A Better Answer Blog

After years of overseas call center outsourcing, many companies are bringing their call centers back to the United States. In order to decide which one is right for your business, here are 10 things to look for in a call center.

Leadership

Managers help manage a process and processes are very important when it comes to any business. Leaders, however, grow other leaders. A call center should have great leadership and a clear vision of the future. They will be able to speak your language, as a business owner, and help guide you to what services you need to assist in your own business growth.

Professionalism

Many call centers are the first line for customer service, appointment setting or conflict resolution. The right call center will be able to handle conflict gracefully with courtesy and professionalism. Listening to the caller and responding in a helpful, empathetic tone goes a long way in resolving frustration.

Culture

Company culture can make or break a business – especially in a call center. The call center representatives must be encouraged to take care of themselves, handle negativity and continue to answer each call with a fresh perspective. A call center that offers perks, benefits, encouraged breaks and friendships will be able to keep employees from leaving the company. This, in turn, reflects positively on every call handled.

Personality

Finding the right call center is like finding your company’s perfect match. The personality of the call center shines through the phone lines and represents your business in a positive way. The call center representatives should “get” your business and make you feel comfortable.

Call Statistics

Call stats are very important in the call center world. Take a look at the average number of rings before a call is answered. How long are customers on hold before being helped? How many calls are dropped or lost because no one picked up? Nothing upsets a customer more than sitting on hold forever or being dropped completely.

References/Testimonials

Hiring the right call center is just like hiring any other employee for your business. You wouldn’t hire someone without a check of their references or background, would you? A call center that is well established will have other customers that can attest to their services. Do your homework before committing.

Customer Service

If a call center is going to be representative of your business, obviously you want a call center that offers excellent customer service. The right call center will offer timely response and accurate information about your products and services or will have the capability to find someone who does.

English Proficiency and/or Bilingual Capabilities

One of the reasons for bringing call centers back to the States is for English proficiency. However in some parts of the country, there is still a need for bilingual capabilities. Make sure the call center fits with your company’s needs.

Flexibility

The right call center will be flexible enough to understand your products and services. They should be willing to be trained and/or have approved scripts to handling your business calls.

Scalability

As your business grows, your needs change. A call center should be able to scale with you. If you experience sudden spikes in your business, a call center is the perfect solution to help balance out your workload.

When making the decision for a call center, keep in mind that it is an extension of your business. What do you look for when hiring an employee? Make your own list of needs and contact ABA to see how we can help you.