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Monday 6th March 2006 |
84/2006 |
A local company takes centre stage in Manchester on Wednesday (8th March) when delegates from the UK's contact centre industry gather for a major seminar in the city.
Wigan & Leigh Housing, which manages the borough's 24,000 council homes, is widely regarded as one of the leaders in the contact centre industry, having reached the Call Centre Association's (CCA) 'best practice' standard. Company representatives will share the secrets of their success with fellow public sector organisations at the University of Manchester conference.
CCA standard is awarded only to those centres that conform to a rigorous set of criteria and achieve consistently high levels of customer satisfaction. Since its launch last year, Wigan & Leigh Housing's contact centre has performed impressively, with 80% of calls answered within 60 seconds and 95% within 90 seconds, earning a customer satisfaction rating of nearly 99%.
Peter Gee, Chief Executive of Wigan & Leigh Housing, says: "A great deal of planning went into setting up the contact centre. In fact, our tenants and customers were closely involved in shaping the 'Better Homes on Call' service to meet their needs. Staff are now dealing with over 15,000 calls every month and it's pleasing that most of our customers think that we are getting the service right.
"The Manchester workshops are looking at how quality of service, efficiency, technology and human resources can be measured to deliver improvements in customer satisfaction, and we are only to happy to share our experiences with others."
CCA Chief Executive, Anne Marie Forsyth adds: "A significant proportion of the UK contact centre industry is based in the North-west area and this is an industry which is constantly growing as organisations realise the importance of first class customer engagement.
"The customer contact centre is increasingly becoming the shop window for many businesses as it is the first port of call for customers who need information, advice and services. Companies like Wigan & Leigh Housing who have achieved accreditation are setting an excellent example on how better customer service benefits business.
"It is a great example of how a well run contact centre, with properly engaged staff who are all working to a common standard can deliver consistently better levels of customer service."
The growth in the contact centre industry in recent years has seen the North-west become a UK centre for businesses and public organisations. More than 10% of the UK's 800,000 contact centre staff are employed in the region.
For more information, please contact Vicky Bannister, Wigan & Leigh Housing, on 01942 486534.