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Representing Your Brand

  How Call Centers Expertly Represent your Brand

There is a significant amount of trust that is placed on call agents to effectively represent a company’s brand. As an agent, being on the frontlines of communication with a business’s existing and potential clients is a huge responsibility that is taken extremely seriously. This is why we have implemented extensive training so that our representatives can become an expert in your business’ services and products. 

Our agents are familiar with a number of different industries. Amidst our valuable experience, there are certain ways you can assist us in ensuring that we are representing you and your brand efficiently. 

How can you help? 

On top of understanding the industry your company resides in, we want to make certain that we can personally advocate for your brand. Here are some ways you can help us learn the ins and outs of your business:

Indicate your company values

This is an important step for aligning your business’ values with the messages that are communicated by our agents. Once we know your company values, we can ensure that we are creating the best experience for your clients while simultaneously acting through your business’ principles.

Create a script 

Creating a script for our representatives to follow is highly encouraged. This will guarantee that our agents are communicating consistent messages to your clients. A script will also allow for our call agents to advertise your products and services in a succinct manner. Lastly, we can offer feedback about the script as our representatives are experiencing firsthand what does and does not work.

  Maintain an updated website

Making sure your business’ website is up-to-date will not only provide context for our agents, but it can also help with fielding client calls. DataReportal states that there are 4.95 billion global internet users –with so many people on the internet, you are bound to have existing and future clients visit your website! If you have incorrect information on your website, people will call to inquire or complain. Ensuring all of your information is correct and up-to-date is essential.

Guidance

Finally, our team of agents will also learn from observing how you interact with your customers along with what TO say and what NOT to say.  

Summary

We will do everything we can to become an extension of your company. Overall, we have curated the perfect way to be the best brand representative for your business. Whether it’s for customer service, sales or marketing, our representatives will be specially trained on the products and services that your company offers. Our agents are dedicated, highly-skilled, culturally aligned, and ready to represent your brand!

The post Representing Your Brand appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Three Ways to Give Call Center Agent’s Productivity a Boost

A vital aspect of a successful business is productivity. Hence, the entire team of agents need to work together to become a properly-working unit. Moreover, the employers need to make sure that their employees have the resources to fully thrive. If those resources include proper training, advanced technology, or positive feedback, employees count on their bosses for the right guidance.

Indeed, there are three main things that a call center can do to boost their productivity: increase agent engagement, organization, and constantly make improvements.

Increase Agent Engagement

How can you get your agents more engaged in their work? Indeed, one of the best ways to get employees to feel more passionate about their work is listening to their feedback and implementing their ideas. There are many ways to allow agents a chance to voice their ideas: get their opinion on training topics, ask if there are things that could be improved, see if they enjoy their technology. Certainly, the possibilities are endless!

Secondly, you can make an agent feel like a valued member of the team (and therefore, increase their engagement) by offering flexible hours. Allowing people to choose when they get to work is a big deal for employees. If they are forced into a shift that they are unhappy with, or doesn’t work with other commitments, the employee won’t fully focus on the work in front of them.

Lastly, make work fun! Find a way to incorporate games or small awards to get employees excited about working. Creating these tasks can boost productivity and camaraderie in the workplace. People who enjoy their jobs are more likely to work harder. Therefore, having a work environment that agents are looking forward to will boost productivity.

Organization for Productivity

Imagine walking into your workplace and no materials are organized. Papers are scattered, chords are tangled, and you have no idea where your list of tasks went. Where do you start? Working in an unorganized environment can make people feel not only overwhelmed, but also unsure of direction and unmotivated.

Productivity is hard to achieve when employees or a company do not know their purpose. What goals are you working towards, what are the core values of the company, how do you carry out expectations? Knowing answers to these types of questions can help organize a company and its employees.

Furthermore, when a company is unorganized, the clients are affected as well. Nobody wants to call a company and get put on hold for 20 minutes, or get passed around to six different employees. You want to reduce your handling time with customer service. Your reputation and business can go downhill quickly, thanks to poor reviews on sites like Google.

As an employer, you can help this by having meetings to realign focus. You can hand out weekly goals, keep track of important statistics (for example, hold times), and check-in with your employees to see if they have any concerns.

Make Necessary Improvements

Even if your business is doing well, you can always seek out ways to improve. There are many ways that you can incite a positive change in your business:

Budget for better technology if yours is outdated or install newer softwares

Offer consistent training and refresher meetings

Communicate with your team

Set goals and voice clear objectives

Motivate your employees in slower seasons

Truly, there are numerous ways that you can improve your business. In turn, your productivity gets boosted and your employees are happier at work. If you ever run out of ideas for improvements, turn to your team and encourage brainstorming. A communicating unit is a cohesive one!

Summary

You have the tools for success and an efficient call center! In summary, the three main keys for productivity (engagement, organization, and improvements) are within your reach and attainable. There are many ways for you to implement these strategies, but remember to take your goals one step at a time. Taking on too many tasks at once is not great for productivity!

KPI Connect knows all about the work that has to go into creating a productive team. Our talented call agent team works hard to achieve the reputation that we have today!

KPI Connect

With over 12 awards under our belt, we at KPI Connect take pride in our business and our agents. Certainly, we train our agents to be ready for any problems and help them by offering updated software, technology, and coaching.

If you need help improving your business, we can do it. The KPI philosophy is three words: collaborate, communicate and connect. Along with understanding your business, we want to become an extension of the company so we can help customers quickly. We can help you reach goals if your company needs improvement on customer service, profit, or productivity.

Contact us if you require assistance. We always look forward to working with new clients and helping solve company issues!

The post Three Ways to Give Call Center Agent’s Productivity a Boost appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Raise the Quality of Your Product Support with an Outsourcing Partner

Many companies provide a product support outlet for their customers to make sure their products are as useful as possible. However, there is a wide gap between the best product support resources and those that leave customers wondering why they called at all.

A company that handles their own product support services differs from one that outsources them to the right professional partner. A quality product support system can enhance any customer experience. In turn, the company will have better value.

