Nowadays, it is increasingly necessary to have good customer service by phone. Call centers are a valuable tool for companies that need to handle a large number of calls. We tell you what you need, the benefits and how much does it cost to hire a call center service.
Why do you need to hire a call center?
Companies have been forced to provide telephone support in recent years. Now, since the pandemic, customers have expressed a preference for a remote shopping experience, either online or through calls, and if it is to receive attention or technical support, even more.
Call centers are not just a matter of big companies, with large capital, which can afford all kinds of technological solutions. You do not need a large investment to hire a call center service today.
Start-ups and small businesses usually have less financial capacity, but that does not mean that they do not have to deal with a large number of customers who call the company.
It all depends on the activity to which they are engaged. Therefore, there may be small companies with a greater need for a call center than a multinational, for example.
What do you need to have your own call center?
With the arrival of cloud call centers, it is much easier than you imagine to install a call center service in your company. Now, you don’t need to go through a tiresome installation process, as it would have happened years ago for the installation of a call center or a PBX in a company.
It is such a simple process that anyone could carry it out, without technical knowledge of telephony. It is only necessary to have a basic knowledge of computers, or mobile devices, whether they are phones or tablets.
Below we list all the necessary elements for investing in a call center:
Device
As we have mentioned before, you need a computer, or a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet. If the call center were run through a specialized software, we would need to install it on the device to use it.
Today, there are many call center solutions that do not even need a software installation to work. This would avoid us having to do installations that could entail added costs such as the software itself or that of a computer technician who comes to the company to carry out the installation.
The modus operandi to use this type of virtual call centers would simply be to go to the web page in the computer’s browser and enter with some keys. In the case of a mobile device, you would have to install an application that will be free, and enter the passwords that your operator has provided to start using the call center.
Headphones
It is logical to bear in mind that for an optimal use of a call center it is necessary to have a headset with a microphone to be able to speak and to hear clearly. Usually these types of accessories are not very expensive, so you should not worry.
Internet network
It is clear that for the call center to start working it will need a stable internet connection. This connection may be through a mobile network, WIFI, or cable, which you probably already have, either at home or at the office.
Service provider
An essential element for you to install the call center is to hire the service to a provider of this type of solution. The provider will furnish you with the system you will use, as well as adapt it to the needs of your business and he will be able to set it up as you need it. You will simply have to have an idea of the lines you will need, and the functionalities that you are interested in and you will not have to worry about anything else.
Employees working in the call center
Finally, the most important element in which you should invest is the workforce, the people who will be receiving and making calls in the call center. It is very important to know how to choose a suitable staff to carry out this position, in which customer satisfaction is paramount.
Benefits of hiring a call center
Now that we know the investment required to hire a call center service, we will focus on the benefits that having a virtual call center in our company will provide us.
- Call cost reduction. With a virtual call center, you can have a free internal communication network. For example, if a company has several subsidiaries, or if it has several employees who are in different places and they need to communicate or transfer calls, these will be totally free. This will greatly reduce costs for call traffic in a company.
- Online access. The fact that with a virtual call center you do not need any type of installation will allow you to access it from any device. If, for example, you are at home and you do not have your office computer, you can use it on any device you have on hand. This allows greater flexibility and freedom of movement, if you have employees who are constantly traveling for work.
In addition, this functionality has allowed many companies to telecommute right now without any problem and without added costs. Such as having specialized software for teleworking, which many companies have had to hire during the lockdown.
- Productive marker. One of the main functionalities of the virtual call center is that you can have reports and statistics of all the calls that have been made or received by the company. This is very interesting when analyzing the performance of our call center employees, and it gives us valuable information that can help us make many decisions.
- Customer satisfaction. Lastly, customer satisfaction. A company with a well-organized call center will undoubtedly offer better assistance and support to its customers. Functionalities such as the waiting queue, conversational systems or the automatic transfer of calls between employees, are what make the customer experience optimal when calling.
Conclusions
Now that you know the benefits that a call center can offer you, it is evident that they exceed the costs that can be derived from implementing it in your company.
If you have more questions, or if you need tailor-made advice, we will be happy to assist you at Fonvirtual.com
