SURVEY EXAMINES SECURITY ISSUES AND CALL CENTER PERFORMANCE

Research, conducted through use of a web-based survey, has identified significant trends in the call center industry:

Companies operating business call and contact centers in the United States provide a greater sense of security for their customers than those operated offshore.
Companies operating business call and contact centers in the United States provide a greater sense of security for their customers than those operated offshore.
There are widespread security concerns.
Customers and vendors have divergent attitudes.

Companies that operate call and customer contact centers in the United States and overseas participated in the survey. Responding to the survey were:
corporate and business call and contact center users;
contact center staff and managers;
outsourcers.

Three-quarters of business customers characterized exchanging data with a call center as being somewhat or very risky. Call center location had no impact on this survey response. A majority reported there is a higher risk of their business data being compromised when it is handled by an offshore center.

Most call centers have taken tangible steps to ensure the security of data and customer privacy. Information on these security measures is not necessarily communicated to customers.

Telephone is the mode of contact most preferred by customers. The survey shows customers are less likely to come away from an email, web or other ‘alternate’ interaction with better feelings than from a telephone call.

Unlike real estate, location, location and location are not the primary considerations when it comes to choosing a call center. The survey did find, though, that 60% of consumers sometimes or always ask the agent where the center is located. Consumer opinions related to call center location is evenly divided, at about 30% each, between being “highly important”, “not very important” and “somewhat important”.

How satisfied are customers with call center performance? According to the survey, call center workers and their colleagues at outsourcing firms responded that, in their opinion, 65% of customers are highly satisfied. Customers rate their level of satisfaction at 22% of the time.

Accounting for two-thirds of customer responses was difficulty understanding an agent’s accent. Making up at least 40% of customer responses were a combination of poorly trained personnel, agents misunderstanding English or a caller’s accent and inability to resolve a problem.

CMP Media’s Managing Offshore and Call Center Magazine conducted 500 interviews to compile survey data. Research results were released in September, 2004.