How Can Outsourcing Help?

By taking the burden off of the company’s staff, an outsourcing partner can alleviate strained workloads and give your customer the attention they need. Awareness is important when there are complaints regarding a product. This extra care from a knowledgeable professional can keep satisfied customers from choosing a competitor.

Plus, an outsourcing partner can provide valuable information and prevent product issues. Partners can give feedback on a product, design flaws, or malfunctions of a product. Hence, you can save money and time in the long run. Customers are happier when their problems are taken care of in an efficient manner. All of the information gathered can allow for product improvements down the road.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Product Support System

Trained professionals are dedicated to customer satisfaction. The best outsourcing partners use the latest call center technology to help the customer service team. The professionals can resolve a customer product issue with ease for the customer through phone, email, or online chat.

No business wants to lose a customer due to long wait times with regard to a product issue resolution. Hence the value of an outsourcing partner. With a full call center on your team, your customer gets the attention they seek. The contact center can operate during hours where your business is closed, which helps your customer feel important. You can leave the customer with a lasting positive impression, even if the call started with a negative experience.

A great outsourcing partner knows every aspect of your business and products. So, you can relax knowing your customers receive a high standard of expert service.

For an efficient and cost-effective way to care for urgent customer inquiries and product difficulties, trust the right outsourcing partner with your product support system. Servicing experts will better the quality of your business and exceed the expectations of your customers. Moreover, your company’s reputation will improve and your satisfied customers will return.

The post Raise the Quality of Your Product Support with an Outsourcing Partner appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Reducing Average Handle Time in a Contact Center

Average Handle Time (AHT) is critical to measure the efficiency of a contact center. AHT is the calculation of the average period of contact between an agent and a customer. The seemingly simple measurement of time will help improve the productivity of the center. Additionally, customer satisfaction is more likely to get better after learning about which areas need enhancing. The Time Doctor Website says that 93% of customer service teams believe that clients have higher expectations in 2021 (and will continue to have higher standards in 2022) than in previous years. 

When a contact center can maintain a low AHT, their performance gets better reviews. As we all know, a better reputation means better SEO, more clients, and long-term customer relationships.

How can a call center achieve and maintain better handle times and improve customer satisfaction? KPI Connect has over 25 years of experience, and we have a few tips and suggestions to offer!

Why is Average Handle Time Important?

As previously stated, the AHT measures the time of a phone call between an agent and a customer. Therefore, AHT data can assist a company with achieving goals and identifying issues.

Efficiency

A low AHT shows that an agent is better at problem solving and communication. The company can help by adding common complaints or queries to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. Time Doctor says that 40% of businesses use this tactic to resolve customer issues, making their center more efficient. 

If the customer can find answers for their questions themselves when call volumes are high, they won’t have to wait. Having more FAQs for the public eye can give the customer a choice to problem-solve themselves or contact the center directly. As MyCustomer says, giving customers a few options will make them feel happier and in control. 

Customer Feedback and Satisfaction

Indeed, companies need their customers. If a contact center has high AHTs, their customer satisfaction is likely lower. Collecting the time of your calls can give you a higher level of analysis regarding your customer service. With correct data, you can get customer feedback and handle time analytics. According to the Time Doctor website, 67% of companies have grown through collecting customer feedback. Moreover, customer responses can elevate brand value and online reviews for a call center.  

Happier Agents

If your systems and programs are running smoothly, your handle times can become lower than if your programs and phones are outdated. Furthermore, updating technology creates a better work environment for the agents. The Warwick website quotes a 2021 study that found happiness can make individuals 12% more productive. Moreover, employees are more loyal to a work environment that treats them well. Having faithful employees means that you do not have to spend the time or money on training and staff turnover.   

Lower Support Costs

As the age-old saying goes, time is money! Finding different ways to make answering or making calls better will ensure the entire team is more productive. 

Continuously reducing your handle times will help you see what works for your company and what does not. 

Is The Company AHT Too Long?

Observe.AI mentions that calculating a suitable AHT relies on the industry. Quoting Cornell, the benchmark for telecommunications is just over 8 minutes. As for financial or IT services, the handling time should be just below five minutes (depending on the complexity of the calls, of course). 

There are different ways to tell if your handling time exceeds an ideal number. 

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is a common theme throughout this article. Truly, customers are among the most vital factors regarding the success of a business. Even if they are not filing complaints, they are not required to use your service again. To separate your center from other agencies, you need five-star reviews and low handling times. Monitoring calls can give more insight into your center’s handle times, the amount of transfers, holds, and more. 

Hold Times

As stated in the previous paragraph, if your hold times are long and the customer has to bounce between agents, your handle times will increase. Plum Voice surveyed over 2,500 clients and found that nearly 60% of respondents believe that going on hold for one minute is too long. If the company has multiple holds or transfers, one should look into possible issues and find solutions to rectify the AHT. 

Repeat Calls

If a customer has to call a team repeatedly to handle one issue, not only will customer satisfaction suffer, but also the AHT will likely increase. Clients will feel happy with their received services if their customer complaints and questions have quick handling. If your contact center has a poor AHT, confer your repeat calls. 

Fixing your AHT

Know the product 

If an agent is not trained properly regarding the product they have to support, or knowledgeable of how a specific company works, they have to take time out of their call to find answers. Both handle times and hold times are at risk of increasing. 

However, as products and companies constantly evolve and update, staying on top of changes gets difficult. Employers can help agents with regular training and coaching. 

Prioritize training and coaching

Ensuring that agents are familiar with their software, computers, company standards, and other critical aspects can better prepare the employees for quick problem-solving. As we said before, continuous training will help cultivate your team and improve AHT.

Record and monitor

Recording calls (inbound and outbound) will give you plenty of important information. The given data will show the areas that need improvement. If you have excessive call transfers or common problems eating up time, your calls will show you.

