Consume the Market
Companies often say, “We are more than just colleagues- We are a family.” What are the elements within a company that can make this statement true? Ever since the masses within the population started to migrate to cities back in the industrial age in search […]
EditorialImagine a primary or high school student on the road to college without digital skills. The limited capability to conduct research, connect with relevant teachers, peers and stakeholders on the journey to their aspired career can be inhibiting. Ikumini Primary School On Friday, 9th July […]
EditorialA few years ago it was quite easy to get business by traditional advertisement on print media. Times have changed and potential customers are flooded with ads on literally every platform. To blanket ads are not only expensive but as a business it’s not possible […]
MarketOne lesson many businesses have learnt the hard way is that Customers always expect more. Customers not only want to buy your product or service but also expect you to provide a matching experience. That is why high end banks, hospitals, legal firms name them… […]
EditorialOne lesson many businesses have learnt the hard way is that Customers always expect more.
Customers not only want to buy your product or service but also expect you to provide a matching experience. That is why high end banks, hospitals, legal firms name them… give their valued customers super comfortable cosy seats, hot coffee and the like, while others let their customers faint on the queue. The purchase, complaint or any other interaction that a customer has with the customer service team should feel emotionally and intellectually satisfying.
That is why the most successful companies have employed professional call centers to not only provide a high end service but also save on the costs that might accompany hiring enough staff to manage the phone lines round the clock.
In the era before mobile phones and social media one could expect service provision during working hours. Today however, there are no bank holidays. Customers want to transact and deal when its most convenient to do so and that may mean outside a small businesses operating hours. Successful startups focus their precious resources on managing the business as effectively as possible whilst optimizing costs.
Each customer is unique and requires special attention when they knock on the “business door”. They expect to be listened to patiently.
A reliable multi-channel customer service platform is not only expensive to set up it is costly to maintain. Monthly fixed costs like staffing, networks, server maintenance and customer service training and management take a toll on the revenues generated by the business.
Outsourcing or Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) the name given to an innovative management practice where a firm outsources its customer service department to a professional company that expertly handles all the customer interactions.
Providing professional customer care is a must for entities that value their customers and clients. Customers calling in expect to be welcomed, served professionally and treated like royalty. Outsourcing this aspect of the businesses enables the management team focus on growth while a professional call center provides excellent customer service across all customer touch points, Tracking and reporting on customer tastes, trends and concerns.
Does Professionalism have a face? Firstly, to many people professionalism in the work place could cover different aspects. Secondly, Some of us will take professionalism to mean being dressed the part or delivering at work. Moreover, the HR department could probably interpret this as having […]
EditorialDoes Professionalism have a face? Firstly, to many people professionalism in the work place could cover different aspects. Secondly, Some of us will take professionalism to mean being dressed the part or delivering at work. Moreover, the HR department could probably interpret this as having the right certifications. I concur with all the above ideologies because really when we magnify the term professionalism. It really does encompass the definitions I have put forth. An office is not a place, where people live by unfettered means . We all have rules to abide by, for that professional feel and touch. Here are some pointers we could use to add professionalism in our respective fields,
Many at times we say something in a bid to express what we feel but we always end up using the wrong phrase which surprisingly most of us don’t know are wrong. How many times do we pick a phrase without getting it correctly and […]
PassionMany at times we say something in a bid to express what we feel but we always end up using the wrong phrase which surprisingly most of us don’t know are wrong. How many times do we pick a phrase without getting it correctly and end up using it when talking?. I cannot even count the number of times I have picked a statement from my friends and ended up using it e.g. ‘HARD AS HELL‘ . It took me my whole childhood to realize that we do not say ‘hard as hell’ but ‘Hard as hail’.(mouth agape) yes it really is HARD AS HAIL. Think about it, can we really measure how hard hell is?. I thought so. You can close your mouth now, when I found out I was shook too.
It’s end week today and I thought today would make perfect day to educate some of us on the most common mistakes we make when talking. Perhaps you could use some of these correctly during this long Madaraka weekend.. You would be surprised by the number of people who seem to think these are correct.
People say ‘I COULD CARE LESS’ when they should say’ I COULDN’T CARE LESS’. When you say you couldn’t care less you mean you literally do not care and no amount of not caring could beat what you have.
You can quickly tag our lecturers on this one. ‘FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES’. This is used to mean all major reasons. What they should say however is ‘FOR ALL INTENT AND PURPOSES’
How about ‘NIPPED IN THE BUTT’ to mean having resolved a problem. What we should say is ‘NIPPED IN THE BUD’ to mean we took care of the problem before it budded or got more serious. Makes sense?
