Question: We run three call centres in the UK and with the economy getting tighter, we have been looking at the possibility of outsourcing our calls - either in the UK or to India. We are a bit worried about a customer backlash. Does anybody have any advice of what we need to do - or any experience of having done this themselves? (Read more…)
Question: We run an outbound call centre that contacts prospective customers to switch their spend from their current providers to our company. At present the sales advisors are paid a salary on or just above the marketplace value, with a commission structure that pays from first sale. This then has the benefit for all staff that they are paid a commission whether they deliver target or not. (Read more…)
We are actively looking for contributions and answers to the following questions:
Question: What is the minimum number of staff required for a 24 hour call centre?
Question: I need a new quality initiative - any suggestions?
Question: How do I develop new inbound and outbound business?
Question: I need a catchy name for a new initiative - any suggestions?
Question: I have to improve productivity in our call centre - where do I begin?
Question: How do employees know that their calls are being monitored?
Question: Which are the largest call centres in the UK?
Question: Improving training
Question: Multilingual call centres
Question: IVR abandon rate
Question: Call recording compliance issues
Question: Listening in on calls
Question: Legal implications of call recording
Question: Monitoring outbound calls
Question: I am a call centre customer and the world’s worst phone rager. Most of the time my anger is justified but I just don’t know how to stay calm on the phone. Whilst you advise call centre operators how to deal with “difficult people” like myself - (away from the phone I am described as very laid back) I would like advice from my perspective. Do you have any ideas please ? (Read more…)
Question: I recently took over a bureau with 20 agents and a key client with high service levels agreements (SLAs).
The directors keep winning more and more business, resulting in the degradation of these key KPIs and I am getting the blame. I only have a small team and we have been at full stretch.
Help - I need advice on how to tackle them. (Read more…)
Question: Does anyone know if there any legal requirements about how long you must hold a recorded call for? Do you have any guidelines as to how long you hold your own recordings?
Read on to find out the answer…… (Read more…)
Question: I’m an advisor working in a contact centre, and I’m getting increasingly concerned about the poor level of staff/manager interaction that exists in my firm as it goes through a considerable revamp. (Read more…)
Question: How does one deal with an agent whose personality has changed dramatically over the past two months?
One of my team has been suffering a great deal of stress recently at home, and it’s having a marked effect on her work - particularly on the way she deals with customers. (Read more…)
Question: Do duvet days work?
We’re having a problem with absence in our contact centre. It’s not long-term sickness that’s the issue - rather people who call in sick for the day an hour or half an hour before their shift is due to start. (Read more…)
Question: What kind of questions should I ask when interviewing potential agents for an inbound sales call centre environment? Bearing in mind that I’m trying to find people who are sales oriented, should I focus on their sales technique or also try to ascertain their general customer service skills? Is there any way of bringing these two together in a simple set of open-ended questions? And what kind of responses should I look for from ideal candidates? (Read more…)
