By: Larry Irons

Larry Irons — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:37:06 +0000

Hi Ross,
I really enjoyed your anecdote about the Berlin Wall and the analogy to industrial organizations in the West. The Convergys example is also a nice one since they are, as you indicate, the leader in the outsourced support center space. I’d suggest they are also exceptional in many regards when compared to other providers in that market so renowned for it low margins.
However, I’m not convinced that even the sophistication of the strategy you outline that Convergys uses gets the provider past CRM. Even at that level I’d want to know more about the level of collaboration between the Convergys CSRs and client staff. For example, are Convergys CSRs able to submit updates to the product FAQs on the client’s website. Or, propose changes to their documentation and product literature.
At the level of Social CRM I guess it depends on how one defines it. I seriously doubt we ever get to the level of transparency where a customer will know that they are, in fact, talking to a CSR, community moderator, etc. hired by an outsourcer rather than speaking to an employee of the company who made the product or provided the service. Sometimes knowing that basic piece of information is key to the customer experience. I always ask.
Regards,
Larry

Comments on: Essential capabilities: Aligning cultures and processes across blurred organizational boundaries

By: Tessa Ye

By: Larry Irons