Call Center Software Week in Review: InMoment, Verint, Jacada

Everyone has heard the phrase, “The customer is always right.” That old adage has not disappeared since it came into being, and today it is more applicable than ever. With the advent of new technologies that place the power of call center activities into the hands of customers, there must at least be more awareness than ever in the minds of call center agents that their customers want service how and when they desire. This can translate into customers demanding access to text, voice, video, and email from the brands they support, so agents need the software that can handle those communications modalities.

A recent report from InMoment, which develops call center software, brings to light another element of placing the customer first: feedback analysis. With the InMoment software, call centers can gather feedback from their customers and analyze it to make sure that what their customers want is actually ending up in their hands. What businesses may find in the feedback is not just customers' collective desire for new or updated products but also for positive interactions with call center agents.

From that feedback, businesses may wish to change the methods of their daily operations by installing new software or initiating new policies. TMC (News - Alert) warns against acting harshly when trying new things, however, because the call center that changes itself on demand of the customer must also know where its short- and long-term goals fit into immediate changes. Updates to software/hardware and policy within a call center can be beneficial in the long term only if they meet the needs of customers and meet organizations' overall visions. The details customers provide in their feedback can go a long way toward helping brands make intelligent changes rather than rushing into the latest fad.

The prelude of mentioning text, voice, video, and email earlier in this text is applicable to changes a call center may make. If a call center does not offer multiple communications channels to its customers or does not have the software to support multiple channels, it may want to begin down that path. The latest report for research group LIMRA states that 68 percent of executives from 46 financial services companies recently told the group that they expect many call center agents will have to deal with complex issues in the next five years. The proper multichannel software can make those tasks easier, and therefore the companies which use multichannel software are poised to come out ahead.

One company that is trying to drive better customer engagement is Verint (News - Alert). Like InMoment's software, the Verint Enterprise Feedback Management System can help customers provide feedback and see their needs fulfilled by customer service agents. Verint recently updated its survey engine and has improved its support for SMS reporting. The company says it has made its surveys more engaging and visually appealing which should lead to better feedback that will help companies tackle issues that concern the multiple channels they offer.

Similarly, Jacada (News - Alert) recently offered its own customer engagement products to a telecom in South Africa. Its Agent Desktop Customer Support platform helps entire organizations, such as the telecom in question, to better understand customer issues. Agents can quickly get help from higher-level staff when needed. As a result, customers should find that agents handle their issues more quickly and with greater efficacy.