Call Center Software - Does My Business Need It?

Ten years ago a business would absolutely not consider owning Call Center Software for their business telephone system unless they had a true call center environment. The cost was absolutely prohibitive for any other application, but with recent technology advancements it's time to ask, "Should I be using Call Center Software for my company?" The financial case for doing so is overwhelming in several new market niches.




Call Center Software - Does My Business Need It?

Ten years ago most businesses would not have considered owning call center software for their business telephone system unless they had a true call center environment. Cost really prohibitive for other applications, but with recent technological advances that now it's time to ask, "Should I use the software for my company call center?" Financial case to do so very much in several new market niche.

The definition and the perception of what a call center now is has dramatically changed in the last ten years. It is no longer just the large outbound telemarketing rooms or the huge inbound customer service centers that qualify. Many small call centers are essential profit centers for their companies, and many others are classified as "non income producing" overhead that are absolutely vital to their smooth operation and business model.

But how do I know if am running at peak efficiency? How do I know if I am understaffed or overstaffed? How do I know who is producing and who isn't? Are my customers as happy as they should be? Do I really need a full time person to manage a small operation? Not knowing the answers to those questions could cost a company dearly.

When you take a closer look at what call center software reporting and management tools can cost effectively bring to an organization, a whole new set of questions come to mind.

• How long do my customers REALLY wait on hold? Are my reps picking up in a timely fashion?
• What are the most calls in cue that I get at one time?
• How many or what % of abandoned calls do I have?
• Do I lose calls due to excessive hold times?
• What is the average length of call?
• How long does it take to "wrap up a call?"
• Who has the longest average call length? My best agent or worst? Why?
• How do I know if I am properly staffed?
• How do I know if my call center has trouble?
• How do I solve it?

These are questions only large call centers with proper management tools could have answered in the past. With new cost effective technology, more and more businesses are looking to software solutions to streamline their operations and answer the essential questions that can differentiate them from their competition. The person that is answering the phone or placing the call for a company costs much more than the actual call itself, so it is imperative to understand how one's resources are being allocated. Being overstaffed one person could pay for software many times over in a single year. Being understaffed could be costing a company a tremendous amount of business and repeat business because of frustration and substandard service levels.

If the axiom holds true that "I can't manage what I can't measure," being able to measure the business KPI (Key Performance Indicators) is essential. Here are some additional questions businesses use to consider if Call Center Software would be a benefit to their operation:

• If I could recruit talent elsewhere in the country without the additional office space or overhead, yet maintain the same management tools and quality of service, would it be beneficial?
• Is there an associated cost per customer? (Knowing this will help justify my ROI)
• Do my clients know about additional services and products I am offering? Would a message playing while they are in cue be appropriate to create awareness and upsell?
• Are there highly profitable new products I want my clients to know about?
• Is measuring outbound sales call volume important?
• What happens if I lose my best agent because they are frustrated with my infrastructure or processes?
• How much does it cost me to train a new representative?
• How will that affect my operation?
• How much does it cost me to lose a client?
• How much does it cost me if I lose my biggest client?
• What is my actual call volume?
• How good of a job does the person answering the phone do? Can I record their calls for verification and training purposes?
• Are per minute toll free number charges attached to inbound calls? If I can reduce my average length of call and hold time 20% per call, would that assist customer satisfaction and cost control?
• Are my representatives able to visually see, as well as management, exactly how they are performing in comparison to their peers via an electronic wallboard? Would that be beneficial?
• What, if anything, do my customers complain about? Is it possible that other customers have the same complaint? How do I solve it?

If you have ever asked any of those questions or really need to know the answers to them, a telecom software solution may be right for your company. As a guide, always ask if the cost of not knowing the answers to those questions outweighs the cost of the software solution itself. As always, it is recommended you consult with your telecommunications professional to assist you in your search, as there are many options.

Steve Norris is a Texas based Energy Efficient Electrical Contractor that shows business how to implement energy efficient lighting to save electricity and a Telecommunications Broker for over 80 carriers nationwide. He specializes in hardware solution for multi-location business with advanced infrastructure needs. Over 90% of his clients are able to implement a new Fort Worth Business Phone System without increasing their budget with TeleTAP.

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Call Center Software Prices

Call center software prices depend upon its functions, brand, and version. However, these are not the only factors that affect the cost of this software. Other factors such as the size of the purchasing company, the number of agents, the clients, and services provided also affect the price.




