With nearly 300 participants, our fourth annual Challenges and Priorities Survey gave us a brief snapshot at what’s happening in our industry. I’m excited to share the results. This year, change is the theme!
While I encourage you to download the complete report, here is a sneak preview into what we found in the results:
- Attrition was knocked off the #1 challenge position for the first time! (It came in a close second.)
- Our new #1 challenge is the desktop tools, and they made a BIG MOVE up the chart
- Coaching and development dropped as a priority while employee engagement and empowerment moved up significantly and took over the #1 spot
- Technology landed high on the priorities list, taking spots 2-5
I like that we have some noticeable movement this year. It reflects our dynamic industry in what the vendors are offering, how the labor market is changing, and how centers are maturing. Our results also show the great dilemma centers face: how to deliver great, cost-effective service while being hamstrung by a shortage of tools and staff (and correspondingly, budget limitations). If centers can successfully pursue the priorities, we will continue to see more positive changes. Let’s dive into the results and their implications for your center and the contact center industry.
Here are the interesting comparisons we see in the results from our 2019 survey compared to 2018. This table also reflects some aligned movement of challenges and priorities.
| CHALLENGES | ||
| WHAT’S NEW? | MOVEMENT UP | MOVEMENT DOWN |
| The top challenges have changed after years of consistency
Workload and performance moved down, while technology moved up |
Desktop tools
Core technology Performance tools Not enough staff |
Lack of support resources
Lack of understanding and respect Lack of focus on Coaching/ Development Poor training |
| PRIORITIES | ||
| WHAT’S NEW? | MOVEMENT UP | MOVEMENT DOWN |
| Employee engagement leap-frogs other priorities, while coaching and development move down
Self-service holds strong at #2 but it is joined by other technology priorities focused on performance management |
Improve reporting/analytics
Improve employee engagement and empowerment Staff to match workload Improve recruiting/hiring |
Increase coaching and development
Implement/integrate Omni-channel Improve training Raise awareness of center’s role |
Here is the view by industry. Where more than one challenge or priority is listed, there was a tie for the top item.
| Industry | Top Challenges | Top Priorities |
| Financial Services | Desktop tools | Improve employee engagement |
| Healthcare | Self-service | Improve self-service |
| Consumer Products | Cross-departmental collaboration Tech budget Desktop tools | Improve reporting/analytics Improve performance tools Improve self-service |
| BPO/Outsourcing | Attrition | Improve employee engagement |
| Insurance | Adding new channels | Improve performance management Redesign processes Improve self-service Improve employee engagement |
| Telecommunications | Attrition | Improve self-service |
| Government | Tech budget | Redesign processes |
| Software/B2B Software | Cross-departmental collaboration | Improve reporting/analytics |
| Education/Non-profit | Frontline staff Desktop tools | Improve desktop tools Improve KM |
| Professional Services | Frontline staff Core technology Performance tools Lack of respect for CC | Improve KM Improve performance management |
| Manufacturing | Tech budget | Improve routing/skills Redesign processes Improve reporting/analytics |
| Utilities | Self-service | Improve employee engagement Improve self-service |
| Transportation | Security/fraud requirements | Improve recruiting/hiring Improve KM Improve employee engagement |
| Hospitality/Travel | Attrition | Hire more frontline staff Increase focus on coaching/development Improve performance management Redesign processes Add new channels Improve reporting/analytics Improve performance tools Improve desktop tools Improve employee engagement |
For additional information, download the full report »