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Benefits of Hiring Call center services

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A clear understanding of call center

A call center job is a customer service role in which an employee receives and makes phone calls to and from customers. Call center agents are responsible for handling a variety of customer inquiries and complaints, often using a computer system to track and resolve customer issues. They may also be responsible for upselling or cross-selling products or services to customers. The work is usually done in a call center, which is a centralized office where phone calls are routed and handled by customer service agents. Call center jobs can be either inbound, meaning that customers call the call center, or outbound, meaning that the call center agents make calls to customers. Do you have any specific questions about call center jobs?

How it works?

In a call center, customer service agents typically work at a desk with a computer and a phone. When a customer calls the call center, the call is routed to an available agent, who answers the call and assists the customer with their inquiry or issue.

The agent may use a computer system to access information and resources to help resolve the customer’s issue. They may also need to follow scripts or guidelines when interacting with customers, depending on the specific policies and procedures of the call center.

In some cases, call center agents may need to transfer a customer to another agent or department if the issue falls outside of their expertise or authority.

Call center agents may also be responsible for making outbound calls to customers. This could be for a variety of reasons, such as following up on customer inquiries, conducting surveys, or promoting products or services.

Overall, the goal of a call center agent is to provide excellent customer service and resolve customer issues efficiently and effectively.

Benefits of hiring call center services

There are several benefits to hiring call center services:

Cost savings: Outsourcing your call center services can be more cost-effective than setting up and maintaining an in-house call center.
Access to expertise: Call center companies often have a team of trained and experienced professionals who can handle a variety of customer inquiries and complaints.
Improved customer service: A professional call center can help you improve the quality of your customer service, resulting in happier customers and increased customer loyalty.
Increased efficiency: A call center can handle a high volume of calls quickly and efficiently, freeing up your internal team to focus on other tasks.
Scalability: Call centers can easily scale up or down to meet your changing needs.
Flexibility: Call centers can handle calls outside of regular business hours, allowing you to offer extended customer support.
Disaster recovery: In the event of a natural disaster or other crisis, a call center can provide an alternative way for customers to reach your business.

To summarize, there are several benefits to hiring call center services, including cost savings, access to expertise, improved customer service, increased efficiency, scalability, flexibility, and disaster recovery. These benefits can help businesses provide better customer support, improve customer satisfaction, and increase efficiency.

How to train call center agents to improve overall productivity

How to train call center agents to improve overall productivity?

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A call center is a central point from which customer or technical support telephone calls are made or received. Call centers handle a large volume of calls and often employ a variety of technologies to handle those calls, such as automatic call distributors (ACDs), interactive voice response (IVR) systems, and computer telephony integration (CTI) tools. The representatives at a call center may handle calls related to sales, customer service, or technical support. Many call centers also provide services such as market research and order processing. They may be in-house facilities or outsourced to third-party providers.

What do we mean by call center agent performance?

All center agent performance refers to how well a call center agent is able to handle customer interactions and achieve the goals of the call center. These goals may include things such as meeting sales targets, resolving customer issues, providing accurate information, and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.

Call center agent performance is usually measured using a combination of metrics, such as call handling time, sales per call, customer satisfaction scores, and adherence to schedule. Many call centers also use quality assurance (QA) processes to evaluate agent performance and provide feedback for improvement.

Effective call center agent performance can be influenced by factors such as
the agent’s training, the technology and tools used in the call center, the call center’s management and leadership, and the company’s overall culture and customer service philosophy.

Call centers may take several measures to improve the performance of their agents, such as providing regular training, coaching and feedback, implementing a performance management system, measuring and analyzing key performance indicators and metrics, and investing in new technologies to streamline and automate processes.

Call center agent training

Call center agent training is the process of teaching new or existing agents the skills and knowledge they need to effectively handle customer interactions, and achieve the goals of the call center.

Call center agent training typically covers a wide range of topics, such as:

·       Understanding the company’s products and services.

·       Handling difficult customers and handling complaints.

·       Communicating effectively on the phone.

·       Providing excellent customer service.

·        Adhering to company policies and procedures.

·        Navigating call center technology and software.

·       Meeting sales and other performance goals.

Training for call center agents can be delivered through various methods, including on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and e-learning. On-the-job training typically involves new agents observing and working alongside experienced agents. Classroom instruction is usually in form of lectures, group discussions, and interactive sessions. E-learning (such as online modules or webinars) can be completed at an agent’s own pace and can be an efficient way to provide training to a large number of agents.

It’s important to note that call center agent training should not end after an agent has been hired. Regular training and development opportunities are crucial to help agents improve their skills, stay up-to-date on changes to products or services, and provide ongoing support in order to help them reach the expected performance level.

What are the training modules of CSR training in a call center?

