Almost half of contact centre agents use three or more operating systems to handle one customer call

  • Complex procedures are damaging customer service - according to new Ventana Research
  • Report finds 'Unified Desktop' approach can reduce call times by 50 per cent and improve service
Ventana Research, a leading performance management research team, has unveiled the results of its recent study 'Enhancing the Customer Experience within a Contact Centre Environment'. The report - which was commissioned by Jacada Ltd (Nasdaq: JCDA) - reveals that customer service is suffering, and calls are often long and complex because agents spend so much time navigating around different systems. Ninety eight per cent of agents still have to trawl multiple screens to deal with a simple enquiry and 44 per cent use three or more systems to handle one call - often having to use entirely different monitors to access the systems they need.

The research finds that a Unified Service Desktop can dramatically improve the customer experience and reduce call times by as much as 50 per cent. This approach simplifies multiple applications into one usable screen that brings up relevant information so agents only have to enter data once. It can also prompt the agent as to where the call should lead by capturing any required data that the agent may not have thought of - helping to resolve issues quickly and reduce after-call work for the agent.

"For almost every company, contact centres are the most important aspect of determining the customer experience," commented David Holmes, Executive Vice President of global marketing for Jacada. "One bad experience with a call centre and that customer could be put off for life. Yet this new research shows that many customers aren't receiving the levels of service they should. A smarter desktop, however, means agents can spend more time listening to their callers, instead of focusing on the many screens of their computer system. Customers will be impressed that their issue is being resolved quickly, and agents will be happier knowing they will only need one application to do their job.

"With the Unified Service Desktop, the majority of calls are solved first time. First-call resolution is an important performance measure for contact centres - it means greater customer satisfaction and happier agents who are more successful in their jobs. Saving time on calls reduces costs - as well as saving money on agent training. With just one desktop, agents will only need to be trained to use one system, making their lives easier and their daily tasks simpler. They are also more likely to stay in their jobs longer, reducing agent churn," David Holmes added.

About Ventana:
Ventana Research is a leading performance management research organisation, specialising in helping clients operate their companies more efficiently and effectively. Its main focus is on Performance Management for finance, operations and IT. This focus, plus reach into a community of over two million corporate executives through extensive media partnerships, allows Ventana to deliver a high-value, low-risk method for achieving optimal business performance and ultimately impact the bottom line. For more information visit www.ventanaresearch.com

About Jacada:
Jacada is a leading global provider of unified service desktop and process optimisation solutions that simplify and automate customer service processes. By bridging disconnected systems into a single, "intelligent" workspace, Jacada solutions create greater operational efficiency and increase agent and customer satisfaction.  Founded in 1990, Jacada has more than 1200 customers and operates globally with offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Herzliya, Israel; London, England and Munich, Germany. Jacada can be reached at www.jacada.com.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "may," "could," "would," "will," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions or variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including the performance and continued acceptance of our products, general economic conditions and other Risk Factors specifically identified in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement for events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made. Jacada is a trademark of Jacada Inc. All other brands or product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information please visit www.jacada.com or contact:
Louise Sambells
The PressOffice - PR for Jacada
Tel: 01780 721 433
E-mail: lsambells@pressoffice.targetwire.com

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