| Has Your Company Outgrown Your Call Center Solution? |
| by Jami J. Rodgers, Guide to Telephony Solutions Columnist |
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Call Centers: Your Key to Managing Future Growth
Is your company growing rapidly? Is the task of managing sales trends and customer data becoming a daunting one? Consider a call center solution to manage this data, and, more importantly, identify areas for future growth. Take a global firm ("Global X") leading in software delivery optimization as an example: |
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| Serving over 80 percent of global 2000 companies with best-in-class solutions for over 20 years, Global X needed an unparalleled solution to manage its global clientele. An obsolete hardware-based Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system, which routed incoming calls to call center agents, was not the most efficient means of handling their customer base. The ACD experienced frequent outages, and the system vendor provided little technical support. Maintenance costs were sky-high, and day-to-day modifications to reflect operational changes in the call center were difficult to oversee and not easily implemented. According to the company's management, this system was failing the customer base, with all-time highs of 20% for call abandonment. |
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The Call Center Solution: Reliable, Flexible, and Affordable
In despair, Global X sought solutions. After market research, this firm found that many call center solution providers offer free trial products. The company found a web-based product that provided reliability, flexibility, and affordability. |
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| Integrating with their current operations, Global X was able to both network five call center locations and re-route more in-depth technical questions to a second tier of specialists. Furthermore, the company was able to receive inbound calls with an announcement to the call agent on the topic at hand based on the number dialed into the call center. The call center solution also featured an after-hours routing system to reach on-call agents. After implementing the call center solution, this firm's call abandonment rate dropped by 67%, and the average speed of answer improved by 44%. |
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Your Research Pays Off: Consider Various Call Center Solutions' FAQs
While we have seen how one company implemented a successful call center solution, it is important to obtain information on how others have implemented solutions, too. What works for one firm may not be the perfect fit for yours. Examine various call center providers' marketing and web materials for frequently asked questions (FAQs) to learn more about a particular system's capabilities, start-up costs, and operability. Ideally, information gleaned from different providers' FAQ systems will allow you to narrow down your search for the solution that will work best for you. Remember, your call center will serve as the first point of contact between customers and your company. The technology behind your system should enhance the customer's perception of your professionalism and courtesy, not hinder it. The right call center solution should help you grow your company. |
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Sources
Call Center Magazine
Angel.com Success Stories
"100 Proven CRM Ideas, Part 1" CRM Magazine Online
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About the Author
Jami J. Rodgers works in acquisition management for the federal sector in Washington, D.C. His previous experience includes teaching public middle school and working in a call center as an on-call account manager for a major airline's national sales accounts. Jami holds a B.S. in Spanish with a business option and an international studies minor from The Pennsylvania State University. |
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