The specific modules of training in a call center may vary depending on the organization and its specific needs. But typically, call center agent training will include the following key modules:

  1. Customer service skills: This module covers the basics of effective customer service, such as active listening, effective communication, and problem-solving.
  2. Product and service knowledge: This module covers the company’s products or services in detail and provides agents with the knowledge they need to answer customer questions and concerns.
  3. Industry and company-specific: This module covers the specific practices and processes of the industry the call center is working in, as well as the company’s policies, procedures, and culture.
  4. Technical skills: This module covers the specific technology and software used by the call center, such as computer systems, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, and telephony equipment.
  5. Communication skills: This module focuses on improving the bpo agent’s
    communication skills, including telephone etiquette, active listening, and
    using positive language.
  6. Handling difficult customers: This module covers
    handling and resolving difficult customer situations, such as complaints,
    escalations, and irate customers.
  7. Sales and persuasion skills: For those call centers involved in sales or telemarketing, this module covers the key concepts of sales, including effective communication, building relationships, and closing deals.
  8. Data Privacy and Security: This module covers the importance and compliance of data privacy, data protection and security regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA.

Note that these modules can be tailored to the specific needs of the organization or the type of calls the call center handles. Additionally, the training can be delivered through various methods such as classroom instruction, on-the-job training, and e-learning and mentoring.

Some of the frequently asked questions about call centers are listed below. We hope it will give you a clear understanding of the call center industry.

What are inbound call centers?

Inbound call centers are the type of call centers that receive calls from customers. The agents in this type of call center are responsible to answer all the questions and queries of customers including troubleshooting.

What are outbound call centers?

The outbound call center is a type of call center in which agents are hired to make calls to customers. The main goal of this type of call center is to make sales. The agents in this type of call center make direct calls to potential customers and existing customers and provide some new information about the company and, inform the customer about new products or services by the company.

What is the timing of call centers?

The timing of call centers is mostly in night shifts. This is the main drawback that people perceived about call center jobs. Other than unusual working shifts, the call center is one of the best places to improve your communication and pursue a career.

Does a call center have a secure environment?

This is again an important question keeping in mind the women’s perspective. The call center usually operates on night shifts so many women believe it is not the safest place to work in. In reality, the call center is a secure place to work as management emphasizes providing proper work culture for people working in a call center regardless of their gender. 

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What is it like to work in a call center?

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Working in a call center can be a fast-paced and demanding job, but it can also be rewarding for those who enjoy helping others and problem-solving. 

Some key aspects of working in a call center

High call volume:

Call centers often have a high volume of calls coming in at any given time, which can be fast-paced and stressful. Customer service agents may be required to handle a large number of calls within a short period of time, which can be challenging and require a great deal of focus and attention to detail.

Repetitive work:

Call center agents may handle similar types of calls and concerns repeatedly, which can be monotonous at times. However, some agents find this aspect of the job to be manageable as it allows them to hone their skills and become more efficient in addressing customer needs.

Dealing with difficult customers:

Call center agents may encounter difficult customers who are angry, frustrated, or rude. These interactions can be challenging and require patience and a professional demeanor to de-escalate the situation.

Working in a noisy environment:

Call centers can be noisy places, with many agents working in the same space at the same time. This can make it difficult to concentrate and can be tiring over long periods.

Shift work:

Many call centers operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, which means that the telesales agents may be required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. This can make it difficult to maintain a consistent schedule and can affect family and social life.

Remote work:

With the changing trends many call centers now operate on a remote basis, this may mean an agent works from the comfort of their home and may have to provide their own equipment, internet, and set-up.

Goals and Targets:

Call centers are known for their Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) and targets that agents must meet to be successful in their job. Customer sales representatives may be required to meet sales targets, average call handle times, and other metrics that measure their productivity and efficiency.

Training and Development:

Many call centers provide training and development programs that can help agents to improve their customer service skills and advance in their careers.

Overall, working in a call center can be a challenging and rewarding experience, and is well suited for those who enjoy working with people and can handle a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

What are the responsibilities of a call center agent?

The primary role of call center agents is to handle customer inquiries and concerns via phone, email, and chat. Specific tasks and duties may vary depending on the type of call center, but some common responsibilities include:

Answering inbound calls:

Call center agents are responsible for answering and responding to customer inquiries and concerns that come in through the call center’s phone lines. This may involve providing information about products and services, handling complaints, and resolving problems.

Outbound calling:

In addition to answering inbound calls, call center agents may also be responsible for making outbound calls to customers. This could include following up on customer complaints, making sales calls, or reaching out to customers to gather information.

Order processing:

Call center agents may be responsible for processing orders that come in over the phone. This may involve inputting customer information and payment details into a computer system, as well as providing customers with information about estimated delivery times and tracking numbers.

Customer service:

Providing excellent customer service is one of the primary responsibilities of call center agents. This may include handling complaints and resolving problems, providing information about products and services, and upselling additional products or services.

Data Entry:

The call center agent may also be responsible for maintaining accurate records of customer interactions, including taking notes and updating the customer information in the computer system.

Escalation handling:

Agents may also be responsible for escalating certain customer issues to the higher management or technical teams if they are unable to resolve the issue.

Meeting targets:

The call center agents are often required to meet targets such as the number of calls handled, Average handle time, and customer satisfaction scores.

Training and Development:

Some call centers have agents go through training to improve their knowledge of the product or services they offer, and also to improve their customer service skills.

Quality assurance:

Many call centers also have a separate quality assurance team, which listens in and evaluates agent’s call performance and provides feedback for improvement.

It’s important to note that depending on the company and the industry the call center is in, the duties and responsibilities of an agent can vary. Additionally, with the increasing use of technology, many customer service jobs are now done remotely and are done through various forms of technology like Email, Chat, and Video conferencing

Some of the frequently asked questions about call centers are listed below:

Is it good to do a job in a call center?

