New Call Center Technology Assessment

Do you want to determine how to optimize technology to benefit your contact center?   

Which call center technologies are the right ones to invest in?

Our Call Center Technology Assessment is designed for managers who want to get a holistic view of the current state of their contact center operations, so as to understand how effectively their technology platform supports them. The output of our Call Center Technology Assessment is a road map to a more efficient and effective center. 

This Call Center Assessment includes pre-visit gathering of performance data and baseline technology information, followed by in-depth, on-site discovery conducted by two BMP industry experts.  It provides a structured, integrated evaluation of your center plus targeted short-, mid- and long-term recommendations.

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Click here to learn more about our technology assessments: http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-assessments/technology-assessment

Government Sector Performance Solutions Initiative

BenchmarkPortal is embarking on a new government sector initiative that will help government contact centers optimize their operations in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, utilizing statistically validated analysis and best practices. 

Our government performance solutions include the following activities, which can be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual agencies:

• Benchmarking.  Benchmark your operations against the world’s largest database of contact center metrics.  Compare your performance to other government centers as well as to centers in the private sector.  We will work with you to turn your benchmarked metrics into actionable management information.
• Assessment Services.  Our on-site assessments provide managers with findings, recommendations and improvement roadmap within four to six weeks, thanks to our automated benchmarking systems and our staff of top-rated experts.
• Audit and validation services.   BenchmarkPortal can be your neutral third party to validate the operating results of your internal operations. If you need oversight, validation or audit of your outsourced operations, BenchmarkPortal is your ideal partner.  You can engage us directly or have us engaged through a prime vendor.  In either case, we will put our analytical knowledge, industry experience and benchmarking database to work to achieve your objectives.
• Executive Order compliance.  BenchmarkPortal knows federal contact centers are obliged to comply with EO 12862, which requires centers to benchmark against private sector centers, and EO 13571, which requires centers to improve performance in a measurable way by implementing new technology.  BenchmarkPortal can provide the metrics and the expertise you need through its innovative Fed S.I.R.V (Federal Service Improvement and Results Validation) offering.  This offering provides exceptional value andqualifies for simplified acquisition due to its modest price point. 
• Training.  Our College of Call Center Excellence provides training to all levels of contact center personnel. 
• Custom Consulting and Other Assistance.  Whether you want a close look at your IVR or quality management systems, or if you need to outsource an entire operation, we welcome the opportunity to talk with you.

To date, BenchmarkPortal has assisted numerous government call center operations, such as the IRS, VA, DHS, USPS, SSA, FBI, Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, and the military, as well as the State of North Carolina and many other state, provincial and municipal operations. These public sector operations join over half of the Fortune 500 companies in leveraging BenchmarkPortal offerings to increase quality and lower costs, which in today’s economy is something both our government and industry partners strive to achieve.

BenchmarkPortal has been benchmarking and analyzing government sector contact center data for over a decade, and is committed to helping improve the performance of government contact centers at the federal, state and local levels.  We are confident that this program will allow government contact centers to save money that can be spent on other important and necessary unfunded requirements. 

BenchmarkPortal is a small business entity, is registered on SAMS and has a GSA contract through the GSA IT 70 Schedule (GSA Contract # GS-35F-0401Y). 

To spearhead our new government sector initiative, BenchmarkPortal is collaborating with Ms. Caylee A. Drucker, a Business to Government Subject Matter Expert.  She brings over 27 years of government experience and understanding of the culture through her time in the military, as a federal employee and as a government contractor.  Ms. Drucker was a member of the BenchmarkPortal team over 13 years ago. We are excited to have her back to lead this new initiative.

CallTalk, Wed. 8/15 - Eliminating Your Customer Service Blind Spot With Co-Browse Technology

 

Eliminating Your Customer Service Blind Spot With Co-Browse Technology 

Join host Bruce Belfiore and Dusty Stanford, Sales Director, LiveLOOK, as they co-browse technology. Customer service strategies have evolved over time to cover every communications channel - phone, chat, email, social media and more. But, with the exception of in-store service, most companies have lacked a visual component to customer service communications. Learn how Co-Browse Technology is now being used in call centers to create a visual connection, enabling agents to see exactly what a customer sees on the screen during a call or chat.

