Telemarketing has come of age, as evidenced by the technologies that are now in use and the significant proportion of sales that can be attributed to this method of reaching out to the market. Two elements that have a significant contribution to the quality of your call center operations, whatever might be the parameters, are the technology in use and the competence of your staff.

There is a great deal of choice in the market, when it comes to the equipment and software solutions for telemarketing initiatives, whether you are a small business, corporation or call center. This makes it vital to periodically evaluate the technology in use at any moment, and compare it with the alternatives available in the market and the ones being employed by your competitors.

The issue that takes the center stage is; how to keep pace with the latest trends in your industry in order to optimize efficiency, profitability, quality and of course,credibility.

Zeroing-In On Ultimate Efficiency

Always remember, in call center business, customer satisfaction is the primary concern. The consumer of today holds high expectations that are commensurate with the hyper-modern and hyper-connected nature that the world has become. According to Ruby Speak, in order to compensate the possible loss from one instance of dissatisfaction, you may need to generate up to ten positive experiences. Now, the question is – where to get started?

Technology

More often than not, outdated or flawed technology is the root cause of dissatisfaction. Moreover, without the right tools, even your staff may not be able to do aptly utilize their potential, which again may hamper the overall satisfaction of customers. That is the reason why it is extremely important to ensure your call center has the best in terms of technology. In addition:

• Employ automated response technology such as IVR so that your agents can concentrate on more pressing issues, leaving those of a routine nature to the system.
• Integrate your call center software with your CRM, so that the agents can get a comprehensive overview of each case the second a call lands, without having to refer to multiple platforms.
•   The hardware and software that drive your call center must be cutting edge and complete with all the tools your agent’s may need to perform their duties.
•  Periodic training is important to ensure that agents are at home with the latest technology and the prevailing trends in your industry and telemarketing.
• Remember to make everything multichannel and accommodate mobile as some consumers have a tendency to send mail, or reach out on social media as opposed to calling.

Workforce

It is important to create a work environment and culture that attracts and retains top-notch professionals.  Apart from building a team of quality professionals, creating a positive work environment is equally important, in order to ensure they deliver their best. Ironically, making your staff happy might sometimes call for some thinking that resides outside the proverbial box. In most call centers that fare badly, things start unravelling with a shambolic hiring process that fails to identify the right people.

One trend that has gained traction in the industry is that of allowing agents to attend to clients at home. The benefits that are derived from this arrangement include attracting the best staff and also getting an improvement in efficiency. Agent autonomy must also be allowed whenever it is of a positive nature. Some of the best known telemarketers have been able succeed due to the ability to structure their own downtime free from executives.

Conclusion

The ability to deliver a superior service to your market through a call center requires a conscious decision to stay up to date and relevant through incorporate the best in technology, human resources, training and new knowledge. First become intimate with the needs of your target market, the solutions obtaining in your niche and market, and the best ways to implement the transition.