It is an important question that needs to be answered. A lot of people think that working in a call center could be a bad thing for your career. Due to unusual working hours and monotonous job routines, people don’t like to work in a call center. Moreover, people think that working experience in a call center doesn’t count in your professional resume. All these points are a myth as there is nothing like that in reality. In short, you learn good written and verbal communication skills in a call center.

How is the call center job better than other jobs?

The main benefit a person can get working in a call center is basic a salary plus a commission. The environment is not a toxic one as you can dress informally in a call center. Moreover, you can get a handsome commission on sales besides your basic salary. Another great benefit of working in a call center is improvement in your English communication skills.

How hard is it to work at a call center?

People think that working in a call center is a difficult task. One of the major reasons is to handle a lot of calls each day. Moreover, there are many angry customers that an agent has to deal with. Working on the night shift is another reason people don’t like call center jobs. However, it is one of the best ways to kick-start your career. You can improve your skills and once you are pro in communication, there are bright chances you can get promoted to a call center managerial role.

What is a call center?

What is a call center?

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The call center is a workplace where hundreds of calls are answered each day. It is a fast-paced workplace where agents are deployed to handle a large number of phone calls. It can be an inbound call center or an outbound one. Every company does have a call center to have contact with clients and customers. The call center is the first point of interaction between a company and its client/customer base. The call center can be a place located inside the organization or can be contracted out to other companies as well.

What is the difference between a call center and a contact center?

A call center is a place where a large number of calls are answered by agents every day. It can be an inbound or outbound call center. The main technology used in a call center is the telephone. Most of the operations are done on the phone call. The call center exists before the digitalization process.

The contact center is a fast-paced workplace where customer support is provided to customer with the help of different channels that includes email, phone calls, web collaboration, web chat, and social media. The main difference between a call center and a contact center is the use of technology. The contact center is not limited to telephone calls only as it use a wide range of interaction channels.

Different types of call centers

Different types of call centers that are operational across the globe. Let’s discuss them one by one.

  • Inbound call centers
  • Outbound call centers
  • Blended call centers
  • Virtual call centers
  • Multichannel call centers
  • Offshore call centers
  • Nearshore call centers

  • Inbound call center

The inbound call center is a call center that is specially designed to handle the incoming calls of the customer. It may be a query, complaint, or problem faced by the customer. The main aim of this type of call center is to provide existing customer quality customer service.

  • Outbound call center

The outbound call center is a call center where a large number of calls are made to existing or potential new customers. The main objective of this type of call center is to increase sales by making calls. It can be used for marketing new products, offering discounts, and informing the existing customer of new features about company products/services.

  • Blended call center

The blended call center is a mixture of both inbound and outbound call centers. In this type of call center, both incoming and outgoing calls are handled by customer support agents. However, it is important to know that the same set of agents has to perform both duties in this type of call center.

  • Virtual call centers

The virtual call center is a call center that can be inbound or outbound call center. This call center is not physically located as it is an online call center. The agents in this type of call center are virtually located anywhere in the world performing the same duties as per direction by the supervisors.

  • Multichannel call centers

The multichannel call center is a type of call center that allows the agents to connect to a call center software that uses different channels like text, voice, and social media to outreach customers. You can say, it allows call center agents to connect to the customer via different channels.

  • Offshore call centers

The offshore call center is a type of call center that is not located in the same country as the parent company. Mostly these are the call center that provides customer support to customer in multiple languages. The main objective of offshore call center is to save costs as they are considered less expensive.  Mostly these call centers are located in South Asia.

  • Nearshore call centers

The near shore call centers are the type of call centers that are not located in a similar country as of parent company. But they are not far away in a country like in offshore call centers. They are located in nearby countries of the parent company.

Technology used in the call center

Here we will get to know about the technology used in the call center. Let’s learn about the technology.

  • Interactive voice response (IVR) systems

Interactive voice response is also known as IVR is a programmed technology that allows the incoming calls to have access to the prerecorded information without the interference of an agent. They could also use menu options via speech recognition or touch-tone keypad selection to have their calls directed to particular sections or experts.

  • Automatic call distribution (ACD) systems

Automatic call distribution is known as ACD, it is a systemic programmed technology that enables the system to receive incoming calls automatically and route them to the next available agent. The main purpose of this system is to manage the huge volume of calls in call centers and to avoid overburdening the agents.

  • Computer telephony integration (CTI)

 CTI stands for computer telephony integration, in this system business applications are connected to the telephone system. It means the call center agents don’t need to have a phone to attend or make, and transfer a call. They can perform all their telephonic task using this system as everything is connected to their computer system. They can have control over everything via CTI.

  • Call routing software

Talking about call routing software, it tracks and captures call data. Moreover, it instinctively gathers all the suitable call recipients. The filter and custom queue that this software has decided the route of the correct recipient. Call routing regulates the correct recipient call tracking doesn’t have that feature.

  • Call recording software

In all the call centers, to ensure privacy and security, all the inbound and outbound calls are recorded via call recording software. This practice is observed all over the world to ensure that all the agents perform their duties in a highly professional manner. Moreover, the organization should have a proper record of all the calls.

