How To Keep Call Center Agents Safe On The Road
1:09 AM
Whenever there’s news about typhoons hitting the country, we have to make sure that our safety is our primary concern. Same thing goes with your call center as they also help their call center agents come to office or arrive home safely after work.
How do you keep yourselves safe on the road? Here are some tips:
* Always listen to the latest news regarding the latest weather situation through company bulletins
* Make sure to bring extra money, clothing, bottle of drinking water and food on your bag, you’ll never know when you’re going to need it
* Enable your mobile phones to call, this means to charge your phone’s batteries and have enough credits to call someone in emergency situations
* Also stash an umbrella (three folds is okay, but the longer umbrella is proved to last longer). This goes even if you have your car going to work (better to be safe than sorry)
* Keep the number of your call center hotline or your immediate supervisor’s number to inform them if you will be late or absent or if you need some immediate help in nearby areas
So those are some helpful tips to remember to keep you, call center employees safe on the road. Can you add more to the list?
Etiquette Tips for Call Center Agents for Better Customer Services
4:57 AM
1.Be Tone Wary: Be careful when you talk to your customers. Sound cheerful and extremely balanced but not overtly pleased with yourself or flattering. If some things is beyond your area of concern or you needs to escalate it, sound promising and positive about it. Remember that they have already been worried or annoyed because of the technical problem they have been facing or query they are unable to resolve and your insensitive or indifferent voice can really miff them.
2.Be Attentive: Listening to callers' problems or making calls to sell your products is your job. Nothing should come between it and callers should be given full attention. Do not interrupt them. Speak only when they are finished talking. Be mindful that they have got mind and they can detect when they do not have your full attention. Do not let their mind boggled up when you are trying to search for the requested information, ask relevant questions to show your concern.
3.Be Clear: Use of headphones or microphones is a big No-No as it can distort your voice. Your job is to speak and listen. Speak with neutral accent, clearly and slowly so that customers can understand everything.
4.Be Well Trained: Read the product manuals carefully and study its market. Along with that have at least decent knowledge of the competition. In case, if customer is confused about the products you can state the benefits of endorsed products by presenting a comparative analysis.
Agents are recommended to take training classes and customers seriously. Their sincere efforts towards customer services can boost the growth of call centers and in return, theirs.
4 Steps To Produce Good Results from Call Center Agents
3:05 AM
The high level of positivity and motivation in call centre environment can bring an increase in productivity levels and customer focus. The agents work vigorously in more satisfied working ambiance because that means more happy workers which eventually lead to efficient working and results. The circle of work gets more streamlined and focused.
So, to increase the motivational level across the processes of your call centres and immune your organization against headaches of call centres such as attrition and retention, following steps are recommended:
1) Understanding the Reasons: As a manager, try to delve deeper into the problem. Being a supervisor in a contact center is not a sea side walk or bed of roses. Managing an assortment of various talents, different IQs and behaviors is tough. For instance, some of your agents can be overwhelmingly happy upon receiving compliments from clients and all teary eyes after some words with a harsh client. You cannot decide who would be your next caller but you can be an attentive and encouraging boss.
2) Understanding the Nature: Everyone has different capabilities, different nature and potentials. Understanding the core strength of your team can be of great help for your company.
3) Boosting Bonuses: Some kind of incentives on the basis of weekly or monthly performance can done wonder for your organization. This scheme can help you to induce the feeling of healthy competition among the team members. You can also give bonuses to members who work beyond the office hours without complaining.
4) Recognizing and Appreciation: Try to be in touch with your call centre team employees and develop bond with them. Talking to them nicely or a small 'hello' with their names can bring miraculous results for you. Generate a positive feedback for your team or occasionally drop some words of appreciation in their mailbox, results would surely come in.
In conclusion, motivating agents is the only way with you can bring results and money on board. The above mentioned points won't cost you penny but will sure guarantee maximized ROI not only for you but your clients as well.
Spanish-Speaking Call Center Agents Abundant In Mindanao
3:33 AM
After the native language Tagalog, fluency in English as a second language has been the edge of Filipino call center agents compared to other outsourcing destinations for voice-related services. In fact, in recent years more and more call center companies have found that moving operations to a Philippine site provided better value for the customers and increased the quality of their interactions with customers solely because Filipinos have a better understanding of American culture and more neutral-sounding accent compared to other nationalities. Because the Philippines had been a former commonwealth of the U.S., the English language has been integrated in the educational system and for a long time been the medium of instruction for schools.
The Spanish language, although still taught in some schools and universities, have become less popular and only taught as an elective subject. After centuries of colonial occupation by Spain, many Filipinos back in the early 20th century felt getting rid of the Spanish language in society is a great way to promote nationalism.
However, those centuries of Spanish rule made a lasting mark in the Filipino culture particularly in language and more specifically dialects in the Southern part of the Philippines. A Spanish-based creole language called Chavacano is still widely spoken by millions of Filipinos in the south particularly in the Zamboanga province which makes them a perfect destination for outsourcers looking for Spanish-speaking call center agents.
BPO and call center companies in Mindanao mainly in Davao city have steadily grown their business solely due to the fact that operational costs in the southern part of the Philippines are considerably lower compared to a more Metropolitan area like Manila. However, my gut instincts tell me only a handful to none of these organizations has taken advantage of the "Spanish" speaking talent pool of the Chavacanos.
Zamboanga City, a predominantly Christian province has its share of well-qualified college graduates who are tri-lingual (Tagalog, English and Chavacano) with focus being on the Chavacano language it is their local dialect. Apart from comparably lower cost to operate in this part of the world. The Chavacano language, with most of its dialect words derived from Spanish, should give Zamboanga call centers an edge in landing contracts with companies requiring a pool of Spanish-speaking call center agents.
