Commentary: Are call centers a boon or bane?

For a fresh college graduate who wants to earn more but prefers to stay in the Philippines, the most popular option is to work as a call center agent. Touted as the sunshine industry of the Philippines, the business process outsourcing, or BPO, industry has attracted hundreds of thousands of young Filipinos in recent years.

Last year, BPO companies earned more than US$3.5 billion employing about 230,000 workers. The call center sub-sector is the major component of the BPO industry, but other BPO services include medical transcription, software development, engineering and architectural design, human resource management services, legal transcription, back office and digital content.

The rise of the BPO industry reflects the phenomenal growth of the service sector. Unlike other Asian countries, the Philippine industrial and manufacturing sectors have been declining while the service sector increased significantly since the 1980s. In fact, half of the country's employed labor force that used to be in agriculture is now part of the service sector.

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Asia-Pacific call centres set for strong growth

The call centre industry in the Asia-Pacific region is forecast to register strong growth this year with Thailand and the Philippines leading the way, a study said Monday. India is forecast to grow at 16 percent.

The total number of call centre employees in the region is projected to increase to 704,400 in 2007, a 23 percent hike over last year, said the Asian Contact Centre Industry Benchmarking Report covering 747 call and contact centres from 501 organisations.

Growth in the industry "has traditionally come from the mature markets such as India," the Business Times quoted Catriona Wallace, president of callcentres.net, as saying. "It is now exciting" to see newer centre industries such as those in Thailand leading the growth rates.

Call centres provide service to customers from interactive voice response, Web self-service, chat, email and the traditional phone.

The industry is expected to grow at 33 percent in both Thailand and the Philippines. Singapore and Malaysia follow with an anticipated growth rate of 32 percent. China is forecast to grow at 22 percent.

The major expense in operating the centres in Asia is labour that consumes 46 percent of the total budget, the study said. Technology accounts for another 23 percent and telecommunications 19 percent.

Growth in the industry is reflected in strong technology purchasing and upgrading plans for Asian contact centres, said the study sponsored by Cisco Systems and callcentres.net.

About 54 percent plans to purchase new technology this year and 62 percent plans to upgrade their existing technology, the study added.

Source: http://www.callcentersindia.com

Base One Appoints Broadsystem to Manage Outbound Lead Generation Project

British Gas Business (BGB) has appointed integrated multi-channel communications company Broadsystem to undertake a lead qualification telemarketing campaign targeting local authorities. The project, was awarded to Broadsystem following the successful completion of a similar project for British Gas Business in 2006.

Broadsystem will undertake outbound calls for a period of three weeks in order to gather data from British Gas Business (BGB) prospects in the Local Government sector. The lead generation exercise is primarily aimed at procurement managers within Local Authorities within the UK.

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Do-not-call registry to hit small telemarketers

With the Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry kicking in from September 1, 2007, the domestic outbound telemarketing industry expects about 25% slowdown in hiring and turnover growth. In the next few months, an estimated 20-25% reduction in calls (3-4 lakh calls per day) is also expected.

But here is the real impact for the industry. Small shops are expected to close but larger telemarketers (greater than 1000 people) stand to gain as large customers have started migrating processes to them. It would also lead to large scale consolidation as many small telemarketing shops which have failed to register are willing to be acquired.

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Call Centers Leaning More on Web Chats, E-mails

Traditional call centers have long been a staple of the point of contact for the customer. Historically, these centers were viewed as cost centers for the company as their only purpose was to keep the customer happy and that was not directly related to revenues.

While this view is misguided, it still formed the basis for the traditional call center and, in some industries, this erroneous view still thrives. However, for a majority of companies, times most certainly have changed and while consumers as a whole still prefer to call a company and speak to a live representative, e-mail is becoming a more popular communication choice than in the past. However, unless these companies take a more customer-centric approach to this communication channel, they may have fewer customers burning up any of their channels.

Customer Service Response Rates Down

Hornstein Associates studies the responsiveness of organizations across multiple industries. In the firm's annual e-mail responsiveness survey, results indicated a steady decline in the customer service response rates since 2002.

In 2007, only 33 percent of companies responded to e-mails sent to customer service within 24 hours, a decrease of almost half from a high of 63 percent in 2002.

According to ICMI's (International Customer Management Institute) 2007 Quality Monitoring Report, more than three quarters, or 77.7 percent, of call centers handle customer e-mail transactions, with only about two thirds, or 64 percent, actually monitoring e-mail contacts.

Web Use Increasing

The use of the Web has also increased over the past several years, and customers are increasingly using this portal for communicating with companies.

As a result, many companies are making this communication channel available to their customers. The good news is that these companies are also monitoring them for performance. Since ICMI's 2004 study, the use of Web chat as a contact channel - and the monitoring of chat transactions - have both increased. According to the 2007 study, 12.8 percent of this year's respondents indicated that their center handles chat sessions, compared to only 8.7 percent three years ago.