  • Workforce management software

Workforce management software is a software that is used by call center management as it provides a solution for creating, tracking, and scheduling the attendance and time of the employees.  The advanced versions of this workforce management software can have add-on features like robust analytics, forecasting, and decision-making on set benchmarks.

  • Predictive dialer systems

This is advanced software that is designed with the latest algorithms to forecast the percentage of people who will attend the phone call. It initiates the operation of outbound calls and allows to connect all the call center agents to connect to the active caller list with the expected pickup rate.

  • Chatbot or virtual assistant technology

The chatbot or you can say VA (virtual assistant) is an advance designed program that will perform the duties of a live agent in a specific environment. They are designed to answer specific questions and answers asked by the customers and they can also make recommendations.

Call center teams and structure

Now here will be shed some light of the call center team and structure of the team. Let’s learn more.

  • Call center agents

Call center agents are considered the first line of interaction with the customers and clients. They receive and make calls to customers. They handle a large number of calls each day and their main job is to always remain on the call to satisfy the needs and requirements of the customers.

  • Team Leaders

Team leaders are the leaders of the telesales team. They motivate their sales team to get more out of them. They design and implement action plans to achieve the targets set by the organization. In short, they control the overall telesales team. Furthermore, they are responsible to train the new agents.

  • Call center directors

The call center director’s main task is to oversee the overall operations of a call center. In short, you can say that they are the main management of the call center.  They are responsible for hiring new team members and doing all administrative work.

  • Quality assurance team

The quality assurance team in a call center ensures that the customer receives quality customer service from the call center agents. They ensure that the call quality and performance of the agents during calls remain up-to-date and customer gets satisfied.

  • IT personnel

The IT personnel in a call center is responsible to design, install and manage all the software, hardware, and networking.  They ensure that all the systems and accessories including the internet remain active and there shall be no distortion in operations. They are skillful enough to handle the complex task.

Examples of call centers in different industries    

The call center exists in every industry, let’s talk about some of the top industries where call center services are the basic requirement to operate a business.  

Telecommunication

The telecommunication industry doesn’t get success without having a proper call center. The need of the call center is great in this industry as customer calls telecommunication companies regarding their complaints, issues, and problems. Moreover, the customer wants to know more about the products so inbound and outbound call center services are of great importance in the telecommunication industry.

Health

The health sector is another industry in which call center services need to be on the mark. In the healthcare sector, the call centers are responsible for data entry, paperwork, setting appointments, maintaining referrals, and making correspondence. Moreover, they have the patient record, and whenever a patient calls them they book an appointment for the specific illness.  

Insurance

Different insurance companies have their call centers. The main aim is to sell a different kind of insurance to customers. The main objective of these companies is to make maximum sales with the help of a telesales team. The insurance may include home insurance, auto insurance, final expense insurance, health insurance, Medicare insurance, and many more.

What is a call center in BPO?

The business-process outsourcing is a type of call center that is outsourced by the company to a third party to do the inbound and outbound operations. These outsource BPOs are responsible to make and attend the calls of clients and customers on behalf of a company.

 

What are call center skills?

The skills that are required to succeed in a call center are communication skills. Communication and listening skills count a lot if you want to pursue your career in a call center.

What do you do at a call center?

The main job in a call center is to answer the queries and problem solutions of the customer. The call center agents attend or make hundreds of calls each day. To satisfy the customer via any means of communication is done at the call center.

What is a call center representative?

The call center representative is responsible to handle a large number of calls each day. They are the first point of interaction between an organization and the customer. They answer questions, solve problems and provide customer support to the customers.

In this article you know the complete details of a call center, it includes technologies used in a call center, the team and structure of a call center, and most importantly different types of call centers available across the globe.

What is a call center?

Call Center Jobs in Islamabad in 2023

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A call center is a place where a large number of calls are handled by agents. These agents are known as customer sales representatives as they deal with existing and potential new customers.  Both incoming and outgoing calls are handled by these agents. The question arises of what these agents do when they are on the phone. The main task of these agents is to offer the following services:

    1. Handle customer queries
    2. Providing customer support
    3. Do marketing survey
    4. Doing telemarketing service

A telemarketing executive is a person who generally works in a call center. The main goal of a telemarketing executive is to supervise telesales agents and direct the agents to operate in a professional manner. Companies are generally looking to add telemarketing executives to supervise their customer sales representatives. They are required to consign shifts, delegate work, and set goals for the telesales team.

To be successful as a telemarketing executive, one needs to understand the importance of fostering a cooperative environment without any distractions. This will ensure high-quality and consistent work by the telesales agents.

Many top call centers offer exceptional outbound and inbound customer service in Islamabad. Here we will discuss some of the top names offering call center jobs in Islamabad.

Outright Pakistan

Outright is a leading name in the call center industry in Islamabad. They are providing exceptional customer services to both existing and potential new clients. They have a team of result-driven telesales agents that drive superb results for the organization. The management and trainer in this regard are very cooperative and invest in different training programs to polish the soft skills of the telemarketing team.

Outright has announced multiple call center jobs in Islamabad and, currently they are hiring customer sales representatives for their head office in Islamabad. They are offering marketing competitive salaries plus extravagant commissions for mature leads. If you are an experience call center agent or looking to take a fresh start in the call center industry, this is the right opportunity for you to apply now.

