Developing an effective call centre management strategy is always high up on the priority list for Call Centre Managers and Executives. Call centers use a metric, cost per call, to calculate the cost involved in handling calls during a specific period of time. Cost per call includes things such as per-minute billing and the equipment and software costs that are used to handle huge volumes of calls per day.
There are a few strategies that you can implement to help reduce your call costs for your call centre without sacrificing customer service quality. Not only will these strategies improve your customer experience, but they will also enhance your call centre agents work productivity.
Use VoIP Telephony Systems
VoIP and IP PBX systems have plenty of advantages that will help you reduce your costs. Voice over Internet Protocol and IP PBX systems have a much lower initial capital investment needed than a traditional telephony system as it requires limited equipment. Hosted VoIP solutions require no capital investment as the provider will supply the infrastructure and maintenance for a monthly fee. Unlike a Public Switched Telephone Network, which requires a network of wires and cables to function, VoIP just needs a phone with a reliable internet connection. As a result, you can expect a saving of up to 40% on local and long-distance calls.
Adding phone lines to a traditional Public Switched Telephone System can be complicated and expensive. With VoIP and IP PBX Systems you can easily add users as your business grows. You will only need a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) hardware phone or SIP software on the user workstation with a headset and a microphone, which can be easily added to your browser without paying for an on-site contractor.
Make use of Integrated Software and Unified Communications
Implementing a Unified Communication Strategy for your Call Center will save you costs by consolidating all your communication streams such as calls, email, chat, voicemail, or text under one system. Making use of social media and live chat to communicate with customers have become more popular than ever. An effective UC Strategy will boost your call centre agents productivity by giving them the right tools to respond to customer queries quickly and efficiently. Integrated Software and Unified Communications also allows your call centre team to work remotely which eliminates the need for office space and infrastructure.
Most UC providers offer a Software as a Service model, which means you will pay a monthly fee tailored to your call centre needs instead of investing a large amount of capital upfront. Integrated call centre software like 3CX’s omnichannel solution, allows agents to focus on what is important by allowing access to data from different channels in real-time and offers detailed reports and insights.
The essence of omnichannel platforms is the customer journey – specifically providing a seamless experience. This means when a client calls after a webchat conversation earlier in the day, the agent who answers can see the messages they sent and any responses. The agent then has the context to help the customer more effectively.
3CX
How we can help you Reduce your Call Centre’s Call Costs
Considering a move to an IP telephony system from a traditional Public Switched Telephone Network can seem daunting but luckily we are here to assist you with tailored solutions specific to your call centre’s needs.
Simply request a callback, and one of our friendly advisors will be in contact with you for a free assessment and answer any questions you might have.
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