CALL CENTER 100 Success Secrets. Gerard Blokdijk

Transcription

1 CALL CENTER 100 Success Secrets Gerard Blokdijk

2 CALL CENTER 100 Success Secrets Copyright 2007 by Gerard Blokdijk All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.

3 CALL CENTER 100 Success Secrets - Gerard Blokdijk - There has never been a CALL CENTER manual like this. 100 Success Secrets is not about the ins and outs of the CALL CENTER. Instead, it answers the top 100 questions that we are asked and those we come across in forums, our consultancy and education programs. It tells you exactly how to deal with those questions, with tips that have never before been offered in print. This book is also not about a CALL CENTER s best practice and standards details. Instead it introduces everything you want to know to be successful with and in a CALL CENTER.

4 Table of Contents The Difference Between an Advanced Call Center and A Large Call Center...11 What Does an Appointment Setter Call Center Part Time Employee Do?...12 Taking a Closer Look at Customer Service Offices in Call Centers...13 The Voice of your Product or Service...15 Get the information you need through A Data Entry Call Center...16 Call Center Jobs Taking Chances on a Call Center Career...18 Conquering Challenges of Call Center/Customer Service Managers...20 Manage the Telemarketing of Products through Call Center...22 The Qualities of an Effective Call Center Financial Services Representative...24 Qualities of a Call Center Representative...26 Call Center here at your Service...27 Call Center Supervisor Manager for High Tech Companies in Austin, Texas...28 The Need to Train a Call Center Agent...30 Tips on How to Provide Excellent Customer Service towards an Exciting Call Center Career...32

5 Call Center: An Answer To All Your Queries Standard Requirements for A Call Center Agent Applicant What is the Nature of the Job of Call Center Agents? How the Call Center Airline Industry Works The Life of A Call Center Analyst The Call Center and its Customer Service Why Choose Call Center Careers? The Call Center Conference Call Center Consultants: A Hassle Free Solution To Manage Call Center Call Center Consulting For Your Company Call Center And Customer Service: One And The Same Customer Service And Call Center Jobs: The responsibilities Of Order Desk Supervisors That Can Lead You To Great Opportunities The Many Career Options Open To An Experienced Call Center Customer Service Rep Call Center Customer Service: Supervisor and Manager Positions The Responsibilities Of Call Center Director How Call Center Employment Keeps BPO Companies Grounded in Reality Why You Need A Call Center Furniture Call Center Jobs: How To Find One?... 62

6 What You Need To Know About Call Center Management...64 The Different Types of Call Center Management Jobs...66 The Main Responsibilities Of Call Center Managers...67 The Operation in a Call Center...69 Call Center Operations Manager...70 The Operators in a Call Center...71 Call Center Or Customer Service: What It Can Do To Your Company...72 The Facts About Call Center Outsourcing...73 Call Center Pricing Is Affordable...75 The On-the-Job Duties of A Call Center Rep...77 Call Center Representative: Frontline In Customer Service...79 Why Call Center Sales Training is Important for New Hires...81 The Services In a Call Center...82 Call Center Software: A Great Tool For Call Center Management...83 Offshore Outsourcing the Call Center Solution for Western Companies...85 Why Call Center Solutions Are Important to Everyone...87 Your Challenge: Being A Supervisor In A Call Center...89 Why You Need Call Center Support...91 The Qualities of a Call Center Vice President...93 How to Prepare for Call Center Work at Home...95

7 The Many Advantages of Establishing a Call Center Work from Home Call Center Career: Clerical, Typing And Word Processing Skills A Must! Client Services, Call Center And Customer Service: A Great Solution To Meet Consumer Needs When Is A Collection Call Center Customer Service Representative Necessary? Computer Call Center Help Desk The Computer Help Desk Call Center - An IT Service Provider The Nitty Gritty About The Conference Call Center Process Call Center Jobs: Responsibilities Of A Customer Service Representative CSR Qualities of a good Customer Service Representative in a Call Center Customer Service And Call Center: A Solution To Satisfy Your Customer Needs Call Center Guarantees Profit and Collection Generation Let the Customer Service Call Center Handle your Customers113 The Importance of a Customer Care Call Center Why Managers Have to Re-Examine Customer Call Center Policies Customer Service in a Call Center

