We at Talisma believe that it is necessary to go 'beyond' traditional CRM in order to provide customers with the best possible level of service in today's marketplace.
To make exceptional customer service a reality companies should be looking to embrace Customer Interaction Management (CIM), as it is the next evolutionary leap onwards from CRM. CIM enables a true 360 degree view of the customer and their history in real time, whilst offering multiple real time communication channels through which agents may assist customers.
Major recent developments such as VoiP 'click to talk' functionality further expand the comprehensive nature of the CIM proposition, giving customers greater access to companies' customer service departments and with much greater convenience then was previously possible with traditional CRM systems.
CIM embodies a more flexible approach to customer service than the traditional purely 'reactive' CRM of old. The technology and philosophy of CIM encourages a more responsive and proactive approach towards customers.
Talisma's CIM 8.0 offering, which is to be released in Europe in Q1 2007, is designed around this proposition, seamlessly blending reactive and proactive customer service approaches. The knowledge retention and quick retrieval provided through CIM interfaces to a Customer Sevice Representative (CSR) means that the customer really is King.
What is most striking, when we look at the current wave of CIM applications is the increasing ability to use a customer's history to anticipate their needs, and through co-browsing, guide them through the respective options on offer on the organisation's website. The adaptability of CIM means that a CSR, or help desk agent, can switch channels rapidly to match the demands and expectations of the customer in the most precise manner possible. Rapid access through Email, Chat and VoiP calls are all just a key stroke away for today's customers.
A salient example of CIM delivering tangible gains to the customer is EPSON's recent positive experiences. Recognising that superior customer service is the key differentiator in today's increasingly commoditised market, EPSON required a future proof, easy to use email and chat based system which would provide complete customer histories, as well as allowing the consolidation of existing knowledge databases onto a single hosted system.
Through adopting Talisma's Multi-Channel CIM solution EPSON realised a 30% increase in efficiency, a 38% reduction in the cost of handling enquiries and an 1125% increase in online enquiries between 2000 and 2005.
As far as the future landscape of CIM is concerned Talisma is also spearheading future developments in the field with its recent launch of the CIM Forum, a new business and technology consortium focused exclusively on managing online customer interactions.
Through this initiative, Talisma isn't just assisting companies in their efforts to improve customer care but is also keen to contribute and champion future possibilities and developments within the field of customer service, which will benefit customers and the industry as a whole.
