You are probably familiar with the concept of the decades old call center. Well, a customer engagement center (CEC) has evolved from that previous customer service standard to now include multiple channels. Contributing to this growth and change is the blend of social media and communities engagement with CRM software. CECs also support more traditional channels like phone, Internet, and email.

The goal of a CEC is to provide customer service and support on any and every channel, by implementing various technologies and business applications. What distinguishes a CEC is its ability to retain context about customers as they move across channels, while offering a personalized and engaging experience.

Why does your business need a CEC? Because a customer engagement platform is vital to succeeding in today’s environment. Customers now demand service on their terms. They want a frictionless experience that requires minimal effort and to find a solution to their issue easily. They expect service on every device, on every channel, and at anytime.

Here are a few things to remember when building a CEC for your business:

1. Begin with the end in mind

Do you want to increase revenue? Up customer satisfaction? Create loyal customers?

2. Define the ideal customer experience

Provide their preferred communication channel and foster customer loyalty.

3. Get the right technology infrastructure in place

This includes one that can connect to multiple back-end solutions.

4. Go where customers are

Whether they are using a mobile device, a website, social media, a community forum, or a blog.

5. Put the right people in place

Match their skills with appropriate roles, give them the tools to succeed, and reward them for great work.

For much more on how to successfully build a CEC at your business, download this free e-book by clicking the button below.