8 The Link between Good Customer Service and Call Center Service Call Center Collections And Customer Service How A Customer Service Call Center Manager Should Hire Agents Working As A Call Center Customer Service Office Support Agent Call Centers Are Not Just For Customer Service Customer Service: Duties And Responsibilities Of Call Center Supervisor What Is Required From a Customer Service Representative Call Center Applicant? What Will The Director Call Center Operations Applicant Be Responsible for When Hired? The Features of A Typical Inbound Call Center The Importance Of Inbound Call Center Software Advantages of Online trainings for incoming Call Center management programs Inside Sales and Telephone Sales in a Call Center The Requirements for the Manager Call Center Position The Importance of an Office Call Center Choose your Operations Project Manager Wisely How to Become a Good Operator Call Center Torino Employee...145

9 Telemarketing The Essentials to Outbound Call Center Industries The Advantages Of Being A Part Time Call Center Agent/ Staff The Demands Made on the Receptionist Secretary Call Center Front liner Call Center Receptionist A Hand in Sales or in Customer Service Understanding the Effects of Good Customer Service in Increasing Sales in Call Centers Telemarketing your Product Call Center Operations Managers And Service Quality The Road to Becoming a Call Center Manager, Supervisor and Group Leader Requirements to Become a Supervisor Manager Call Center Employee Be A Leader In The Call Center Industry Whether You Are A Staff, Supervisor, Manager Or Director The Telemarketing Manager How to Lead Successful Call Center Operations The Telesales and Telemarketing Manager in a Call Center A Short Definition of A Virtual Call Center Who Offers Virtual Call Center Employment Nowadays? What is a Call Center? Looking at Todays Call Centers in a Different Perspective

10 The Advantages Of Work From Home Call Center...169

11 11 The Difference Between an Advanced Call Center and A Large Call Center A Call Center may be large, meaning that the number of seats and agents could be sizeable, but that does not mean the Call Center is necessarily advanced. Even a small Call Center manned by just ten agents could be considered advanced if it has an advanced call and customer management system in place. If the larger Call Center lacks such a call and customer management system, then decision makers there should think about putting one in place to stay ahead of the game. Then what are the components of an advanced call and customer management system? Firstly, the Call Center should have IT systems that will allow the agents to do their job effectively and efficiently with as little stress as possible. At the same time, the Call Center must be able to fulfill its corporate support functionality with regards to inbound and outbound functions. Later on, the Call Center may examine the possibility of becoming a virtual Call Center, inclusive of the pros and cons that come with such an option. This begs the question, should a Call Center phase out agents in favor of technology-based call and customer management systems? Meaning, will the human aspect provided by agents be eliminated so that technology can take over their functions? The jury is still out on that because analysts are divided on the issue. Some say that to maintain costs the Call Center should phase out agents whilst others say that the time that agents will not be needed anymore will never come as agents will always be needed.

12 12 What Does an Appointment Setter Call Center Part Time Employee Do? Like the title of the job suggests, an appointment setter is one who works part-time for the Call Center simply to set appointments for customers who want someone to consult regarding the purchase of a product or service being sold. For instance, if the Call Center works for a client company that is a car manufacturer and dealership, then the appointment setter would accept inbound calls (meaning calls that the customer actually initiates) so that a representative of the car manufacturer can meet the customer on the appointed day and time. This is a good option for client companies who do not really want to intrude into the privacy of customers and would prefer that the customers initiate the enquiry. A part-time appointment setter may work on a shift schedule that is set by the company and will probably have to work within a formal office setting. To work as an appointment setter, you need to have the capacity to sell the product or service to any customers who make an enquiry. This means they must have great communication skills and knowledge of what a professional customer service representative does. Multitasking skills would be great, and knowledge or a readiness to work with technology would be plus factors that could get you hired. You will probably be paid by the hour being a part-time employee on a shift schedule, and will need to live near the Call Center office so that your daily expenses will not be too high.