Although only 54.5 percent of these organizations monitored this channel in 2004, 70.3 percent are now monitoring this channel. However, only 27.4 percent of centers that offer Web self-service options take the time to monitor customers' self-service interactions.

Self-service is a great option to afford customers -- after all, we as a society are demanding it. However, our demand for customer service continues to increase as well and companies that fail to recognize this will quickly lose customers to those companies that do.

Monitoring all communication channels does require time and money, but it is well-spent when customers are happy. After all, happy customers are loyal customers.

Source: http://www.callcentersindia.com/

Call centers put accent on speech recognition

Australians would rather deal with a decent speech recognition system than an offshore call center agent, typically based in India or another part of Asia.

Speech recognition technology has matured to a stage where it can be used to increase the efficiency of a call center and provide a better customer experience, according to research from Callcentres.net.

Catriona Wallace, director of Callcentres, told ZDNet Australia that according to a recent survey carried out by her firm, of 500 Australians asked if they minded speaking with an offshore call center agent, 67 percent said they did.

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B.C. benefits when U.S. firms 'near-shore' call centres to Canada

B.C.'s call-centre industry is a powerhouse within a powerhouse.

The province has the country's second-highest percentage of call-centre workers, at 15.3 per cent, after Ontario's 36.6 per cent, a new study from University of B.C.'s Sauder business school says.

Canada ranks third after India and Ireland in terms of the work it receives from international customers, the study said.

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Telesales menace: Hang up on hot air!

Imagine this: you are in a movie theatre, deeply engrossed in the film’s climax, when your mobile suddenly begins ringing.

You don't recognise the number. Yet you answer the call, even as you feel the angry glares piercing you, through the darkness. At this point, if you hear a telemarketing agent say, “Sir, would you like to go for our credit card?”. You feel furious and wonder: is there no escape from telemarketing agents?

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IAB and Lead Generation Committee Release Best Practices for Lead Generation

The Lead Generation Committee and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) have today released the Lead Generation Data Transfer Best Practices.

At the most practical level, the document will help standardize the transfer and reception of data between advertiser and lead generator.

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IAB Lists Best Practices for Lead Generation Transfers

With intent to not only improve the flow of information between advertisers and lead generation companies, but also protect consumer files while staving off government regulation, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has issued a list of best practices for lead generation transfers.

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Egypt Attempts to Become a Player in the Call Center Industry

Egypt is looking to make a dent in the international call center market, touting the advantages it holds over call center giant India. There has also been an attempt to convince India to outsource some its already outsourced labor to Egypt as well.

Among the advantages boasted by Egypt are a multilingual workforce, a common time zone with Europe and greater proximity to the United States. Another advantage is superior roads, which allow staff to reach the call centers much easier than in India. The government of Egypt has also established what it calls a “Smart Village” out in the desert. This gated compound is equipped with state of the art technology, and currently houses such industry leaders as Microsoft (News - Alert).

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Web-based software links 'home agents' to call centers

SEIZING on two trends that businesses use to cut costs — outsourcing work and leasing software off the Web — a San Carlos firm has created what you could call a homey offering. And it just might preserve some local jobs.
Contactual Inc. designed a Web-based software to link "home agents" — or employees working from home — into call center operations, replacing the need to physically be at a call center.

With its OnDemand Contact Center software, some clients are choosing to outsource customer service, technical support and telemarketing work to American employees' living rooms rather than to India or Ireland.

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Small call centers start closing shops

Already about 10 to 20 percent of the total number of small companies in the business processing outsourcing (BPO) industry have closed shops since the start of this year.

This was a result of the peso appreciation that has significantly reduced their revenues.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

Updates on the Kadayawan Festival 2007

This grim situation currently experienced by the BPO industry, considered to be one of the country's bright prospects, was conveyed by Oscar R. Sañez, chief executive officer of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, in an interview with Philexport News and Features.

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10 Advantages of SaaS for the Call Center

The SaaS model also means customers can get faster access to new software and features. Most SaaS providers offer a range of software which customers can combine to make their own custom suites. Customers can quickly access and "trial" new applications as soon as they become available.

Adoption of the Software as a Service (SaaS) model is rapidly increasing across the enterprise, but particularly in the call center as companies are discovering the advantages today's hosted solutions offer over premise-based systems.

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Work at home call center home business Method

Stressed out from employed at those odd call pivotal point or maybe even at your regular job hours, having the feeling to be at home and pass the time that you truly need for yourself, and yet nervous approximately how the income will come in since you need a good bank stability to soul at home and relaxing for a bit. There is no need to worry now for there is a new line of work in the offing for you it's called the "work at home call center" jobs.

