KATHLEEN M . PETERSON , POWERHOUSE CONSULTING , INC .

ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY ADOBE STOCK

" NOW HEAR THIS " ( NHT ) traditionally signals an important announcement that commands attention . This especially relates to the U . S . military where it is a nautical staple . But , as with many idioms , NHT has evolved beyond its original context — music appearances , a PBS classical series , and even a quirky 1963 cartoon film . Now I propose its next great role : NHT as a spectacular framework for illustrating Contact Center needs .

Let ’ s explore the factors to consider for your own NHT program . “ Now Hear This ” can serve as the rallying cry for addressing key friction points in the Contact Center experience and for tackling obstacles to seamless digital access .

Let ’ s face it . The Contact Center cannot depend on other departments to solve problems that only it truly understands .

Take system design for example . Most departments deal with a handful of tools tailored to their specific needs . The Contact Center ? It juggles an entire circus of applications just to complete a single task . And IT ? It designs systems primarily for the “ main ” user , with the Contact Center ' s needs coming in as a footnote ( if it ’ s lucky ).

Let ’ s break down some challenges and demonstrate how an NHT program can help your Contact Center to be heard — loud and clear .

HOLDING IN THE QUEUE : THE SLOW-MOTION WAITING GAME NOBODY ENJOYS

Let ’ s start with an easy exercise first told to me by a Contact Center Director . Make a call to your Contact Center , preferably during the busiest time of the day . If your first thought is , “ I can ’ t call when it ’ s busy ; I don ’ t have time to wait on hold !”— congratulations ! You have just uncovered a major problem ! This example is one of my favorite illustrations of “ missed awareness .”

When you do call , pay attention . How is the queue configured ? Has your company invested in marketing messages , and if so , what tone do they strike ? Does the narrator sound like they ’ re hyping a Ford F-150 though you are calling an orthopedic clinic ? And let ’ s talk music . Does it soothe or raise your blood pressure ? 12 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE