Without data, no insight and without insight, no clear path to the future. Ilja Gleiser and Dirk Jan van Barneveld have started a new initiative together: a periodic sector survey, supported by a community.

 

After the excellent National Call Center Benchmark Platform (NCCBP, long defunct) and the periodic studies of KIRC (Customer Interaction Research Center) there was 'nothing' for a while. The need for industry figures has been picked up by the KSF with, among other things, the KSF Trend Research and the National Voice Monitor. But that is still not enough, according to Ilya Gleiser.

Need for numbers

“There is still a heavy reliance on international research across the board,” he says. “A lot of research is really focused on specific topics. From the discussions with my network, I have concluded that there is a need for a platform that offers insight across the board. Insight into all the domains that our sector rests on, including in-depth information, which should help managers in discussing all these topics with the board. In this, figures provide evidence and support.”

Gleiser wants to work together with that need for analyzes and data Van Barneveld – consultant in the customer contact sector – will provide by launching a new platform, focused on research, data and connection.

The new Sector Research Platform focuses on data in the field of labor market, business process management, business process outsourcing, human resources, finance & purchasing, knowledge management, learning & development, legal and compliance, operational management, strategy & management, technology & AI and finally WFM. On the website of the sector research explained per domain what is and is not included.

Ten pillars under every customer contact organization

These ten topics are the pillars of the customer contact organization, which are of course also related to each other, according to Gleiser. “We want to collect relevant figures in these ten areas. Our sector is strongly financially driven. Which financial KPIs can you use to steer effectively? Where is the labor market heading? What are the current rates that buyers can look at? There is a need for transparency, which is part of a sector that is maturing. This need is also clearly noticeable in, for example, the BPO sector, where open cost calculation is increasingly being used. Transparency in the area of ​​results with AI is also desirable. If it were up to technology parties, anything is possible, but there is a lot of disappointment in the market. Whether we will really get everything out in the open is the question, but we are going to try in any case. We want to be the best partner for the boardroom partners when it comes to interpreting facts, figures, trends and developments.”

Make it successful first

Gleiser previously initiated a sector study in collaboration with a trade journal, but had to abandon it due to lack of time. When asked why this new study is not being conducted in collaboration with the KSF, Van Barneveld and Gleiser respond that this project is first and foremost their personal passion – and also their personal initiative. The KSF cannot be expected to join every initiative; but once it is up and running, Gleiser does not rule out collaboration with the KSF.

Gleiser and Van Barneveld are not rushing into things. The research is currently being developed and all the time needed is being taken. In order to distribute the burden, the sector research is working with so-called domain leads: knowledge owners who each take charge of one or two of the ten domains. Together with Gleiser and Van Barneveld, they also have a role in involving the community, because the research is being built on the basis of input from customer contact professionals.

The profession is participating through a new community

“With the help of the domain leads, we will continuously take a look at the market in the coming year. Who are the important stakeholders for each domain? What are their needs and experiences? We will capture these in knowledge sessions. We will also convert these sessions into podcasts or talk shows. The sum of all this will ultimately lead to the final survey and elaboration of the sector research, which we will also substantiate with great practical cases.”

A step-by-step approach, with the help and input from the field itself. Or as it says on the website: 'Platform Sectoronderzoek connects CX managers and professionals with analyses, trends and strategic management information.'

That is why the community is so important, and Van Barneveld will help build it. That community should also help each other, that is the intention. “An informal network where you can ask questions. Suppose you are looking for specific knowledge in the context of an assignment, or for a professional with specific knowledge. Access to that is not always self-evident for everyone. Think of a health insurer that wants to orient itself on offshoring customer contact.”

First retrieve the net

What can customer contact professionals expect from the sector research platform in the near future?
The duo will be working on approaching and building a network in the coming period: people who want to join and who want to come and get and bring something. “We will start by retrieving the net, organizing events and creating content. That should lead to the first edition of the sector research at the end of next year. In the meantime, we will organize smaller-scale studies in the run-up to the final sector research.”

The comparison with PvKO and CCMA is also obvious and last year there were also several informal networking drinks in Amsterdam. Gleiser responds: “The CCMA has a lot of freedom to organize fun activities. At the CCMA you can participate in the election of the CCMA Manager of the Year or attend other events. At the Platform Sector Research you come specifically for knowledge or a problem that you want to solve. We also look at Flemish customer contact professionals. For example, Belgium has already joined the upcoming edition of the Customer Contact Quiz. And in the long term, Germany is also interesting.”

No association

The sector research platform is a non-profit initiative and is not yet an association or foundation. Donors are welcome, as are people who want to contribute as a domain lead. "Everyone who wants to participate does so in a personal capacity," says Van Barneveld. And Gleiser concludes: "We realize that we are embarking on a completely new adventure." To be continued.

(Ziptone/Erik Bouwer)

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