Aligning contact center strategy

By Stephen Murphy
Senior Consultant

Most business operations are guided by three levels of strategy: 1) business strategy, 2) operations strategy, and 3) technology strategy. When these strategies are aligned, the business strategy guides the operations strategy and the operations strategy guides the technology strategy. In turn, the technology strategy enables operations to meet the established objectives that support the execution of the business strategy.

Since contact centers are operations centers, we can substitute contact center strategy for the operations strategy outlined above. However, many organizations do not think about contact centers (call centers, service centers, etc.) within such a strategic framework.

As companies differentiate themselves on the basis of service, the contact center becomes a key strategic partner. Enlightened leaders understand the critical role the contact center plays in meeting customer satisfaction, acquisition, retention, and growth objectives. These leaders make the contact center a major component of the overall strategic vision.

The guiding vision is set by senior management through the business strategy. This defines target markets, products, services, and distribution channels. It also provides direction for every other aspect of the business as well as the appropriate allocation of people and technology resources.

The contact center strategy (a.k.a. “the operations strategy”), in turn, defines the organizational structure, processes, and metrics necessary to meet operational targets that support the defined business strategy. It is imperative that the contact center management team understand the business strategy and link their initiatives with the issues that senior management deems important. When done successfully, this will enhance the center’s strategic importance. In other words, every aspect of the contact center operations supports the execution of the defined business strategy.

Only after the business and contact center strategies have been developed and aligned can we realistically discuss the technology strategy. The technology strategy must translate the contact center strategy into reality. Contact center technology alone is not going to provide a sustainable competitive advantage because it is available to everybody. However, technology is an enabler, and when it is configured around unique processes and integrated into other systems and management practices, it can become a source of competitive advantage.

Understanding the strategic value of the contact center will also drive the level of technology needed to support the business. A center that is expected to play a significant strategic role in the business will typically need advanced or leading-edge technology. Similarly, if the center is providing only fundamental services, basic technology is all that’s needed; investing in advanced technology would be a waste of money and introduce non-value-added complexity. Therefore, knowing how you will use the technology should be a guiding principle in what to buy.

The first step in developing a strategy is to understand where you are today. Then, you can identify the technologies necessary to get you where you need to be tomorrow.