Call Center Software Prices

Call center software prices depend upon its functions, brand, and version. However, these are not the only factors that affect the cost of this software. Other factors such as the size of the purchasing company, the number of agents, the clients, and services provided also affect the price.

The prices may vary from $400 to $4000 depending on the factors mentioned above. Software is available on the Internet on many sites and can be procured from land-based outlets too. Some call center software costs more than others do, since it provides advanced efficiency and functions that are indispensable for a call center. A typical example of this would be the call center tracking software that is essential for the efficient working of a call center.

The price of software may also differ according to the type of the call center, in that an outbound call center will require a slightly different type of software, thus affecting its price. On the other hand, the number of agents working in a call center is also a factor that influences the price of the software. Single seat software is available for as less as hundred dollars and can be procured from the Internet or in land based retail stores. However, the price of thirty-seat software hovers around the three thousand dollar mark.

Existing software can be upgraded and made more efficient using up gradation software such as the BMC professional up gradation software. This software is procurable on the Internet and some older versions are an open-source and can be modified. Upgraded software is combined with other software for integration purposes is expensive compared with other single versions.

Prices also differ according to the particular configuration requirements, the number of agents, the type of campaign, and other factors. The software requirements for a call center that is outsourced may be lesser because of market differences.

Call Center Software provides detailed information on Call Center Software, Call Center Software Solutions, Call Center Monitoring Software, Call Center Recording Software and more. Call Center Software is affiliated with IT Help Desk Software.

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Call Center Tracking Software

Call center tracking software enables call center managers to have a complete record of every call and other transactions made by call center agents and customers. The software has easy to use features and allows even newly hired agents to keep track of their interactions with customers.




Call Center Tracking Software

Call center tracking software enables call center managers to have a complete record of every call and other transactions made by call center agents and customers. The software has easy to use features and allows even newly hired agents to keep track of their interactions with customers.

The main screen of the software system is divided into several smaller planes for reporting and displaying different items such as the call map, call log, call details, call assignment and call journal. The agents enter the caller's information in the designated dialogue boxes, to assign calls to a particular agent. They can create multiple assignments from a single call, each with its own start, acknowledgement and resolution dates and times.

The software has the ability to create lead calls and post them onto a bulletin board, to be accessed by other agents. The lead calls are generally used to represent a widespread problem or important issue concerning all agents, such as network outrage. This agent leads to the problem after the phone at the same time, when the problem is resolved, close follow-up phone call, you can link.

Some of these software systems do not have an automatic notification system and the calls generated need to be manually assigned to an agent or group of agents. It allows agents to seek out and organize calls into several predefined call groups, such as Active Calls, My Active Assignments and Overdue Calls. The classification of incoming calls into different groups, allows a high level of control over navigation of individual call tickets and other group processes.

The software is compatible with almost all CRM software used in call centers and can be accessed remotely via a network connection and web browser. All these features have made it popular with call centers.

Call Center Software provides detailed information on Call Center Software, Call Center Software Solutions, Call Center Monitoring Software, Call Center Recording Software and more. Call Center Software is affiliated with IT Help Desk Software.

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Call Center CRM Software Information

Customer Relationship Management; this three words are logically self explanatory and powerful. It is the essential foundation of which a good and effective business is based upon. Also know as CRM, it is actually the system or technology used for the purpose of maintaining effective interaction between the customer and company. A Call Center CRM Software is a vital tool for the operations of call centers today as well as other businesses. It is of fundamental management use to such companies dealing with large number of contacts and information.




Call Center CRM Software Information

Customer Relationship Management; this three words are logically self explanatory and powerful. It is the essential foundation of which a good and effective business is based upon. Also know as CRM, it is actually the system or technology used for the purpose of maintaining effective interaction between the customer and company. A Call Center CRM Software is a vital tool for the operations of call centers today as well as other businesses. It is of fundamental management use to such companies dealing with large number of contacts and information.

The use of Call Center CRM Software gives employees the luxury to perform tasks with less strain due to its automation and user friendly aspects. It takes away the manual browsing of files and putting in categories, sub categories and so on. This software is simply incomparable to manual ways of doing the same task; it is just almost impossible to be done manually. Like most of today's software, it doesn't require much training and support to be able to make use of it. Managers and the company's personnel are able to prepare reports swiftly with precision.

