Why The Call Center Won't Go Away

why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK why The Call Center WON'T GO AWAY With so many options for consumers to contact companies, you'd think the phone was going the way of the dinosaur. Think again. Today, significantly more consumers prefer customer support by phone to other methods of contact-suggesting the call center won't be going away any time soon. Customers Prefer Phone Support In a Forrester survey, an overwhelming majority of consumers prefer to contact customer service by phone compared to other options. WHICH METHOD DO YOU PREFER TO USE TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS? 79% 33% 19% 19% 12% Phone Email Web self-service Automated Web chat phone system and conversation conversation 10% 8% 4% 3% 2% Automated phone system Online phone call Social media or online forum Letter sent via Text regular mail 2% 2% 2% Fax Video Other Even Online Phone Wins Out When a phone conversation is not an option, more U.S. consumers then report a preference for customer service through online phone. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING DO YOU THINK YOU'LL REGULARLY USE TO CONTACT A CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS? 69% 43% 31% 19% 6% Online phone call Email Web self-service Web chat Letter sent via regular mail 3% 3% 3% 3% Social media or Text Fax Video online forum conferencing More Companies 0ffer Phone Support For multi-channel contact centers, phone support is still by far the most popular offering. CONTACT CENTER INTERACTIONS BY TYPE 72% 12% 10% 2% 2% 1% 1% Phone (agent) Phone Email Letter Text chat Fax Other (self-service) Keeping Call Centers Afloat Traditional call centers have to keep plenty of staff on-hand to handle the many incoming calls for customer service issues and queries. About Call centers field about Mean average cost per inbound call: 3.5 million 45.4 billion $5.90 agents are currently employed in U.S. call centers. inbound calls per year on average. COSTS OF OPERATING A CALL CENTER TOP CALL CENTER CONCENTRATIONS Agent salaries Other salaries (management, IT, etc.) 51% 14% Telecom charges 7% Rent 6% Training 5% IT maintenance 5% Utilities and taxes 4% Recruitment 3% Other 5% Today's Call Centers At A Glance The who, why, and how of contact centers. 86% 79% 71% 21% 14% 29% I female agents I male agents I serve local, regional, or national markets serve international markets I receive inbound calls from customers I make outbound solicitations 75% 49% 21% 30% 25% serve mass-market customers serve business customers provide customer service only provide sales only provide sales and service SOURCES: GLOBAL CALL CENTER PROJECT| CONTACT BABEL FORRESTER | AVAYA / NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CALL CENTERS SADDLETREE RESEARCH zendesk LOVE YOUR HELP DESK