For a long time, now, contact centers have relied heavily on the interactive voice response system - also known as IVR - to direct consumer traffic and create self-service options. It makes sense; a good IVR system can lower labor costs, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experience. But could a chat bot be doing the same thing? These days, companies are using chat bots to accomplish numerous tasks that were once the job of live agents. They can also be employed to han...

Being able to see figures and facts is an important aspect of success when growing and improving your call center’s approaches. Data visualization has long been a focus of these improvement strategies for contact centers, BPO organizations, and more. These days, though, this visualization is its own approach - and its entirely digital. Digital visualization allows for better interaction with data and a better understanding of the figures being examined. It allows for compa...

Today’s consumers are increasingly fond of self-service. Part of this comes from the convenience of self-service options; whether it’s paying a bill from the comfort of your own home or canceling a subscription without having to spend half an hour on the phone with someone, it’s an approach to customer service that fits the busy modern person’s schedule. However, a larger part of this desire for self-service options comes from the newer generations’ lack of desire...

What makes a great call center agent? The problem with answering that question is that the correct reply might vary from center to center - and it will also be dramatically different than the answer might have been just a decade ago. It definitely makes call center agent assessment difficult! Here, we will take a look at some of the qualities that create an excellent agent. Use these as a guideline to form your own method of evaluating your employees. Call center agent asses...

Data is bigger than it has ever been. In your contact center, that data can include all manner of sensitive and critically important consumer information - as well as a lot of useless data that you cannot use. Sorting the two apart and making use of what you need while also protecting consumer privacy is a delicate balancing act that can easily overwhelm centers that are not prepared for the task. This is why call center data management is so important. Without the tools and...

No one ever truly plans for disaster. Sure, you can prepare for the worst, but foreseeing the future and the potential for things to go wrong? That’s just not something we can do at this point in history. That doesn’t mean you can’t ensure that your contact center will be strong in the face of one of these tragedies. No matter what happens, building an effective disaster recovery plan - which takes all possibilities into account - will help you create a resilient call ...

For outbound call centers, compliance with government regulations regarding consumer privacy and protection is essential. Noncompliance won’t just get your center into hot water - it can get your business shut down and land you in major legal trouble. Can you operate an outbound contact center in the post-TCPA era without worrying about this potential problem? Yes - if you and your staff understand outbound call compliance and how to work within the government guidelines. ...

Investing in new technology can be intimidating. With many companies feeling budget constraints harder than ever, making the choice to pay more for technology can be a difficult one. These companies often feel that their best option is to choose low-cost call center technology. Are you really better served with less expensive software solutions? Can you do as much to serve your consumers and clients - and build your business - with these budget-friendly options? Is there suc...

Debt collection is a challenging profession to work in. Your agents speak to people every day who would probably rather not hear from them. They are seen as an aggressor or a “bad guy”, despite their training in managing exchanges politely and professionally. It can be very frustrating - and that’s just a typical day at the office! To make work easier and less stressful for your agents, your job as a manager is to provide them with the tools they need to make accounts ...

‘Metrics’ is a hot word in the world of contact centers. These data sets are a major part of what companies use to better understand their clients and consumers, as well as to examine the work of their own agents. Call center analytics and reporting is a key element of success for any center hoping to continually improve and grow. How involved are your management staff in call center analytics and reporting? How are important metrics used in your center to improve perfor...