‘YOU HAVE ANOTHER THING COMING’ when said in a statement does not sound wrong. Let’s take an instance where you and your friends are talking and you said something they did not expect and you would go like ‘you think?’ then what would be right to say after would be ‘YOU HAVE ANOTHER THINK COMING’
What are other phrases that we say wrong?
Take A Peek What is product knowledge? You might be trying to figure out what this word means. In lay man’s language; product knowledge is the understanding that you have about a product or service. It is a key skill that each call center agent […]
EditorialYou might be trying to figure out what this word means. In lay man’s language; product knowledge is the understanding that you have about a product or service. It is a key skill that each call center agent must strive to have. The more your agents know about the product the easier it becomes for them to effectively answer customer inquiries. This in the long run will positively impact customer’s perception of your brand and whether or not they should continue using your products.
In order for your call center agents to have more product knowledge they need to have training sessions that are systematic. This means that the agents need to learn from one knowledge source and have a common orientation structure. This will reduce cases of contradiction and improve the chances that the product knowledge passed on will be more reliable and consistent. The trick is having continuous training sessions, no less than twice in a month however, the more sessions the better.
The most crucial way to ensure that the product knowledge sticks on your call center agents minds is by ensuring that they use the actual products or services that they will be selling to clients. This will ensure familiarity with the various product features through constant exposure to them. In addition the refresher training sessions need to be based on the actual experience that your call center agents are having with the clients. When you make the training sessions more realistic and product specific, your BPO agents will find it easier to put their learning into practice.
Your training sessions might be realistic and even quite engaging but your efforts will not bear fruits if your BPO agents do not feel motivated to learn. This means you need to come up with a compensation and incentive program that will motivate your agents to want to learn. You can introduce things such as bonus pay, paid leaves or incentives to the best performing call center agents during your training sessions.
Having a database or publishing reference materials that your call center agents can access easily is one of the ways of reinforcing product knowledge. These materials will not only help your call center agents to self-learn but also interact more with your products at their own pace. However you need to make sure that your manuals and reference materials are constantly updated to ensure 100 percent accuracy.
Customer service skills that are a must have for any call center champion “Oh no, I do not know how to use this product!” “Shoot, I am not happy with this service!” “Oh my, I need to get more information about the product!!” All these […]
EditorialCustomer service skills that are a must have for any call center champion
“Oh no, I do not know how to use this product!”
“Shoot, I am not happy with this service!”
“Oh my, I need to get more information about the product!!”
All these are questions or remarks that clients might have after purchasing a product or service. This is where you, as a call center agent come in and need to help. Below, are some vital skills that any call center agent needs to have to work more effectively in a BPO setting.
First, In the realm of customer service, having complete product knowledge cannot be under-stated. There is very little chance that, you will call a customer with limited product knowledge and convince then to buy or use your products. Product knowledge makes a call center agent to sound confident and competent. This will in-turn, lead to a higher chance of a sale or customer satisfaction. Call center agents should undergo frequent refresher trainings. Undertake more practical skills than theory, participate in role plays and aspire to get incentives for higher than average product knowledge.
Secondly, Imagine speaking to call center agent and trying to explain to them your problem but the agent is not motivated to talk to you. This makes you not willing to call them again and there is a high likelihood that you would not want to interact and use this product or service again. But picture this, an agent greats you with a smile, then they go an extra mile to ensure that your questions are effectively and adequately answered, you will be happy and a happy customer equals to repeat business. This is a skill that cannot be overlooked and as a call center agent in a BPO you need to ensure that you always start and end a call with energy!!
Thirdly, There is normally a huge difference between hearing and listening to a client. There are those minor details that you might not grasp if you are just hearing a client but as a call center agent you need to be a great listener. For instance a client tells you of a problem that you have been handling so many times, there is a chance that you might jump into conclusions and suggest a solution that you have been giving all the other clients. However this should not be the case as each client should be handled differently according to the problem at hand, make sure to always keep an open mind, do not jump into conclusions and always ask for clarifications if need be.
Finally, This is one skill that is quite crucial for a call center agent to have. A client will call you either because they need more information on products but also mainly because they have a problem that they need to get a solution from you. Being able to solve a client’s issue effectively will make the client trust your products and service more, reduce the chances of having irate clients and of course increase revenue due to repeat business and referrals. For you to be an effective problem solver make sure to start by apologizing for the issue at hand and solve the problem as fast as you can without overpromising the client on something that you are not sure about.
