| Call centres are now positioning themselves for | | | | optimizing a call centre agent's performance. |
| the upturn in the economy. A survey conducted | | | | Recording calls, coaching, and workforce |
| by a research and advisory consulting firm, noted | | | | management will become the prime focus to help |
| that 81% of respondents expect contact centre | | | | improve the overall quality and profitability of a |
| staffing levels to remain steady or increase | | | | telephone answering service. |
| slightly in the coming year. Overall the sentiment | | | | Call centres are also looking to the future for the |
| coming from call centres is that there will be no | | | | return of economic prosperity. Discretionary |
| foreseeable decrease in call volume in the near | | | | spending on strategic goals designed to ensure |
| future. | | | | that they will be poised to benefit from the |
| In light of the economic downturn, the financial | | | | upturn has increased. Most discretionary spending |
| services industry is expecting to see a sharp | | | | has been allotted for technology enhancements. |
| increase in the volume of calls from concerned | | | | By investing in technology, the centres are |
| clients looking to position their portfolios in the | | | | anticipating that the new technologies will deliver |
| wake of rising financial markets. Coupled with | | | | benefits in the form of lower operating costs and |
| concerns over rising debt levels, financial services | | | | improved customer satisfaction. |
| are also expecting to see a sharp increase in | | | | In terms of technology, call centres will also be |
| phone calls to contact centres from homeowners | | | | increasing the use of speech analytics software to |
| looking to refinance their mortgages. | | | | help them determine more about the customer |
| Call centres are seeing a shift in their industry as | | | | on the phone line. Speech analytics software can |
| it weathers the financial storm over the past | | | | be used as a form of data mining. By recording |
| year. The rise in the use of home based contact | | | | conversations between agents and customers, |
| centre agents has been particularly noticeable. | | | | the software can spot specific keywords and |
| Growth in the home based agent population has | | | | phrases and is able to determine calls from |
| outpaced that of site based agents. With the | | | | unsatisfied callers. This software can provide vital |
| advent of VoIP technology, agents are no longer | | | | information that can be analyzed to determine the |
| obliged to work in the same facility. Agents can | | | | strategies and processes that can be used to help |
| now work out of the comfort of their own home | | | | improvement interaction between the agent and |
| office. The available technology allows for instant | | | | the caller. The growth of instant and text |
| contact. This is indicative of the push from call | | | | messaging will also have a profound impact on the |
| centres to keep an eye on expenses and remain | | | | centres. The future for call centres is forecast to |
| competitive in tight business conditions. | | | | be bright. They are making use of the latest |
| In the short term, a telephone answering service | | | | technologies to find ways to keep costs low while |
| will focus on the use of telecommunication VoIP | | | | improving their level of service. |
| technology and management methods for | | | | |