Regular tests

Proving you can function should you lose a vital service, or even your entire business environment, will help prepare you for a future need for adapting.

8. Get employees involved

Encouraging all employee involvement with preparation and testing helps for staff to buy in to the importance of keeping your business ticking over, as well as providing lifelines if a senior employee is absent.

Looking for a new call centre event to attend? You need the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit…

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With the next Call Centre & Customer Services Summit taking place on April 24 & 25 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted, we thought we’d give you a few reasons to book your place at the event nice and early.

Put simply, if you’re looking for a new and informative call centre and customer service focused industry event, you’ve found it.

First and foremost, the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit provides a platform for highly-targeted one-to-one meetings between industry professionals and trusted suppliers. But it also comes with a full programme of educational seminars, allowing all attendees to increase their industry knowledge and develop their skill sets while on site…

Plus, there’s full hospitality throughout, including lunches, drinks reception and an evening gala dinner, offering copious networking opportunities to build new business relationships.

But we think the enduring success of the event is best summed up by visitors who have attended previously:

“We found the Summit to be an excellent investment of our time; a pleasant and productive way to meet new customers.”

Netcall Telecom Ltd

“Fantastic event! Well organised; definitely will attend future ones.”

Tesco

“Excellent Summit with genuine buyers and senior people seeing what is new for forthcoming projects; no time wasters.”

MplSystems

“Fully packed event with lots of food for thought. Well organised and facilitated; great event to make new connections.”

Boots UK Ltd

“Another great bunch of interested, potential customers, ready for follow-up meetings.”

Premier CX

So there you have it. More bespoke than a conference and more focused than an expo, the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit is the only event you need to attend in 2017.

The next Call Centre & Customer Services Summit takes place on April 24 & 25, 2017 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted.

For more information or to book your place, call Gayle Buckland on 01992 374063 or email g.buckland@forumevents.co.uk.

Alternatively, visit www.contactcentresummit.co.uk.

Forum Insight: Customer engagement methods to maintain strong relationships…

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Now more than ever, customer communication methods are becoming varied and diverse. Trade exhibitions, social media platforms, focus groups and surveys, personalised email campaigns – the list is endless. But which methods will prove to be the most effective for your business? Before investing too much time and effort into just one, think carefully about all available options, and ask your customers how they prefer to be contacted…
Keep track of emails: Make it your personal – and even company – goal to respond to all customer emails within a five minute time frame. Not only will it generate appreciative responses, people love fast and efficient customer service, and this level of service will lead to an abundance of recommendations and increased trade. Need more convincing? View Eptica’s ‘Email Management’ article here.

Be active on social media: By now you’re probably tired of the constant emphasis on regular social media use, but inevitably, one of the best ways to connect with customers is through social platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. The good thing about social media is there is no time schedule to follow – you can reach customers at any time of the day. Use your company’s Facebook fan page or Twitter account to engage your followers and keep conversations flowing. Nowadays, social media has been incorporated as a form of customer service, so make your platforms adaptable for staff members to handle customer questions and complaints. Read through Conversocial’s case studies for influential insight.

Answer the phone: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! No matter what industry, a significant focus seems to be on new customer channel developments. But whatever happened to the traditional phone conversation? Whether you’re following up, apologising for something that went amiss, or wondering why you haven’t received an order in a while, there’s no better way to strengthen a customer relationship. According to eConsultancy, customers prefer assistance over the phone (61 per cent), followed by email (60 per cent); Live Chat (57 per cent); online knowledge base (51 per cent) and “click-to-call” support automation, (34 per cent).

Start a weekly blog: Why not create a weekly blog to keep your customers up-to-date? If you actively keep up a quality blog, not only will your customers read your blog, but they will respond to your blog. This creates a positive flow of communication and helps build customer loyalty. Find inspiration from these companies that have made blogging a ‘top priority’.

Conduct market research: Surveys allow businesses to identify customer needs. Once acknowledged, companies can steer their offerings towards filling these needs. Surveys are also a good tool to bring in prospective customers who are on the fence about a product/service, i.e. surveys can be used as a platform for prospective customers to voice their needs. Confused about whether to conduct quantitative or qualitative research? Learn more about the differences here.

Attending the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit? Here are our top tips for industry networking!

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If you’re coming to the next Call Centre & Customer Services Summit (or if you’ve been to one before) you’ll know just how many opportunities there are to network with your industry peers.

The networking areas are where, as industry suppliers or buyers, you can follow up on conversations you’ve had during the one-to-one meetings that form the core of the two days.

Or, you know, talk about the football.

Either way, business is more often than not about building relationships.

We create networking environments that are informal and free of any pressure – whether that’s during the plentiful coffee breaks, over the delicious lunches and gala dinner, or playing roulette as part of the evening entertainment.

To help you get the most out of these opportunities, we’ve pulled together a few top tips for becoming the consummate networker:

Always be yourself: You’re among friends at the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit, so there’s no need to feel nervous about walking into a big room of people. Our staff will be on hand to help with introductions and grease those social wheels (do come and say ‘hello’!), plus the evening entertainment lineup means fun and relaxation are the name of the game (did we mention the roulette?).

