Articles

Articles

Interview with NSW’s new Minister for Customer Service

Note: since this interview, Victor Dominello has left the public service to form an independent consultancy. Please consult LinkedIn for up-to-date information. NSW has a Minister for Customer Service, the Hon. Victor Dominello MP. This is what he told Matchboard about the new portfolio. Why was the Ministry of Customer Service created? This portfolio is….

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Three keys to an effective B2B Customer Experience strategy

By the year 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the brand differentiator among buyers, according to Walker.  The same survey shows that 86% of buyers will pay more for a product or solution based on customer experience.  With CX being of most importance to buyers, it’s perhaps a surprise that, according to….

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South Africa spells success for outsourcing contact centre, digital and analytics

Bucking global industry trends, South Africa is enjoying 22% annual growth in business process outsourcing – that’s three times more than India or the Philippines. After the UK, Australia is the biggest international market fuelling this growth, accounting for an astonishing 15% share of jobs created. And there are some compelling reasons why big brands….

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CX in Superannuation: time for change

The superannuation industry has changed. Australians are more than ever aware of their retirement options – 35% of people are likely to switch providers according to a Canstar report. Coupled with regulation change as a result of the Royal Commission, super funds are now under pressure to become more customer-focused to retain and grow market….

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What does it cost to outsource to the Philippines?

One of the top drivers for going offshore is, unquestionably, cost. This white paper provides an overview of wages for 15 of the most commonly outsourced roles in the Philippines, including call centre worker, graphic designer, software developer and social media manager. In addition, management fees charged by third party firms who assist with recruitment,….

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The ROI on Sales Coaching

It’s a fact of life that many sales managers are elevated to their position based on strong individual sales results, with little to no training in leadership and coaching – the very skills needed to drive team performance. Let’s look at how the roles of Sales Manager, Sales Leader and Sales Coach differ, and how gaps….

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How retailers can fix broken customer experience

Based on a survey of 2,000 shoppers, this report identifies the top frustrations of consumers browsing or buying online and in-store. A simple fix is proposed for each pain point, as well as an aspirational “dream scenario” for the customer. If you sell products or services online, this quick read provides a fresh, practical perspective….

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Making the move from Journey Mapping to Journey Management

Over the last several years, customer journey mapping has become a critical component of CX management and service design. However it is a static process where assumptions are made about problems, and there is a tendency to focus on isolated opportunities for improvement. Journey management eliminates the need for guesswork, and is based on the….

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10 steps to improve your SEO in 2020

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is aimed at improving your website’s standing in organic search results. It’s one of the most cost effective marketing solutions for business. This post provides 10 actionable steps to improve your SEO in 2020.   1. Keyword Analysis Selecting the “right” keywords for your SEO campaign is vital. Many website owners assume….

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Embedding customer-centricity across the enterprise

In this Harvard Business Review white paper, we learn that while the majority of organisations either have a customer-centricity strategy in place or else plan to have one within two years, strategies are faltering in the execution. Breaking points range from employee training and empowerment to lack of clear definition and communication around success metrics. ….

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CX, culture and career – an interview with Suncorp’s Kristeen McCarthy

Since this interview, Kristeen McCarthy has moved to a new role. Please consult LinkedIn for up-to-date information. Kristeen McCarthy heads Digital Experience Design at Suncorp Group.  Passionate about using technology to improve customer experience, Kristeen also loves creating fun work environments, fostering innovation and collaboration. She shares her insights on CX, culture and career in….

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4 powerful tips for bringing a chatbot into your contact centre

If chatbots are on your customer service agenda, this free 8-page white paper is an essential resource. It cuts through the market hype with practical, savvy tips for selecting and implementing the right platform, including 12 of the most important questions to ask potential vendors.  The first tip focuses on the forgotten use case for….

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Today’s Telemarketing – it’s not what you think

Everybody’s had the experience. You’re sitting down to dinner with your family, or just finally relaxing with some Netflix after a long day at work. The phone rings, and it’s a telemarketing call from an outbound call centre and somebody is trying to sell you insurance. You slam the phone down and sigh deeply. Nobody….

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What are Virtual Agents and their Benefits?

