Ventana and Enkata Survey Reveals Prevalence of Inaccurate Performance Metrics in the Contact Center

Research Confirms Strong Need for Operational Performance Management Technology to Cut Costs and Improve the Customer Experience

Enkata, a leading provider of Operational Performance Management (OPM) solutions, today announced its collaboration on a groundbreaking research study authored by Ventana Research, entitled: “Evaluating Maturity in Contact Centers: A Performance Management Research Study.” Using feedback from global companies across every major industry, the survey identifies key performance issues and success criteria within the call center.

A key finding of the study identified that nearly all respondents rated customer satisfaction as the most important criterion for evaluating the contact center’s effectiveness. Cost-cutting was also top of mind for the survey participants. Additionally, the report shows that 77 percent of respondents rate first-time contact resolution a “very” or “extremely important” financial measurement. Yet with these top concerns, the majority also revealed that they have neither reliable metrics to measure satisfaction, nor the tools to identify the drivers of why customers are calling. These and other findings will be presented in a Webcast hosted by Ventana Research on April 12th at 9:00 a.m. PDT/12:00 noon EDT. To register, visit www.ventanaresearch.com

“It is clear that few call centers today have business analytics that effectively monitor customer satisfaction and are therefore unable to change their processes accordingly and reduce costs,” said Richard Snow, vice president and research director - Contact Center Performance Management at Ventana Research. “Operational Performance Management solutions, such as Enkata’s, that link interaction between the call center and the back office will be critical for increasing the effectiveness of call centers and customer satisfaction.”

“Service-driven companies need to realign their performance metrics in order to boost customer loyalty and drive down operational costs,” said Ron Hildebrandt, president and co-founder, Enkata. “As a leader in OPM, Enkata looks forward to contributing to best practices aimed at helping companies improve overall operational success.”

The research was conducted over the Web in December 2005 and January 2006 with over 850 respondents from companies spanning every significant industry. Respondents came from various parts of their companies, including operations and information technology, and represented call centers that ranged in size from 10 seats to more than 250 seats. A white paper with a summary of the report findings can be downloaded at www.enkata.com.

About Ventana Research

Ventana Research is the leading Performance Management research and advisory services firm. By providing expert insight and detailed guidance, Ventana Research helps clients operate their companies more efficiently and effectively. These business improvements are delivered through a top-down approach that connects people, processes, information and technology. What makes Ventana Research different from other analyst firms is our focus on Performance Management for finance, operations and IT. This focus, plus research as a foundation and reach into a community of more than 2 million corporate executives through extensive media partnerships, allows Ventana Research to deliver a high-value, low-risk method for achieving optimal business performance. To learn how Ventana Research Performance Management workshops, assessments and advisory services can impact your bottom line, visit www.ventanaresearch.com.

About Enkata

Based in San Mateo, Calif., Enkata is a leading provider of Operational Performance Management solutions for businesses with large service organizations. Offered on demand, Enkata delivers the only industry-specific solutions available that analyze both front- and back-office customer lifecycle data and provides actionable information needed to reduce costs while simultaneously increasing customer loyalty. Today, leading companies in health insurance, telecommunications and financial services rely on Enkata to achieve operational excellence. For more information, visit www.enkata.com or call (650) 227-6500.