Call Center 101 Success Secrets Copyright by Timothy Phelps Notice of rights All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Notice of Liability The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of he book, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the products described in it. Trademarks Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book. 1
Contents Understanding the Effects of Good Customer Service in Increasing Sales in Call Centers 5 The Road to Becoming a Call Center Manager, Supervisor and Group Leader 5 Why You Need Call Center Support 6 Why Choose Call Center Careers? 7 Conquering Challenges of Call Center/Customer Service Managers 8 Why Managers Have to Re-Examine Customer Call Center Policies 9 The Requirements for the Manager Call Center Position 10 The Need to Train a Call Center Agent 10 Call Center here at your Service 11 Customer Service And Call Center: A Solution To Satisfy Your Customer Needs 12 Why Call Center Solutions Are Important to Everyone 13 The Computer Help Desk Call Center - An IT Service Provider 14 The Operation in a Call Center 14 The Different Types of Call Center Management Jobs 15 The On-the-Job Duties of A Call Center Rep 16 Qualities of a good Customer Service Representative in a Call Center 16 What You Need To Know About Call Center Management 18 Standard Requirements for A Call Center Agent Applicant 19 Call Center Jobs Taking Chances on a Call Center Career 20 The Importance of an Office Call Center 20 The Advantages Of Work From Home Call Center 21 Call Center Operations Managers And Service Quality 22 Problems Encountered in Management Inbound Call Center Organizations 22 Call Center Guarantees Profit and Collection Generation 23 The Qualities of a Call Center Vice President 24 What Is Required From a Customer Service Representative Call Center Applicant? 24 Who Offers Virtual Call Center Employment Nowadays? 25 The Qualities of an Effective Call Center Financial Services Representative 26 Call Center Pricing Is Affordable 26 Call Center Consulting For Your Company 27 Call Center And Customer Service: One And The Same 28 Why You Need A Call Center Furniture 29 The Services In a Call Center 29 Let the Customer Service Call Center Handle your Customers 30 Inside Sales and Telephone Sales in a Call Center 31 The Main Responsibilities Of Call Center Managers 32 How A Customer Service Call Center Manager Should Hire Agents 33 Manage the Telemarketing of Products through Call Center 33 Call Center Collections And Customer Service 34 Qualities of a Call Center Representative 35 When Is A Collection Call Center Customer Service Representative Necessary? 36 What Does an Appointment Setter Call Center Part Time Employee Do? 36 How to Prepare for a Call Center Work at Home 37 2
Get the information you need through Data Entry Call Center 37 The Many Career Options Open To An Experienced Call Center Customer Service Rep 38 The Importance Of Inbound Call Center Software 38 Telemarketing The Essentials to Outbound Call Center Industries 39 The Operators in a Call Center 40 Call Center: An Answer To All Your Queries 41 The Importance of a Customer Care Call Center 42 Tips on How to Provide Excellent Customer Service towards an Exciting Call Center Career 42 Call Center Customer Service: Supervisor and Manager Positions 43 Call Center Supervisor Manager for High Tech Companies in Austin, Texas 44 The Importance of a Help Desk Call Center 45 Call Center Jobs: How To Find One? 45 How the Call Center Airline Industry Works 46 Customer Service in a Call Center 47 The Responsibilities Of Call Center Director 48 Customer Service: Duties And Responsibilities Of Call Center Supervisor 48 Call Center Consultants: A Hassle Free Solution To Manage Call Center 49 The Link between Good Customer Service and Call Center Service 50 What is the Nature of the Job of Call Center Agents? 51 Why Call Center Sales Training is Important for New Hires 52 A Short Definition of A Virtual Call Center 52 Requirements to Become a Supervisor Manager Call Center Employee 53 The Telesales and Telemarketing Manager in a Call Center 53 How to Became a Good Operator Call Center Torino Employee 54 Computer Call Center Help Desk 55 The Many Advantages of Establishing a Call Center Work from Home 55 Taking a Closer Look at Customer Service Offices in Call Centers 56 How Does a Help Desk PC Computer Call Center Handle Angry Callers? 57 The Features of A Typical Inbound Call Center 57 Do I qualify as a call center help desk agent? 58 The Facts About Call Center Outsourcing 59 The Call Center and its Customer Service 60 Advantages of Online trainings for incoming call center management programs 60 The Difference Between an Advanced Call Center and A Large Call Center 61 Call Center Operations Manager 62 What is a Call Center? 62 The Advantages Of Being A Part Time Call Center Agent/ Staff 63 The Demands Made on the Receptionist Secretary Call Center Frontliner 64 Computer Help Desk in a Call Center Environment 65 Call Center Jobs: Responsibilities Of A Customer Service Representative CSR 65 Call Center Or Customer Service: What It Can Do To Your Company 66 Your Challenge: Being A Supervisor In A Call Center 67 Call Centers Are Not Just For Customer Service 68 Be A Leader In The Call Center Industry Whether You Are A Staff, Supervisor, Manager Or Director 69 3
