March 2010 – Channel Crossing: Teleservices

Beyond Call Center Metrics

It is easy for call centers to forget the importance of ROI (return on investment) to prospective clients. Many centers fail to realize that their services are not limited to answering calls and offering customer support. In fact, despite the significance of call center metrics, this alone does not tell the entire story.

In order to sustain client relationships, call centers need to think beyond call center metrics. They must strive to understand their clients’ exact needs. Besides inquiring about call volume and hours of operation, centers should ask questions such as: What are your outsourcing objectives? Do you have any sales targets/goals for us? Who are your competitors? What are your current sales/support targets? What can we do to create the best ROI?

PRACTICAL STEPS
While utilizing the call center’s calls for new thinking on the client’s part, the call center must also understand each client’s unique needs. Here are some practical steps for success:

• Stay abreast of new marketing strategies.
• Attend trade shows and develop contacts with other vendors.
• Provide business consulting, especially for clients new to using call centers.
• Provide current data on the client’s competitors.
• Offer a clear picture of what the client can expect.
• Help each client understand their goals and how to achieve them.

Not every business is looking for the lowest cost option. Many clients are willing to invest in a call center that fully understands their business needs and creates profit. They need a call center with a track record of producing great ROI. More importantly, they need a center that is fully committed to their success and strives to exceed their expectations on all levels.

It is the call center’s responsibility to frequently update clients on its progress. The center should devise incentive programs to reward customer loyalty and attract new customers. Surprisingly, clients often fail to inform the call center of their concerns. If call centers do not communicate with clients regularly, they may lose their client base. So every call center must take the initiative to communicate with clients regularly, even if things are going well.

The call center can also use service calls to gauge customer satisfaction. This can mean asking:

• What can we do to make things better?
• Are you interested in any other product of ours?
• Was the infomercial interesting?

When this information is passed on, clients can make improvements and be more competitive.

Choosing the right call center can be confusing for any client. So it is very important that call centers be prepared to go the extra mile for their clients. Any good call center understands the importance of call center metrics. But not many are willing, or even able to go the extra mile.

It’s the call center’s responsibility to be committed to its clients’ success and increase their bottom line. For any call center that fully understands this commitment, it means going beyond call center metrics. This ensures the most coveted prize–success.

Suresh Dakshina is senior marketing manager at InSO International Call Center. He can be reached at (626) 531-6080, or via e-mail at suresh@inso.us.