Their names include Sara, Alison, Olivia and Mo, and they are the smiling self-service personas of some of the world’s biggest brands. Dubbed “virtual agents”, they sit on websites 24×7, inviting customers to “ask a question”. Best-practice virtual agent technology actually interprets the intent of a customer’s question, using Natural Language Processing, so it’s very….

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How to pick a Call Centre Provider in Australia or offshore

Running a call centre is not easy – from recruiting and retaining staff in a tight labour market, to  embedding a myriad of technologies and tools, and dealing with fluctuating demand and ballooning costs…the list goes on. So it’s no wonder outsourcing services are used by so many businesses. But most people don’t know where….

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Luke Jamieson on how gamification changed the game at First State Super

Since this interview, Luke Jamieson has moved to a new role. Please consult LinkedIn for up-to-date information. Luke Jamieson has never been afraid to challenge the status quo. His career habit of innovation has made a real impact on customer and employee engagement, resulting in multiple global awards. In this exclusive interview, we chat to….

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How to define, measure and improve First Contact Resolution (FCR)

Every 1% improvement in First Contact Resolution (FCR) adds a point to Customer Satisfaction, so the story goes. But how do you measure and improve this key metric – and does it really help customers get their problems solved faster? The SQM Group survey which found that 1% correlation between First Contact Resolution and Customer….

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Philippines outsourcing: the state of play in 2026

Despite the threat of automation and competition from other countries, the Philippines BPO (business process outsourcing) sector continues to thrive, comprising around 9% of the country’s GDP.  The industry peak body IBPAP counts 1.9 million workers in the workforce with CEO Jack Madrid predicting this to tip to 2 million by the end of 2026…..

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10 Customer Experience Trends to Watch

Analysts such as Gartner have estimated that customer experience innovations account for half of all consumer product investments.  To win – and hold onto – the hearts and minds of customers, companies are increasingly competing on customer experience rather than the traditional battlegrounds of product and price. Here are 10 trends unfolding in this space…..

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Product recall call centres – everything you need to know

It’s every brand’s dream turned nightmare: a hit product is found to be faulty, posing danger to the customer. A product recall is urgent. Once the product recall is announced, the call avalanche begins – after all, speaking to a human is the first thing people want to do in a state of panic or….

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Creating a resilient workforce by reducing everyday stressors

We each face challenges across our day, be they at work or at home, and each of us often thinks that our challenges are unique to our industry. Some also believe that we are all so different that our thoughts are different. This is not necessarily the case. Here are a few common challenges and….

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Fiji and Malaysia: two growing customer service hubs

Australian companies have a veritable smorgasbord of location options when it comes to business process outsourcing. Two Asia-Pacific locations – Fiji and Malaysia – are emerging as customer service hubs and alternatives to larger, more established markets. We examine the value proposition of each country. BPO industry size and growth trends  Fiji The BPO industry….

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The rise of call centres in the health sector

It used to be that health services were provided just in the four walls of a doctor’s rooms. But the Internet, consumer demands and an unfriendly pandemic have changed all that.  Call centres and online service delivery have grown exponentially, providing easier, faster access to health advice and information, 24×7. Since the turn of the….

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How AI can help in customer experience

AI (artificial intelligence) is one of the most hyped technologies around, no more so than in the customer experience, customer service, and contact centre space. So, let’s take a step back and look at how AI is currently being used to help deliver great customer experiences, and what some of its applications will be as….

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The potent CX formula at Prospa

Since this interview, Prashant Mohan has moved to a new role as CMO at Sharesight. Please consult LinkedIn for up-to-date information. Online small business lender Prospa is blitzing the market with a potent CX formula of speed, simplicity and seamless channel integration. Leading Prospa’s direct customer acquisition strategy and marketing is Prashant Mohan, who gave….

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Customer feedback systems: what to look for

Customer feedback systems are evolving rapidly, from static single-channel surveys to multi-channel customer engagement platforms, offering rich analytics. Here’s what to look out for if your company is in the market in the next year.  Core features and functions Mid-to-large companies should have a checklist of “must-haves” when evaluating a new feedback platform, and it’s….

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Call Centre & Back Office Outsourcing to the Philippines: 81 Essential Facts

Most businesses have heard about the benefits of outsourcing back office and call centre services to the Philippines, and many have taken the leap. But throughout my 30 years’ experience helping businesses go offshore, I’ve continued to find a large section of the market poorly equipped with the knowledge or connections needed. Think of this….

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