Touchstone BPO Islamabad

Touchstone is another great name in the call center industry. They are currently hiring for the position of customer support representative in Islamabad. If you are seeking a challenging role, apply today.

Ufone Call Center

Ufone is a leading name in cellular service provider in Pakistan, they have announced vacancies in call center jobs in Islamabad so what are you waiting for apply now.

Ibex Pakistan

Ibex is another strong name that provides customer support service. They are looking to add a customer support executive to their telesales team in Islamabad. If you are looking for customer call center jobs, you should apply today at ibex.

Zong Call Center

Zong is one of the leading cellular networks in Pakistan. Currently, they are looking to add senior executive customer experience to their Islamabad office. If you have skills and relevant experience, join Zong today.

Call Box BPO

Call box Bpo encourages people to apply for call center jobs online on their website. At the moment they have job opening for a global sales executive at their Islamabad office. You are encouraged to apply.

Jsons communication

Jsons communication is providing quality customer support service to clients over the years. The job openings are announced at their Islamabad office for the post of customer sales representative. Send your resume today.

Telestream BPO

If you are looking for a customer support job, Telestream BPO is looking to add to its team. Visit their website and apply today for the customer support position.

Vertex Communication

Vertex communication is providing superb telemarketing services to clients across the globe. They are hiring for the position of telesales agent at their office. If you are looking for the best call center jobs, apply here to get the process started.

FAQ’S

What are inbound call center jobs?

The inbound call center is a call center where an existing customer of the company makes calls to agents and asks for solutions to queries. The agents in this call center setup provide exceptional customer support to the customers. It may include troubleshooting, problem solution, or any query related to the current product or service.

Are call center jobs hard?

Frankly speaking, working in a call center is not as difficult as it is perceived. All you need is to have good English communication skills and can operate the computer. However, the timing of the call center job makes it hard for people to work as it is operated mostly on the night shift.

Are call center jobs stressful?

Call center jobs are difficult because of unusual working hours. The main aim of this job is to provide customer services to current and new clients of the company.

What is meant by call center jobs?

A call center is a place where a lot of phone calls are answered by agents. The agents are known as customer support agents. The main aim of these agents is to provide quality support to the customers.

What do we have to do in call center jobs?

The main responsibility of a customer sales representative in a call center is to answer the phone calls of customers. All they need to do is to provide exceptional telemarketing services and customer support to the client base.

A smiling women agent along with male team members

How to improve agent performance in the call center?

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Improving the agent’s performance is one of the best decisions a company has to make. The call center is considered the main pillar of a company as it is the first connecting point between a customer and the company. Considering the recent behavior of the customer, it has become a major concern for the company to improve its call center agent performance.

According to a survey, it has been noticed that customers would like to switch to another company if they had a bad experience with the customer service twice. The ultimate goal of a company is to keep the customers happy. A happy customer is a loyal customer so improving agent performance in the call center is the main priority for a business.

There are many things to consider when it comes to reflecting on customer service good or bad. The focal point of customer service is the agent. The company needs to ensure that whatever the medium is used to communicate with customers they must provide excellent customer service. Excellent service is based on the opinion of the customers, not the agents.

If a company is focused on providing the best customer service, they need to boost the performance of the agents.  Improving agent performance in the call center will make your customer satisfied and increase sales. However, it has been noticed that call centers try to put a lot of burden on the agents which particularly hurts the overall performance of a call center.  Forcing your agents to work long hours will reduce the overall performance of the call center but also increase the turnover rate.

Here are some tips that call center management needs to follow to improving csr performance in the call center:

Build Rapport

One of the best ways to improve the performance of agents is to get to know them personally. The management or manager in the call center needs to understand what motivates their agents, and what their professional and personal goals are.

The manager must meet the agents in a personal capacity to express that they do care about them. Every agent in a call center would love to work for a company that takes some time out to meet their employees and know more about them other than their professional life. This will create a sense of importance in the call center agents and motivates them to perform at an optimum level.

Organize regular kickoff sessions

 To inspire and motivate the call center agents, the management needs to hold daily sessions before the shift starts.  Meeting your team and firing them up for daily tasks will certainly motivate them in the right direction. Having your foot in the right direction will always benefit your team morale. This is an ideal strategy to kick start your day and this strategy is fruitful for the productivity of a call center.

Identify the right candidates

Call center management needs to identify the right person for the position of customer sales representative. People with the right skill set and the right attitude can be taught the necessary skills to improve the overall performance of the call center via proper coaching and training.

Finding the right technology

Technology is very important as it makes things easier and simple. Technology can become frustrating for agents if it is difficult to navigate and is not user-friendly.  Selecting the right and latest software for a call center is as important as hiring the right candidate. With the help of the latest technology, management can identify the areas of improvement for call center agents. Furthermore, it will monitor and analyze customer needs and challenges to improve overall customer service. With technology, identifying the gaps will certainly help to improve overall performance.

Invest in training programs

The needs and requirements of the customers are ever-changing. You have to adapt to these changes and design strategies that are up to date.  Expectations of the customers are higher so you need your agents to perform to a certain level to satisfy the customers. Proper training either in procedures or in technology will certainly add advanced skills and will improve the overall performance of the call center.

