What Do Alchemy and The Modern Contact Center Have in Common? More Than You Think

When you begin to learn about chemistry in school, you start to hear about famous scientists, such as Isaac Newton. In addition to being a mathematician, physicist, and astronomer, he was also an alchemist. Alchemy is the philosophy or belief in the transformation of matter – where one basic substance can change into other substances (such as gold from other metals).

Today’s modern contact centers are a lot like that. It’s all about transforming data collected into real business insights that can improve and shape the customer experience. Let’s explore further.

Science only tells half the story

Ask any seasoned operations manager about running a center, and they will produce reports and charts that show Average Handle Times (AHT), Abandon Call Rates, etc. Essentially, data is the science behind the contact center, also known as the “what” and “how.”  There are tried and true calculations that produce these metrics and many other similar quantitative ones; regardless of what widget is being sold or service being provided, the results and measurements are typically the same.  Everyone wants an 80% Service Level within 20 seconds—Abandoned Call rates of under 5%, and so on, and so on.

Ask these same managers to tell you the “why,” and you will get conjecture, hyperbole, and theory – the alchemy.  And that’s okay… so long as you understand the intangibles of your contact center.  It is most likely of greater importance to grasp the reasons you measure certain specific attributes, what they mean to your goals, and how they fit your overall strategy.  So, the question becomes – why is the contact center industry so laser-focused on results versus outcomes?

Constant repetition has produced the “what” and the “how” (science), but it is the proper implementation of that insight and alignment that can give you a look at what works best and the “why” (alchemy).

Bringing together the what, how, and why

If that seems intimidating to you, fear not! Anexinet can be your guide to navigating the ever-changing world of best-in-class contact center operations. Selecting the right platforms, services, and applications for your business can be distracting. Anexinet excels in the research and the deep-dive mindset required in today’s dynamic climate. With this guide, you can disregard the “shiny new” in favor of the actual best solutions and applications for your environment.

Let’s face it. Most contact centers select their platform once every five years or more, followed by implementation and initial training.  From that point forward, the knowledge gained from that training is passed on from one “expert” to the next – much like our alchemist’s formula to convert lead into gold.  By the time the next decision to swap out the platform comes around, you may be working with second-hand information – part fact, part habit.  More importantly, you may be dealing with the unintended consequences of tracking metrics that aren’t aligned to your actual goals.

What would Issac Newton do? Lean on experts

Our experience, industry knowledge, and partner collaborations are just a few of our areas of expertise. By developing relationships with our clients on the front end and partners on the back, we are unique to building up infrastructure and creating ideal solutions from the ground up through collaboration. We’ve done the work, so you aren’t put through an exhaustive trial-and-error that can be both overwhelming and a bit confusing.

We function much like the relationship between science and alchemy. Instead of consulting with a scientist and an alchemist, Anexinet can be your Issac Newton of sorts. A force to be reckoned with in both arenas. We are at a unique turning point in the way business is done, and much like Newton in his day, Anexinet looks forward to presenting innovative, state-of-the-art solutions for your call center needs. If you need help modernizing your contact center, contact us today. We’re here to help!