BT launches Business Safeguarding services
British Telecom is the dominant fixed line telecommunications and broadband Internet provider in the UK and has today launched a series of new services that will help businesses and government organisations around the world avoid downtime that affects customer services operations; if faced with an outbreak of diseases, man-made events and natural occurrences.
What with Swine Flu outbreaks, extreme weather conditions, industrial strikes and various other viral outbreaks, customer service operations within organisations are taking a direct hit and that is where BT Global Services are hoping to tackle the situation and have launched a number of special offers created to assist businesses in preventing downtime in their contact centres.
One of the offers incorporates a new enhancement to BT’s Next Generation Contact Centre (NGCC) service where part of the service – called BT NGCC Protect – BT will help businesses to ready themselves against business continuity risks in their contact centres. This is carried out by auditing their requirements then configuring systems so that agents will be able to work from home, or other specified remote locations where they are unable to make it into the office.
BT NGCC Protect works either as a stand alone solution or alongside the companies existing contact centre technology whereby licenses are held in reserve – at a greatly reduced cost – and then when required they can become live immediate effect.
By hosting the service over BT’s 21CN global platform (21st Century Network), contact centre agents are given the ability to access Unified Customer Communications features; a BT-designed desktop and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools quickly and easily over the network thus reducing the likelihood of downtime, whilst allowing businesses to reduce capital expenditure costs and consequently benefiting from greater flexibility.
BT is also offering business customers a free trial of its self-service CRM solutions – these allow businesses to offer a better service to customers whilst improving company efficiency.
According to research, the current economy along with greater risks of business continuity threats means that self-service applications for example, identity and verification, balance enquiries, account payments and booking lines, are offering businesses a cost effective solution in how to handle routine customer requests, where in fact 67% of consumers said they would select voice self service over off-shored contact centres.
BT will work closely with the customer to define a clearly measurable Return on Investment (RoI) model within an agreed timeframe and then install the technology – if the RoI investment objectives are met, the customer can move to a full contract with BT and if they are not met the customer has no other commitment from the trial and is free to walk away.
BT’s infrastructure also means that they have the capability to charge self-service applications through per-minute rates and on a per-transaction rate, offering a risk-share and reward approach to its customers.
Full press release;
Btplc.com/ News&Media/ Press Release (BT launches business continuity offers to safeguard clients’ customer services operations)