Offshore Outsourcing the Call Center Solution for Western Companies 69 Call Center Receptionist A Hand in Sales or in Customer Service 70 Call Center Career: Clerical, Typing And Word Processing Skills A Must! 71 Customer Service And Call Center Jobs: Responsiblities Of Order Desk Supervisors 71 Client Services, Call Center And Customer Service: A Great Solution To Meet Consumer Needs 72 The Nitty Gritty About The Conference Call Center Process 73 Call Center Software: A Great Tool For Call Center Management 74 Call Center Representative: Frontliner In Customer Service 74 The Telemarketing Manager How to Lead Successful Call Center Operations 75 How Call Center Employment Keeps BPO Companies Grounded in Reality 76 Working As A Call Center Customer Service Office Support Agent 77 Computer Call Center Help Desk - Coping Up with the Demands of the Call Center Generation 77 The Life of A Call Center Analyst 78 What Will The Director Call Center Operations Applicant Be Responsible for When Hired? 80 4
Understanding the Effects of Good Customer Service in Increasing Sales in Call Centers When talking about sales and profits, there are two ways on how to measure it. First is an increase in number of orders or subscriptions, and the other one is an increase in satisfaction rate from customers. This is actually a chain reaction wherein all two metrics should be both high at all times to ensure business success. If there is a decrease in the number of satisfied members, then sales will also follow. Why? This is because a single bad interaction results to multiple damages to the company. How? This is done through the power of word of mouth where one person who experienced bad customer service may tell others about his experience and influence them not to support the products or services that the company offers anymore. This is why it is extremely important to provide excellent customer service in each and every transaction. One of the strong aces of call centers to increase sales is telemarketing. However, since some consider it as an annoyance (such as spam or email scams) and others claim that the products being offered are high compared to actual prices, a law has been passed to promote customer privacy and protection. This is the TCPA Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 wherein companies should abide by the guidelines set forth by various professional associations of telemarketers. The most popular of which is the Do Not Call policy in which telemarketers are restricted from contacting participating consumers. But then again, these limitations have paved the way in improving the telemarketing process. Still, an up on sales is therefore forecasted. The Road to Becoming a Call Center Manager, Supervisor and Group Leader Working in a call center is such an exciting career and the path to reaching the top of the corporate ladder is not as hard as it may seem. There are a lot of call center agents who reach the manager, supervisor or team leader status in just barely a year. Pretty amazing isnt it? However, it takes a lot of discipline and self management skills to get there. 5
First, you need to develop good communication and negotiation skills. This is the number requirement in making good calls. Maintain a very friendly but convincing approach when interacting with customers. Next, you should learn how to maximize your time. Proper time management is essential to learn how to prioritize and control over your daily activities. You also need to deal with interruptions wisely. Such interruptions may include co-employees and other factors that can hinder you from carrying out your day to day workloads and delivering desired results. Being organized will definitely put some limitations in doing unnecessary work behaviors.you also need to keep your self motivated. You can do this by giving yourself a time line in reaching your goal and by enumerating certain activities that will lead you there. You also need to adjust to certain changes, and learn how to adjust and embrace them by keeping your goals in mind.being proactive is also one thing that you should develop. You should do things that are not really expected of you like doing skills transfers to your co-employees and sharing best practices in making an excellent call. Why You Need Call Center Support Call center services these days vary from different software and technical support. Call center support includes supply order assistance and full telephone training. Fast growing call centers do not just focus on size but also concentrates on functionality to be able to effectively satisfy the needs of the customers. With numerous businesses that function every single day 24/7, it needs a call center that will support all software applications, hardware types and major processors. Call center support today includes telephone training with automatic set up on deployment and manages customized scripts. It also involves help with software applications and other business trainings. There are specialized call center support that consists of terminal upgrades, lease verification, data confirmation, equipment recovery, and directive industry complaint upgrades. Call center support can assist your company to identify the recurring issues and trends in their individual client base. It can provide you with recommendations to lessen the bulk on monthly calls, which then reduces unnec- 6
