CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Call centers in the pharmaceutical sector are under increasing pressure to raise performance levels, meet regulatory requirements, and satisfy customer inquiries. Simultaneously, call center leaders are expected to hold down costs.

To accomplish all this, contact centers need to focus on meeting the needs of customers who are increasingly mobile, increasingly connected, and increasingly impatient with slow service. This need to support a growing variety of customer service channels and tools is driving call centers to modernize their technology and expand connectivity options.

Indeed, contact centers expect to add new technology in the next two years to expand customer connectivity through embracing social media, live chat, mobile apps, and other tools currently used by only a few. For example, 45 percent of surveyed call center leaders expect to implement live chat technology, where only 6 percent use it now, according to new research from Best Practices, LLC.

The research project generated a report - Creating a World-Class Call Center in North America's Current Healthcare Environment: Performance Metrics, Operations, Structures and Trends - that identifies performance benchmarks for the size, cost, structure, leadership, technology, and operations of call center organizations within pharmaceutical and related industries.

Among the topics addressed in this study are:


    --  Budget and staff size
    --  New customer interaction channels
    --  Innovative uses of social media
    --  The role of vendors in call center management
    --  And trends that are driving technology evolution in high-performing
        contact center organizations.

The study is based on a research project involving a benchmark class of 40 call center leaders from 35 pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, diagnostic, OTC (Over the Counter), and consumer packaged goods companies. Participation was limited to call centers operating in the United States or Canada.

The 84-page report provides industry metrics and trends insights that can serve as a reference point on pharma call center budget levels, budget allocations, program operations and services, complaint resolution processes, technology, and service levels.

To see how your call center stacks up, download a free summary of our Call Center report at: http://www3.best-in-class.com/rr1259.htm.

ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC
 Best Practices, LLC is a leading benchmarking, consulting and advisory services firm serving biopharmaceutical and medical device companies worldwide. Best Practices, LLC's clients include all the top 10 and 48 of the top 50 global healthcare companies. The firm conducts primary research and consulting using its comprehensive proprietary benchmarking tools and analysis. The operational insights, findings and analysis form the basis for our Benchmarking Reports, databases and advisory services to support executives in commercial and R&D operations. Best Practices, LLC believes in the profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior economic performance by studying the best business practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class companies.

SOURCE Best Practices, LLC