Time to develop a communications plan

Ken Reid from Rostrvm argues that without a clear communication strategy you will have no true way of measuring performance.

In the contact centre, planning and performance management tools are being used to analyse how staff are doing against targets and to make short-term changes. Unless, however, a clear communications strategy and longer-term plan for the contact centre is available, there is no true yardstick against which to measure performance.

A communications strategy will embrace the needs of the business, its goals – and set out clear procedures for staff to follow, which reflect the business brand and ethos. If your business strategy is to expand by attracting more customers or entering new markets, your communication strategy must focus on building positive attitudes among customers and prospects. It will also include information about how to reach the important groups and the messages that will appeal to them.

It will ensure that each part of the contact centre is streamlined in its approach and ‘sings from the same hymn sheet’ when talking to customers, regardless of where their information came in or how. It will also cover business process integration and appropriate communication modes.

Once a communications strategy is in place, it will be far easier to maintain a consistent approach across the contact centre – and to plan properly. For example, a well-prepared contact centre will gear up for the fact that, over the Christmas/New Year period, customers will increase their usage of multi-channel services into the call centre, as they travel and are out of the office more. It will ensure that staff are prepared for the festive period as well as other seasonal changes year round, such as summer holidays.

The most successful contact centres are the ones that have worked hard on developing a plan for communicating with their employees, customers, suppliers and investors. Preparing a communications strategy will provide the contact centre with a better understanding of its purpose and will improve its relationship with the people whose attitudes and actions influence the success of the business.

Rostrvm Solutions