About CallTalk 

Broadcast monthly, directly over the Internet to your desktop, CallTalk covers informative and educational topics that impact today's call center. This show is hosted by Bruce Belfiore, CEO of BenchmarkPortal. It is aired without the participation of vendors so that topics will be free from their influence and guided by the needs of its listeners.

 

Guest Host: Dusty Stanford, Sales Director, LiveLOOK 

Dusty Stanford is the Sales Director at LiveLOOK. He has been involved with technology for the last 25 years and has worked with some of the leading call center companies in the world. Dusty has held numerous positions in the contact center environment, and he successfully leading his own center. Dusty has extensive knowledge about call center operations.

Date: Wed., Aug 15th, 2012

Time: 10am PT / 1pm ET

Duration: 30-45 Minutes

Complimentary Webinar: Side-by-Side with Your Customer: Leverage Co-Browsing Technology to Create Customer Intimacy and Success for Your Center

Please join BenchmarkPortal and LiveLook for a complimentary live webinar about leveraging co-browsing technology to create customer intimacy and success for your center.

Technology often separates you from your customer and creates frustration for those anxious for a quick, successful, one-and-done contact.

Find out where technology meets hand-in-hand service. Co-browsing can help you and your customer by creating a "do-it-together" experience that will leave them impressed with your focus on serving them individually.

This webinar explains how co-browsing works and how it can help you to improve your service, increase satisfaction and close more sales.

Date: Wednesday, June 20th, 2012
Time: 10am PT / 11am MT / 12pm CT / 1pm ET
Duration: 1 Hour
Presenters: Bruce Belfiore, CEO, BenchmarkPortal & Dusty Stanford, Sales Director, LiveLook
About LiveLOOK: LiveLOOK is an innovator in visual sharing and real-time online interaction. LiveLOOK’s products enable instant-launch, universally compatible Web collaboration via screen sharing. Companies incorporate LiveLOOK’s solutions into customer experience and online sales strategies in order to guide customers through resolution of service issues and completion of purchases. For more information, visit www.LiveLOOK.com

Sign Up For This Webinar  »

Webinar on Technology Improving Contact Centers - iBenchmark - The First Automated Benchmarking Technology!

Please watch this complimentary webinar about the hottest innovation in benchmarking technology - iBenchmark!

In this webinar, you will learn how iBenchmark will:

• Greatly improve customer service and pinpoint areas of potential cost savings
• Automate the data entry process for benchmarking - leaving you more time to manage and improve
• Provide monthly reports comparing your center's metrics to the industry and averages over a one-year period
• Uncover performance gaps compared with the industry
• Quantify and monetize gaps to show impact
• Point toward issues and insights regarding people, processes, technology
• Provide basis for improvement roadmaps and goal setting
• Help you determine the competitive impact of improvements in metrics before you invest time and money (using the unique interactive "Sandbox Tool")
• Provide hard evidence of value you bring to the enterprise

​...and this all comes with a BenchmarkPortal expert! The low price includes one hour of analysis, tracking and discussion each month with your own expert.

iBenchmark automated benchmarking puts technology and advanced processes to work for contact center managers without the hassle of finding and inputting the metrics manually. Thanks to secure, easy-to-install technology that is hosted and managed by BenchmarkPortal, iBenchmark provides managers with a powerful, actionable tool, operated with our patented benchmarking methodology. View iBenchmark Website

Duration: 1 Hour
Presenters: Bruce Belfiore, CEO, BenchmarkPortal & Chris Rouse, Marketing Director, Symmetrics

BenchmarkPortal and Symmetrics Presents a Live Webinar on iBenchmark, The Latest Innovation in Call Center Benchmarking Technology

