The decision making of best-practice managers is always based from the customers' perspective, or what we call "outside-in". The "inside out" process considers the company's view. Managers who use "inside-out" process identify that even though a problem is visible in a contact center, the root cause came from somewhere else. If a contact center is experiencing an increase in web or billing issued, the inside-out view of the team is to have an additional staff who will take charge of this new call volume. The team may train the agents in a shortened call process so agents can assist the Web or billing call quicker. By this means, talk time is shorter, agents handle more calls and additional staff is no longer needed. On the other hand, managers are not satisfied in outside-in practice until the calls are eradicated. They find out why the number those non-value calls is increasing.

These non value calls are not only costing them money, these calls are demeaning the customer's experience.

Ask the following questions:

• "Are we looking at this issue from the customers' perspective or are we only considering the view from inside our company or department?" - Always search to reduce costs and improve customers’ experience by looking at things from the customers’ perception.
• "How can you make the customers' perspective come alive for your team?" - View things through the customers' eyes.

When you ask input from agents, make sure you are prepared to take action on it. Employees should give importance to feedback. Employees must stamp the be a customer scheme with the dreaded "project du jour" label. This will help them convince employees to continue their participation. [via multichannelmerchant.com]