Information Overload in call center environments

I recently posted an entry over at the blog for the Information Overload Research Group.  Click on the link to read the entire post:

IORG Forum Blog » Blog Archive » IO in a call center environment

The same successful companies that spend vast sums of money to optimize their supply chain and partner network, overlook the lowly call center as a place to radically increase productivity through some simple process and systems enhancements. Much of this productivity increase can come from simplifying the dizzying array of systems and databases that agents are required to interact with.

Call center environments are fascinating places to observe. Being more than a casual observer, one of the major problems I’ve seen in these environments is how poorly technology is aligned with business process. Most call centers operate in a forgotten ‘back room’ of the enterprise. The funny thing is, those that occupy the front office, are struggling to engage with their customer. They often lose sight of the fact that their customer is already engaging, and often with an under-equipped, over-burdened customer service agents. Many companies could improve their brand image and enhance customer loyalty by aligning customer service processes and technology, and let their agents focus on customer exceptions, not juggling technology.