Can you just make up, no more supervisor to report to, no more successively and whoosh around to complete responsibilities at home and at work, and yet earning the financial capital that all of us necessitate so much. Can't presume this, can you? But this is what the new at work fad get to you in the form of work at home opening.

Work at home jobs are varied in number appeal to the every skill and knowledge base and even for those who have no prior experience at working. On such at home work opportunity lays the new form of home based call centre agents. You no longer need to work those weird hours staying out of the comforts of your home now you could do the call center work from the comfortable environs of your home itself. Sounds good doesn't it!

These work at home call center jobs not only give you the feeling of ease of waged from your home but also bid the flexibility in conditions of hours and they also pay your means. There are a lot of out natural spring partnership that are in the market to engagement personage to give public services and work as call instrument from home it's only a staple of some study and you could have plenty of them look for to work for you. The home based call center job will not only convey in the financial possessions you call for but will also help you lighten the stress that you have a duty to by and large undergo from your regular job.

Its time you give yourself a break and contemplate of taking up a call center job that be duty-bound to lead you out of a tense life and effect you the hedonism of actuality at home in additive to it give you the big bucks that you are worthy of earning. Hence its time you gave it assumed and worked for yourself and that home which you so fondly fashion for yourself and your family.

Source: www.callcentersindia.com

How do I improve call centre process functions?

What do you need to do to get your call centre operation working that bit more efficiently and therefore keep your staff smiling? Nick Drake-Knight offers up advice on three key methods that might help turn your business process problems around

When it comes to process efficiency, call centre managers can learn a lot from manufacturing. Production managers in manufacturing companies are the masters of optimised process management and have a sixth sense for unnecessary or low value-adding activity.

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Call Centers Continue to Struggle with Attrition

The call center industry caused a significant stir when it looked to offshore outsourcing as a way to cut costs. These organizations found that overseas workers were not only skilled and educated, they could speak English well and were willing to work for much less than their U.S. counterparts.

The industry is facing a changing market, however, and English-speaking and competent workers willing to put in the long hours necessary to fulfill the role of the call center agent is starting to diminish, forcing call centers to re-examine their compensation packages.

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Work at home call center home business Plan

Stressed out from employed at eerie call building or maybe even at your regular job hours, having the feeling to be at home and pay the time that you indeed need for yourself, and yet vexed approaching how the income will come in since you need a good bank equilibrium to presence at home and comforting for a bit. There is no need to worry now for there is a new line of work before you for you it's entitled the "work at home call center" jobs.

Can you just make up, no more supervisor to report to, no more successively and whoosh around to complete responsibilities at home and at work, and yet earning the financial capital that all of us necessitate so much. Can't presume this, can you? But this is what the new at work fad get to you in the form of work at home opening.

Work at home jobs are varied in number appeal to the every single skill and realization base and even for who have no prior capability at in work. On such at home work opportunity lays the new form of home based call centre vehicle. You no stretched need to work those peculiar hours adjourn out of the comforts of your home now you possibly will do the call center work from the comfortable surroundings of your home . Sounds good doesn't it!

These work at home call center jobs not only give you the feeling of ease of working from your home but also offer the flexibility in terms of hours and they also pay your worth. There are a lot of out sourcing firms that are in the market to employ individuals ready to give their services and work as call agents from home it's only a matter of some research and you could have plenty of them asking to work for you. The home based call center job will not only bring in the financial resources you require but will also help you relieve the stress that you would normally undergo from your regular job.

Its time you give yourself a break and reason of taking up a call center job that ought to lead you out of a tense life and be the cause of you the amusement of animation at home in accumulation to it give you the ready cash that you are valuable of earning. Hence its time you gave it held and for yourself and that home which you so fondly invent for yourself and your private.

About the Author
Robert Woods specializes in helping people find the best work at home business opportunities available. Visit Robert's Work at Home Business Opportunities site for details. Don't reprint this article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

Source : http://www.goarticles.com/

Fed up, India to set up "do not call" register

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government will set up a "do not call" register by September this year to curb frequent, unsolicited calls from companies offering home loans, credit cards and mobile phone services, the government said on Friday.

The government's commitment to the Supreme Court came two years after the highest judicial body asked it to take steps to protect mobile phone users from being flooded with sales calls from firms and telemarketers offering a range of services.

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Indian Company Opens Call Center In Ohio

Welcome to "insourcing!" Tata Group, an Indian conglomerate, has opened another call center. In Ohio.

From Fortune:

The phenomenon has a name: "insourcing," the term experts are starting to use when foreign multinationals open offices on U.S. soil and hire Americans, at a higher price, to do the very jobs they once lured overseas.