Make sure the client goes to the right agent

Call routing is yet another way to reduce AHT. If a call goes to the correct representative the first time, you don’t have to worry about transfers, hold times, or poor customer service ratings. There are automated systems that can help direct callers to the right agent.

Update technology

Time Doctor says that 29% of businesses have installed live chat software to improve customer support. In turn, agent workloads get reduced. If the bot can help the customer, the client doesn’t have to call. 90% of the businesses using live chats found the software helped streamline the centers’ operation.

Summary

There are plenty of ways to reduce your Average Handle Time. 

An acceptable AHT means happier customers and agents, higher productivity, and lower support costs. 

If your hold times are excessive or if agents have to make too many transfers, you may want to consider methods to reduce your handle times. There are multiple ways to fix your AHT: know the product, put effort into consistent training, record and monitor calls, work on your call routing, and keep the technology updated. 

Those tasks may seem plentiful, but your company, agents, and clients will benefit. KPI Connect knows better than anyone! 

KPI Connect

Our company has received more than 12 awards, but there are a few that mean the most for our AHT: best technology, best training and performance, and highest employee satisfaction. KPI Connect trains our agents to be ready for any problems and help them by giving them updated software, technology, and coaching. 

The KPI philosophy is three words: collaborate, communicate and connect. Along with understanding your business, we want to become an extension of the company so we can help customers quickly. We can help you reach goals if your company needs improvement on customer service, profit, or productivity. 

Our English and French-speaking business has a wide variety of services: outsourced customer care, inbound customer support, product support, overflow services, and more. 

Contact us if you require assistance. We always look forward to working with new clients and helping solve company issues!

The post Reducing Average Handle Time in a Contact Center appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Everything You Need to Know About Contact Centers

Contact centers handle incoming and outgoing phone calls with a team of agents (or advisors). These centers help businesses with customer support, telemarketing, market research, handling queries, and much more. Moreover, the agents help with company image as they resolve issues to create a happier, stronger customer base. 

KPI Connect Solutions Inc. was founded in 1994 and became an award-winning contact center. As a contact center, we not only handle phone calls but also live chats, emails, messaging, etcetera. We find that having more methods of communication allows us to be a deeply involved part of your business and more helpful for your clients. Furthermore, we have both inbound and outbound abilities. 

Below, we will discuss the difference between inbound and outbound communication, benefits of hiring an outsourced contact center, and how we handle the common concerns for outsourcing a call center.

Inbound vs Outbound Contact Centers

The purpose of an inbound call center is to handle calls that are incoming to an organization or business. Often, these calls come from existing customers who have questions or are experiencing issues with products or services. New customers who may want to place an order are also considered inbound callers.

However, inbound call centers also work on dispatch services, help desk services, and order processing. Their role is much larger than simply answering phone calls.

Outbound call center agents mainly make outgoing phone calls to potential customers as well as existing customers. They may be reminding individuals of appointments, telemarketing, composing market research and survey outreach, doing post-sale follow ups or charity fundraising. 

Outbound agents are able to engage the prospect, make clients feel valued and get the people they are calling interested and involved.

Benefits of Outsourcing Your Contact Center

We are a bigger industry than many may believe. According to IBISWorld, the market size of the telemarketing and call center industry is $1.6 billion. Why so large? Possibly because there are many advantages to hiring a contact center for your business. 

First of all, we can help you reduce your costs and save company time. In saving full-time employees from having to answer calls, they are able to focus on other tasks. 

Secondly, contact centers will improve your business image and greatly help with customer service. The team of agents within the center go through extensive customer service training. Moreover, taking care of the customer is our main and most important goal– they receive our full attention. 

By helping the image and reputation of a business, we are able to help improve the profitability and give staff relief. 

Lastly, we do extensive call analysis. Through our analysis, we are able to monitor data and ensure the quality, availability, and connection of our calls. We want to make sure that there are no problems for the customers. If their call is pleasant and the person they speak to is helpful, the client will return.  

Outbound calling services are also great for generating leads and qualification. By reaching out to prospects, agents can generate a more authentic connection through direct communication. 

Concerns Regarding Contact Centers

As with anything, there are pros and cons. Below are a few of the concerns that come with call centers, and how we at KPI Connect can put your mind at ease. 

Will they have knowledge of my industry?

Call centers with multiple clients do not normally specialize in one specific industry. You need individuals who know your company and can answer your customer’s clients accurately. One of the main goals of KPI Connect is to become an extension of your company. We work hard to fully familiarize ourselves with your business, goals, and needs. Furthermore, we have over 125 clients and 26 years of experience, meaning that we have a very well-rounded and knowledgeable team.

Will I still have control if I outsource my contact center?

When individuals outsource, especially if they have never outsourced before, they can feel as though they’ve lost control of their business. Indeed, trusting somebody else to handle your customer service is daunting! You don’t want to spend large amounts of your time with close supervision, because then what would be the point of hiring a contact center at all? 

KPI Connect has great testimonials from our many customers. We showcase our results and work to collaborate with you so we can relieve any stress or doubts you may have. 

Can I get the same business feedback?

With an in-house team, you might feel that the valuable information stemming from your customer service is closer. Customers change their minds all the time and so your business must make certain adjustments and changes to keep up. You may hold the belief that an outsourced contact center is unable to give you the same in-depth information. 

As we previously stated, KPI Connect always works to collaborate with our clients. Our goal is to provide a more satisfying experience for the customer and enhance customer relations. By working beyond normal business hours, we have the chance to help your clients much later than an in-house team can. Additionally, we are strong believers in communication so we will give you all the information you require. 

Summary

Both inbound and outbound contact centers have their specialties and benefits. You can reduce business costs, save employees time, improve the company reputation, and generate great leads. While some individuals may be concerned about the company having adequate industry knowledge, losing control, and receiving the same quality of feedback from customers, KPI Connect works hard to counteract these concerns. 

As both an inbound and outbound contact center, KPI Connect has no limits as to what we can do for your company.

KPI Connect Solutions Inc. 

The KPI philosophy is three words: collaborate, communicate and connect. Along with understanding your business, we want to become an extension of the company. Our innovative efforts allow us to produce great results and long-lasting relationships. We help many different companies of all sizes, and we feel confident that we can help your business too! Regardless if you need improvement on customer service, profit, or productivity, we can help you reach your goals. 

Our English and French-speaking company has a wide variety of services: outsourced customer care, inbound customer support, product support, overflow services, scheduled appointments, back office support, and claims or complaints. 

Contact us if you are in need of assistance. We always look forward to working with new clients and helping solve company issues!

The post Everything You Need to Know About Contact Centers appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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How a Building Supply Company Benefits from Outsourced Customer Service

There are lots of gimmicks and features that are being used by building supply companies these days making it hard to compete without them. Maintaining the same standard of quality customer service and working to guarantee that your customers receive a high level of service every day, can be challenging with all of the things that your employees do on a daily basis. There is one way that you can provide better customer service; through outsourcing customer service calls.

  It is pretty well-known that building supply companies thrive when customers feel like they are receiving great customer service. Oftentimes, even if another company offers a lower price, loyal customers will keep coming to one store for their building supplies, simply because they like the treatment they get there. And, it is no secret that a lot of business in building supply stores comes from word of mouth. If one contractor has a good customer service experience with your business, you could see a lot more business from them and all of their friends.

  Here is where outsourcing comes in. It may seem contradictory to hand off your customer service calls to someone else when you have worked for years to develop the way that your employees interact with customers, but it is really not. Call center employees, like those here at KPI Connect, are able to efficiently handle customer service because they have lots of experience and training, specifically on phone communication, that your employees likely do not. Furthermore, the call center can protect your brand by learning how you already interact with your customers, what to say and what not to, in order to become excellent representatives of your business.

  Associates at a call center can help to provide you with an increase of repeat and loyal customers. This is because they know how to solve a customer’s problems over the phone quickly and precisely, while being friendly and respectful. They can also eliminate hold times that plague different departments. Not only that, they can give your customers extra attention that your employees likely do not have time to. Your cashier likely does not have time to ring people up and call someone back to see if their problem was resolved. However, call center associates can give them those callbacks, which often leave customers feeling just like someone has went that extra mile to make sure they are satisfied.

  Not only can outsourcing provide better customer satisfaction results, call centers can prove the results to you. By conducting customer satisfaction surveys and supplying you with detailed analytics, call centers can assure you that they are getting results that you will be happy with. Even without these reports, you will likely be able to look around your store and see for yourself the results of customers who feel that they have received a high level of customer service.

  Without having to answer the phones, your employees will have a less burdensome and stressful workload, which will make them happier to be there. This also means that they will be more likely to provide better customer service when face-to-face with your customers. In the end, what is more important than happy employees and happy customers? Call KPI Connect to see how we can help your building supply company have top quality customer service today!

  The post How a Building Supply Company Benefits from Outsourced Customer Service appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Why a Telco Should Outsource Their Call Centre

In the telecommunications world, there is a lot of discussion currently regarding the benefits of outsourcing call centre operations. Such a hands-off approach is sometimes seen as risky and unnecessary, but the truth of the matter is that outsourcing in this manner can be one of the most successful ways of generating and maintaining customer loyalty. There are other benefits as well, and that is why it is important to fully understand every advantage that outsourcing call centre operations can offer your company.

  No More Staffing Problems

  Once you opt to go with an external service provider, the task of dealing with any staffing issues, including the hiring and management processes, are taken out of your hands. This not only removes the time and effort needed to handle telco call centre staffing but saves your company time and money as well.

  Significantly Lower Costs

  Once the decision to outsource a call centre has been made, it will quickly become evident just how much lower the costs can be. Rather than investing in developing infrastructure and managing operations with an in-house call centre, instead you will see considerable savings by handing off the duties to an service provider.

  No Issues With High Call Volume

  Regular overflow call volume can be a serious problem. However, opting to outsource a portion of your call centre specifically to deal with this is an easy answer that will save you money in the long run.

Offer Extended Hour Availability Without Huge Costs

  One of the biggest advantages of choosing to outsource call centre operations is that you will be able to provide your customers with availability beyond your normal business hours for a fraction of what it would cost in-house.

  Better Uptime and Call Quality

  Outsourcing to a reliable external service provider can net you 100 percent uptime and in addition, excellent call quality at all hours. This improves your company’s ability to meet and surpass customer expectations and significantly improve customer relations.

  Seamless Integrations

  It is imperative that an external service provider is able to offer call centre services that meld seamlessly with the other day to day operations your telco offers. You want to ensure that you are getting a trained team of customer service operators that have extensive experience in dealing with all manner of customer calls. Familiarity with things such as social media interaction, live web chat, voice support, and email communication are a must, particularly if those are things that your customer base has come to expect from your brand.

  Versatility is Key

  Given the way the technology landscape is constantly shifting, customer service for any successful company needs to be able to keep up with the trends. To this end, outsourcing to an external service provider such as KPI Connect can let you have all the access to the flexibility needed to keep customer relations running as smooth as possible for a fraction of the cost. External providers make an effort to keep their specialists trained in everything ranging to product inquiries to technical support, meaning that they can cover all the bases so that you do not have to.

  The post Why a Telco Should Outsource Their Call Centre appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Why Outsourcing Your Loyalty Reward Program Support Makes Sense

Just about any business owner or manager has an understanding that gaining customers is very difficult. They also know that keeping them is even harder. That is where a loyalty reward program can make such a big impact. It can bring in new customers looking for that added bonus of doing business, and it can retain those customers with incentives they enjoy.

However, running your loyalty reward program can be a daunting task, especially when you are already running your business operations. That is why outsourcing your loyalty reward program makes perfect sense.

  There to Respond to Customers

  While your staff goes about their daily business, customers may be contacting you with questions about your loyalty reward program, or even redemption of their earned benefits. That can take valuable time and effort away from regular business duties.

By outsourcing those obligations, you can have a dedicated team of professionals ready and able to handle that inflow of calls or emails so you do not have to. On your end, it is business as usual, and as far as the customers are concerned, they have a seamless outlet that manages their loyalty reward program issues without missing a beat.

Strengthening the Customer Bonds

  Because your loyal customers are receiving prompt attention from reliable professionals that understand how to keep them coming back, your business can thrive in two ways:

You will be free to continue pushing your business forward without the distraction of dealing with incentive programs. With that managed for you, the focus can stay on your work.

  Satisfied customers will have the great experience they are looking for from your company, so they will want to return not only for more loyalty rewards but for the excellent service too.

  Rather than your loyal and returning customers waiting for you to have a spare moment to respond to a message or having them wait on the line with extensive hold times, they can be engaged immediately. They will feel gratified and appreciated instantly, which can only set a good impression for your business.

  Global Appeal

  Every business starts out locally, but a customer loyalty program can move your business to a new frontier. That means different cultures and languages to deal with. Your internal team may not be able to handle such an inflow, but the right outsourced specialist can give you the quality service you want for your customer base in multiple languages.

Imagine keeping your customers happy in their native language instead of trying to communicate in yours and ending up with misunderstandings.

As you can see, outsourcing your loyalty reward program has great advantages that can keep your business operating smoothly. But it can also allow you to continue growing your business through efficiency and dedication to keeping your customers happy and returning. You can have all this without adding any extra workloads on your staff. Trust the professionals with your loyalty reward program and watch your business soar.

The post Why Outsourcing Your Loyalty Reward Program Support Makes Sense appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Good and Bad Customer Service Trends

New customer service trends emerge all the time because everyone is looking to improve their company’s customer service. Your customers are the lifeblood of your company, so adopting new customer service techniques and mediums can vastly benefit your company. However, just because they are trending does not mean that all of these techniques are effective. Here is a look at both good and bad customer service trends.

  Good Customer Service Trends

  Text Messages: Studies and surveys show that most customers prefer a text response. They are great for communicating with customers quickly, with little to no hold time. The only real caveat is that your responses have to be precise and accurate. Your customer service agents will need to be highly trained, in order to think and solve problems quickly.

Rapid Response Times: Customers are getting used to customer service response that is nearly instantaneous, and they come to expect it out of every company. So, no matter which medium you use for customer service responses, the faster your response times are, the happier customers will be.

Social Media Outreach: More and more customers are reaching out to companies through social media. It is usually one of the fastest ways to get in contact with a company, and people are taking advantage of it. You are missing out if you are not responding to customer service inquiries on your social media, because companies that are responding publicly are getting a lot of customer satisfaction because of it.

Follow Ups: Customers do not like to think that you solved their problem and then forgot about them. So, a follow-up contact to check in and make sure they are not still encountering a problem can go a long way towards increasing a customer’s satisfaction level. Follow-ups can be done in the form of phone calls, emails, texts, etc., so they are pretty easy to implement.

Scheduling Apps: In this fast-paced world, customers do not want to wait on hold to schedule an appointment. It is far simpler for customers to schedule the appointments themselves. You can implement this system in a couple of different ways: you could add a section on your website for DIY scheduling, or you could use an app like Schedulista.

FAQ Videos: Customers tend to like to solve their problems themselves before breaking down and calling customer service. So, having a large list of FAQs is a great way for customers to troubleshoot. However, they like “how to” videos even more. Short videos that explain how to use features or fix common problems give your customer step-by-step instructions, along with visuals. It is easy to upload such videos to YouTube.

  Bad Customer Service Trends

  Negative Online Contacts: Just because celebrities get into arguments with their followers online does not mean that your business can afford to. Anyone who represents your company should maintain a positive online presence. Treating a customer badly in such a public way can have a drastically negative effect on your company.

Using Only Facebook: People are turning away from Facebook as more types of social media sites and apps are emerging. So, if your only social media presence is on Facebook, you are missing out on a large customer base.

Exclusively Telephone Customer Service Support: Customers are evolving to use new technologies, and we now have other ways that they can contact us. Text, chat, and email customer service make up a lot of customer service contact volume today. If you are only using telephone customer service support, you are really missing out.

    This is the age of the informed consumer. They can see a good business when they see that others like it too. So, when you treat them well, they are really good at writing rave reviews online. So, if you provide good, fast customer service, not only will your customers be happy, they will sing your praises to others. Since the majority of people now rely on the reviews of a business to make decisions on which company they will choose, a great review will hopefully result in even more customers.

    The post Good and Bad Customer Service Trends appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Proper Customer Service Email Communication

There are a lot of customer service email scripts and templates out there. They are pretty easy to find, and all you have to do is copy and paste to use them. However, while they may be a quick way to communicate with your customers, scripted email responses may not be the most effective way to communicate with your customers regarding their inquiries. If a customer receives a scripted response, they are likely going to call customer service later, and be unhappy. As anyone who has worked in customer service can tell you, if the customer is already upset before contact, it has a real potential not to be a good outcome. The information in this article will help you to avoid that whole fiasco and provide you with more satisfied customers, and an enjoyable customer service experience.

  Problems with Scripts

  Poorly scripted emails from customer service are common enough that you have probably received one yourself at one time or another. Here is an example of a typical scripted customer service email:

“Hi, <<customer.first_name>>, Thanks for contacting the XXXX”. Then, it usually goes on to give the customer service team’s hours and days of operation.

There are a few problems with this type of email, and you can sense them as you are reading it. Someone did not use your name, and the whole thing just feels robotic and computerized. Worse still, the email points out that nothing can be done to fix the customer’s problem because it is after business hours. It is one thing to tell a customer that you can’t fix their problems after you have tried, or at least heard what they had to say, but to tell them right away with the first response that you can’t fix their problems, without even talking to them, can be a put off.