Offer rewards

Offering timely rewards and acknowledgment of performance on time can bring a lot of benefits to the performance of an agent. The management of the organization is tracking the performance of agents via different tools so rewarding the best performers in the call center will surely increase the morale of the team.

The management needs to design the key performance index that every individual or agent can access. They can compare their performance with each other, which creates competition among the agents and everyone will put in their optimum efforts to earn bonuses and rewards.

How do you improve customer engagement in a call center?

The best way to improve customer engagement in call centers is to recognize and adopt the customer-first culture. Providing an effective and efficient solution is key to improving engagement. Moreover, adopting and showing a courteous attitude towards the customer certainly helps the cause.

How can we improve customer satisfaction and efficiency in the call center?

Keeping your customer satisfied is a major goal for any business, it is considered as make or break point for your business. There are many ways to make your customer satisfied and improve efficiency in the call center. A few ways are listed below:

  • Train your agents
  • Understand the needs of customers
  • Ask for feedbacks
  • Use live chats

What are three strengths that could help you perform well as a call Centre representative?

The call center agent needs to have many qualities to succeed in customer service. The first and most important strength a customer sales representative should have is good communication skills. Communication skills are key to striving in the call center industry.  The top three strengths of call center agents are listed below:

  • Effective communication
  • In-depth knowledge of company products/services
  • Ability to handle pressure

How do call centers improve soft skills?

According to a survey, you need 75% soft skills and 25% technical skills to build and long-term successful career. The soft skills you need to improve while working in a call center should be the emotional, linguistic, and cultural types of communication. These are the skills that every employee desire to have and yes, it is difficult to master.  In the call center, soft skills help the agent to talk to the customers successfully manner. The top three soft skills that an agent must have are listed below:

  • Communication skills
  • Product knowledge
  • Professionalism
  • Problem-solving

There is always room for improvement in any organization. Keep motivating your agents in a call center to improve productivity and performance.

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What is Telemarketing Executive Job

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Telemarketing is an effective and efficient way of marketing. A telemarketing agent usually works in a call center where he performs the task of a telemarketer. Telemarketing job require special skills to direct and supervise the calls to potential and existing customers. The main aim of a telemarketing executive job is to handle sales over the phone call.

What is a telemarketing executive?

The telesales executive promotes a company product or service over the phone to new and existing customers. They can be located in an office base call center or can be at a virtual location. Their main job is to generate sales and accomplish the sales target assigned by the marketing team.

The job skills, qualifications, and duties remain the same regardless of working in any industry. A telesales executive has to a generate sale to boost the profitability of a company.

Job Description of Sales executive

The general job description of a sales executive is to make sales via phone calls. The sales agent contacts the customers or businesses via a telephone call to promote products or services and sell them over the phone. They receive orders on call, collect information after verification they place a request for payment process.

Job Brief

Outright is looking for a self-motivated sales representative to make sales either by answering calls or by cold calling in a fast-paced workplace. The sales agent will be liable for persuading new and existing customers to purchase products/services.

A successful telesales agent understands the needs and requirements of a customer and provides them with a viable solution in a limited time frame. Keeping a pleasant and persuasive tone and behavior is one of the key characteristics of a call center agent. The telesales agent should remain cool and calm during their calls with the customers to succeed in this industry.

Telemarketing Executive Responsibilities

There are several job responsibilities of a telemarketing executive. They need to be master at it to succeed in customer service. Following are the telesales executive job responsibilities that he has to perform.

  • Making calls to new and existing customers, offering them your products/services and more company information.
  • Answering the calls of potential customers/clients.
  • Deliver a scripted sales pitch to potential customers and existing customers.
  • The telesales agent has in-depth knowledge of company products/services.
  • The agent can easily explain to the customer about the key features and benefits of their product/service.
  • Keep proper records of customers in the system in an effective way.
  • Ask relevant questions to realize the needs and requirements of customers.
  • Go the extra mile to help and assist the customer to make him a loyal customer.
  • Can easily deal with angry customers.
  • Follow up with the customers and remind them about their last discussion to persuade them to buy from you.

Requirements and Skills

Companies are looking for a sales representative that adds value to their team. They want candidates that can generate sales but also train the new agents to boost the productivity of the sales team. Moreover, they are looking for particular skills in an agent to fit in their workplace. The following are must-have skills and requirements for a telesales agent to excel and grow in a call center.

  • The candidate must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree to join as a telesales agent.
  • The candidate must have a minimum of one year of experience in customer service.
  • In the case of a fresh graduate, the candidate should go through a proper training program before sitting in a sales representative seat.
  • In-depth knowledge of company products/services.
  • The telesales agent should have excellent negotiation skills.
  • Telemarketing executive job require good verbal and written communication skills.
  • The candidate must be capable enough to communicate and deliver a sales script.
  • Ability to develop as a team player and help other team members to achieve targets.
  • Must be able to handle a lot of calls without losing temper.
  • Ability to talk and communicate with customers and clients in a polite and respectful way.
  • The agent must understand the importance of time management so that he manages every caller at a specific time and try to satisfy within a given time.
  • Persistence, patience and can handle rejection.

Telemarketing executive salary

People who are looking to pursue a career in customer service always raise the question about telesales executive salary.  They are concerned about the remuneration and benefits a call center agent can get from a company. Well, to answer this question we need to understand the geographical position of telesales agents. In the United States of America, the average per-hour salary of a telesales agent is 13 dollars per hour. However, in Asia, the average salary depends on the skills of a sales representative.

