Learn how these top organizations have succeeded in implementing new strategies within their contact centers.
Pre-5
Harnessing Metrics That Drive Superior Performance
Monday, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Room: 602/603
Tim Montgomery, Justin Robbins, Susan Wolski
Are you dazed by the never-ending list of metrics in your contact center? It’s not uncommon to collect reams of data – but often they are just numbers on a page. Learn how to identify the measures that truly drive performance in your center, and how to use this data for maximum positive impact. Uncover proven tactics for defining and improving agent productivity, and practical methods that enable you to tap into existing resources and get everyone
in your organization on the “same page.” In this eminently usable course, seasoned practitioners share how their organizations use metrics as motivators of positive performance. You’ll leave knowing how to identify and use the metrics that make sense in your own center.
Session 103
Building a Better Customer Experience at Nationwide
Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Room: 607
Martha Frye
In this inspiring case study, Nationwide Property & Casualty will share the strategy they used to literally transform associate engagement and customer enthusiasm. In point-by-point format, you’ll learn how Nationwide developed a roadmap based on Voice of the Customer data, created a culture of continuous improvement, and adopted new approaches to everything from screening and hiring to call segmentation and analytics. You’ll discover important details about the journey and identify key lessons learned; and, you’ll leave with a better understanding of the steps you can take in your own center to create great customer experiences.
Session 104
Innovative Approaches to Self-Service
Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Room: 608
Lori Bocklund, Jacqueline Anderson, Scott Hickey, Justin Lemrow
Are you looking for ways to combat repetitive, low-complexity calls and make it easier for your customer to find answers? Join this rapid-fire, round robin panel discussion to hear how innovative approaches to self-service through IVR, Web, social, video and mobile – some in their infancy – are transforming agent interactions with customers and rocking the customer care space to its very core.
Session 202
Catastrophe Strikes ... And You Are Ready!
Tuesday, 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Room: 606
Vickie Friece, Missy Zacks, Coreen Gaffney
Unexpected events – weather-related or otherwise – can have wide-ranging negative implications for your customers and teams. While most centers have a “recovery plan,” laying the groundwork to maintain satisfaction in the midst of chaos is imperative. This panel of seasoned pros from Hanover Insurance, Zions Bancorporation and GTA Travel will share hard-earned lessons in how they collaborate within their centers and across their organizations to prepare for the worst. They’ll reveal innovative approaches that will enable your center to exceed customer expectations, even when the chips are down.
Session 207
Avoiding Cultural Pitfalls in a Global Economy
Tuesday, 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Room: 613/614
Ben Paganelli, Susan Paganelli, Ted Stodolka
As national economies become increasingly global, it’s clear that cross-cultural differences – with both customers and associates – can derail effective business strategy. The contact center industry is particularly vulnerable to cross-national misunderstandings, due to the inherent lack of non-verbal cues. In this insightful session, Ted Stodolka shares his experience in breaking down cultural barriers at Marriott, and Susan and Ben Paganelli present methods for recognizing cultural differences and identifying communication break-downs. You’ll leave with the insight and comfort level you need to operate effectively across cultural divides.
Session 303
How Electrolux Empowered Service Agents with Sales Skills
Wednesday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Room: 607
Anne Slough, Jane Pearson-Wray
Expanding the role of frontline service providers to include sales skills can dramatically enhance their value to your organization and customers. But the learning curve can be steep. In this session, you’ll discover how Electrolux’s Appliance Contact Center successfully implemented a sales strategy, along with best practices to apply and pitfalls to avoid. You’ll gain an understanding of how to define the sales role, empower your agents with the confidence and skills they need, and take the steps necessary to drive more revenue for your organization.
Session 304
Small Call Center Success: Creative Solutions at Abbott Vascular & DePaul University
Wednesday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Room: 608
Larry Eiser, Dorian Anid, Susan Leigh, Tamara Taylor
Empowered by ICMI conferences and online resources, Abbott Vascular and DePaul University share how they applied the knowledge they gained to achieve big success in their small centers! In this session, you will see the steps Abbott Vascular took to create a 360-degree view of the customer and how DePaul University developed a call recording tool for critical planning and proof of concept. You will leave inspired by their success and ready to implement your conference takeaways!
Session 305
The Insiders’ Guide to Managing Today’s Multi-Generational Workforce
Wednesday, 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Room: 609
Dan Hammelman, Ivy Meadors
Gen X, Gen Y, and Baby Boomers, oh my! Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before, and leaders are held accountable for employee engagement and results. Join two seasoned pros, Dan Hammelman and Ivy Meadors as they delve into recruiting, hiring, and retaining the modern day employee. They will explore situational management and
dealing with difficult personalities, and offer ways to engage your team through individual development plans, advanced training and education. Learn how to become an employer of choice for all of today’s working generations!
Session 403
How Sharp Rees-Stealy Supercharged Customer Engagement
Wednesday, 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Room: 607
Kathy Hutchens, David McCann
In this compelling case study, Kathy Hutchens will describe Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Center’s multichannel, interactive approach to boosting customer engagement. The solution was easy, cost-effective, and attracted patients to become part of creating the ultimate care experience. You’ll see how the team garnered the support of senior-level leadership, and you’ll hear about the robust reporting capabilities they discovered, and the key lessons learned in design process.
Session 503
How Farmers Insurance Transformed a Troubled Helpdesk
Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Room: 607
Sally Pina
In this inspiring session, you’ll learn how Farmers Insurance transformed a troubled helpdesk into a high-performing unit, through the power of strong leadership. Learn how the leaders behind the story removed environmental obstacles to engagement, enabling the team to innovate and dramatically improve results. With candor and insight, Sally Pina will summarize the challenges Farmers faced, and describe how they achieved lasting performance improvement by creating the right vision, gaining buy-in from leaders, ensuring cooperation from agents, and implementing standard practices to improve performance.
Session 506
How Your Small Center Can Produce Big Results
Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Room: 612
Michael Sernoff, Sarah Stealey Reed
Although small- and medium-sized call centers frequently have fewer resources (both financial and human), limited resources does not need to mean limited results. To the contrary, the best small centers possess a nimbleness that their larger counterparts often lack. Gain a better understanding of these nuances and uncover ways to leverage
the innate agility you have, even without all the bells and whistles. Sarah Stealey and Michael Sernoff share techniques that enable you to quickly execute process improvements, infuse innovation, and delight customers. Learn to use your size as a competitive advantage!
Session 507
Providing Stellar Service Across Multiple Channels
Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Room: 613/614
Joe Bannon, Gerry Barber
Exceeding your customers’ expectations can be a challenge in one channel, let alone many. So, how can you optimize multi-channel interactions? Hear how your peers are leveraging today’s technology to truly deliver on the multi-channel promise. Our panelists (who are eager for your questions!) will cover topics such as multi-channel routing and reports, performance tools, cross-channel analytics, and co-browsing technologies that can improve your customer’s experience, whatever channel they choose.