Aspect Software, a company that focuses solely on products and services related to the contact center, and Leo J. Shapiro and Associates, a market research company, have announced the results of the 2007 Aspect Contact Center Satisfaction Index, an independent survey of consumer experience and expectations of contact center interactions in North America.

The survey found that consumers that have an exceptional contact center experience are a third as likely to do more business with that company in the future. It also revealed that nearly 75 percent of consumers who had a bad experience say they will do less business with a company, and 60 percent of those say they will do much less business.

"These are some pretty powerful statistics," said Mike Sheridan, senior vice president of strategy at Aspect Software." And, this is the kind of information that should really prompt companies to take a close look at how they can improve the overall experience they are delivering to their customers and prospects."

The 2007 Aspect Index survey takes into consideration 25 attributes across three categories:

• Empathy and Advocacy: the human aspect of customer interactions, such as patience, knowledge, professionalism, and friendliness.
• Efficiency: the overall quality and speed of the experience including being able to quickly speak with an agent, authority to resolve issues, and clear connection.
• Automation: explores ease-of-use of technologies like automated menus, multiple contact choices, and access of contact information from websites.

  Based on the findings of the Aspect Index, applying an "A through F" report card measurement tool, in 2007, North American contact centers performed on average at a C- (72.4 percent) level according to consumers. This is slightly higher than the D+ (69.6 percent) grade that contact centers received in the 2005 Aspect Index.

  Using a combination of telephone and online methods, the Aspect Index surveyed more than 1,000 consumers, producing a sample with an overall level of statistical significance of +/-3 percent, on various attributes including knowledge of agents, the ability to speak with a person without a long delay, and the ability of an automated system to resolve issues.

  The 2007 Aspect Index also surveyed 250 consumers that had an exceptional contact center experience. All of the consumers were only asked about their most recent contact center interaction.

  Some additional key findings of the 2007 Aspect Index include:

  • Nineteen percent of consumers who had a typical contact center experience feel that contact center interactions fell short of their expectations vs. 23 percent in 2005.
  • Consumers who have an exceptional experience feel that only 3 percent of contact center interactions fell short of their expectations.
  • Phone interactions still dominate: 73 percent of contact center interactions take place via phone; 24 percent take place via email; and 4 percent via chat.
  • Seventy-two percent of all contact center interactions begin with an automated system; only 57 percent of the exceptional interactions began with an automated system.
  • Consumers who reach an automated system, rather than a live person, say they will do less business with the company.
  • Twenty-two percent of consumers who had to repeat information after being transferred from an automated system to an agent will do less business with the company.
  • Sixty-six percent of consumers who had an exceptional experience are more likely to do more business with that company in the future.
  • One in six consumers who had a typical customer experience is likely to switch companies.
  • One in seven consumers report the automated system did not provide the option to speak with an agent.
  • Consumers who had an exceptional experience were more likely to try to fully resolve the situation with a menu-driven system.

  The 2007 Aspect Index found that consumers who have an exceptional contact center interaction share many similar experiences that include: quickly responding to inquiries or issues, providing accurate and detailed product and service information, setting expectations for what will transpire after an interaction, and transferring knowledge to customers so they are qualified to make informed decisions.

  Established in 2005, the Aspect Index provides an indicator to quantify consumer satisfaction with the quality of their telephone and Internet interactions with companies and their representatives.

  According to Aspect, the 2007 Index measured many of the same attributes as in 2005, but also gathered new data, including the specific distinctions between exceptional contact center experiences and the typical customer experience.

  The 2007 version also supplied greater detail on how automated systems are affecting the overall customer experience, as well as, increased detail on how and when consumers are using contact channels.

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