The candidates who join recently and have no experience should not concern about the salary. They will get a high salary as soon as they will get one or two years of experience under their belt. The customer service industry is very rewarding as they offer a basic salary plus commission to experience customer sales representatives.

Answering some of the important frequently asked questions to clear the mind of people regarding the call center industry. Here are some important FAQS.

Is telemarketing a good job?

People often regard call center jobs a bad jobs. The main reason for this perspective is the unusual working hours and
mostly night shifts. Additionally, people think that as an agent you have to be on the call throughout the day. Yes, for those who love to help people on the call, this is one of the best jobs for you.

Helping and assisting via phone, social media, email, is what a telemarketer does all day. You can have a great career
in customer service if you have a great skill set.

How to be a better telemarketer?

To be a good telesales agent, you need to have a lot of skills. First of all, you should have the ability to listen to the customer in detail. Furthermore, you should have strong verbal communication skills to deliver a perfect sales pitch. You must have the ability to solve the problem and satisfy the customer.

How many calls can a telemarketer make per day?

The job of a telesales executive is to handle hundreds of calls each day. There is no specific number or you can say the exact number for a telemarketer to make calls each day. But it has to be 100 to 120 calls each day on average. Each company has a different campaign and policy regarding calling customers.

Do telemarketers make a lot of money?

The salary or remuneration of a telesales agent is the center of attention for most people. Yes, people earn a lot of money in customer service. This is because of the commission they receive from each sale. The telesales agents are hired on a basic salary plus commission. The more sales you make, the better reward you will get. The average per-hour rate for the call representative is 13 dollars per hour.

Is telemarketing part of BPO?

Telemarketing is a process that involves the selling of products/services over the phone call. The BPO offers both inbound and outbound telemarketing services. And yes, telemarketing is part of business process outsourcing.

Does telemarketing have a future?

There is a debate going on in the industry that robots will replace humans in customer service. With ever-changing technology, the call center industry evolve a lot as there has been a lot of progress in terms of infrastructure. But the people likes to talk to humans to resolve problems. The old generation especially likes to connect to the phone and talk to agents to resolve the issue they are facing. So in the next few decades, the call center industry needs customer sales representatives to connect with customers.

What are the benefits of being a telemarketer?

The major benefit of being a telesales agent is perfection in communication. Yes, when you are working in customer service, you are communicating with your clients in English. It will enhance your communication skills and bring a lot of confidence to your overall personality. Moreover, it will bring problem-solving skills and the ability to listen carefully. Furthermore, you will be able to control your emotions and learn how to remain cool and calm in difficult situations. Overall, being a telemarketer brings a lot of benefits as a person and professionally as well.

How long does it take to become a telemarketer?

There is no training that teaches you to stay active, put a smile on your face 8 hours a day, and after calling 100 people a day. What it takes to be a good telemarketing executive is experience. All you need is to work in an inbound or outbound call center as a sales executive for at least two years to become a good agent. However, during this tenure, you have to attend some training sessions to keep yourself up-to-date regarding customer service. That it.

Outright Pakistan is a leading name in the call center industry in Islamabad. We are currently offering both inbound and outbound customer service to clients. To join us as a customer sales representative, visit our website and join us today.

How to hire a call center agent

How to hire call center agents?

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Hiring a great call center agent can be beneficial for any business as they are the main focal point between the company and the customers. Customer service comes first for any business. Whether it is for product information, technical support, order process, and billing process- quality customer service counts. Call center agents perform all these functions either inbound or outbound call center service.

Hiring criteria for call center should be strict as there shall be no loopholes in the hiring process. Call centers always try to hire the right candidate for customer service. The Call center agent selection process needs to be scrutinized to get the right candidate for the post of customer sales representative. Hiring an incorrect candidate can be painful for any business.

How to recruit call center agents?

To provide exceptional customer service and attain strong business relations with clients, each company needs to recruit the right candidate for the post of call center agent. The agents are responsible for making a client a loyal one.

The management of the call center looking for the candidate for a call center agent position that will increase the productivity of the business. Furthermore, they look for candidates that are eager to work in a fast-paced work environment and ready to work night shifts.  

How to hire call center agents is a major concern for the hiring manager for a call center. When they receive the resume of an agent, they have a process that the candidate has to pass before joining a call center.

  • The channel used by the human resource department for the selection of a customer sales representative includes:
    •  

The screening process of a candidate at Outright

The candidate for the position of call center agent has to undergo a screening process before being appointed to a call center.

HR Department:  the human resource department will check the resume of a candidate, analyze the work experience, and verify the credentials before inviting him for an interview.

Skill test: the candidate has to pass the skill test designed by the team. It may include written tests as well as group discussions to analyze communication skills. Verbal communication is given more attention to judge a candidate.  The pronunciation, confidence, and clarity of speech is key to pass the skill test.

Induction: when the candidate is finalized, they will be introduced to the team and has been provided with the following information;

·         Introduction of outright

·         Orientation about BPO

·         Code of conduct

·         In-depth company details

·         Job formalities

·         Perks and benefits

·         Training process

The selection process for a call center agent is arguably major task for HR department. If a candidate has above stated qualities and skillset, don’t hesitate to hire him on immediate basis. 

