Sunday, November 12, 2006

B2 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CONTACT CENTER SUMMIT

Harnessing Workforce & Technology Trends to Improve the Customer Experience in Your Call Center

Welcome & Opening Presentation of Contact Center Summit Chairperson

Eric Keough, Vice President Consumer Direct Strategy, SOUNDBITE COMMUNICATIONS

Elizabeth Pisano, Executive Consultant, KAISER PERMANENTE HEALTH PLAN

Leveraging Phone Technologies to Increase Productivity

John Birrer, Vice President, Customer Service Operations, T-MOBILE USA

Innovations in speech technology are driving a shift in IVR customer interactions. How can you leverage this new capability to dramatically improve your operation? Attend this forward-thinking presentation to find out.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
•Influence cross-functional stakeholders to reduce call volume
•Deliver a 10% or greater reduction in CSR handled calls
•Wow your customers without having them talk to CSRs

Innovative Web Tools: Delivering Stellar Service and Reduced Costs

Rosemary Eady, Vice President, Planning & Call Center Management,
1-800-FLOWERS.COM

Tim Szymanski, Manager, Bridge Operations, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM

Technology has the power to do many things: it can boost your contact center's effectiveness, create a breakthrough customer experience, heighten employee productivity, and lower operating costs. Technological advancements are changing so quickly that it's often difficult to stay on top of the best solutions for your center. This session led by 1-800-flowers.com - the Internet flower company that sells flowers and plants from its toll-free number, several Web sites, more than 125 million catalogs, and 100-plus franchised and company-owned shops – will give you a fresh perspective on how to harness technology to make an impact in your center and with your customers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
•Integrating e-mail and transaction systems for improved customer self-service
•Leveraging multi-channel order tracking to increase customer service solutions
•Increasing agent retention via virtual workforce management

Home-Shoring: Managing Remote Agents to Provide a Consistent Customer Experience

Douglas Woodard, Vice President, Customer Service, North American Delivery,
STAPLES

Staples North American Delivery Customer Service has been operating a work-at-home program for three years. It has proven to be an invaluable complement our traditional, brick-and-mortar based contact center operations. But as a company whose brand promise is based on the overall experience it offers to its customers (Staples: That Was Easy!), creating a work at home program that ensured a seamless continuation to these customer experiences was essential.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
•Learn how Staples created a work-at-home program for its contact center associates that provided a seamless customer experience when compared to its center-based agents
•Hear the critical success factors that offered Staples North American Delivery Customer Service a significant cost and labor advantage over the further expansion of brick-andmortar contact seats
•Benefit from a proven operator's experience in navigating the common pitfalls and "fears" associated with home-shoring

The Outsourcing Decision: Keys to a Successful Launch

Matt Lee, Director, Business Development & Support Operations, TRAVELOCITY

Outsourcing can no longer be defined simply as a long-term contract with another company. It's a major decision to create a strategic relationship between partners, with shared risks and goals. Finding the right partner takes time; working with that partner to launch your operation takes patience and deliberate focus. Call center leaders should not miss this insights-rich and action-oriented session.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
•Selecting the right vendor based on criteria, not just cost
•Creating a solid, performance-based contract
•Must haves for managing a successful migration and launch

Utilizing an Agent Scorecard to Align Agent Performance Metrics with Customer Expectations

Anthony Bagio, Manager, Operations, CONTINENTAL AIRLINES

The Balanced Scorecard was implemented to address changes in business, inconsistencies in quality measurements, coaching, and employee feedback.  Continental incorporates sales, customer service and productivity into the scorecard.  In conjunction with the scorecard's customer service section, Continental introduced a new customer feedback survey, "ECHO", "Every customer has opinions." ECHO captures specific customer experiences with individual agents. 

In this session, you will learn how implementation of the agent scorecard has enabled Continental to improve operational service levels, sales and customer experience.

Key Scorecard Topics:
· Provide agents with a view of their own performance
· Empower agents to take ownership of their performance
· Tie performance to the corporate plan
· Understand key customer drivers
· Provide leadership with a roll-up view of team/office performance

Lunch & Presentation by Perseus

For more information about this session please visit www.ecsw.com/naccm

Malcolm Gladwell, Best-selling Author of "Blink" and "The Tipping Point"

In a fast-changing world, understanding what customers will go for next has never been more important … or more difficult. Some of the greatest product or service flops in recent times have resulted from listening to customer preferences. Shedding light on this crucial concept is best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell who has been studying major consumer trends for years. He has analyzed what it is that drives customer preferences and will help you delve beneath what customers say they want to really understand what is going on in their minds when they make decisions.

PANEL DISCUSSION
Becoming a Company Known for Service: Candid Discussion with the Winners of the 2006 Fast Company "Customers First Awards"

Moderator: David Lidsky, Senior Editor, FAST COMPANY

Panelists: Wolfgang Hunter, CEO of the Americas, MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL

Bryan Johnson, Vice President, Global Marketing, BURTON SNOWBOARDS

Steve Yacker, Vice President, Merchandising & Operations, BEST CELLARS

Winston Wright, Marketing Executive, NOKIA EXPERIENCE CENTERS

Conclusion of THE SUMMITS