Top Ten Call Center Must-Haves
Call centers provide an efficient means for a company to handle the constant flow of incoming and outgoing phone calls. They also need to be properly optimized in order to get the most use out of the center.
Here are ten features that all call centers should have:
Interactive Voice Response
Interactive voice response allows a call center to automate their incoming customer calls. The customer simply speaks their request (i.e. “talk to customer support”) instead of having to push a button.
Automatic Call Distributor
ACD queues and directs phone calls to the most appropriate agent or department. This can greatly reduce the amount of times that a caller is transferred, improving the overall experience.
Call Recording
You can use this feature to record all of your interactions with customers. These interactions can then be replayed in the event of a dispute to determine who is truly at fault with an issue. Many call centers also support the ability to record what’s on the employee’s computer screen.
Chat System
This provides a simple way for agents to answer any questions that your customers might have. The discussion also occurs in real-time, so the issue can be handled in a timely and efficient manner.
Quality Management
This application can provide a great deal of insight into the overall performance of the call center by monitoring how closely the employees follow the company’s policies and procedures.
Computer Telephony Integration
Computer Telephony Integration can automatically load a customer’s information onto a computer screen after the ACD successfully connects a phone call. This can greatly improve productivity since the agent does not have to spend time looking up the data.
Campaign Management
A campaign management system provides your agents with a full list of phone numbers and email contacts. Many of them can also keep a record of how a customer reacted to a particular campaign.
CRM Application
A CRM application can provide useful information about customers to call center agents. It can also document past interactions with a customer since future interactions can be improved.
Auto Dialer
A call center can use this to feature to automatically dial a series of phone numbers during a campaign. This can save employees a lot of time that can be spent interacting with the public.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) – This allows your call center to make and receive phone calls and faxes over the internet. It requires a fair amount of bandwidth, but can save a great deal of money in the long run.