Call Center CRM Software usually provides its user data about a client which includes history of transaction before a call is made. Such a scenario allows the company to know exactly what the customer wants therefore adding greater probability of an event. Information data about clients on the Call Center CRM Software are updated regularly for optimal use.

Some may think that the actual implementation of a Call Center CRM Software to a system is a tedious task which requires great knowledge and technical skills often needing the need of computer professionals. Although it might be a bit of an exaggeration, the efforts made in actually integrating this vital tool will prove to be of great use to a company's interactions with the clients for a quality service.

Additional Resources

Call Center Scheduling Software

Free Call Center Software

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Call Center Software For Collections Industry

Several months ago one of our clients indicated that they were starting a collections agency. The business plan called for initial operations to commence with 10 agents who would focus on making the collection calls.




Call Center Software For Collections Industry

As a marketing company we often counsel clients starting new businesses. Several months ago one of our clients indicated that they were starting a collections agency. The business plan called for initial operations to commence with 10 agents who would focus on making the collection calls.

Our client requested that we research call center software for the collections industry. In doing our research we wanted to make sure that the software we selected would be appropriate for his existing collection agency as well as his future growth. Scalability was important.

Immediately we eliminated all of the call center software systems that had expensive set-up costs and equipment. In order to maximize our clients return on investment it was imperative to find a web based system that minimized high set-up fees and costly equipment.

Next we eliminated all of the call center software that did not include a robust predictive dialer. By robust we mean a predictive dialer that we tested and determined would maximize the agents' time on the phone and minimize the waiting time for people dialed (who would almost undoubtedly hang up if they were waiting too long). We were surprised by how many of the systems we tested had poor predictive dialing features.

We continued to narrow down the list of call center software options based on a variety of factors including whether or not the system had VoIP technology, whether or not the system allowed for scheduling and effective call management, etc. Additionally we wanted a system that allowed for call recording options, customizable forms and strong reporting in order to ensure that our client was able to maximize their return on investment.

After concluding our research we advised the client that Safe Soft Solutions offered the best call center software for the collections industry. We suggested the client try the free trial. After two days testing the system to our customers agree that the system was perfect for both their current needs and anticipated needs. For more information about this call center software you should visit http://www.safesoftsolutions.com.

Robert Melillo, president, GM, sales & marketing, White Hat Marketing, LLC (http://www.whitehatfirm.com) focuses on maximizing the return on investment in advertising, marketing, Internet marketing and search engine optimization for clients. White Hat Marketing has specialized teams for different industries including legal industry, real estate and medical/dental industries.

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Virtual Call Center Software

Five 9 is a call center management software all set to be used in the virtual or cloud platform for its fine operational capabilities. The software has plenty of user friendly features; making it a useful tool to function in the customer care services.




Virtual Call Center Software

Five 9 is a call center management software all set to be used in the virtual or cloud platform for its fine operational capabilities. The software has plenty of user friendly features; making it a useful tool to function in the customer care services. Its innovative features make it suitable for agents to carry out different functions in the outbound and inbound call centers, contact centers and others to function in a convenient manner.

It is Five 9 that has come up with innovative solutions especially marked for delivering excellent performance without any further rise in cost. The virtual software has been designed to serve various aspects of call center operations including customer care, technical support, collections, data recovery, telemarketing and lead generation. It includes predictive dialing and auto dialing features that further simplifies the entire process. Some other features offered include campaign management, voice over internet protocol or VoIP, DNC compliance, ACD and skills based routing.

Many outbound call centre service providers are now looking forward to own this product in their arsenal as it is capable of offering comprehensive campaign management. Another important feature that is predictive dialing plays a leading role in boosting both profitability and productivity. This software also ensures that the cost per lead is reduced to a great extent and that too without building any negative impact on the lead.

Technical or tech support is another aspect of the call center industry. Here, technical issues regarding diverse products or services can be easily resolved over the telephone. Some of the benefits that technical support service providers can reap include increased first call resolution rates, improved customer satisfaction and shorter average handling time. This virtual call center tool is even capable of delivering improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The new software tool invented can also be used by the inbound customer service providers. In fact, using Five 9 virtual call center application can help operators to manage all the incoming calls from the customers as effectively as possible. With Five 9's innovative customer service solutions, a customer service provider can enjoy greater productivity and profitability for a long time.