Learn more about Telesky Limited and the call center services that we offer,
The public is under the authority of numerous entities from health, security, transport, safety, name them. All these institutions have dos and don’ts. Unfortunately, specific relevant information is usually easily accessible. Especially during an emergency. If you have an injured pedestrian calling for help or […]
EditorialThe public is under the authority of numerous entities from health, security, transport, safety, name them. All these institutions have dos and don’ts. Unfortunately, specific relevant information is usually easily accessible. Especially during an emergency. If you have an injured pedestrian calling for help or lost your bag at a waiting lounge. The first course of action is not to search the web for “how to” but to call someone for help.
Large government institutions, nonprofits and social service agencies all require a public service hotline to record and report information accurately and responsibly. Callers are expected to speak directly or anonymously and confidentially to professional helping agents, who are sensitive to callers’ needs.
A dedicated call center helpline instantly transforms service delivery by enabling the public communicate directly and get served. On the other hand the public entity benefits by collecting crucial data to enable resource allocation and deployment of services where they are needed.
When everything goes wrong, one hopes for a hotline to call for help and that the help come to their rescue in good time.
They say women are from Venus and the language there is different. To connect with them you need to understand their language. It is the same with every industry. “Double Park” means to park behind another car in the motoring industry. If you work in […]
PassionThey say women are from Venus and the language there is different. To connect with them you need to understand their language. It is the same with every industry. “Double Park” means to park behind another car in the motoring industry.
If you work in a call center there is a a unique mode of communication that employees have to adhere to. Having in-depth knowledge about call center jargon is critical. Here are eleven terms than an agent has to embrace.
Handled calls – The number of calls that came into the call center that were handled by a specific agent
Hold Time – Amount of time that elapses when a customer is put on hold by an agent (Normally less than 40 seconds)
Wrap up Codes – Unique codes to help an agent identify the type of calls. For example C.I for Complete Information
Ticketing – It is a way of tracking a customer’s queries or issues. Divided into two types. F.C.R (First Call Resolution) – The agent is able to close resolve a customer query on the first call. Escalation – Means the agent needs to send the customer request to the back office for further assistance.
Time Per Call Average – It is the average amount of time an agent spends on a call with a customer.
Preview Dialer – Allows a call center agent to view information of the caller prior to answering a call.
Tier – The classification of agents according to the level of skills and knowledge and expertise.
Remote Access – Ability to access functions or data bases from an external location via an internet connection.
Call Volume – The number of calls fielded by agents in a specific time frame.
Call Blending – A service that allows an agent to handle both inbound and outbound calls depending on the call volume.
Do you have someone working hard to shower you with success? Are you worried where the next business opportunity will come from? Who will close the next sale in your business pipeline or where your customers are going? Inbound Sales. It’s important to manage inbound […]
MarketDo you have someone working hard to shower you with success? Are you worried where the next business opportunity will come from? Who will close the next sale in your business pipeline or where your customers are going?
Inbound Sales.
It’s important to manage inbound calls. Customer care professionals are a key cog in the business. They proactively handle inquiries from customers/clients with relevant information that enable customers/clients make purchasing or engagement decisions.
After Hours Support.
Offering after hours answering services enhances brand promise. Corporates that have live answering 24/7 systems close more connections with customers. Customers prefer to have the issues they need addressed as soon as they face them.
Lead Generation.
Building your business prospects list and sourcing for new clients is a key aspect for growth. Lead generation is a service that enables you create a hot pipeline of prospects.
Data Entry.
Increasing compliance requirements and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations may mean updating your database with new customer information. Evolving technology and scattered customer data through the life of an entity may mean migrating data to have full visibility of your client environment.
Semper leo. Fusce lectus justo, porta quis felis at, imperdiet elementum libero. Duis nec dignissim lectus.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse scelerisque venenatis purus eget maximus. Fusce dapibus leo sed sem fringilla, nec convallis arcu egestas. Nullam ut Nulla facilisi. Etiam euismod […]
MarketSemper leo. Fusce lectus justo, porta quis felis at, imperdiet elementum libero. Duis nec dignissim lectus.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse scelerisque venenatis purus eget maximus. Fusce dapibus leo sed sem fringilla, nec convallis arcu egestas. Nullam ut
Nulla facilisi. Etiam euismod tristique ipsum, vitae fringilla orci tempor at. Cras dignissim laoreet ligula. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Donec vitae aliquet dui, sit amet cursus ante. Nulla facilisi. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Ut sodales porta lacus, eu facilisis justo. Curabitur sed leo dui.
