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Call center today are no longer driven just by efficiency but more importantly about delivering effective customer service to company which have outsource their client support and the key to it is measured by such as customer loyalty, retention, service levels. Research studies has shown 62 per cent of consumers that call center handled, would stop using a company goods or services if they had a bad experience.

From the same research studies, 92 per cent of consumers form an opinion about a company image through their interaction with their call center and customer satisfaction is defines by this group is the ability to resolve a problem or offer a satisfactory solution at first contact when he or she call in for help.

Call center have always played a significant role in business with their ability to influence the relationship between a company and its customer. Many businesses believe it is critical to their overall success as it benefit from less time spent on customer support.

With customer base becomes more tech-savvy, knowledgeable and communication technologies such as the telephone, Internet, email and SMS become more prevalent, call centers must be able to leverage on these technologies to best serve their customer.

The Web is another important technology and place for customer support, research and online feedback. Nevertheless, the call center sites must focus on the customer and proper use of important data gathers from the Web. It is also a good idea to add a link from the company "Contact Us" web page to a list of frequently asked questions as one in four users checked the FAQs before submitting a question.

With unified communications, call center agents will be able to receive queries from these separate media contact and have them presented in an integrated format on their computer screen. This way, all enquiries can be addressed in the shortest possible time, increase resolution at first contact and productivity.

Instant messaging which is already a popular social tool for the younger generation. Although is not deployed yet by call centers, it is another example where companies should be ready to embrace such business-to-business tool.

Call center must always remember that your clients, the company that outsource their customer support are the ones who pay you. Look after the hand that feeds you and it will look after you too.

On the other hand, companies that outsource their customer support to call center, keep in regular contact with your clients, particularly the top 20 per cent - both current and past who have provided you with the most incomes. Give them a monthly "how are things" call without trying to sell them anything and thank them for their business. Keep in touch with the others 80 per cent via newsletter, email or greeting cards.

Do what many company people in business don't do. If you consistently make the extra effort, you will continue to get repeat business or more referrals.

To read more of his articles, please visit: http://www.companyandpeople.com/

Author: Anthony Lim
http://www.companyandpeople.com/

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Take a minute to think about what your company does. What key things must your company do to be successful? Consider a couple of ideas:

Create close customer relationships

Provide excellent dining experiences

Process claims efficiently and fast

Maximize inventory churn

Be known as a brilliant salesperson

Instill confidence in every report we provide to our customers

Be on-time and prepared

If you were to take a piece of paper and write down the four things that your company does or should do to be successful, you would be identifying your companys core competencies. These are the critical success factors needed to execute its business strategy; your business must be an expert in doing these four things to maintain its edge and competitive advantage.

This is a great exercise. Its a good idea for you to know what these are. There shouldnt be too many otherwise your business model might be too complex and difficult to pull off, and there shouldnt be too few lest your business model would be easy to replicate by others.

Now that youve clearly articulated your core strengths, consider the business activities that support your competencies or enable your competencies. On the same piece of paper, you could write down a few of the business processes that are related to these competencies.

Inventory issue and receipt

Process customer surveys

Prepared paperwork

Home inspection

Prepare invoices

Research financial market

Again, you shouldnt go overboard here simply identify the key processes that enable your core competencies. They should come easily to mind.

Finally, consider where technology could play a critical role in increasing the speed, accuracy, and reliability of key your business activities. How could a reduction in error rate improve a core competency? How could web-based self-services improve customer interaction> How could internal automation increase efficiency and economy of scale? Where are potential areas of confidentiality and data breach that could jeopardize a competency? How could you do, what you do, better and more accurately? How could technology help maximize your competencies?

This exercise is simple and wouldnt take more than thirty minutes of your time, but its critical in applying technology strategically. It allows you to target your technology spend towards value-added initiatives that will improve how your business plan works and will provide material benefits in its execution. It goes a step further than just purchasing a microcomputer or software asset and asks how your business activities could be transformed by innovative technical investment. And thats the real value of IT to your business.

Russell Mickler works a technology consultant in Battle Ground, WA, USA. With over thirteen years of experience, Mickler teaches for numerous colleges and universities, and earned a CISSP, MCSE, and a Masters Degree in Information Technology. His website can be found at http://www.micklerandassociates.com. He can be contacted at mickler@micklerandassociates.com

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