The contact center profession has come a long way in recent years. Customer expectations are high, and for good reason. For the most part, contact centers have learned how to deliver. Collectively, they have invested billions in equipment, networks and software. They have spent untold hours training and equipping people. They have learned the nuances of forecasting, staffing and the behavior of queues. They continue to improve processes and find new and better ways to get things done. And, they have identified evolving customer needs, and are constantly changing to meet those needs.

But things are changing fast, and some in our industry are understandably viewing the future with at least some apprehension. They fear the impact and uncertainties that new channels of communication (such as those through social media) bring. They are concerned about ever-heightening competition. They contemplate the increasingly diverse interactions their centers will handle. They wonder how they’re going to keep up in an environment that changes so quickly, so persistently.

It’s important to remember, though, that the very things that are bringing uncertainties are also bringing the most relevant opportunities. More than ever, organizations need professionals who can help them sort through these changes and make sound business decisions. By virtually any measure, there’s a shortage of leaders who really understand the unique contact center environment and how to deliver great business results.

We have become a communication-oriented economy. In many ways, we are all pioneers in creating the next generation of services — services our customers will come to expect, our organizations will depend on and our economy will require. We’ve got more opportunity right now than at any time in the history and growth of this profession to shape services that have a positive impact.

Excerpt from Call Center Management on Fast Forward, Brad Cleveland.

This blog post is part of a series on the 12 Characteristics of the Best Managed Contact Centers. Read about:

• Characteristic #1: They Produce High Levels of Value
• Characteristic #2: They Have a Supporting Culture
• Characteristic #3: They Know that Their People Are the Key to Success
• Characteristic #4: They Build Plans and Services around Evolving Customer Expectations
• Characteristic #5: They Have an Established, Collaborative Planning Process
• Characteristic #6: They Leverage the Key Statistics
• Characteristic #7: They View the Contact Center as a Total Process
• Characteristic #8: They Leverage Technology to Support and Further Their Mission
• Characteristic #9: They Get the Budget and Support They Need
• Characteristic #10: They Build an Effective Organization
• Characteristic #11: They Are Willing to Experiment