  How to Send Better Emails and Make Better Scripts

  If you do not have a 24-hour customer service response team, and someone sends you an email after business hours, it is okay to use an automated, scripted response. However, the script needs to be written the right way. Rather than stating that you are unable to fix the customer’s problem because it is after business hours, add “This is an automatically generated email” at the end of your automated email. Why does this work? Generally, people who see that the reply they got back was automatically generated, they know that their message was received and once your business is open, they will get a real response. People sometimes will feel anxious if they receive no response back at all and will begin to wonder if their message was received in the first place. So, an automated response helps reassure them that their message was received. When you add that the business is closed at this time, but that their email will be replied to as soon as possible, or answered in order, they at least know they are in line to have a response.

  You could consider sending out personalized emails yourself. No matter how big your company is, it should still be rooted in making the customers happy. However, it takes a lot of time and commitment that many business owners do not have. If you are wanting your business to have expanded hours for customer response, it is a great idea to hire a contact center like KPI Connect that is able to provide customer service email response outside of your normal business hours. This way your customers are able to be replied to by a real person vs an automated response. Whether you’re sending personal emails or automated scripted emails, it’s important that your customers feel like they have been heard.

  The post Proper Customer Service Email Communication appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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How Outsourcing Your Car Dealership Customer Service Can Make A Difference to Your Bottom Line

With the ubiquitous nature of smartphones and social media, both potential and existing customers have more opportunities to connect with businesses and brands – and vice versa – than ever before. No longer can a business thrive solely on the basis of high-quality products and services; in this age of constant connectivity, high-quality multi-platform customer service is the ultimate key to sustained success. While this is true in any field, it is especially relevant if you own and operate an automobile dealership.

  You are not just selling cars, you are presenting a lifestyle choice, and a major component of that process is the ability to provide convenient and satisfying customer service that results in repeat business and positive word-of-mouth. Rather than handling these duties in-house, outsourcing your car dealership’s customer service to a reputable multi-channel contact center can make a real difference to your bottom line in many ways.

  Reduce Operating Costs

    Since most call centers serve multiple clients in a range of industries, the operating costs of the facility, equipment, maintenance, and training are spread out instead of footing the bill all by yourself. By the same token, these agents are experienced, knowledgeable, adept at dealing with customers in a courteous manner, and versatile enough to handle any situation that may arise. With everything already in place, you only pay for services as needed. Whether it’s on a regular basis, during peak periods or holidays, or if you find yourself shorthanded for any reason, the parameters depend entirely upon the unique needs of your dealership.

  Increase Customer Satisfaction

  Because strict quality control is the name of the game, you can rest assured that the agents representing your dealership will uphold the same high standards of professionalism and dedication to customer satisfaction exhibited by your in-house team. Entrusting your inbound and outbound customer service needs to a first-class call center means reduced hold times when customers try to contact you, and the extended hours offered by firms such as KPI Connect allow customers the convenience to connect with your dealership outside of traditional business hours.

    Free Up Staff

    Instead of tasking your skilled in-house team with answering common questions via phone, email, web chat, or social media, outsourcing these duties to experienced customer service specialists will free up your staff to do what they do best and focus their valuable time and effort on core business activities. Not only will outsourcing allow your staff to be more productive, but potential walk-in customers will appreciate receiving prompt attention rather than waiting for someone to finish up a phone call or email.

    The post How Outsourcing Your Car Dealership Customer Service Can Make A Difference to Your Bottom Line appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Why Your Pharmacy Would benefit By Complimenting Its Customer Service By Outsourcing

Pharmacies handle a great deal of sensitive personal information. Not only do they fill people’s medication that they are in need of, they are also privy to knowledge of people’s ailments, all of their medical, insurance, personal information, and more. Most people see pharmacies as one of the most trusted community businesses because pharmacists help people when they are in need of medications that range from minor to life saving. They know that they are able to trust their pharmacists.

So, when it comes to customer service calls, outsourcing may be a scary idea for many pharmacy owners. However, it can actually benefit the business in many ways, and be done in a secure and confidential manner.

As a customer, it can be very frustrating to call your pharmacy, especially if they are known to have long hold times or that your call will be unanswered. This causes a negative customer service experience for customers, especially given that pharmacy calls can be vitally important to their health. Your business likely misses calls every day due to high call volumes and after-hours calls. In other businesses, missed calls are missed business opportunities, which is true of pharmacies, as well. One of the most beneficial aspects of outsourcing customer service calls is that they can help with answering calls during high call volume times, and they can answer calls after hours, creating less work for pharmacy employees and leaving your customers happy knowing that they are able to fill their prescriptions in a timely manner.

For the most part, pharmacists do not end up answering the phones and have assistants or clerks to do so. Today, customers often do not even interact with the pharmacist, coming in contact with assistants or clerks instead unless it is necessary that the pharmacist speak directly to the customer about their medications. Call center agents are trained to handle customer service calls and handle them efficiently. This means that they’re able to solve customers’ problems and answer their questions accurately as they are highly trained. Not only that, they excel at providing customer satisfaction, ensuring that customers come away from the calls feeling positive about them and are far less likely to provide businesses with negative customer service feedback.

Lots of pharmacies have only a handful of employees to answer calls, most of which perform other job duties, as well. This takes them away from their other work and burdens them with a heavy workload. Stressed out employees are not as capable to provide the same level of service to each customer if they have multiple things that they need to do at once. They become distracted, make mistakes, which one doesn’t want in a pharmacy. You’re likely to start seeing a higher employee turnover rate, as well. In this scenario, everyone loses. Outsourcing your customer service calls to a call center can ease their workload and provide your employees with a better working environment with less stress.

If your pharmacy has experienced lots of high call volume, you’ve likely started thinking about hiring more employees to answer the calls. But, when exploring this idea, it doesn’t take long to learn that there are tons of extra costs and equipment needed. Many pharmacies don’t have room to expand to include a call-center or office in which several people can answer calls. But, outsourcing the calls to an already established call center can offset these costs. You won’t be paying to install extra equipment, phones, furnishings or office supplies. Instead, the call center already has them and you’re paying for their associates’ work and training, rather than the equipment they use.

