Contact Centres Face Challenging Times in the Middle East

DUBAI, September 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Technological advances and the uncertain economic climate worldwide have seen the customer relations industry face its share of challenges and opportunities. Government contact centres in the Middle East are putting more emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness. Technological advances have resulted in more informed customers and hence, increased expectation of performance not just in quality but in quantity of interaction. With the industry in the region still growing, 2010 has been all the more defining for the industry's future. Key industry influencers are meeting to find ways to develop and improve their communication with the public.

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Customers, now expecting fast and efficient services, provided by knowledgeable, understanding and tactful agents and CRM systems, place a great strain on the industry to meet high expectations and manage demand. This makes personnel management and innovative software implementation all the more vital.

"Customers have made it clear that what they want are knowledgeable agents that have visibility over the value of their business to the organisation and is treated accordingly" said Joe Tawfik, Chief Operating Officer, Silah Gulf W.L.L. "Customers also want fast and accurate responses to their queries. The emergence of CRM packages that unify all customer interactions, whether at the contact centre, on the web or at the retail outlet, has led to greater possibilities for the contact centre to design intelligent communications with customers that lead to greater customer satisfaction. Another tool that is also an enabler is the knowledge base. A smart application of both of these technologies can lead to greater customer satisfaction levels. I say 'can' because ultimately the human element is the key to executing this effectively."

Human resource management now proves vital to the success of the industry, a fact shared by Hussein Karimi, Contact Centre Manager, Dubai Bank. "While considering the importance of all mentioned challenges, the biggest challenge would be 'managing people'." said Hussein Karimi. "In fact, people are the 'fuel' of any organisation, without them it cannot run successfully and they are always the main source of pride for any successful organization. Therefore, people management starting from selecting the right people, developing them and ending with their optimum utilization in a motivating atmosphere is the biggest challenge not only for the managers to consider but also for the organization as a whole. If you have the right people to manage and lead them towards the vision of your organisation successfully, absolutely they are the ones who will align processes and services to your strategy in order to assist in generating more income and keeping the costs down."

Even though new innovative CRM software advances have helped ease business in the region meet expectation, the human element, an integral part of the process, presents key decision makers with questions of recruitment, management, retention and motivation. Other issues such as aligning with company strategy, understanding the customer's needs and expectations and the ability to utilize innovative technological advances need to be taken into consideration. This is why government bodies such as the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) have inaugurated initiatives such as the Best Customer Service Center Award across the RTA with the aim of boosting the satisfaction of RTA customers and front-end employees by motivating them to improve the level of services delivered by RTA Customer Service Centers spreading across the Emirate of Dubai.

These issues and more will be tackled at this year's Middle East Government Contact Centres Summit from the 12th - 15th December 2010 at Yas Island Rotana, Abu Dhabi, UAE. With key speakers such as Joe Tawfik, Chief Operating Officer, Silah Gulf W.L.L; Hussein Karimi, Contact Centre Manager, Dubai Bank,UAE; Waleed Galal, Government Contact Centre Section Manager, ictQATAR, Qatar; Dr. Aysha Busmait, Director of Customer Care Centre, Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), UAE; Mohammed Ghussein, Central Community Services Manager, Saudi Aramco, KS; Peter Gossler, Executive Director, Contact Centre Association of Singapore, Singapore; Eng Hong Kong-Choo, Senior Assistant Director, Call Centre, Central Provident Fund Board, Singapore; Lala Rukh Qadir, Director, Strategic Planning & Performance Sector, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, UAE; the conference provides industry professionals with the chance to network, share ideas and explore CRM innovations affecting the industry

In order to reserve your place on the exclusive guest list email [email protected] or call +971-4-364-2975. Further information may be obtained at http://www.govcontactcentreme.com

About IQPC Middle East:

For over thirty years, IQPC has helped the world's leading corporations solve their business challenges through the sharing of practical industry solutions and global best practice. In the process, the company has built a formidable reputation for quality and value. During this time, the Middle East's most progressive companies have benefited from IQPC's unrivalled global reach, which has connected international expertise with regional and local leaders. For more information, visit http://www.iqpc.ae

SOURCE IQPC Middle East