We’ve all heard the term “big data,” and we are inundated with information about how this trend will affect the technology and communications landscape in the coming years. But how will this trend impact contact centers? And how can companies that wish to transform their contact centers into dynamic hubs of customer engagement, deal with big data?

First of all, it’s important to understand the types of data you are dealing with. For example, there is transactional data, also known as dynamic data, which is information that is generated by systems used for operational purposes, like a cash register, ATM Web page or IVR application. This information can include what customers said, the options they selected and the values of transactions, including date and time stamps.

The other main category data is analytical data. This type of information provides companies with business intelligence that informs decision making. It can be very specific, breaking down data into categories based on location, gender, age, income and countless other factors.

Combining these two kinds of information gives businesses an enormous sea of data. Sifting through this information and obtaining the right data for the right situation is, of course, the big challenge. This sea of data is characterized by volume, variety and velocity: there is a lot of information in many different categories and it flies at us with great speed.

So, contact centers looking to deal with the big data trend need to develop a strategy. Companies need to deal with data security first, and then look into data mining and data analytics solutions. Customers want to know that contact centers have the information they require at their fingertips, and won’t be happy if the agent they reach is unable to help them. In order to keep customer relationships strong, dealing with big data is a must.

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