10 Top Enterprise Trends for 2015

United States, intended to protect the privacy of healthcare data; and many similar regulations around the world.

8. Healthcare. The delivery of healthcare services has attracted an unprecedented amount of attention and resources in this country, due to the Healthcare Affordability Act of 2013. While this legislation affects U.S. companies and consumers, the need to address a growing population with a longer life expectancy is an important issue in all developed countries. Companies are trying to figure out how to use their contact centers and other service organizations to cost effectively deliver a new generation of healthcare services. For example, video medical services and remote diagnostic services are slowly catching on.

9. Rethinking energy and social responsibility. Climate change has become a major socioeconomic issue for companies, consumers, and employees. Enterprises that are insensitive to concerns about the climate are feeling the brunt of the public's dissatisfaction and facing negative publicity on a worldwide basis. The public expects businesses to act responsibly, and companies are struggling to find a balance between this important goal and their bottom line. Contact centers are ahead of the game, having started the transition to virtual environments, where agents can work from home, more than 10 years ago. Cloud-based contact center services are increasingly popular for many reasons, including a growing push for companies to reduce their carbon footprint by closing down facilities and reducing the need for employees to commute to work.

10. Urbanization. Agricultural reform in developing countries is driving fast-growing populations into the cities to look for work. This is creating a large, inexpensive, but uneducated workforce. This has substantial long-term appeal for companies that are searching for ways to reduce their operating costs.

Final Thoughts

Contact centers and other types of service organizations are well-positioned to have an impact on the bottom line of most companies. Because these service organizations interact with customers, prospects, and the public more frequently than almost any other corporate department, they typically set the tone for the public's perception of the company. While it has taken too long to recognize the crucial role of contact centers, enterprises that want to get ahead are now making substantial investments in their servicing strategies and approaches. Customer service should no longer be viewed as just a way to fix something that has gone wrong; instead it should be considered the foundational component for consistently delivering an excellent customer experience. Companies that are willing to make the changes and investments needed to deliver an outstanding and differentiated customer journey will be considered better corporate citizens, which will ultimately benefit their bottom line.

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Donna Fluss (donnafluss@dmgconsult.com) is founder and president of DMG Consulting, a provider of contact center and analytics research, marketing analysis, and consulting.

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