Call centers - What is it?

A center that handles telephone calls? Hardly. Telephone calls are just one type of transaction. Further, the word center doesn't accurately depict the many multi-site environments, nor the growing number of organizations that have telecommuting programs. Various individuals and organizations have tried to define call center but like definitions of leadership "or" customer service many miss the mark or are created to serve a specific purpose. So, let's go at this from a different angle. Characteristics of a call center generally include: Calls go to a group of people, not a specific person. In other words, agents are cross-trained to handle a variety of transactions.

Use of advanced network services (e.g., 800 and 888 services) and voice processing capabilities ("press one for this, two for that," or "please enter your account number...").

Agents have quick access to current information, via specialized database programs. This means that any agent has access to the current status of your account, products, services and other information. Call centers represent a unique management challenge. Forecasting calls, calculating staffing requirements, organizing sensible schedules, managing the environment in real-time, and, in general, getting the right people in the right places at the right times.

Call Centers in India

One the paradoxes of the call-center industry in India is that it requires English-speaking university graduates to answer questions from US customers but offers little in the way of advancement and intellectual stimulation. High turn-over rates are inevitable if the economy keeps expanding and thus offers more compelling employment options for well-educated Indians.

Moreover, the rapid expansion of the call sector may soon create a shortage of these qualified English-speaking college graduates in India, pushing wages up and reducing India's competitiveness as one of the premier destinations for company call-centers. This may not bode well for India's economy, because outsourcing has become a significant engine of Indian rapid economic growth.

In the immediate future, however, it appears unlikely that the India will lose its dominance over the call-center industry. - Yale Global Having a call center in India is the norm for several global companies today.

In order to meet the growing international demand for cost-effective, customer-oriented call centers, many organizations worldwide are outsourcing these services by setting up call centers in India.

But what makes call centers in India such an attractive option? The country has intrinsic strengths which make it a major success as an outsource destination for call center work:

• • A booming IT industry, with IT strengths recognized all over the world

  • The largest English-speaking population after the USA

  • A vast workforce of educated, English-speaking, tech-savvy personnel: A boon in a high-growth industry faced with a shortage of skilled workers

  • Cost-effective manpower: In a call center operation, manpower typically accounts for 55 to 60 percent of the total cost. In India, manpower is available at a fraction of the cost overseas. However, some people get deterred by the fact that cost savings are not seen immediately. Initial investment in infrastructure and training can be expensive and make one believe that the promise of cost reduction is false. However, there will be savings and the fact that several global giants continue to set up call centers in India is proof of this.

Inbound Call Center

An inbound center is one that handles calls coming in from outside, most often through toll free numbers. These calls are primarily service and support calls, and inbound sales. Inbound call centers offer

• • Skilled, professional, customer support and technical service representatives

  • Improved market coverage

  • Faster ramp-up, launch, and roll-out of new campaigns

  • Experience with programs similar to yours

  • Rapid response to market conditions

  • Account management expertise

  • Enhanced reporting capabilities

  • Market testing capabilities