There are many articles, webinars and conferences with an emphasis on big data and contact centers. Naturally with that being such a hot topic, many in the C-suite and savvy managers are looking at ways they can utilize the best practices.

If you are getting on board the big data train, make sure you consider the following:

1. What are you going to do with all the data?

Much like the confusion over which center metrics are key, having lots of numbers and trend details sitting uselessly in a report won’t improve customer experience or your bottom line. Contact center data is just data, unless we combine with great business practices to implement where and when it makes sense to take action.

2. Are your customers and employees associating “Big Data” with privacy invasion?

With the recent concerns about business loss of data and invasions of personal privacy, many customers are leery of sharing too much information with you. How much is too much for them? Look to your agents and customers across channels, who may be telling you their concerns, without you even having to ask. If you aren’t getting feedback, start asking so you can be prepared for Big Data use questions from both inside users and customers.

3. Are you making assumptions based on last year’s data?

Like most things in our businesses, timing is everything. Some execs spend way too much time discussing what should be done, and then discussing again ten more times only to find that the window of opportunity to use feedback and data collected is past its prime and things have changed in the market again or customers have moved on. Plan to take quick actions whenever possible.

4. Who controls contact center data collection, interpretation and use of information?

This is where it gets even more interesting. If there is infighting among internal parties who want to control and disseminate the information, the focus on the data opportunity is lost and it becomes more about the power play.

Personnel are also key to analysis success. Do you have the right people on board to work with big data? Are you offering them training to improve their analytical skills?

5. Big data vendor promises

Run from vendors who are promising you immediate success or total differentiation from your competitors six months from now. Big data capture and analysis means different things to different companies so make you’re your vendors understand and have experience with your size business, industry, and understand your marketplace, customers and your data goals.

Using contact center data effectively takes commitment, time, resources and the ability to move quickly with information learned. Ultimately, all of this means nothing if you don’t have the right blend of people, processes and technology properly aligned to support your efforts with customers on the front lines of your center.