ISO 18295-1:2017 Customer contact centres
ISO 18295-1:2017 Customer contact centres
ISO 18295-1:2017 provides an internationally recognised framework for establishing and managing effective customer contact centre operations. It supports the consistent delivery of customer-focused services by aligning processes, interactions, accessibility, responsiveness and performance with recognised requirements and best practices. Effective implementation enables organisations to monitor performance, identify improvement opportunities, strengthen the consistency and effectiveness of customer interactions, and enhance customer satisfaction.
What is ISO 18295-1:2017?
ISO 18295-1:2017 is an international standard developed specifically for customer contact centres. It provides requirements for organisations that want to deliver consistent, reliable and customer-focused contact centre services while improving the way customer interactions are managed, measured and continually improved. The standard can be applied to both in-house and outsourced customer contact centres, regardless of their size, industry or location. It is relevant to organisations managing inbound and outbound customer interactions across telephone, email, web chat, digital platforms and other communication channels. For organisations where the contact centre is a key part of the customer journey, ISO 18295-1 provides a practical framework for improving customer experience, employee competence, operational control, service quality and contact centre performance.
ISO 18295-1:2017, Customer contact centres — Part 1: Requirements for customer contact centres, specifies the requirements a customer contact centre needs to consistently meet the needs of both its customers and the organisation or client it represents. The standard looks at the complete contact centre operation rather than focusing only on call volumes, response times or individual agent performance. It considers how customers are treated from the moment they make contact, how information is communicated, whether employees have the right skills and resources, how complaints are handled, how customer experience is measured and whether the contact centre has the operational capacity to deliver the level of service expected. ISO 18295-1 can therefore be used by traditional call centres as well as modern multi-channel or omnichannel customer contact centres. The standard is relevant to contact centres that manage customer service, technical support, enquiries, sales, complaints, collections, helpdesks, customer retention and other customer-facing activities.
Why does an Organisation need ISO 18295-1:2017?
For many organisations, the contact centre is one of the most visible parts of the business. Customers may never interact directly with senior management, operational teams or support departments. Their view of the organisation may instead be shaped almost entirely by their experience with a contact centre agent. Poorly managed contact centres can result in long waiting periods, inconsistent information, repeated customer contacts, unresolved complaints, frustrated employees and dissatisfied customers. ISO 18295-1 provides a recognised framework for addressing these issues in a structured manner. Implementation can help an organisation understand how its contact centre operates, define the customer experience it wants to provide and establish appropriate processes and controls to achieve it.
It can also help management move away from managing the contact centre purely through volumes and call-handling statistics towards a more balanced understanding of customer experience and operational performance.
What are the Benefits of Implementing ISO 18295-1:2017?
Implementing ISO 18295-1 can assist an organisation in creating a more structured, measurable and customer-focused contact centre.
Potential benefits include:
- Improved customer experience and more consistent customer service.
- Clearer customer service standards.
- Improved handling of customer enquiries.
- Stronger complaints management.
- Improved first contact resolution.
- Better communication with customers.
- Improved accessibility of contact centre services.
- Better-trained and more competent agents.
- Stronger employee engagement.
- Improved workforce planning.
- More effective quality assurance.
- Meaningful contact centre KPIs.
- Improved monitoring of service performance.
- More consistent service across different customer channels.
- Better management of outsourced contact centre services.
- Improved identification of customer service trends.
- Improved operational efficiency.
- Greater confidence in contact centre processes.
- A structured approach to continual improvement.
The standard can also help organisations demonstrate to customers, clients and other interested parties that their customer contact centre is managed against internationally recognised requirements.
How do I implement ISO 18295-1:2017 in an organisation?
ISO Consulting & Implementation:
We have a range of professional consultants, engineers, and registered auditors to assist in implementing and maintaining your ISO management system. Our industry expertise includes services, telecommunication, manufacturing, construction, engineering services, fast-moving consumer goods, mining, power generation, state owned companies, and government-run organisations. Each of our consultants takes the time to truly understand the processes of your organisation, which will enable them to implement ISO requirements accordingly and effectively. Hiring a consultant and the time spent to implement your ISO management system will pay off in the long run.
WWISE has a 4-Phase Approach:
- Phase 1: Gap Analysis Audit and Information Gathering
- Phase 2: ISO Documentation, Risk Assessment, and Process Mapping
- Phase 3: Implementation and Training
- Phase 4: Certification
At WWISE we provide a fully inclusive solution that includes full turnkey, awareness training, classroom and online training, and mentorship. As a consulting firm, we do not provide certification services. However, we will guide you through the certification process and ensure that your business becomes certified.
Why Choose WWISE to Assist your Organisation:
Certification Process:
An organisation can get certified to a requirement standard. You can implement the standard and get certified by a third-party.
