How Big Data Can Transform the Customer Journey

agents to recap their actions, you can go in and actually see each step they performed and correct the behavior.

Big data can also help organizations run more efficiently. One leading U.S. retailer observed that for a certain call type, average handle time had increased and customer satisfaction scores had dropped over a six-month period. The company began to track the worker activities specific to these types of calls. After analyzing the aggregated data from desktop activities, it turned out agent navigation was slowed because the systems being used to complete these transactions were operating past capacity. There were a number of different screens and fields the agents had to navigate, which was driving up average handle time, thus negatively impacting the customer experience. Once this was determined, automations were implemented and processes were simplified so that agents were able to handle the calls more efficiently, decreasing the amount of time agents were on with the customer. After resolving this issue, the company confirmed that the changes implemented had decreased handle time and scores began to rise.

If these results are intriguing and you would like to dip your toe in the big data water, please heed the following words of advice:

• Remember that every transaction (across every channel) is part of the customer journey. Use big data as a means to gain more intelligence about your customer, your agents, and your technologies. Strive to understand—at the transaction level—what is driving specific behaviors or outcomes and set a course for action.
• Understand what is driving your organization to explore big data. What is the end goal? How is the capture, analysis, and follow-through for a project going to impact the overall enterprise? Establish benchmarks and set goals that will keep your big data project on course.
• Realize all data sources are not created equal. Big data can give you insight into many hidden parts of your organization. While it might be tempting to learn everything you can about every part of your business, it isn't practical. Don't boil the ocean. Start by focusing on the people, processes, and technologies that most impact your bottom line.

Big data can deliver big results. It can reveal hidden correlations and help you understand what really drives performance in the contact center. With the right solutions and technology partner, you can remove obstacles and barriers to service and transform transactions not only in your contact center, but across the enterprise, that elevate your organization to deliver a world-class customer experience.

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Damon Lockwood is cofounder and chief technology officer of OpenSpan, a provider of activity intelligence and desktop automation solutions that improve performance, drive revenue, and increase efficiencies in contact center, back office, and retail storefront environments.

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