Call Centres – who uses them? For a start, you’ll probably find that many Call Centres are now called Contact Centres. Contact Centres handle not only calls but other communications such as emails, webchats and social media enquiries. Contact Centre outsourcing provides you with big opportunities. You can reduce costs, increase productivity and help you gain a competitive advantage. So, how does that work in practice?
Traditionally, a Call Centre will provide Inbound and Outbound call services. Inbound services such as: Customer service, Help desk, Order taking and processing, Disaster reporting.
Outbound services could include: Lead generation, Market research, Product promotion and Appointment setting. Some Call Centres may provide both.
Contact Centres provide you with a greater range of services. Covering all communications from phone calls to emails and social media feeds.
However, what they all provide is easy access to trained call handlers and specialist technology and software. This means you don’t have to invest in recruitment, training, accommodation and IT systems. When you decide to utilise Contact Centre outsourcing you normally only pay for what you use. This limits your exposure to capital expenditure, reduces overheads and saves you money.
How else can a contact centre help you?
You may be considering moving to an online shop or developing your online offering. Most customers like the comfort of a telephone helpline when ordering online. A customer has high expectations when they phone you. Invariably a customer is going to be looking for an answer from you. This could be answering an enquiry, placing an order or making a complaint. Quite often the first and only contact with a customer will be via the telephone.
Gain a competitive edge
You can appear more professional when your calls are handled by a skilled agent. For smaller businesses this can make you look like a larger company. A skilled contact centre agent will help you increase your customer satisfaction and improve your business reputation.
Providing agents to your CRM system means they will know your customer by name and will be able to view their order or contact history. This immediately makes the right impression and builds customer confidence in your brand and company.
All of these benefits will enable you to differentiate yourself from your competitors and provide you with a competitive edge.
Avoid lost opportunities
It may be that you currently carry out all of your customer enquiries in-house, doubling customer service with other roles. Using a contact centre will free up resources. This allows your staff to focus on their job which assists you in managing your growth. A Contact Centre provides you with flexibility and scalability to manage unpredictable volumes and avoid lost opportunities.
Outsourcing is particularly beneficial when you focus on repeatable tasks that drive sales and revenue or tasks that your team may struggle with. Repeating tasks wastes time and can be costly. It can become highly valuable when supporting specialist areas such as sales and lead generation. Other areas to consider are high-value inbound support and support functions involving high-margin products and services.
Improve your business reputation
The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives and has seen previously stable businesses catapulted into an uncertain future. You may find yourself having to consider areas of business or services that you’ve not ventured into before. Careful use of outsourcing providers means you have access to services and skills that may not be affordable or available in-house. You’ll be able to quickly launch tactical sales campaigns and customer service projects to drive sales and revenue. You can level the playing field with your larger competitors. Ultimately, you’ll free up your valuable time to manage and run your business.
How Dawleys can help you?
For more information about how Dawleys can help you call 01989 768562 and ask for Luke Beard, visit our website for more information, download our service leaflets at dawleys.com or email information@dawleys.com.