Customer care solution pulls data together

A new call center application could help carriers tie customer information from multiple legacy systems into one customer profile, and simultaneously simplify and streamline customer service representatives' tasks.

The Customer Communications Solution (CCS), from Palo Alto, Calif.-based Chordiant Software, combines business policies with data already collected on customer behavior in legacy systems, allowing carriers to provide real-time, personalized, one-to-one customer service.

"The goal is to put the customer at the heart of transactions, not the various, separate business units of the service provider," said Tony Lacy-Thompson, director of product marketing at Chordiant.

The system is designed to allow customers to easily conduct business with any part of the company, Lacy-Thompson said.

CCS tailors responses around the customer's services and specific product interests while following the company's policies and procedures.

The system dynamically profiles customer requests, account history and complementary product profiles. Scripted prompts walk CSRs through transactions, and a Web interface facilitates self-serve customer service. The system can be integrated into existing carrier systems, allowing one CSR to handle customer requests that span many departments, Lacy-Thompson said.

"The consolidated desktop for CSRs has been a Holy Grail," said Dan Baker, research director for Technology Research Institute. "In the past, CSRs have had to jump from one workstation to another. It's a great development if someone can put that all together."