The BenchmarkPortal and Symmetrics live webinar entitled “iBenchmark - Latest Innovation in Call Center Benchmarking Technology” will be available by registering here - iBenchmark Webinar Registratrion.
iBenchmark, is an automated benchmarking product that puts patented technology and advanced processes to work for people who manage contact centers, providing benchmarking reports every month without the aggravation of manually finding and inputting a long list of metrics.
Participating centers receive easy-to-install software that transmits their ACD metrics securely and automatically to BenchmarkPortal's database, the largest in the world of contact center metrics. Managers are then able to access a series of useful, benchmark-related reports via their own, password-protected area of BenchmarkPortal's website.
The service includes time each month with a BenchmarkPortal certified expert, who is trained to help interpret the benchmarking results and guide managers through a process of discernment, decision-making and execution of improvement initiatives. This includes tracking the company’s metrics and calculating improvements in terms of costs, quality and customer satisfaction. In this way, iBenchmark will become a valued management tool on a continuing basis.
In this webinar, you will learn how iBenchmark will:

• Greatly improve customer service and pinpoint areas of potential cost savings
• Provide monthly reports comparing your center's metrics to the industry and averages over a one-year period
• Help you determine the competitive impact of improvements in metrics before you invest time and money (using the interactive "Sandbox Tool")
• Uncover performance gaps compared with the industry
• Point toward issues with people, processes, technology
• Quantify and monetize gaps to show impact
• Assist with decision-making and provide management with insights
• Provide basis for improvement roadmaps and goal setting
• Become a key element in your manager’s toolbox
• Provide hard evidence of value you bring to the enterprise

"iBenchmark represents a major step forward", noted Bruce Belfiore, CEO of BenchmarkPortal. "By automating the data collection process and providing a trained expert to help with interpretation, discernment of gaps and identification of practical solutions, iBenchmark is an exceptional management tool. Also, the ease of installation and monthly payment model makes it user friendly and extremely affordable. We can guarantee a positive ROI for those who use iBenchmark."

Monitoring call center performance on a monthly basis allows managers to make decisions and select improvement initiatives that will have measurable impact on the financial and operational performance of the contact center.

Join the CEO of BenchmarkPortal, Bruce Belfiore, as he explains how automated benchmarking can help you and your center. He will be joined by Chris Rouse of Symmetrics, creator of the secure software that powers iBenchmark. Chris will highlight the benefits of automation and the importance to management of accurate, timely data.

Register here for BenchmarkPortal’s complimentary webinar on Thurs., May 31, 2012 at 10am PT/11am MT/12pm CT/1pm ET.

BenchmarkPortal Introduces iBenchmark - Automated Benchmarking Tool The Latest Innovation in Call Center Technology Best Practices

BenchmarkPortal announces the launch ofiBenchmark, (http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-benchmarking/ibenchmark). This automated benchmarking product puts patented technology and advanced processes to work for people who manage contact centers, providing benchmarking reports every month without the aggravation of manually finding and inputting a long list of metrics.

Participating centers receive easy-to-install software that transmits their ACD metrics securely and automatically to BenchmarkPortal's database, the largest in the world of contact center metrics. Managers are then able to access a series of useful, benchmark-related reports via their own, password-protected area of BenchmarkPortal's website.

The service includes time each month with a BenchmarkPortal certified expert, who is trained to help interpret the benchmarking results and guide managers through a process of discernment, decision-making and execution of improvement initiatives. This includes tracking the company’s metrics and calculating improvements in terms of costs, quality and customer satisfaction. In this way, iBenchmark will become a valued management tool on a continuing basis.

iBenchmark reports can become key components of presentations to senior management; they will show the progress managers are making and the value they are adding.

"iBenchmark represents a major step forward", noted Bruce Belfiore, CEO of BenchmarkPortal. "By automating the data collection process and providing a trained expert to help with interpretation, discernment of gaps and identification of practical solutions, iBenchmark is an exceptional management tool. Also, the ease of installation and monthly payment model makes it user friendly and extremely affordable. We can guarantee a positive ROI for those who use iBenchmark."