Call centers engaged in offering debt collection services can enjoy this unique technology as well. This tool is known to eliminate the hassle of high costs normally incurred to protect year-old hardware-based calling system. As a result, the service providers can focus on their work. Some of the advantages that Five 9 and debt collection recovery software brings forth are reduction in the infrastructure costs, speedy communication with the debtors and rise in the recovery rates.

Today, the call center companies have every reason to rejoice. This revolutionary new technology is capable of offering them huge advantages. This can help their business to operate in the right way without any further rise in the expenditure. Due to the varied advantages that this software brings forth, most call center firms are now eager to lay their hands on this new technology to ensure operational excellence.

To know more about BPO services and call center services you can log on to our website where you will get a wide array of necessary information on business process outsourcing and call centre services.

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Eight Important Features That a Good Call Center Software Must Have

Call center software is the most important aspect of any call center. But as the market is full of such software, it can create confusion in the mind of the buyer. To know about the features that will help in making the decision to select the best software, keep on reading...




Eight Important Features That a Good Call Center Software Must Have

The proliferation of call centers and their growing popularity has led to a huge demand for call center software and such software is essential for every call center who wants to increase and maintain their proficiency and productivity.

They allow one to manage interactions, reduce hold time, route calls immediately to ideal agents, provide detailed call reports and assist in customer communication. However, not all call center software is up to the mark. Here are some features which are a must in any outbound or inbound call center software.

1) Easy to understand navigable lay-out: Keeping in mind the requirements of call centers, various General User Interface (GUI) based software units are being developed to provide a unique platform for the user to carry on interactions with their callers without any interference. Moreover, GUI can also be used for the task of gathering and producing information.

Remember, whichever GUI software you prefer for your call center it must be clear and easy to read. It must help the users to easily understand its functionality. The GUI software should be such that a user must be able to navigate his way through the numerous processes without getting lost.

2) Callback function to keep the caller happy With call center software it is important to have call back function as it allows the caller, whose call is not processed at the time of call, to instruct the system to establish the connection whenever the line is available. This is done by the system by retaining both the called and calling numbers, redialing the called number periodically and alerting the caller when the connection has been made. This way, the caller will not be disappointed.

3) Built in real time statistics In any contact centers, there are numerous data that need to be kept track off and the most challenging part is to use the data effectively. Call center software has built-in real time statistics that make it easy to establish communication with agents and executives instantly. Real time statistics built right into the software, helps the users to see and process the displayed data and make the correct decisions in real time.

4) Manage time with built-in IVR

A built-in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system greets caller and prompts them to enter enquiries over their telephone keypad. It uses a lot of information without burdening the call center agent, the caller can provide the time, we repeated the agent, spent more to provide a standard by reducing. It therefore helps by increasing the efficiency call agents. IVR is a must have software for any call center as it helps a call center agent to spend their time in a more productive way.

5) Improve communication with pop-up screens For incoming call software, a pop-up window is an essential. With a pop-up window, the call center agent will be able to see the caller's name, address, time of call, and other pertinent information on his/her screen. This feature helps in maintaining a database with various details about the caller and so it becomes easy to establish a good call agent and caller relationship.

6) Handling computer calls With various call center software, there are call routing solutions to help call agents handle calls more effectively. In the longer term, efficiently routing and handling customer phone calls, chats, e-mail, and other media boosts the call center's productivity. With call routing software, one gets valuable information related to a caller, like the time of call, duration of call, geographical location etc. This information helps to direct the caller to the agent who can help the caller best.

7) Quality monitoring capability As quality assurance is important for the success of any call center software, it is important for the call center software to be equipped with the capacity for real time monitoring. It will allow the supervisor to keep track of past records of the interactions between the call center agents and the callers to check on the performance quality of the agents.

8) Customisable elements The best way to judge the quality of any call center software is to review its customisable, flexible and scalable features. The more flexible is the software, the more it will suit the changing requirements of the call center company. With a feature enriched and easy-to-use call center software solution; there will be an increasing number of callers being handled which will ultimately improve the productivity of a call center.

Kate Dawson is a researcher and writer with an interest in outbound and inbound call center software especially the call handling and call routing ones. Her write-ups and articles have been published in newspapers, magazines and online media.

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