How to become a good call center agent?

How to become a good call center agent?

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It requires great communication skills and discipline to be a good call center agent. Working in a call center, agents need to have in-depth knowledge of the company they work for. As a call center agent, all you have to encounter are questions, complaints, and troubleshooting.  As an agent, your job is a lot more than satisfying your customers, so you need to have a great balance of skills and character to succeed in such a fast-paced work environment. With unusual working hours and a lot of calls to be answered, there are several tips on how to become a good call center agent. In this blog post, you will get to know some of the important traits of a great customer sales representative.

Working in any industry, communication skills always play a great role to help you to succeed. If you want to improve your communication skills, no other industry is better than customer service.

How to be a successful call center agent? 

Other than some of the general skills and qualities, there are some skills that an agent has to master to outsmart the competitors.

  • Enhance your computer skills
  • Learn as much as you can during training sessions
  • Be punctual
  • Get maximum knowledge from your supervisors
  • Get all the latest updates regarding your company.
  • Maintain a positive attitude
  • What are the qualities of a good call center agent?

Here are some of the qualities that a call center agent must have to build a great career in customer service.

Develop great communication skills

In customer service, good communication is the heart of everything. In a call center, you are directly talking to the customers so you need to have an excellent grip on English communication. If English is your second language, try to join a coaching session to develop and improve your communication skills.

Always be polite

Always be polite during your conversation with your customer. A good call center agent always treats his customer in a polite and friendly manner. Use courteous words in your conversation like Thank you, welcome, please, and sorry to satisfy your customers.

Handle the angry customers

One of the most important traits of a call center agent is to work under pressure. The agent must not take anything personally when talking to a client. When facing an angry customer, don’t say words like calm down. Try to show empathy to customers and provide the best possible solution. When the call is over, take a few moments off and relax, then move on to the next call.

Try to have a short but relevant conversation

It is the utmost responsibility of a call center agent to steer the conversation with the customer to the topic. Don’t try to pass comments or start a personal conversation. Try to ask to take feedback in yes or no in any problem-solving situation.  If the agent doesn’t offer anything more related to the problem, try to transfer the call to the supervisor or another agent.

Make a positive impression

According to a survey, the customer believes that most agents assume the problems before a customer gives orientation about the problem. For a good impression, always listen to the customer in detail before providing a solution to a problem. Try to make a customer satisfied and happy before ending the call.

These above-stated qualities are the most important qualities of a call center agent. These qualities play a key role in making a successful career in customer service. An unprofessional approach and bad temper agent will definitely cause enormous loss to a company.

It is critically important for a company to train the call center agents before giving them access to talk to the customers.

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What are basic call center representative duties and responsibilities?

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The call center agent is someone who takes the inbound calls and makes outbound calls to the customers. The call center agent is the first point of interaction between a customer and a company. The main job of the agent is to address the concerns of customers, listen to them carefully, and provide the best possible solution to make a customer a satisfied customer.

The role of a call center representative is to ensure a customer have the necessary assistance and information that they require to portray the image of the company positively.  Here in this blog, we will discuss some of the important duties and responsibilities of a call center agent.

Call center representative duties and responsibilities

  • The inbound call center agent’s main responsibility is to answering the calls of the customer to address complaints, issues, and queries.
  • The outbound call center agent’s main duty is to make calls to the customers to learn about issues, make sales and provide the customers with necessary information regarding the company’s product/service.
  • The call center agent’s task is to receive and process orders, track orders and process the payments on behalf of a company. That includes cross-selling and upselling.
  • Answering effectively and efficiently to callers, providing feasible solutions and ensuring that client feel valued and supported.
  • Listening to callers in detail, show empathy to customers and providing accurate information promptly to defuse angry customers.
  • Call center agent duties and responsibilities include build a trustworthy and credible relationships with clients/customers.
  • Using databases, software, scripts and all necessary tools to improve customer service.
  • Make calls to clients/customers to inform them about new policies, products and services of the company.
  • Meet the target set by the managers to increase profitability.
  • Build a cordial relationship with other team members to improve the overall performance of the team.

Call center representative skills

The basic skills a call center agent must possess to succeed in the call center industry are listed below:

  • Good communication skills
  • Speed and efficiency
  • In-depth knowledge of company profile
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Capable to handle a large number of calls
  • Must be a great listener

These are some of the top skills that a call center agent must have to pursue a successful career in the call center industry.

Call center representative job description

Outright is looking to add call center representatives to their sales team. The call center representative job description is to act as a liaison between company and existing and potential new customers. The main aim of the call center agent is to address the needs and requirements of the customers/clients.

What does a call center representative do?

A call center representative job description is to handle a large number of inbound and outbound calls. They make or receive calls from the customer, listen to their problem and queries and provide them with the best possible solution. They act as the first contact point between a customer and a company.

What are the duties of a call center?

The duties of a call center agent is to handle a large volume of calls to and from customers. Their job is to provide necessary information about products/services, company policies and additionally cross-selling and upselling. They are considered as the company’s virtual face.

What does an inbound call center representative do?

The inbound call center agent receives calls from customers. In the call center, they address the needs and requirements of customers and provide the best possible solutions to satisfy the customer.

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