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Most people who have never been in or worked in a call center would not know that there are many types of call centers. Some people probably know inbound and outbound. However, not only those two exist. There are still many types and categories under those two.
For starters, an inbound call center is where agents answer calls from customers and potential customers. Now, there are many reasons why customers would call a company. One reason is that they want to know how to install a product they bought. Other causes can be because they want to inquire about a particular product or service they wish to avail.
Types of Call Center Services
Inbound Calls
These types of call centers appeal have certain functions used by different businesses. For example, order processing is excellent for clothing brands or online stores like Amazon and Lazada.
Another example is the suicide and emergency hotlines in the United States that use 24/7 answering services or phone answering services. The same is true for disaster responses and emergency call centers. They must be open 24/7, so outsourcing a call center would be their perfect choice.
Hospitals, hotels, and restaurants can also outsource inbound call centers. The physician answering service, for instance, is made for health care services and appointment management; the virtual receptionist would be great for the service industry, especially if the business is significant.
Outbound Calls
On the other hand, an outbound call center service is where agents call customers and possible clients. There are different reasons why people forget to make calls; one reason is generation. Another reason is for sales or for conducting surveys.
As with inbound call centers, different businesses use and outsource outbound call centers. One example is finance companies or banks primarily outsource that collection reminder services. The service is available to cater to that specific business. However, it can also be outsourced by the government for student loans.
Another example is telesales and telemarketing. These two are often interchanged, but they are different. Telesales is the act of calling to offer sales to customers. The agents will call to provide a client and customer with a product or service.
Meanwhile, telemarketing only generates interest and provides information about a particular company or brand. E-commerce businesses mainly outsource this type of call center, performing outbound calls. They are also outsourced by most brands that sell anything. Most of the time, these companies are internet providers who sell internet and data plans.
Like telesales, there is another category of outbound call that deals with selling, the insurance sales. With insurance sales, agents make cold calls and offer people on their list insurance — life insurance, educational plan, and health insurance.
About sales, upselling and cross-selling strategies are used in outbound calls. This is where agents would try to sell more products and services related to the ones the customer already purchased in the ring. This type of call center can be availed by any company that is selling products and services. It can also be outsourced at the same time as telesales.
Types of Call Centers In This Digital World
Though digital is the trend, as most people have computers and smartphones, an excellent old-fashioned phone call is still compelling. Call centers know that artificial intelligence is also on the rise as more businesses prefer it that way. However, a personalized service cannot be beaten by emotionless computers.
It is true that live chat and email are emerging and getting their market for customer service and BPO solutions. However, many people still prefer to make a personal phone call and hear a voice from a natural person rather than chat and email their buying experience.
Moreover, New Voice Media reported that 75 percent of customers still think a phone call is the quickest way to get a response from a business. Plus, people who go on mobile searches still make phone calls. Luma Partners says more than 50 percent of those people still call. In addition, Invoca said conversion rates are higher if the call is made through phone calls rather than just clicking on emails.
This is why call center outsourcing services, whether inbound or outbound, are still the perfect way to support your clients.