Monitoring call center performance on a monthly basis allows managers to make decisions and select improvement initiatives that will have measurable impact on the financial and operational performance of the contact center.

iBenchmark Can Empower Call Centers in the Following Ways:
●     Uncovers performance gaps compared with the industry
●     Points toward issues with people, processes, technology
●     Gaps can be quantified and monetized to show impact
●     Assists with decision-making and provides management with valuable insights
●     Provides basis for improvement roadmaps and goal setting
●     Key element in manager’s toolbox
●     Produces hard evidence of value brought to the enterprise by the contact center

The Advantage of Expert Advice – BMP’s Certified Experts:
●     Have years of contact center experience
●     Are recognized leaders, instructors and authors
●     Provide monthly updates via WebEx-style conference call
●     Are available for on-site assistance
●     Provide just the right level of support for managers’ individual needs
●     Can demonstrate savings and ROI - even EPS calculations

Monthly Technology Solution
BenchmarkPortal will provide call centers with the iBenchmark data connector that allows the ACD (and eventually IVR and Workforce Management Systems) to automatically encrypt and transmit metrics to BenchmarkPortal's secure database. To do this, BenchmarkPortal partnered with Symmetrics, creator of proven software that is simple to install and which makes the transfer of data easy and secure. Currently iBenchmark is available for Nortel, Avaya and Cisco ACDs. Connectors for other ACDs will be made available during the course of 2012. A series of useful reports turns your metrics into rich management information that will allow you to monitor your competitive performance and make important decisions on improvement initiatives for your center.

Security of Data
BenchmarkPortal has been the trusted repository of confidential contact center data for over a decade. BenchmarkPortal takes their responsibility in this regard very seriously. The software developed with partner Symmetrics Business Intelligence maintains and enhances this tradition of data security.

For additional information on iBenchmark, visit: http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-benchmarking/ibenchmark

BenchmarkPortal Announces a New Show on CallTalk Discussing The Positive Financial Effects of Contact Center Technology on a Company’s Financial Performance

BenchmarkPortal Announces a New Show on CallTalk Discussing The Positive Financial Effects of Contact Center Technology on a Company’s Financial Performance

BenchmarkPortal will air a new online radio show onCallTalk, (http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-newsresources/calltalk-online-radio-show) discussing the positive financial effects of contact center technology on a company’s financial performance.

The host for this show will be Bruce Belfiore, CEO at BenchmarkPortal. The guest speaker is John Chatterley, senior research analyst with BenchmarkPortal and CallTalk co-host Dee Buell.

The online show will discuss the groundbreaking research that statistically ties technology to better performance of key metrics. Every year companies spend millions of dollars on technology in hopes of improving customer satisfaction, as well as a company’s competitive position and operational performance while reducing costs. Up until now there has never been a statistically valid research study, with data from hundreds of companies across a diverse set of vertical industries, that clearly indicates whether a relationship truly exists between more advanced technology and better company performance.

Dr. Natalie L. Petouhoff, a co-author of this research study, said, “While most companies still think of the contact center as a cost center, this study finally proves that adoption of more sophisticated technology results in not only improved customer and customer service agent satisfaction, but also in contact center efficiencies and effectiveness. For executives looking to justify management decisions regarding technology acquisition, they now have scientifically‐supported evidence that satisfying customers and enhancing financial performance are not at odds.”

The full report is available here: “The Impact of Technology on Contact Center Performance” (http://www.benchmarkportal.com/store/call-center-white-papers/impact-technology-contact-center-performance-bruce-belfiore-john-chat)

The free online radio show will air Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Click here to listen toCallTalk, (http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-newsresources/calltalk-online-radio-show)

Benchmarkportal.com Announces First Ever Study: The Positive Effects of Contact Center Technology on a Company’s Financial Performance

Benchmarkportal.com Announces First Ever Study: The Positive Effects of Contact Center Technology on a Company’s Financial Performance