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Customer Lead Generation

Starting a new business can be quite scary because of the uncertainty regarding customers. This is especially true for new businesses selling a brand new service or product. There is no way to know with certainty that people are going to react positively to the business, product or service. It’s a smart idea to actually conduct research prior to jumping into a new business venture. Before attempting customer lead generation, you must first of all know the audience. The first step for effective lead generation is figuring out your targeted customers. Preparing a customer profile would be very helpful. This profile should be based on demographics including details such as age, gender, income and anything else that might influence sales. For example if the product is temporary body tattoos, the audience would likely primarily be teenagers, male or female and the income wouldn’t really matter. Before beginning any serious marketing program, these details are essential.

Once understanding which group of people might be interested in your product or service, next as a businessperson you would need to pick an advertising tool that would reach them. Using the example of the body tattoos, since targeting a teenage audience, a teen magazine would be an ideal source to advertise for lead generation. Another great advertising tool would be the television since teenagers tend to watch lots of TV. Of course nowadays the Internet seems to be the teenager’s best friend. Using web site marketing would certainly create excellent lead generation.

Another great lead generation idea is a referral program. This would probably work well in the service industry. Word-of-mouth is often the best source of advertisement. A referral program with an incentive would definitely drum up business. Everybody likes to receive a discount or get something free. Offer a customer a token of appreciation for referring a customer could really work well for lead generation.

Without customers there really is no business. Customer lead generation is imperative for any company or business, large or small, to survive. From the moment a business puts an open sign on the door, lead generation is needed. There can never be too many customers. If it gets to a point where a business is outgrowing its initial state, expansion would be required creating more business, a need for more customers and more lead generation. Growing any business takes time but using the proper marketing tools it can flourish in a short period.

Source : http://www.camelotarticles.com/

Egypt wants bite of Indian call center market

CAIRO: Egypt has set its sights on grabbing a share of the multi-billion dollar Indian-dominated call center market and is looking to an unexpected corner for a helping hand - India. As it makes its pitch to the world, touting a multilingual workforce over India's English-speakers, a time zone shared with Europe and proximity to the US, Egypt is marketing its edge over India to India itself.

Its government has sent a high-level delegation to India to convince the IT giant to sub-outsource its outsourcing to Egypt. BPO Services is at booming satge in India.

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Indian call center lands in Ohio

More foreign companies are finding that hiring Americans offers distinct advantages, reports Fortune's Jia Lynn Yang.

It would be easy to imagine Reno, Ohio, as the type of place that would be hit hardest by outsourcing - a small American town losing out to the invisible hand shifting jobs to places like Bangalore and Guangzhou. Instead, outsourcing is bringing the jobs to Reno. Across the street from an Army Reserve center and next to a farm, a customer-service call center hums, its 250 workers answering phones for online travel agency Expedia. The center's owner? Indian conglomerate Tata Group.

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Opportunity Call - Benefits & Tips in Choosing Answering Service

In business, some opportunities often pass through a simple phone call. Phone calls that may give you the business deal which can be a stepping stone in which you may become a business tycoon. Especially nowadays where businesses are always on the go, you need someone that will professionally take the call and get all the information needed for your business transactions. As a business owner you definitely don't want to miss any important call from potential clients which will not hesitate to take other services if they feel any unprofessional treatment on your end.

For novice companies that promise 24/7 support to the services they are offering, answering service is the best solution to handle the extra work load. After all major contact center solution provider like AnsweringServiceCare.Com employs well-trained employees who can communicate well with clients and give them the answers they need. Hence, hiring answering service shall give your clients the impression of a big company towards your business that may further help increase trust and result to increase in revenue. For a businessman who invested years of hard work and large amount of money, the word "revenue increase" are two words which mean big reward for a job well done.

Now that we know some of the benefits of getting answering service for your business, the next step is to know the qualities that should be considered in choosing the answering service company. Here are some tips in order to choose the most qualified company to do the job you require.

1. Ask/Find out the Teleservice company how they train their staff before deploying them. With a standardized training program you can be sure that the staff that will answer your phone calls will give you excellent results.
2. A business phone usually rings a lot during business hours, so you need to know if the company you want to get answer service has enough staffs to accommodate your phone calls and minimize long rings and hold times.
3. A good answering service company should comply with the state, local and federal regulations and carry business insurance, including Errors and Omissions coverage.
4. A company that has been awarded for service excellence usually means they are reliable.
5. Getting an answering service from a company with years of experience gives you the advantage in quality of work, reliability and stability.

Now loaded with these tips you can get the right service your business needs.

About the Author

When a business opportunity knocks, shouldn't it always be open? In business, some opportunities often pass through a simple phone call. Phone calls that may give you the business deal which can be a stepping stone in which you may become a business tycoon.

Source : http://www.goarticles.com

Call center outsourcing: the cost of an empty seat

Ken Carlon of Optima explains how increasing occupancy in a call center can be a key to increasing income.

For outsourcers it's generally utilization in terms of occupancy. There is a false economy that can be created around profitability by client where an outsourcer may generally feel, in order to be profitable, they need to charge a certain amount per hour.

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