The contact centre has been in constant evolution since the 1990s, with some experts stating that it will be irrelevant in 2020. The current stage of evolution is the proliferation of channels, where a number of different channels are being used to interact with customers to increase customer service. This trend has increased dramatically, forcing the contact centre industry to adapt at a rapid pace.
This topic will be discussed at the two-day Customer Interact Forum 2013, which takes place at The Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate in George from 6 to 8 October. The purpose of the forum is to drive awareness and share expertise around the ever-evolving contact centre.
The theme for this year’s Customer Interact Forum is “2020 Vision” and it is aimed at providing the tools for forecasting the evolving contact centre.
The “2020 vision” will focus on key business issues such as driving down contact centre operating costs, establishing or maintaining a competitive advantage through the customer experience, exploring innovative channels of customer interaction, and how to optimise efficiencies.
A variety of industry experts will address delegates on some of the most pertinent questions and challenges around contact centres. These include managing a multi-channel environment, global trends in customer service, and managing service operations in an era of consumer empowerment.
Another key focus area will be around building sustainable talent pipelines for the future and solving the South African youth unemployment challenge.
Martin Dove, managing executive at Merchants says, “The world of customer interaction is changing faster today than ever before. The ‘2020 vision’ conference will focus on helping delegates understand these changes. We will be using case studies from all over the world to illustrate the current global contact centre and I’m confident that delegates who attend the conference will glean great value.”