What it is. How it works.
Contents:
What is a call center service?
How does a call center service work?
What can a call center service do?
Why use a call center service?
What is a call center service?
Many business owners are confused about what a call center service is. The term ‘call center’ generally evokes the idea of a traditional, gray office setting with dozens of call agents packed tightly together in small cubicles. When you hear ‘call center,’ you may imagine rows of agents chained to desks, typing data into computers, and working to meet targets.
However, a call center service for your business is something quite different.
Your business may not require the services of a traditional call center with several agents on hand to answer high volumes of calls from customers.
Perhaps you already have an in-house receptionist but they are struggling to answer all your business calls on their own. Or maybe you are a small business owner, juggling missed calls and returning messages without any help.
A cloud-based call center partner can take care of your call overflow and keep your business ticking over while you focus on what you do best.
How does a call center service operate?
Where a call center service differs is in the location and work culture. The service is handled by client experience associates who are able to work from home in a quiet, peaceful environment.
A cloud-based call center forwards your calls to a telephone number provided by the service. This allows associates to handle your calls, messages, and schedule appointments on your behalf in your business name. Calls can also be patched through to you in urgent circumstances.
Client experience associates are on hand to answer all your calls 24/7.
This means you don’t need to worry about keeping up with missed calls or voicemail messages. You don’t need to struggle to squeeze customers in for appointments on a tight schedule. You don’t need to worry about losing loyal customers or the potential customers you may fail to respond to in time.
A call center service is suitable for a wide range of professionals including:
- Dentists
- Plumbers
- HVAC
- Painters
- Handyman Services
- Property Management
- Realtors
Client care and benefits to your business
This kind of service doesn’t only answer calls and take messages on your behalf. Call center solutions also include personalized call scripts, created on a case-by-case basis, to suit your unique business.
This call flow can be adapted to cover the common questions you receive from customers and general information about your daily operations. A call center service takes care of these regular queries so you don’t have to.
With a customized call script, client experience associates can provide a personal, informative, and helpful service. This provides you and your customers with peace of mind that all your calls and messages are being handled in a thorough, professional manner.
How does a call center service work?
A cloud-based phone answering service acts as your virtual customer service team. Client experience associates are on hand 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide call answering solutions for your business.
If you already have an in-house receptionist, associates can provide call center solutions to handle your overspill of calls, schedule appointments, and take messages for you.
Set up
To find out more, you can call the team who will be happy to answer your questions.
A team member will listen to your needs and explain how a cloud-based call center can boost customer retention and business growth. They can provide relevant advice on which plan and features will benefit your business and help it thrive.
If you proceed with your plan, the service will provide a telephone number where your calls will be forwarded to. Client experience associates can then start taking calls on your behalf in your business name.
Features and accessibility
Client experience associates can schedule appointments and take messages for you, but you won’t be out kept out the loop.
You will have access to your own online client portal. Through your personalized account, you will have access to:
- Call volume and duration
- Messages left by customers
- Customer contact details
- New appointments scheduled by associates
Another key feature of a call center service is your customized call script.
Call scripts are created on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are relevant to your business. These customized scripts are designed with an organic call flow to provide your customers with important information in the context of a natural conversation.
If you want to avoid spam calls or questions about opening times, for example, client experience associates can save you the hassle of personally handling these calls. You can also request that calls are forwarded to your personal cell phone or business telephone in urgent circumstances.
Client experience associates will handle your calls in a professional manner and deliver excellent customer service. You can rest assured knowing your business is being taken care of during operational hours, after hours, and when you are on vacation.
What can a call center service do?
Call center services allow entrepreneurs like you to focus on the core of their business. Client experience associates provide excellent customer service so you don’t have to be interrupted by phone calls, time-consuming admin tasks, and tedious paperwork.
A call center service can take care of calls, messages, and live appointment scheduling on your behalf. This takes away the pressure and stress of trivial tasks that disrupt your busy schedule. Associates handle these duties so you can do what you do best.
With a cloud-based call center service, you will have access to a number of different features which help your business run smoothly.
Whether you are self-employed or run a small business, your call handling and appointment schedule can benefit from virtual call center services.
Basic features of a call center service
Your virtual customer service team provide a range of different services. The basic features of a call center service that could benefit your business include:
- 24/7 call answering
- Recording messages
- Call forwarding
- Live appointment scheduling
- An online client portal for your business
With a cloud-based call center service plan, you will have access to an online portal through which you can view the details of all calls, messages, and new scheduled appointments.
Your personalized client web access account allows you to adjust your schedule, notify associates about upcoming vacations, and post updates surrounding business operations.
Call center services transcend industry and are suitable for a wide range of small, medium, and large businesses.
These services allow you to easily monitor your booking system, your colleagues’ schedules, your own workload, and engagement with customers.
Specialized call center service features
Beyond these bread-and-butter functions, call center services can also provide more complex, specialized features depending on your plan and your specific business needs.
Client experience associates are also able to:
- Take orders
- Capture leads
- Notify on-call staff
- Handle legal intake
- Send instant SMS or email call transcripts
- Handle staff directory and on-call schedules
- Provide email and chat support
- Create customized call scripts
This kind of partner acts as an instant customer service team with friendly, professional client experience associates on hand to take care of your business as if it were their own.
Associates will have access to a personalized call script relevant and specific to the kind of calls you regularly receive.
With several add-ons available to integrate with a selection of popular software, a number of call center solutions can be customized for your business.
