tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post8001969433058467851..comments2023-10-18T08:32:17.510-07:00Comments on Kevin Hillstrom: MineThatData: Multichannel Retailing Week: Call Centers And Distribution CentersUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-59796634752376782702007-07-20T13:33:00.000-07:002007-07-20T13:33:00.000-07:00Ironic would be a good choice of words, Jim!Ironic would be a good choice of words, Jim!MineThatDatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014200122021988374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-40623239925118043772007-07-20T05:53:00.000-07:002007-07-20T05:53:00.000-07:00I guess it's probably a catalog / Database Marketi...I guess it's probably a catalog / Database Marketing thing - since the whole company revolves around customer value, you have a culture where people simply can't think of doing it any other way.<BR/><BR/>This whole "customer experince movement" is really quite ironic when viewed through the lens of a business model where these ideas have been a fundamental part of the business for several decades already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-30244266428617956902007-07-19T10:19:00.000-07:002007-07-19T10:19:00.000-07:00Jim, I agree, every place I've worked allows the c...Jim, I agree, every place I've worked allows the call center and distribution center to communicate with marketing on promotions, promotion dates.<BR/><BR/>As you know, if an executive simply talks to call center individuals, s/he will learn these people know far more about the "target customer" than the executive knows ... lots of untapped potential.MineThatDatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014200122021988374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-62882088055683433212007-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:002007-07-19T10:10:00.000-07:00> Over the next decade, we can partner with these ...> Over the next decade, we can partner with these individuals to learn more about what our customers truly want.<BR/><BR/>I've never worked in a place where this was not true, but perhaps it was because I was in charge of Marketing. At HSN - and this was 10 years ago - we never, ever conceived of or dropped a promotion without customer service involvement and approval. <BR/><BR/>They were free to criticize any marketing and point out the problems it could cause. Revisions would reflect their opinions. Then every rep had a copy of it 2 weeks before the drop and was trained on it.<BR/><BR/>This kind of interaction should be standard procedure...why is it so hard to imagine the value this creates / costs it saves?<BR/><BR/>I know, I know - the marketing folks don't think it is part of their job. They're wrong.<BR/><BR/>As long as it's not part of their job, they will have their power sucked away by Chief Customer Officers and the like.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-11490474398898261012007-07-19T09:18:00.000-07:002007-07-19T09:18:00.000-07:00Suzanne --- thanks for the comment. Maybe the lea...Suzanne --- thanks for the comment. Maybe the leaders of US-based call centers can start thinking of the competitive advantages of a US-based call center, and market those advantages.<BR/><BR/>Curmudgeon --- yes, leather floors.MineThatDatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014200122021988374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-32784058799745853762007-07-18T18:58:00.000-07:002007-07-18T18:58:00.000-07:00Amen, and God bless those dedicated people in the ...Amen, and God bless those dedicated people in the call centers and distribution centers. I once performed an analysis for the managing director of a small subsidiary of a large corporation, and one of the metrics, a sort of sidebar calculation to something else, was units per order, and a distribution of orders by number of units, x% of orders were 1 unit, y% were 2 units, z% were three units, etc. This guy was somewhat surprised at the proportion of single unit orders and then noted to himself "But I guess anyone in the phone center could have told me that."<BR/><BR/>Leather floors?Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17958556246013869159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32202893.post-75458587833099998232007-07-18T15:45:00.000-07:002007-07-18T15:45:00.000-07:00Kevin,It's nice to read kudos to call centers. I,...Kevin,<BR/>It's nice to read kudos to call centers. I, too, have spent lots of time with reps (typically in the telecom space--these were people selling wireless service or hooking up local phone service). I love the enthusiasm on the floor; those contests get me going, too :)<BR/><BR/>I like the opportunity you raised about turning the call centers into knowledge centers. After all, they are touching the customer all day long. It's a natural fit.<BR/><BR/>Interesting, I think that India may have already figured this one out. And, they can do it less expensively, too...Suzanne Ortizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02454692691964469323noreply@blogger.com