Have a think about what you want to achieve: Who’s in the room? Is there anyone you met earlier in the day that you’d like to follow up with? Whether you’re a supplier or a buyer, you’ve come to the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit with some specific goals in mind – the networking periods are a chance to help solidify those new partnerships.

Be curious: The Call Centre & Customer Services Summit seminars are a great place for developing your industry knowledge and learning new skills. And they always create points of discussion. So why not see what everyone else thought of the talks, or swap some ideas on the latest technological developments and trends in the industry? And if you’re new to the industry, there will be seasoned veterans ready and willing to impart their wisdom!

Don’t forget your business cards! You didn’t think we could get through a whole article about networking without mentioning business cards, did you? It’s an old chestnut, but one worth re-roasting. This author has forgotten his cards more times than he cares to remember – it happens. Always keep a few spread between your wallet/purse, pockets and bag – then you’ll be able to produce one when you most need it. But don’t blanket bomb – just because you have 100 cards to give out, it doesn’t mean you have to!

Always follow up: You’ve given your cards out, but hopefully you’ve picked some up too! So make sure that when you get back to the office you log into LinkedIn or fire off some emails to your new contacts while everything’s still fresh in the mind.

Follow the above tips and you won’t go far wrong. Just don’t spend too long in the bar at the end of Day One – you’ll need to be bright as a button for all the networking we have lined up on Day Two!

 

For more information on the Call Centre & Customer Services Summit, call Gayle Buckland on 01992 374063 or email g.buckland@formumevents.co.uk.

Or visit www.contactcentresummit.co.uk

Forums vs Expos – how to maximise your precious time out of the office…

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With a majority of ‘expert’ advice on Expos being somewhat outdated or, like with many businesses, asserting too much emphasis on easy routes rather than methods that actually work, it’s no wonder people get frustrated and disconcerted when they are looking to effectively network and source new connections without it lessening quality time spent in the office.

Amplified by the dominant presence of social media quick fixes such as: setting up a LinkedIn profile; increasing your Twitter presence; scheduling a large number of email marketing campaigns; and collecting as many business cards as possible at industry events – are key solution in helping you to be astute in intelligently selecting what methods best suit you and your way of working.

Expos can also have a somewhat ‘lazy’ association to it: people picture the huge halls and countless stands as a way of picking up leads and justifying their time out of the office, but realistically a large percentage of exhibitors won’t be of necessary relevance, or the person you need to speak to has decided not to attend at the last minute.

So set aside any previous experiences you may have with networking and Expos, and garner some quality connections by attending one of our Forum Events. Our formula ensures that buyers can increase their knowledge of how, why and where to invest without hanging around waiting for the wrong supplier; as well as ensuring that all suppliers are provided with qualified leads and valuable business is made as a result.

Events relevant to you may include the Call Centre and Customer Services Summit taking place on April 24-25, 2017. Contact the team today…

New UK call centres behind decrease in EE complaints…

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After announcing its decision to move all customer service operations ‘on-shore’ earlier this year, EE has declared that customer complaints have dropped by a substantial 50 per cent.

Along with other big firms, its strategy to move customer operations abroad to cut costs ultimately backfired on the provider, as many consumers reported poor levels of service and, as a result, switched to competitors.

CEO of EE, Marc Allera, said in a statement: “Earlier this year, we set out ambitions to transform the experience and service we provide our customers, including returning all customer service roles to the UK and Ireland. We’ve had fantastic feedback from our customers about the changes we’ve made so far and the number of complaints has plummeted – but we’re not stopping there.”

He continued: “There’s still more we want to achieve and we’re creating over 550 additional service jobs here in the UK to fully onshore all customer service roles, and provide the best possible experience for our customers.”

Forum News: 5 successful negotiation tips to implement at industry events…

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Making the most of any time spent out of the office, and ensuring the meetings you partake in are as effective as possible, involves the expert ability of negotiation, which can make the difference between triumph and disappointment with what you set out to achieve.

  1. Look, Listen & Learn: If you talk too much, you won’t learn anything. Be the investigator – ask lots of open ended questions. Allow the other party to talk; then all you have to do is sit back and take notes to help with your decision.
  1. Be assertive: Ask for exactly what you want. Differentiate being assertive and aggressive; it’s getting to the point more quickly and looking after your business needs. Challenging everything is fine too. We all know both parties need to negotiate to formulate a win/win situation; however there are scenarios when companies really are just looking for a higher ‘cut’ rather than a long term profitable partnership, so it’s best to challenge everything to ensure you are getting the very best deal.
  1. Preparation is king: Have you thought about everything you need before you enter the negotiation as well as what the other party may be looking for? You can’t possibly make accurate decisions without fully understanding both sides of the agenda.
  1. Convey optimism: Entering any negotiation is an exciting process, so it’s important to show that you’re excited and be positive about the transaction. People who are optimistic, usually achieve more by expecting more. Suppliers would ask for more than they expect to receive and buyers offer less than they are willing to give – that way everybody walks away happy with the end result.
  1. No need to rush: The best negotiators most likely own the distinctive patient gene. If you rush your meeting, planning or negotiation, this is when mistakes will be made. Be flexible with time and if any steps to the negotiation are hurried, concessions will be made and the deal left on the table.

