Almost half of users dissatisfied with Workforce Management Software

From a CallCenter Magazine article:

41 Percent Dissatisfied With WFM

A new study by Dr. Jodie Monger's Customer Relationship Metrics, L.C. and others finds some good news, some bad in the workforce management field. Customer Relationship Metrics, L.C., a specialist in call center industry research, has the results of a 3-month study into Contact Center Workforce Management Practices sponsored by Aspect, Witness Systems and Pipkins, Inc.

The research was performed in partnership with Mike Trotter (Purdue University), Dr. Jodie Monger (President, Customer Relationship Metrics) and Scott Davis (Principal, Customer Cubed, LLC).

The study asked participants questions about performance metrics, WFM resources utilized, processes, tools utilized, and satisfaction. It was the satisfaction question that drew the most negative response -- 41% surveyed were not pleased with their workforce management software.

Phone System Vendor Matrix

Gartner Group's latest study on the phone systems market clearly places Avaya and Cisco in the leader roles. Not coincidentally, this study was found on Avaya's website.

Customer Service Initiatives Annoying?

Hounded by customer service, an article by Liz Pulliam Weston, speaks loudly against technology-based feedback strategies.

An excerpt:
"Enough already with the surveys and polls and follow-up calls. What's the point if you ignore what consumers tell you?

This summer, I had a little glitch with my e-mail service -- a glitch that consumed several days of my time and a few hundred dollars of my hard-earned cash trying to fix.

Sure, that was annoying. But what came next was almost worse.

Each of the three companies with whom I dealt pelted me with phone calls and e-mail surveys demanding to know how they performed." read more here.

Is this really worse? I see this as a passive way to get my attention, to let me know that you have a system in place to foil the foul ups that often fall through the gaping cracks in customer service.

I went to a Subway recently and the cashier chatted on her cell phone while I inconveniently expected her to ring up my six inch turkey on whole wheat. She seemed annoyed that I stuck my money in front of her face. Now, my action may have been a little aggressive, but she clearly was having a personal cell phone interaction while she working the register.

I never said anything.

If I had received a follow up email, I definitely would've vented.

My sandwich was very good, by the way. I usually add Chipotle sauce, lettuce, tomato and always double-meat the turkey.

Good product, poor service.