Every year companies spend millions of dollars on technology in hopes of improving customer satisfaction, their competitive position and their operational performance, while reducing costs. Until now, there has never been a statistically valid research study, with data from companies across a diverse set of vertical industries, that clearly indicates whether a relationship truly exists between more advanced technology and better company performance. This report entitled, "The Impact of Technology on Contact Center Performance," can be found here:http://www.benchmarkportal.com/store/call-center-white-papers/impact-technology-contact-center-performance-bruce-belfiore-john-chat

Bruce L. Belfiore, Senior Research Executive at BenchmarkPortal and co-author of the study states, “The key findings in The Impact of Technology on Contact Center Performance report are that advanced technologies are potent enablers of superior performance. By looking at validated data sets from 143 contact centers, we are able to provide CEO’s and senior executives with evidence that investments in advanced contact center technologies reduce costs and increase the quality of service. For instance, we found that a contact center that handles 2 million calls a year could save $707,000 annually by using the right technology to improve an important key performance indicator: First Contact Resolution (FCR).”

The study did not ask contact center managers for their opinions, feelings, plans or experiences regarding technology. Rather, states John Chatterley, Director of Research, BenchmarkPortal and co-author, “We asked them only for their data - data on their center's technology and data on their center's performance. The team used a Contact Center Maturity Model™, co-developed by Cisco (which sponsored the research) and BenchmarkPortal. The model places technologies into six silos corresponding to the flow and management of contacts from beginning to end: Receive, Recognize, Route, Queue, Resolve and Review. The sophistication and advanced capabilities of technology were analyzed for each silo vs. contact center performance.”

Dr. Natalie L. Petouhoff, also a co-author of the study, said, “While most companies still think of the contact center as a cost center, this study finally proves that adoption of more sophisticated technology results in not only improved customer and customer service agent satisfaction, but also in contact center efficiencies and effectiveness. For executives looking to justify management decisions regarding technology acquisition, they now have scientifically‐supported evidence that satisfying customers and enhancing financial performance are not at odds.”

Using a correlation analysis and t‐tests, the study found that technologies that ensure proper staffing, connection and recognition of inquiries; that promote proper routing, queuing and resolution / escalation of contacts; and that provide reporting and analytics to both agents and management are statistically related to superior performance. The study showed that among the many key performance indicators studied, more advanced technologies provide higher FCR, lower Cost per Call, increased Calls Handled per Agent per Hour and reduced Queue Time.

The full report can be purchased here: http://www.benchmarkportal.com/store/call-center-white-papers/impact-technology-contact-center-performance-bruce-belfiore-john-chat

BenchmarkPortal Announces a New Show on CallTalk Discussing The Cisco Sponsored Research Ties More Technology To Better Performance of Key Metrics

BenchmarkPortal Announces a New Show on CallTalk Discussing The Cisco Sponsored Research Ties More Technology To Better Performance of Key Metrics

BenchmarkPortal will air a new online radio show on CallTalk, (http://www.benchmarkportal.com/call-center-newsresources/calltalk-online-radio-show) discussing The Positive Financial Affects Of Contact Center Technology On A Company’s Financial Performance,

The host for this show will be Bruce Belfiore, CEO at BenchmarkPortal. The guest speaker is John Chatterley, senior research analyst with BenchmarkPortal and CallTalk co-host Dee Buell.

The online show will discuss the groundbreaking research that statistically ties technology to better performance of key metrics. Is there a statistically proven relationship between higher levels of technology in the Contact Center and performance metrics? Now there is! This research is destined to be one of this year's most discussed white papers and will give attendees insights into the statistical relationships found during this broad-based study.

Every year companies spend millions of dollars on technology in hopes of improving customer satisfaction, as well as a company’s competitive position and operational performance while reducing costs. Up until now there has never been a statistically valid research study, with data from hundreds of companies across a diverse set of vertical industries, that clearly indicates whether a relationship truly exists between more advanced technology and better company performance.

The free online radio show will air Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 at 10 a.m. PT. Click here to listen to live CallTalk broadcasts and CallTalk archives.

About CallTalk
A fun and exciting online program for education and learning, for the customer service industry. Once a month, broadcast directly over the Internet to your desktop, covers informative and educational topics impacting the contact center and customer service today.