13 13 Taking a Closer Look at Customer Service Offices in Call Centers The Call Center industry is in demand nowadays and its niche is found in the business districts that are in and around the metro. Once inside, you will feel the energy of the Call Center agents whilst they are talking to customers, doing their best to deliver world-class customer service. You will also see their different strategies and techniques when resolving customer concerns. Some act as if they are just having a daily conversation, some are animated with different hand gestures, and some look very frustrated, especially when dealing with irate customers. Customer service offices in Call Centers are filled with a lot of computers and each one is placed on top of a desk. Each cubicle is arranged according to the office structure, and a board is usually placed in between desks to ensure privacy whilst assisting a customer during a call. For each computer, a corresponding telephone set is connected to it. A headset is then attached to the telephone, which will be used as the agent s tool to listen and talk to callers. These computers are typically networked in such a way that file sharing can be easily accomplished. There are separate help desk personnel who monitor the activity within the network on a daily basis. There are also rooms or locations within the Call Center designed for recreational purposes. There is a room designated for online and indoor games such as table tennis. There is often also a fitness room where agents can stay before or after the shift to work those stressed muscles out. Some Call Centers even have sleeping

14 14 areas, and of course a canteen to serve food for every employee. This is really working whilst having fun.

15 15 The Voice of your Product or Service Customers are always right. Customer behavior also varies and may require the person on the receiving end to be very patient and understanding. Customer service is provided to enable companies to focus on their production and satisfy their customers simultaneously. Call Centers in customer services are availed to answer those needs. Proper training on handling calls is completed by providers and then passed on to agents so as to keep clients happy and maintain the company s good standing in the market and industry. The Call Center should ensure that the best customer service representatives are hired in the Call Center. Customer service representatives are front liners and directly communicate with callers. They need to possess good communication skills, particularly when answering customer service calls. They would need to be accurate and attentive in documenting actions to and on customer accounts and follow up on customer requests. They would have to report significant issues in the customer base to find solutions to the problem and prevent a recurrence of same issue. Training and experience in working for a Call Center in customer service is necessary. A high degree of professionalism and the ability to analyze and solve problem is also essential. A Call Center customer service representative should realize that he or she is the voice of the company. The behavior exhibited to customers would provide the assurance of the service that the company seeks to deliver to its customers. Profits are earned if products or services are delivered as expected.

16 16 Get the information you need through A Data Entry Call Center You wanted to know how your product is doing. You are interested in increasing your customer base but farming out brochures and forms is costly. This is besides the fact that it takes time for some to answer back via the forms and thus collect information from them. Nowadays, Call Centers have been made available to help you to gather all information that you need to know about your product. They can even help your potential customers take advantage of your services by getting through to them over the phone. Data entry Call Centers accept data entry jobs from credit card solicitations or catalog sales. In a data entry Call Center an audio test is a must as the data is supposed to be delivered accurately with speed. Data entry Call Centers provide mailing list services to companies. Some examples of these mailing lists are from companies that are engaged in marketing dictionaries and encyclopedias. Data entry Call Center manages get information over the phone on matters relating to market research and via survey forms/questionnaires. They take data information on airway bill entries, cards and registration forms should the customers feel that they need the service right away. As you deal with increasing your productivity, data entry Call Centers will help you to get the information that you need to know as well as reaching out to your customers. They will do your mailing stuff and convert those survey results into viable data informa-

17 17 tion to ease the decision making process. Let the data entry Call Center assist you because it can be your secretary as well!