COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) has released its 2013 research report, A Mobile Customer Service Strategy: The Contact Center, the Agent, and the Challenges of Implementation, including key findings and study results.

The study results were collected from a late 2012 online survey to 422 customer service professionals. Worldwide participants from various industries and all levels of the contact center answered questions pertaining to their Mobile Customer Service Strategy. The research shows that contact centers recognize the importance of providing mobile customer service directly from the device, but that they aren't always sure how to implement. Those contact centers that get involved early in the planning and support of the Mobile Customer Service Strategy will have the best opportunity to provide the desired customer experience.

The argument for mobile customer service is strong, and a solid plan is imperative to a successful implementation. When built correctly, a Mobile Customer Service Strategy will provide lasting benefits to the company, and the contact center. The key benefits that contact center leaders can expect to gain will extend far beyond 2013.

"We know that most contact centers share the same challenges when launching a Mobile Customer Service Strategy", said ICMI's Editor-at-Large, Sarah Stealey. "That's why these research results are so powerful!  They give contact centers the tools to prepare, the outline of the necessary resources for implementation, and the data to secure executive buy-in. Customers are already clamoring for mobile customer service, and now the contact center can build a solid strategy to provide it."

A few key findings from the research study include:

• Six key mobile support best practices previously identified by ICMI were confirmed
• Over 43% say their company knows mobile customer service is a priority
• 68% say it improves their user experience
• Almost 62% think it's a competitive differentiator
• 44% are in the planning stages
• Only 25% report actually having a mobile customer service strategy for 2013

A complete review of the survey's final results can be found within the research report, A Mobile Customer Service Strategy: The Contact Center, the Agent, and the Challenges of Implementation, which focuses on key areas of mobile customer service including transactional and interactive self-service and conversational live agent service.

In addition, ICMI offers a free whitepaper featuring a portion of the survey results and presents commentary through a webinar and podcast.

Funding for the survey was provided by mobile contact center solutions provider, Voxeo. (The underwriter, Voxeo, does not have access to individual survey responses, nor will they be shared with the underwriter.)

About ICMI
The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) is the leading global provider of comprehensive resources for customer management professionals - from frontline agents to executives - who wish to improve customer experiences and increase efficiencies at every level of the contact center. Since 1985, ICMI has helped more than 50,000 organizations in 167 countries through training, events, certification, consulting, and informational resources. ICMI's experienced and dedicated team of industry insiders, trainers, and consultants are committed to helping you raise the strategic value of your contact center, optimize your operations and improve your customer service. For more information, visit www.icmi.com <http://www.icmi.com>.

ICMI is a part of UBM (www.ubm.com <http://www.ubm.com>), a global live media and B2B communications, marketing service and data provider.

SOURCE The International Customer Management Institute (ICMI)