3 Factors Driving Client Centricity in IT and ITES

Drive employee engagement and create a customer-centric culture using a hybrid workforce model that better reflects your brand.

The pandemic situation brought a change to the operating models in ‘Information Technology ’(IT) and ‘Information Technology Enabled Services ’(ITES) sector. The businesses in this industry should not be satisfied with just maintaining ‘adequate service ’levels but must continue to drive ‘customer centricity’. Many IT and ITES companies consider the disruption as an opportunity to reassess operations to reduce operational expenditure while ensuring a high level of customer service.

Let’s look at three factors driving client centricity in small and mid-size IT /ITES businesses:

1. Use video to empower the remote workforce and strengthen client relationships

While online chat and voice may be used as a means of communication, using video conference on the other hand, can offer several advantages when it comes to engagement. It encourages participation, removes the invisible & passive role, and depicts non-verbal cues such as facial expressions to build rapport. Companies can use video conferences to break the monotony by encouraging active conversation, asking direct questions, and using graphs or charts to capture & retain the viewer's attention. In addition, it boosts internal collaboration, improves training, and drives overall employee engagement. It is easier to manage multiple worldwide teams, help unlock innovation and improves team bonding.

2. Ensure data security to win client confidence and build trust

Managing client data from remote locations creates a responsibility on the business and the employees to keep it safe. Given a long history of high-profile data breaches, the stakes are high for IT/ITES companies managing client data. Data theft can damage the brand image for a company of any size but can be destructive for a small and mid-sized company in a highly competitive marketplace.

The importance of data security and control have led to regulations across the world such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union. IT and ITES businesses need to invest enough to ensure they are not just compliant but maintain the highest level of security. While it is difficult to anticipate future threats, proactive steps in increasing cyber security measures, improving access management practices, refining data governance frameworks, and creating an infrastructure to accommodate and manage mounting data volumes can go a long way in winning client trust.

3. Stay connected across all platforms and deliver an omnichannel experience for consumer business clientele

ITES companies supporting consumer focused businesses need the ability to deliver a timely response and a consistent experience across all channels. For example, an agent's work can be difficult and timeconsuming when switching between multiple disconnected systems while processing business tasks. Communication delays between teams can further delay processes and ultimately lead to customer dissatisfaction. Using a unified platform to access data, collaborate and share information will help reduce processing time.

Today, IT/ITES businesses must stay agile across multiple digital channels and interaction modes through which their clients’ customers seek self-service or assisted-service options. But many businesses often miss a key component, which is the ability to interlink and contextualize interactions across channels. Without this, businesses limit the ability to provide a contextual customer experience. For example, an integrated call management tool that connects with the client’s back-office systems gives a unified view of all channel interactions. Plan a customer experience for the future, use tools to automate if possible. Chart out the routing plan to get calls to the designated agent during the first instance. No matter how the client’s users reach out, make sure they receive consistent responses. An omnichannel strategy will contribute to overall CX and keep customers engaged.

Stay client centric in an evolving future

With the right foundations in place, businesses can promote a customer-centric culture that values relationships, ensures data privacy and creates a seamless omnichannel experience. Considering the three success factors, now is the time for small and medium-sized IT/ITES businesses to chart a longterm strategy by investing in the right technologies.