essary call center costs. The mission of call center is to give companies the excellent client support at an affordable cost. Typically management is torn between cost and quality. That is why it is important to choose the right call center that will help you maintain your budget yet do not compromise the quality you can give y our customers. It is important for companies to benefit from call center support. With the fast approaching technology, it is essential for organizations to be updated in the latest applications, systems, trainings and information to appropriately assist and satisfy clients. Why Choose Call Center Careers? The projected growth of the global call center technology market this year is $5.5 billion and will have a steady increase of 6% per year meaning the call center industry stands to benefit too. This is welcome news to those who are seeking employment as well to those who are just deciding for a career. Another good side of this industry is that the requirements are simple that even high school graduates, those who have no work experience, and housewives could qualify. Fluency in English and love for interacting with people are the basic requirements. Not to mention that the remunerations are also attractive. No wonder that call center careers are attracting many from all around the world. The call center has become an inevitable part of any business in these modern days of technology. It exist in all sectors of business like banking, airline, hotel reservations, utilities, manufacturing, security, market research, pharmaceuticals, catalogue sales, emergency dispatch, credit collection, and food service. It may take the form of an order desk, customer service desk, technical queries (or help desk), and many more. The wide range of services provided by call centers makes this career a path that everyone would wish to tread. It is one career that is here to stay. The option of a call center career may be getting positive feedback regarding its rewards; however, recent studies show some criticize it as well. These criticisms may include the restrictive work practices such as making the agent use or follow a prewritten script. 7
They also say that stress factors in this career are high, logically because call center agents deal directly with customers and sometimes angry customers. And in some cases, the center itself has poor working conditions. Some agents mention that one cannot even stand to answer the call of nature. This may have been the reason why in some countries the call center agents have now united and unionized. Conquering Challenges of Call Center/Customer Service Managers A call center is a place where you see a lot of busy people talking, with customers through the phone that is. It may seem like an easy job to converse with clients, meeting their needs and resolving each of their concerns. Well, think again! A call center job is not as if you are just writing ABCs on a piece of paper. It takes a lot of hard work and discipline to succeed. Though it is already given that call center agents are compensated fairly well, emotional maturity matched with stress and anger management is a MUST. To land in a call center job, you have to have a strong foundation when it comes to speaking the English language. Possessing excellent communication skills is an advantage as you will undergo a series of interviews and exams to prove your worth. Some of the things that they usually observe are diction, pronunciation and clarity of voice. Organizing your thoughts before answering questions during interviews will also help to avoid verbal ticks such as ums or other expressions. Though having an American accent is a plus, it is not really a requirement since you will still undergo training once you have passed the hiring process. Basic knowledge about computers is also something that they look for. Come to think of it, in this day and age most people have already experienced using a computer. The computer will be your best friend when it comes to serving customers because most companies are making use of software tools to make call center jobs a lot easier. So given these qualifications, are you ready to take your chances for a call center job? The call center industry is very huge, that companies need to hire competent people to take part in such a very exciting but challenging responsibility. 8