If you are running a call center for your small or medium scale business, you must know the importance of call center technology to improve customer experience. Without the implementation of right tools, techniques, and framework, it’s impossible to run the infrastructure efficiently. And if you are failed to do so, your call center is powerless yet ineffective to boost customer engagement.
Let’s discuss more the technology in modern call centers.
Call center technology fundamentals:
Right technology to run power core operations is the fundamental need of every call center as it helps to improve customer experience as well as reduce maximum costs. This is mainly comprised of call center technology what simply makes up and complements its modern underlying infrastructure. Moreover, the combination of high-quality VoIP and its associated software can also enhance the operations in a more reliable manner. For example, if you are operating from India, and providing services throughout the world, then getting the help of right VoIP providers in India should be your topmost priority. As you can create a huge difference with the help of best call center solutions, which in turn increase the ROI and conversion rates as well.
Underlying infrastructure in call centers:
Call center infrastructure basically refers to a complete set of software, hardware and various network components that help to run the operations efficiently. The infrastructure mainly includes LAN Network & VoIP Telephony. In another case, call center technology also refers to several sets of basic technologies that can be implemented to enhance strong customer experience and customer engagement in a call center. It includes automatic call distribution platform, predictive dialers, IVR, Intelligent call center routing, and Ringless voicemail solutions.
Some Paramount Technology Essentials in Call Centers;
When it comes to call center technology essentials which make the most of the call center world, you can consider these tools for successful operations;
- Automatic call distributor (ACD):
Automatic Call Distributor efficiently manages all the incoming calls that your call center receives and then utilizes the pre-set rules in order to forward it to the most diligent call center agent. Intelligent skills-based routing is considered as the most advanced and reliable form of modern call center routing. ACD also enhances the first call response or the rate at which queries and concerns are answered at the first time.
- Predictive dialers:
A predictive dialer is an efficient technology mainly utilized for outbound call automation, through which the system can automatically make the calls to the predefined set of numbers; while calculating which call center would be available to attend the customer’s call when it will be successfully connected. There are different service providers who offer reliable predictive dialer solutions and configure, maintain and install the software according to your specific business needs.
- Skill-based routing (SBR):
Skill-based routing helps route the call to the specific call center agents based on the employee’s skill set, customer preference, and business principles. This also reduces the first call transfers to some great extent, which eventually lowers the overall operational costs and FCR (first call resolution).
- Real-time reporting:
Real-time reporting helps in displaying callers complete details and metrics, which includes agents idle time, call wait times, the customer holding time, call abandonment rates, call rates etc. in real time. This also helps call center supervisors to make data-driven decisions to make immediate impacts.
- Workforce management software:
Workforce management tool assists supervisors in predicting the call volume fluctuations and staffing agents according to the requirements. Understaffing can eventually result in very high call abandonment ratio as well as users’ frustration, and lose goals which may result in a huge waste of money.
- Ringless Voicemail Drops:
Ringless voicemail drops help marketers and agents to drop a voice message without even creating a distraction in customer’s busy routine. Agents can simply record the message for 25-30 seconds; add necessary details about their products and services and simply send a notification to their targeted audience. The voicemail will be stored at the back-end of the user’s mobile or landline system, and they can check it later whenever they get some free time. That’s why choosing Ringless voicemail for your call center can help you generate more sales in a short time period, and hence considered an efficient lead generation tool.
- Local caller ID:
Local caller ID helps customize the outbound caller IDs with different local area codes that tremendously increase your connection rates. So when the call center agent matches his caller ID to the local area code of the number they are calling, the contact would be more likely to answer their call or even return the call if he is failed to answer.
- Automatic machine detection (AMD):
This tool simply helps the dialers to identify the answering machines when their call is successfully connected. AMD also allows the system to connect with the agent to his outbound call only if some human voice is heard at the other side of the phone. This eventually increases the agent’s productivity extremely, as most of the calls dialed by call centers will be answered through answering machines.
- Multimedia integration:
Multimedia integration basically enables all the employees to communicate effectively with the customers in their preferred channel or medium such as email, call, chat, social media etc. It also allows the agents to manage different kinds of customer interactions across various communication channels.
- Click to call:
Click to call tool basically allow the agents to simply make the outbound call by merely clicking on their contact number.
- Screen pop-ups:
Screen pop-ups automatically show the caller’s complete information in the employee’s screen as soon as their call is connected. This eventually helps the agent to get a detailed preview of their customer, without needing to swap different applications.
- Artificial intelligence:
Machine Learning, artificial intelligence, and Big Data sound like the hottest topics in our call center industry these days. Even not only that but artificial intelligence can also be utilized to enhance customer experience and customer engagement. The maximum ability to extract reliable business intelligence from huge sets of data in real-time also offers the critical insights for customer engagement. Chatbot is the biggest example of AI which is efficiently been using in call centers to communicate with the customers directly and smoothly. According to the report, customers can be able to manage 85% of their interactions without even communicating with the human voice.
- Interactive voice response:
The call center or telecommunication industry has few interactions which are and can be automated as well. Now with the amount of increasingly mobile users willing to manage their personal interactions, IVR has been helping them to automate the routine interactions and reduce the overall costs of operations.
- Call recording:
Call recording automatically record the calls and stores them so they can be played later when required. This efficient tool helps managers to track the performance of agents during their calls, and advise them on how to improve.
- Autodialers:
Autodialers help run the voice broadcasting campaigns in call centers. The software can make thousands of calls simultaneously to their target audience and deliver a prerecorded message to the massive audience. The purpose of auto dialer is to inform customers about new updates or service features so they can adapt the solutions more efficiently.
- Business tool integrations:
This is call center management software with API which is well capable of integrating with third-party applications that simply allow call centers to leverage advanced business tools with detailed information across the entire system.
- Call center leads:
Call center leads help call centers to make an organized list of numbers. The entire list will have complete details of your relevant target audience. With the help of this synchronized list, the agent will be able to dial multiple calls as the numbers will be saved onto the database and then dialers will make thousands of calls to these predefined set of numbers.
- Social media integration:
Rather than calling your call center agent for solving any concern, customers prefer to go online on different social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter so they can get some get real-time information about their issues. It is quite easy to check if their website is offline by clicking on any social media channel, rather than calling the agent directly.
- Historical reporting:
Historical reporting is basically a smart tool that refers to the managers and supervisors to monitor the overall performance of their sales campaigns, relevant departments, call center agents, so they can get a comprehensive understanding of their performance. This simply helps them in accurately forecasting the call volumes and manage their agents accordingly.
- IP PBX:
PBX (private branch exchange) is basically a hardware that is mainly utilized in telemarketing companies. The purpose is to route the calls directly to the relevant department so that customers do not need to wait long for solving their concern. Similarly, IP PBX is software available for call centers that forward customer calls to the relevant agents accordingly.
Where does your company stand?
Due to the ever-evolving nature of call centers, it has become difficult for call centers to analyze and pinpoint where their company is standing in terms of call center technology. Now companies are trying to get more advanced cloud-based call center solutions in order to power their businesses to the greater heights. There are also some companies who just need a small upgrade to boost their operations. So if you are also one of them looking to take the business to the next level; you can consult with the professionals of VoIP Terminator who can offer help from VoIP technology to Ringless voicemail and all types of call center solutions.
