A call center is a team of customer service agents who manage incoming and outgoing calls at a central location or remotely. Companies around the world rely on their call center to handle customer inquiries and complaints or sell their products over the phone. A call center is traditionally a place from which customer service or sales personnel answer phones to help customers resolve their problems with a product or service. This can include all kinds of problems, from technical difficulties to billing issues. Let's look at call center processes, types of call centers, and tips for managing customer interactions.
While inbound and outbound call centers serve different functions, most call centers combine both types of operations in a hybrid call center. Far from the “boring” stereotype you might suggest, working in a call center can be a rewarding and flexible job. Another type of call center, the outbound call center or contact center, is one in which agents make outbound calls to people on a qualified list. We've summarized the types of call centers, the typical responsibilities of each position, and the skills you need to thrive.
This type of solution is also available anywhere and anytime, making it advantageous for companies with in-home call center agents. The skills you acquire in a call center are useful for any type of career, even moving up the call center position. One of the challenges associated with average processing times is determining the best time for each type of call. Understanding what type of call center you operate is useful when implementing telephone systems or call center software. While some call centers may only qualify as one of the above types, many call centers have evolved to encompass a combination of these capabilities.
It's not uncommon for big brands to have several departments in their call centers, each answering a specific type of call (complaint, question, general comment, etc.)).
