Contact Center Consultants
The world of contact center consulting is an extensive field that can be quite confusing for those new to the profession. For this reason, we've included a list of the most common terms and acronyms that you might encounter when first venturing into this arena, as well as some basic information about what a consultant is and their role in contact centers.
If you're looking for a list of qualified consultant suggestions to consider hiring, be sure to frolic through our handy directory where we have listed some of the best consultants in your area.
The world of contact center consulting is an extensive field that can be quite confusing for those new to the profession. For this reason, we've included a list of the most common terms and acronyms that you might encounter when first venturing into this arena, as well as some basic information about what a consultant is and their role in contact centers.If you're looking for a list of qualified consultant suggestions to consider hiring, be sure to frolic through our handy directory where we have listed some of the best consultants in your area.
ACD: Automated Call Distribution. An automated method of routing incoming calls by way of a dial by name list or lookup table.
Annual Contract Value: The amount derived from multiplying the average monthly revenue by 12 (for a single-year contract). AGCs are used as a guide in calculating contingency fees. Average Monthly Revenue: The total revenue generated within a particular time frame divided by that time period. For example, if an organization generates $3,000 per day for 30 days, their revenue would be $90,000 ($3,000 x 30). Average Monthly Calls: Average monthly calls = The total number of calls made during a specific timeframe divided by that timeframe. For example, if an organization has 100 calls per day for 10 days then this would equal 10,000.
Annualized Rate: The rate calculated using the annual contract value divided by 12 divided by 365. This is a great metric to determine the true cost of service. Average Revenue per Hour: The average amount of money generated during one hour by the customer base over a particular time period. For example, if an organization generates $1,200 in revenue every hour then their average revenue per hour would be $350 ($1,200/hour x 60). Average Revenue per Call: Average revenue per call = The average revenue generated from each call during a specific time frame. For example, if an organization generates $7 from each call and makes 1,000 calls during a certain time frame then their average revenue per call would be $7.
BCR: Breakdown Call Rate. BCRs are calculated as the percentage of calls dropped due to equipment failure or poor quality lines. These figures are used to determine the percentage of breakage an agency should absorb in a staffing contract (and vice versa). Billing Organization Code: A code assigned by the billing system that segregates calls and charges made by multiple centers or locations. This may include branches, districts, departments and divisions.
Call Center: An office area where agents answer incoming customer inquiries via telephone or other methods and resolve customer issues. A center may have internal departments conducting business, depending on the needs of the customer. Center of Excellence: A high-performing contact center that has consistently met or exceeded customer expectations. Contact center managers typically strive to be a Center of Excellence. Channel: The method by which an organization receives incoming calls, e.g., phone, fax, email, instant messenger etc.
CDR: Call Detail Record = A record of all calls made to a given account within a specific time frame (day/month/year etc.) This can be used to determine call quality and the number of calls dropped based on quality ratings.
CIO: Chief Information Officer. The head of the technology department at a company. This individual is responsible for overseeing all IT related functions within a company. Collusion: Arrangement between two or more companies to fix prices, allocate markets or fix wages, prices etc. Contingency Fee: In some cases, third-party call center consultants may charge contingency fees from the contact center they are working with. This fee is paid only if the consultant achieves agreed upon results along with billings earned in excess of the originally contracted amount.
COO: Chief Operating Officer. Departments and divisions are often overseen by COOs who ensure tasks and goals are completed properly, on time and within budget constraints. CRM: Customer Relationship Management. A software tool designed to help organizations manage their customer relationships and provide a seamless customer experience. Customer Service: The basic function of caring for customers.
Customer Support: A contact center's primary function involves the direct interaction between callers and call center agents via telephone, voice mail, online chat or other means.
CVV2 Fraud Prevention Program: The process through which Visa, Master Card and other financial institutions can check the CVV2 number of customers before allowing them to make a credit card purchase online or over the phone.
Day Rate: The average revenue generated during a certain period of time (one day, one week or one month). It is usually used as a benchmark for measuring productivity.
DiSC: DiSC is an acronym that's used as a means of classifying human behavior. There are six basic categories: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness and Compliance. Each of these categories describes the way people react to their environments in different ways.
Double Diamond Solutions: A designation that indicates that an organization was contacted by FICO and was given the highest possible rating (AAA) in 2010.
Double-Duty Checker: A term used to indicate a person who is trained to bill or collect money but also performs other tasks within the contact center such as answering calls, handling ticket inquiries or providing technical support.
Effectiveness: Measurement of how well an organization performed against agreed upon goals. This can be either qualitative (judgments of management based on experience) or quantitative (measurements using evaluation tools).
Empathy: A skill that allows a person to relate to others and understand their needs and desires. Agents must have this skill to be successful in their jobs.
Learn more about the importance of empathy in customer service from the American Management Association . Flat Rate: A means of calculating the contact center's charges for calls at a flat fee for each call made per month regardless of time or duration. This is most commonly applied to answering services, billing departments, etc.
Conclusion: The final paragraph in any document or speech.
DNR: Do Not Redial. A common term used by callers when they are prompted by an answering service or call center agent to choose from a list of options as to why they are calling (i.e., the reason for the call). “Do Not Redial” means that the agent should not place the caller on hold, leave them hanging for further instructions and should immediately transfer them to a live agent or voice mail. This can be done manually by pressing *67 before transferring the call; however, most centers have this feature available within their phone systems.