For good or bad, companies are collecting more data than ever about their customers. But it’s often not being put to good use, mainly because this information doesn’t tend to be integrated into a manageable format. In fact, one-third of all call centers force customers to repeat the same information to live agents on multiple occasions, according to Opinion Matters.
Ultimately, having to live in a proverbial Groundhog Day is dissatisfying to most consumers. In particular, an estimated 49 percent of customers say they’re put off by having the same conversation more than once with the same company and, as a result, 30 percent are inclined to take their business elsewhere, according to NewVoiceMedia.
To overcome these obstacles, experts say it’s essential to integrate the data your live agents collect from previous customer interactions into a comprehensive, 360-degree customer view. Here are three strategies to help your company gain a more complete view of its customer data.
Table of Contents
1. Segment Your Data
The first step toward attaining a 360-view of your customers is to define what type of data you will be collecting. This involves segmenting your data so you can effectively catalog it. For example, customer data can be segmented by various data sources, including a customer’s address, phone number, username and order history. While some of this data will already be on-file, other information can be collected from social channels.
2. Integrate Your Data
Once data has been segmented, it needs to get in the right hands. Doing this effectively depends on choosing a suitable technology platform. For example, Aspect’s cloud contact center solutions provide an integrated view of customer data through a single platform in order for call center reps to see information in real time from various support channels.
The platform, which includes data from various interactive voice response systems, is displayed on an interface that eliminates barriers between departments. From there, live agents are able to view information about a customer’s transaction history, recent support conversations and more. This allows live agents to retrieve customer data more quickly, ultimately speeding up response time and avoiding the need to ask customers to repeat information that has already been collected.
3. Analyze Your Data
Aspect’s platform also includes built-in analytics tools, which addresses yet another requirement for a successful 360-degree customer view. Once data has been segmented and integrated, it must be analyzed before it can be put to effective use. This requires using effective business intelligence tools and strategies.
Today’s leading business intelligence tools include Microsoft Power BI, Google Analytics, IBM Watson Analytics and Zoho Reports. To make the most of these tools, for example in Microsoft Power BI, it is crucial to have a deep understanding of its features and capabilities. If you require guidance in this area, you can follow the link for a Microsoft Power BI consultant who can provide expert advice on leveraging this powerful tool. By partnering with experienced consultants, you can enhance your data analysis processes, create compelling visualizations, and ultimately, make more informed decisions to drive your business forward. To be used effectively, these types of business intelligence tools must be combined with key performance indicators that allow you to monitor and measure relevant, actionable data.
KPIs relevant to customer data can track information related to marketing, branding, sales and customer service. For instance, your company can use its customer data analysis to develop buyer personas of customers related to their careers, demographics, preferred communication channels and other variables.
Meantime, important KPIs related to today’s more popular CRM platforms include help desk performance statistics, average response time and conversion rates. Analyzing this type of data puts you in a position to spot trends, evaluate how they align with your company’s goals, and take any needed corrective actions.
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