Press Releases

PLEASANTON, Calif.— June 17, 2008 — Most businesses today have not advanced very far in how they manage their customers’ experiences with them, according to newly released benchmark research from Ventana Research. The new research, “Customer Experience Management: Improving the Consistency and Quality of Customer Interactions” confirms that businesses are only beginning to advance towards managing the customer experience across the broad set of customer interactions that occur every day.

Ventana Research defines customer experience management as a focus on improving the effectiveness of the people, processes, information and technology involved in the customer interaction at every touch point in the organization. The new research evaluated the maturity of customer experience management and found that only 12 percent of organizations are truly mature in their focus on ensuring the optimal customer experience.

“Reinvigorating efforts to manage customer experience is absolutely essential in today’s highly competitive business environment, and doing so requires laser-sharp a focus on the customer and all his or her interactions,” said Richard Snow, Ventana Research’s vice president of customer performance management research. “The research found that many organizations have yet to invest in new processes and in technology that can help improve customer interactions and provide information employees can use to fine-tune customer behavior.”

The research report notes that customers are one of a company’s key assets, and the way they behave will have a strong impact on the success or failure of the company. If they remain loyal and continue their purchasing, the company’s prospects will be good, but if the costs to support them exceed the revenues they generate, prospects will look bad. Nearly all interactions occur through a customer service agent in a call center or through the Web, and the research shows that customers are less than satisfied with the results of their calls, and only 40 percent of participants reported that issues usually are resolved during the first call. Curiously, though, only slightly more than one-third of the organizations participating in the research said they intend to upgrade the desktop technology on which agents rely in the next 12 months.

Ventana Research will expand on the key findings of this benchmark research and discuss the steps required to improve the maturity of customer experience management in a live interactive webinar, “Establishing the Foundation for Customer Experience Management,” on Tuesday, June 24th at 9:00am Pacific time.

The webinar will present the research findings and explain how organizations are advancing the use of customer experience management to improve satisfaction across customer touch points and thus business performance. It will also explore the impediments organizations face and what can be done to improve by applying best practices. Here are some key questions that will be addressed in the webinar:

• What constitutes maturity in customer experience management.

• Where and how organizations can collect and analyze feedback to guide improvement.

• What agent desktop, interaction, satisfaction, and technologies will improve the customer experience.

• How companies are measuring the customer experience and using performance metrics to improve.

• What best practices can positively impact your customers’ experience.

Register and View the Webinar Replay.

The research, sponsored by technology providers Ciboodle (www.ciboodle.com), Cincom (www.cincom.com) and  Verint (www.verint.com) is based on an analysis of 253 qualified respondents from all major industries. The survey was conducted with the assistance of media partners Questex Media International Contact Centre Management (www.iccm.com) and Sift Media myCustomer.com (www.mycustomer.com). Media may request a copy of the report of the benchmark research or schedule an interview with the VP leading this research, Richard Snow, by contacting marketing at marketing@ventanaresearch.com. Those interested in learning more about the benchmark research can find additional information at http://www.ventanaresearch.com/cem/. (Registration for the webinar constitutes and acknowledgement that your registration information will be shared with the sponsor.)

About Ventana Research

Ventana Research is the leading research and advisory services firm focused on the intersection of people, processes, information and technology to enable breakthrough performance. By providing expert insight and detailed guidance, Ventana Research helps clients operate their companies more efficiently and effectively. To learn how Ventana Research Performance Management workshops, assessments and advisory services can impact your bottom line, visit www.ventanaresearch.com.

Media Contact: Marisela Reynoso  

(925) 242-2579 marketing@ventanaresearch.com

© 2008 Ventana Research, Inc.