Hillarys has over 150 contact centre employees across sales and service departments, as well as a nationwide network of around 1,000 field-based advisors. As consumer behaviour has evolved over time, Hillarys now has to account for an even split between initial customer contact via online and the contact centre.
Julian Bond, Head of ICT, Hillarys Blinds, commented “We wanted a solution that would enable us to effectively integrate and manage multimedia contact. It’s about interacting with customers in the way that they want to be communicated with, whether that be by phone, email, social media or web chat, but at the same time not sacrificing customer experience for the sake of new technology. It had to be the right blend and we needed the right partner, an organisation that was innovative, but also of the appropriate size that meant we mattered to them. Opting for the latest contact centre solution from Avaya, Proximity was able to work closely with us, manage the vendor appropriately, and provide the right level of guidance both during the deployment and on an on-going basis.”
A pre-requisite for the new solution was also the ability to collaborate more effectively with Hillarys’ network of field advisors, based throughout the UK, who are also fed through the contact centre. Bond continues: “The nature of our field advisors’ work meant it was often difficult for the advisor and the contact centre agent to communicate effectively; playing phone tag was prevalent with advisors in and out of customer meetings with their phones switched off. This is where presence comes into its own. Contact centre agents are now able to see when an advisor is available and find the best mode of communication, whether that be a call or instant messaging.”
Stuart Legg, Sales and Marketing Director, Proximity Communications, concluded: “Hillarys is a forward-thinking organisation which now has a platform for the future it can rely on. Hillarys Blinds is a great example of a company that is now utilising its traditional strengths through new means. It has found a way of maintaining the superior level of customer experience that it’s known for, and embedding that into the technology that is helping it develop as a business. Proximity looks forward to its on-going collaboration with the company.”