There is a stigma that surrounds outsourcing. Many people believe that it takes jobs from other employees. The reality instead is that outsourcing creates jobs and will improve both employee and customer satisfaction. So, if you’ve ever considered outsourcing your pharmacy’s customer service calls, contact KPI Connect to see how they can help your pharmacy run more smoothly and help more people with their needs.

  The post Why Your Pharmacy Would benefit By Complimenting Its Customer Service By Outsourcing appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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More Tips to Reduce Hold Times

Lengthy hold times are a cardinal sin for any business. Once a customer has been banished to the dark void of the hold queue, there is a one-in-three chance that they give up after waiting less than two minutes and never try calling back again. Rather than losing both existing and potential customers, it is imperative to cut back the amount of time a caller has to wait and allow the calls to flow more efficiently. If our first list of ways to reduce hold times was not enough, here are:

  Six Ways to Increase Call Efficiency

  More Efficient Call Routing

  When a customer contacts a business with a question or concern, they want to speak to the most qualified agent available in the appropriate department right away. With the right system in place, a customer should be able to do exactly that and have their issues resolved with minimal hold time. An automated self-service queue may eliminate the need to speak to a live agent altogether by enabling customers to pay bills, reset passwords, and track packages on their own.

  Trust Your Team

  Rather than wasting valuable time escalating calls to management, entrust your well-trained team of agents with the ability to make important decisions that are both fair and consistent. Figure out what the most common reasons (and resolutions) for call escalation, and find solutions that the first level agents can implement. Not only does this reduce hold times, it keeps customers happy and proves to your staff that you are confident in their judgment, knowledge, and problem-solving skills.

  Conference Call

  There are few things more tedious for a customer than being put on hold repeatedly and having to explain their situation over and over to multiple agents, support personnel, and managers. Cut down on hold times and customer frustration with the use of conference calls, allowing a more qualified staff member to join the conversation, hear what  is going on, and help to resolve the issue without the caller needing to repeat themselves.

  Update Customer Information

  Having up-to-date customer information available at an agent’s fingertips reduces both handling times and hold times. Ensure that your software is fully integrated so that all updates are saved on every system and instruct agents to occasionally ask customers if any changes need to be made.

  Schedule Shifts Smartly

  By analyzing call volume data, you can determine the peak periods when agents are busier and hold times increase. Instead of simply hiring additional agents, schedule more shifts for times when agents are most needed and less shifts during normally low-volume periods.

  Build a Better Hold Message

  Putting customers on hold is inevitable, so make sure you have an upgraded hold message designed to keep them on the line. Music plays a big role – the average caller sticks around for up to one minute longer if they hear music, and the type of music should be geared toward your target demographic for maximum effectiveness. Some newer systems even allow the caller to choose from a list of musical genres, or you can use your hold message to promote your products and services. Alternatively, give your customers the ultimate freedom by offering a callback option rather than waiting on hold.

    The post More Tips to Reduce Hold Times appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Great Ways to Reduce Hold Times

Hold times can be a call center’s worst enemy.

When a customer contacts a business, the last thing they want is to be put on hold. Making them wait even longer than expected can sometimes be unforgivable. The average caller generally hangs up after less than two minutes on hold, and more than one-third of them never call back. That is a sizable loss of business and a brief window of opportunity, so reducing hold times is an essential part of keeping customers satisfied.

  Six Ways to Help Hold Times be Reduced

  Have a Sense of Urgency

  It goes without saying that when a caller contacts a business, they have pressing needs that they would like addressed promptly and efficiently so they can move on with their day. Treating each interaction with a sense of urgency does not mean that agents or managers should rush customers through calls, but rather strive toward reaching a satisfying conclusion as soon as possible with respect for the customer’s valuable time.

  Be Responsive

  Along the same lines as the first tip, make sure your entire team is always at the ready. A surefire way to reduce hold times is to dissuade agents from engaging in an excessive amount of chatter among one another between calls. This responsive attitude should extend to internal departments and even managers, cutting down on the amount of time that agents – and customers – have to spend waiting for an answer to a question or to escalate a call.

  Grow a Knowledge Database

  Creating, updating, and providing easy access to a database of company knowledge containing relevant information and helpful answers to frequently asked questions allows agents to effortlessly respond to customer queries without the need to place them on hold. These indexes should be made available both online and offline in case of a faulty or slow network or internet connection.

  Dig into the Data

  Reputable contact centers, such as KPI Connect, have access to a suite of cutting-edge advanced analytics that allow them to pinpoint the areas in which they can improve. Take advantage of the data and manage call queues according to the patience level of your customers by finding out as much as you can about the callers who hang up, when they called, and how long they waited before abandoning ship.

  Keep Tabs on Your Team

  Determine inefficiencies and reduce hold times by listening in on live calls, providing feedback that only the agent can hear, and even conferencing in as the situation warrants. If you are unavailable, listen to recorded calls to get a gauge on how your team is performing and use these examples to train new agents. Don’t just spend time just on the slower agents either. Check in on your top performers, and try to figure out their tricks and strategies to keep things moving along. You could discover some real gems that you can then pass on to the rest of the department.

  Appreciate Your Agents

  As a high-stress job, call centers can experience a high volume of turnover, which means more time (and money) spent on hiring and training new agents, managers, and supervisors. Avoid the hassle and build loyalty among your staff by rewarding positive and efficient performance, encouraging suggestions and feedback, and foster a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere in the workplace.

    The post Great Ways to Reduce Hold Times appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Is Outsourcing To A Contact Center Right For My Business?

Long gone are the days of old and outdated call centers, where customer service came last and calls per hour was the most important performance metric. We are now in the era of the modern contact center, where customer service is the number one priority. Modern contact centers have emerged as the new way to approach customer service and offer large and small businesses a number of benefits. We have come up with a list of 6 reasons why you should outsource your customer service to an experienced contact center.

