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How Smartphones Can Make Contact Managers Manage Smarter - A College Kid's Perspective

by Jimin Zheng, Marketing Assistant Intern, Centergistic Solutions - December 21, 2011

How Smartphones Can Make Contact Managers Manage Smarter – A College Kid’s Perspective by Jimin Zheng, Marketing Assistant Intern, Centergistic Solutions, jzheng@centergistic.com, www.centergistic.com

The smartphone – arguably the hottest piece of technological real estate in existence right now. Every major tech firm is jumping onto the smartphone development bandwagon, whether it be hardware or software. The advent of such a device is quickly changing the public’s perception of what it means to be able to easily access information. Prior to the smartphone, the accessibility of information was confined to desktop PC’s; if people needed information, they had to go somewhere with an Internet-connected computer - an internet café, a library, an office perhaps. Then with the invention of Wi-Fi networks, laptop computers stole much of the desktops’ limelight. People were no longer confined to the few specialized physical locations with Internet access. The spectrum of Internet accessibility now expanded to coffee shops, restaurants, shopping malls – places that people actually wanted to go. The access of information seemed finally free. In retrospect however, people weren’t really freed from their network shackles; all Wi-Fi did was simply make the chain a little longer. It was not until wireless data networks reached its third generation (3G) that the physical restrictions were finally and ultimately eliminated, and it is with this wave of technology that gave rise to the smartphone and its various derivatives.

The business world was quick to take hold of this technology as they saw its potential for increasing business efficiencies. Now days, it is hard to find any executive who doesn’t have a smartphone – whether it be an Android phone, and iPhone, a Blackberry, or even an iPad or iPod. Still, as the rest of the business world is quickly adapting to mobile technology, the contact center industry seems to be slow in doing so.

While many executives are content with using their smartphones to write emails and check on portfolios, contact centers offer a unique application for smartphones – metric dashboards. Most contact centers today have some type of performance monitoring system in place to help managers and supervisors gauge the efficiency and productivity of their center. Unfortunately though, many of these systems rely on physically tied down forms of report delivery, such as a dim computer screen in the back room office. This forces managers to be constantly confined to their rooms, unable to see what is actually happening on the call center floor and thereby preventing them from knowing completely their center’s happenings. If the manager were to somehow be able to take the reports with him, he would not only be able to leave his office, but also to engage with his agents as well.

Furthermore, in modern cases where the manager has to step out of his office, it is likely that he will experience a near-complete disconnect on the condition of the center, with the only traces of information coming from supervisor text messages and phone calls. This of course is not the best way of delivering information, especially in cases of emergency. Still, is it really a good idea to conduct business based solely on what some people choose to tell you? Probably not. It would be much smarter if you could see the information for yourself.

Managers should be able to monitor their center’s performance no matter where they are, with quick access to the same metric data as if they were sitting at the computer in their offices. Imagine, being able to check how a particular department is doing before even arriving at the office in the morning, being able to direct supervisors based on performance data while standing in line to order lunch, or being able to diffuse a crisis before it gets out of control while sitting on a couch at home. In fact, it is surprising that most managers haven’t even considered asking for such solutions from their IT departments, as virtually all the required pieces of technology are already available.

As the business world continues to realize the potential for truly wireless business, it is important for business support services like contact centers to also realize the potential that such technology can have for them as well. Mobile technology is already moving into its fourth generation (4G), providing contact centers with even bigger opportunities for integration of smartphones into their repertoire of tools. If contact center managers can embrace the idea of becoming untethered, then they will see the plethora of new possibilities for directing their centers.

About the author: Jimin Zheng is currently a part-time marketing assistant intern at Centergistic Solutions in Irvine, CA. He is also a full-time undergraduate Psychology and Business Administration student at the nearby University of California, Irvine. Jimin is expecting to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in the Spring of 2012.

Jimin Zheng
Marketing Assistant Intern
Centergistic Solutions
jzheng@centergistic.com
www.centergistic.com



 

 
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