To utilise these tips, contact the team to discuss your attendance at this year’s Call Centre & Customer Services Summit.

Call Centre Summit

Call Centre & Customer Services Summit: Bigger and better than ever!

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Call Centre & Customer Services Summit: Bigger and better than ever!

With over 25 successful events under its belt; the Call Centre and Customer Services Summit is set to return bigger and better than ever this 2016 with an array of new delegates, increasingly innovative product and service providers and even more seminars packed into the two-day event. Taking place on the 18th and 19th April 2016 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted; the event brings the industry together to discuss relevant business solutions through its proven concept of face-to-face meetings. With endless networking opportunities and interactive seminars; the Call Centre and Customer Services Summit has established itself as an unparalleled platform for both suppliers and delegates to build upon their database of contacts and expertise within the dynamic industry.

Over its 12 year lifespan, the event has long established its position as a market leader. The Summit is purposely smaller than other events in the industry – focusing on quality over quantity. Differing to trade shows and exhibitions; delegates and suppliers are carefully sourced to match each other’s requirements. Using a unique matchmaking process, the Call Centre and Customer Services Summit team manages to achieve compatibility between attending delegates and suppliers – ensuring both parties leave the event with a handful of useful contacts.

Recruiting delegates with significant purchasing power and upcoming business projects; the event recognises the importance of time in the world of business. By handpicking suppliers with products and services relevant to the needs of attending delegates, the event works as a time-saving device for all parties involved. The event therefore serves as unique opportunity to learn about what’s new in the market while sourcing suppliers in a relaxed, non-hard sell environment over the course of just two days!

Coveted for its unique combination of face-to-face meetings, seminars and networking opportunities; over the years the event has received masses of positive feedback. A senior representative from Capita comments on the 2015 event;

“As far as events go, this one did exactly what it says on the invite; it puts you in front of the key contacts in key companies and all in one place, superb. They checked throughout the day that it was meeting my expectations and it did. Very well organised from the start to finish, will definitely attend again”

This year’s event will be hosting some big names, expect the likes of Addison Lee, EE, Legal & General, Mencap, MOO, Ocado Europe, Premier Inn, Smith’s Medical, Xerox and many more.

With customised pop-up stalls bringing supplier brands to life; the Summit is the ideal place for suppliers to showcase their products and services to the people that matter. Exclusively attended by senior decision-makers; the Summit increases brand awareness, promotes innovative products and services and above all, generates strong sales leads.  The Call Centre and Customer Services Summit team has a strong understanding of exactly what delegates require; putting this knowledge to use with our unique matchmaking formula, the Summit introduces suppliers to delegates exclusively interested in the products and services they provide, allowing business to grow their customer database effortlessly.

Selected based upon the requirements of attending delegates; our current suppliers offer a broad range of innovative products and services including agent coaching and monitoring, analytics, automated customer satisfaction surveys, benchmarking, call centre technology, contact centre solutions, mystery shopping, social media and workforce management, amongst many others. This year, we will be hosting the likes of Ctalk, Premier Customer Experience, Plantronics, Randstad, Real Results and many more. Attending last year’s Summit, Scorebuddy comments on the event;

“This was our second Summit and we were again very impressed with the pre-event arrangements, the on-site organisation and, in particular, the flexibility and helpfulness of the staff…. I have no hesitation in recommending this event to others seeking to generate sales opportunities in a friendly professional forum”

Within the increasingly competitive industry; the importance of a good business relationship between businesses and their product and service suppliers has become critical. With this in mind, the Summit gives delegates and suppliers the opportunity to interact on a personal level through concept of matchmade face-to-face meetings. After all, evidence does show that people prefer to invest in businesses they have met face-to-face.

Alongside face-to-face meetings, the event hosts several seminars given by the industry’s best. Offering practical solutions to problems within dynamic industry; the vast seminar programme will be welcoming industry specialists Netcall, mplSystems, Scorebuddy, Ogilvy Change and Real Results to shed their wisdom on a diverse range of topics concerning the call centre and contact services industry in sharp 45-minute long seminars and workshops; ensuring attendees remain fully informed on industry advances and the most effective customer services techniques.

The Summit goes the extra mile, with a handful of relaxed networking opportunities over its infamous gala dinner, drinks and evening entertainment; the event ensures attendees get to know each other that little bit better – synchronising businesses together for lifelong business partnerships.

With plenty of opportunities to network and make relevant contacts; the Call Centre and Customer Services Summit has established itself as an unparalleled platform to learn, engage and share amongst the industry’s top players.

The Call Centre and Customer Services Summit will be taking place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted on 18th and 19th April 2016. With limited places available, don’t miss out on joining us for this exclusive event. Click here to register.

Follow the event on Twitter @CallCentreCSSum for live updates.