CCA: Social Media Revolution Rewrites Customer Service Rules

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CCA Convention debates disconnect between customers and business

• 46% of consumers believe social media can hold brands and companies to account
• businesses need new multi-channel strategies to tackle ‘disconnect’ with customers

GLASGOW, Scotland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Businesses must reinvent their customer service models to respond to a growing breed of ‘connected customers’ who use social media to comment on service, according to the Customer Contact Association (CCA), the global professional body for contact centres.

CCA Chief Executive Anne Marie Forsyth commented: “UK organisations spend millions of pounds each year analysing customer comment but CCA research shows that many are failing to keep pace with their most ‘connected’ customers who use social media as a powerful tool to make their views known. The social media revolution is rewriting customer service rules and CCA is helping business to formulate a robust strategic response.”

CCA, which conducts leading-edge research into customer service and customer contact issues, found in its latest research, sponsored by Verint and compiled in association with Ipsos MORI, that 46% of consumers believe that “social media can hold brands and companies to account like never before.” As more than 70% of the online population now regularly use Facebook and Twitter, the issue is becoming more critical for business.

CCA also urges companies to review which channels they use to monitor customer feedback as it has uncovered a mismatch between customers’ preferred channels and the ones companies monitor most frequently. CCA research showed that 75% of consumers currently use email to contact companies about service issues however 65% of organisations polled by CCA monitor less than one-quarter of emails they receive as a source of customer insight.

Anne Marie Forsyth added: “We know organisations are genuinely committed to listening to customers yet our latest research shows that 44% of consumers believe companies do not care what they think. It is clear that many businesses are struggling to listen to the customer voice across all channels but it is critical that they address this disconnect, especially in the current economic climate. Organisations must adopt effective multi-channel customer contact methodologies or risk alienating or losing valuable customers.”

CCA has gathered leading experts in customer service and social media to address some 500 delegates at its convention, the premier event for customer contact professionals, which takes place at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 8 & 9 November. The theme is ‘the connected customer’ and sessions will include a social media masterclass and keynote speeches from Ipsos MORI, BSkyB, Virgin Wines and David McLeod, Chair of the government sponsored Task Force on Employee Engagement.

Guest speakers also include Dave Carroll, a Canadian musician who became a worldwide YouTube sensation, achieving 13 million hits for his song ‘United Breaks Guitars’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo) which ultimately led United Airlines to overhaul its customer service strategy and its stance on social media engagement.

Carroll’s song, which recounts his frustrating journey through the airline’s customer service maze after his guitar was broken on a flight, is now used by United Airlines for customer service training.

The convention will be chaired by award-winning broadcast journalist and presenter Nicky Campbell and major sponsors include: Aspect; Kcom; Plantronics; Sabio; and Verint. It will also include CCA Excellence Awards which will recognise the organisations and individuals who have achieved the highest level of achievement in customer service.

David Parcell, Managing Director EMEA and Corporate Officer for Verint, a convention sponsor, said: “Many companies are starting to make real efforts to understand the true meaning behind what their customers tell them and use this intelligence to offer much better service to customers. We are proud to be able to play our role in helping leading organisations transform their whole approach to engaging with, and providing great experiences to their customers."

The convention is being staged in Glasgow, one of the most prominent UK cities for customer contact sector employment. There are currently some 85,000 customer contact jobs throughout Scotland, with close to 30% or 25,000 of them located in Glasgow which boasts a number of blue-chip customer contact operations including O2; Barclays Wealth; Dell; Lloyds TSB; Clydesdale Bank; Direct Line Insurance; and Tesco Bank.

Anne Marie Forsyth commented: “Frontline customer contact staff are unsung heroes who have borne the brunt of consumer anxieties in this difficult economic climate and they have done so with grace and professionalism. CCA is working with member organisations to recognise their efforts and equip them with the skills required to meet new challenges in a multi-channel environment. They fulfill increasingly demanding and multi-skilled roles which make an important contribution to sustaining much-needed employment.”

ENDS

Note to Editors:

About CCACCA is the leading independent authority on customer contact. Over 900 organisations currently subscribe to CCA membership services. This equates to a network of over 5,000 senior practitioners, employing between 35%-45% of the contact centre population in the UK. Around 20%-25% of people working in a contact centre in the UK are working in a centre accredited with CCA Global Standard©.

For further information visit www.cca-global.com

CCAValerie DarrochTel: +44 (0)7970 737708orPauline CochraneTel: + 00 44 (0)7971 042408Email: [email protected]

Source: CCA

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