By
Brad Cleveland
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Date Published: May 05, 2015 - Last Updated August 22, 2018
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Comments
Okay, if you pinned me down and asked me to identify the three developments that have most shaped our industry—no more than three—I’d point to these:
1. The ground-breaking capabilities that came along 40 years ago (800 numbers, routing systems and related) that led to the expectation of being able to reach services on demand. That central principle—just reach out and get help when and as you need it—continues to define today’s multichannel environment.
2. Just as important, 30 years ago contact center management was first recognized as a unique and emerging profession. Conferences, publications, and training became available. Today, we are a community of thriving professionals. Contact centers would be an absolute mess without the skills and knowledge needed to manage them.
3. More recently, social, mobile, smartphones and similar developments have empowered consumers as never before. Every interaction can build or erode our brand, and organizations that truly listen can build enormous strategic advantages.
These trends are featured in a new 4 minute video aptly named “Contact Centers in a Connected World.” Beginning with a strong and playful focus on today’s customers, the video then moves through a series of statistics that are truly stunning—numbers that reflect the size, growth, and importance of the profession.
What an astounding time of progress and development—and I’m convinced the most exciting days for those who are part of the contact center profession, are yet to come!