Nam nisl ex, pellentesque eget lorem eget, dignissim lobortis nisi. Curabitur elit elit, condimentum non lacus sed, elementum pellentesque mi. Fusce eget accumsan elit. Integer euismod libero a tellus tincidunt venenatis. Vivamus sit amet neque id mauris lacinia consequat vel ac orci. Suspendisse posuere velit eu pellentesque vestibulum. Vestibulum sit amet nibh ut nisl luctus facilisis. Vestibulum et posuere massa, ut luctus enim. In id ex dui. Mauris elementum mauris ut mauris luctus gravida. Morbi fermentum mauris sollicitudin scelerisque euismod. Nulla tincidunt suscipit accumsan.
Cras eleifend magna et consequat ultrices. Phasellus sodales placerat ullamcorper. Vivamus sed scelerisque augue, a ultricies erat. Aenean felis nibh, aliquam non turpis et, tincidunt commodo tellus. Quisque tellus nisi, congue vitae mi a, ullamcorper luctus nunc. Nulla vel urna tellus. Aliquam non elementum enim. Maecenas volutpat ex ut nibh rhoncus, quis finibus orci venenatis.
“Etiam nec libero volutpat nisi pellentesque iaculis lobortis ac dui. Duis porta justo metus, eleifend vulputate ipsum volutpat vel.”
Nullam felis leo, tincidunt et facilisis a, gravida non est. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Suspendisse id laoreet nulla. Nullam sodales convallis pellentesque. Donec sed ipsum eget urna ultrices accumsan nec id dui. Vestibulum egestas, ex eu venenatis feugiat, risus neque congue odio, a suscipit lorem nisl non nunc. Maecenas quis metus et lectus luctus hendrerit. Nunc maximus, enim sed condimentum varius, eros nulla ultricies arcu, non lobortis orci lacus at neque. Nunc pellentesque tincidunt quam, nec gravida neque lacinia vitae. Ut finibus mi eu ante egestas, ut luctus nisl condimentum. Aenean consequat finibus sapien id porttitor.
Integer eu nulla ut purus blandit dapibus ac in quam. Nulla maximus ornare justo, vel luctus metus feugiat sit amet. Pellentesque elit dui, fringilla et sem non, malesuada blandit dui. Quisque sodales mollis elementum.
1. Nam sodales enim nec purus efficitur sodales.
2. Suspendisse rhoncus viverra scelerisque.
3. Nam id interdum nisl, non tempor elit.
4. Suspendisse eget maximus elit. Morbi ut vulputate nisi…
Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Duis elementum nisl mi, facilisis dignissim ante cursus vitae. Donec tempus elit at ex tempus, in maximus augue rutrum. Cras vitae vehicula elit, posuere lacinia felis. Phasellus ligula nibh, mattis ac lobortis vel, vehicula dignissim tellus. Fusce orci purus, congue ac diam vel, tempor vestibulum nibh. Cras dictum elit a aliquam dictum.
Mauris condimentum vehicula erat, vitae dignissim turpis mattis non. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Donec porttitor, diam vel bibendum maximus, leo justo ornare lacus, nec tempus velit tortor sit amet risus. Pellentesque erat risus, dictum eu magna in, porttitor aliquam augue. Cras suscipit, turpis sit amet gravida iaculis, libero metus ultricies massa, eu condimentum magna erat nec tellus. Quisque ac finibus ipsum. Maecenas auctor sapien tellus, non auctor libero maximus eget. Phasellus iaculis magna non dignissim pulvinar.
Midas Touched The Romans were not accustomed to dealing with a woman like Cleopatra, who, as Stacy Schiff points out, was “a goddess as a child, a queen at 18,” and was “…a capable, clear-eyed sovereign who knew how to build a fleet, suppress an […]
PassionThe Romans were not accustomed to dealing with a woman like Cleopatra, who, as Stacy Schiff points out, was “a goddess as a child, a queen at 18,” and was “…a capable, clear-eyed sovereign who knew how to build a fleet, suppress an insurrection, control a currency, alleviate a famine.”
Did you know that having a higher percentage of women employees in your company increases the company’s financial performance? Firstly, Being a woman is akin to being a superhero. You can only imagine what girl power brings to humanity.
Secondly, A woman gives that Midas touch to everything they do. That said, here are some of the things you get to enjoy working along women.
We are all aware of how stressful work can get, women however will always be calm and very tolerant when dealing with tough situations. Moreover, they will always be willing to lend a listening ear to those who need it. Name someone more patient than a woman, I will wait.
Women are very good communicators. We probably should owe this to the fact that women have a higher EQ. They will always be able to analyze situations in a fair manner. Speak of reading in between lines, they will easily decode unspoken emotions of those around them
Management comes to women inherently. They are tuned to always taking care of their families from childhood. We can all agree their management style is better placed to inspire employees hence increasing their productivity levels.
Women, especially millennial women have embraced the power of education and are now more educated than men. This simple fact makes them a very critical tool to ignite the growth of a company.