The Day of the Dashboard
Customer service representatives account for roughly two-thirds of a contact center
Fulfillment
Having His Say: A Different Take on Supply Purchase Agreements
I have to disagree with Bill Monk on his comments about supply purchase agreements in the June 6 issue of the O+F Advisor. Ostensibly, Monk reasoned that when evaluating the need to make a capital investment on void-fill machines, one should not blindly go for the promise of a free machine in exchange for buying a supplier’s products exclusively.
Quick Tip: Think Twice About Supply Purchase Agreements
When evaluating the need to make a capital investment on void-fill machines, don’t blindly go for the promise of a free machine in exchange for buying a supplier’s products exclusively. According to Bill Monk, director of operations/transportation for basket merchant The Longaberger Co., in the long run you end up spending more money than if you’d purchased a machine independently and contracted for a better deal on the void-fill supplies. Shop around and do the math before you sign, he cautions, and if you do select this option, always have an end date for when the machines will be “paid for” and when you can subsequently shop around for another supplier.
The Fulfillment Doctor on Teamwork….
Q: We want to achieve world-class results in our operation, but our efforts seem to fall short of our expectations. How can I improve the level of teamwork in the operation?
Survey: Most Companies Still Struggle with Inventory Management
A recent survey by Industry Directions, an enterprise technologies analyst firm, sheds new light on three common business pain points: forecast accuracy, overstocks, and expediting.
USPS May Revise Slim-Jim Specs
Catalogers considering switching to a slim-jim format to save on postage might want to put those plans on hold. The U.S. Postal Service will begin to test a variety of booklets, which by postal definition include slim-jims. The result could be revised specifications for such mail pieces.
Don’t Forget Yourself
When you are thinking about treating others as they would like to be treated, you should not forget about yourself. You also need to treat yourself the way you’d like to be treated. Here are some tips for making sure that you treat yourself well:
Are You Ready for Security Breaches?
The most critical and fastest-growing customer service need is the ability to handle computer security breaches that have led to the exposure of individuals
Questions for Choosing the Right Home-Agent Provider, Part Two
The remote contact center model is predicated on furnishing highly skilled phone talent less expensively than staffing a brick-and-mortar contact center. In the first part of this two-part series, we looked at questions that companies selecting a home-agent provider must ask regarding recruiting, staffing, and data security. Here are additional questions to ask before selecting your outsourcing partner:
Live from ACCM: The Importance of Empathy
Boston–Creating empathy for the customer is the cornerstone of establishing a true customer culture. That was the message driven home by David McQuillen during his