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Initiatives to lower contact center costs successful, latest Chartwell report finds
ATLANTA – Aug. 4, 2010 – While overall costs in a utility’s contact center continue to rise, energy providers have found success in lowering expenses, particularly with cost per call, Chartwell finds in a recently published report.
In Contact Center Cost Per Call, Chartwell establishes the average cost for each incoming call at just over $5 in the utility industry. However, utilities that use advanced contact center tactics and technologies are successful in lowering these expenses.
“Chartwell data support the theory that initiatives such as first-contact resolution and deploying technologies like virtual queuing can lower costs,” says Doris Yon, Chartwell’s lead customer care research analyst. “The savings averages more than $1 per call. Investment in these tactics is showing a payoff in the end.”
Attempts to lower contact center costs are important, given the bump in call volume. More than 50% of utilities in Chartwell’s recent contact center survey say they had an increase in incoming calls in the past 12 months.
Methods for determining cost figures vary from utility to utility, depending on the complexity of the contact center. Contact Center Cost Per Call provides an analysis of the different components used to establish final expenses.
Contact Center Cost Per Call is available as part of Chartwell’s Customer Care Service. A 12-month Service membership includes data utilities provide regarding customer care for residential and commercial/industrial customers, as well as regularly released reports on issues such as contact center metrics, first-contact resolution, bill presentment and payment, Web services, and programs for low-income customers.
ABOUT CHARTWELL INC.
Chartwell Inc. is an independent information firm that produces in-depth research on customer-facing issues within the utility industry. With our research as the springboard, we offer conferences and other educational events where utility leaders and Chartwell analysts discuss successful programs, innovative strategies and solutions to the industry’s most pressing issues.
PRESS CONTACT
Doris Yon
404-237-9099, ext. 29
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