  Tools

Modern contact centers use several formats to reach your customers. Experienced centers leverage social media, email, live chats and mail in addition to traditional phone calls. Having the ability to communicate with your customers in the method they prefer will improve their experience as a whole.

  Cost Savings

Perhaps the biggest benefit of using a contact center to manage your customer service, is the cost savings. Contact centers spread the equipment, facility, training, and other costs among their clients, which can save large and small business in overhead costs. In addition, contact centers are adept at planning for the peaks and valleys of customer inquiries and can schedule staff accordingly – another cost-savings. In addition, clients also have the ability to pool their resources with other clients and effectively share agents, therefore reducing costs as well. High-quality contact centers have the skills, equipment, and staff needed to deliver top-notch customer service at a price you can afford.

  Quality Control

Contact centers thrive when their clients and customers are happy. All excellent contact centers have rigorous quality control processes in place to make sure you and your customers receive top-notch service.

  Latest Technology and Systems

Reputable contact centers ensure that their employees, and in return their clients, have access to the latest technology and systems used to reach customers. It is in your contact center’s best interest to keep up-to-date on the latest trends and technologies to ensure they remain competitive.

  Availability

When you outsource your customer service to a contact center, you can choose your availability based on your customer’s needs. Whether you need to handle customer questions 24/7 or for a few hours each day, a dedicated contact center can help you meet these needs.

  Language Skills

Many experienced contact centers employ associates that speak more than one language, like English and French. By outsourcing your customer service to a bilingual contact center, you can ensure that you meet even more of your customers’ needs.

  No matter if you are a Fortune 500 company or a small business, hiring an experienced contact center to manage your customer service is great for business. Whether you are interested in saving money, need to provide customer service 24/7, need bilingual staff, or are looking for new and creative ways to communicate with your customers, look into utilizing a modern contact center for all your customer service needs.

  The post Is Outsourcing To A Contact Center Right For My Business? appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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What Are Appointment Setting Services?

In the competitive modern marketplace, staying connected with clients and customers is more vital than ever before to the growth of a business. With the rise of the internet and the online world, consumers now have more choices available to them than at any previous point in history – literally at their fingertips. As with any relationship, steadfast communication is the key to fostering a positive and long-lasting bond with customers and clients. One method of keeping in touch with clientele is through Appointment Setting Services such as those offered by KPI Connect.

  What Are Appointment Setting Services?

  For businesses everywhere, scheduling, confirming, and rescheduling appointments are essential daily tasks that can eat up a significant chunk of time. From multinational corporations to local start-ups, sales offices, and medical clinics, countless hours of productivity are lost each week due to this monotonous process. Traditionally, these duties have been handled in-house by existing staff members whose time could be better spent elsewhere or by the hiring and training of additional staff. Rather than dealing with the hassle themselves, many companies have chosen to outsource this basic business need to a reputable contact center experienced in providing a range of appointment setting services.

  A Friendly Voice

  When you use professional appointment setting services, you can rest assured that customers and potential customers alike will be pleasantly greeted by a friendly and helpful voice who will be able to fulfill whatever needs and also answer any questions they may have. As an extension of your office, appointment setting specialists undergo extensive training in order to accurately represent your business using customized scripts and services tailored to suit your requirements. In addition to setting up, confirming, and rescheduling appointments with existing clients, specialists can help to generate sales leads through cold calling, resolve customer service problems, issue automated reminders, and provide information about the products and services your company offers.

  Experience the Freedom

  By outsourcing your appointment setting services, your talented in-house staff can focus their efforts on more crucial aspects of the daily operation of your business. Without the added responsibilities of scheduling appointments, your office can run more efficiently on a day-to-day basis. Thanks to the extended hours offered by KPI Connect, customers can enjoy the freedom of communicating with a representative of your company outside of traditional office hours when it is most convenient for them.

  Who Uses Appointment Setting Services?

  While the short answer is that virtually any business could stand to benefit from appointment setting services, they are particularly valuable to smaller companies and independent start-ups that have neither the budget nor the physical space to devote to an in-house department. Because the services offered are so versatile and adaptable, almost any industry can make use of them, including financial firms, health care clinics, real estate agents, and any others who rely on appointment setting as a core element of their business model. Regardless of industry, clients appreciate the ease and convenience afforded by these services, ensuring complete satisfaction and long-term customer retention.

    The post What Are Appointment Setting Services? appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..

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Should You Have a Bilingual Customer Service Department?

If you do not have bilingual customer service agents working in your customer service department, your customers are definitely missing out. By having agents who can speak two languages, they can speak to a larger number of customers, which could mean improved sales and profit for your company. Without them, any customer that calls in and does not speak English is going to be frustrated by the language barrier. Here are some things you need to know about having a bilingual customer service department in Canada:

  Why French?

  According to the 2016 census, 7.2 million people speak French in Canada. Most of these French-speaking citizens live in Quebec, where 95% of people are francophone. Because of this, the federal government passed the Official Languages Act in 1969. This means that both French and English are the official languages of Canada, and they’re both in equal standing with each other. So, if your calls come from Canada, it is very likely that you may get a customer is going to speak only French.

  The immersion of the French language in culture is not unique to Canada, either. French is one of the most widely used languages in the world, with 225 million francophones worldwide. It is becoming more and more popular, and that number is expected to jump to 700 million worldwide by 2050. It is the official language of 29 countries. In Europe, where the majority of francophone population live, the only language that currently surpasses French is German. However, more and more people are speaking French, and French is expected to be spoken by more people than German by the year 2025. The language is spoken on every continent, and it is somewhere between the 6th and the 8th most used language on the internet. So, bilingual customer service agents who can speak French are a great idea to increase the ability of your business to handle people of this tongue.

  Bilingual Customer Service Agents

  With industry and technology advancing so rapidly, it is becoming more important to utilize bilingual customer service agents in your customer service department. As your company’s client base grows, so will the variety in your customers. With bilingual customer service agents, your company will not only be better able to service your Canadian customer base, you will have access to an international market.

  Language barriers between your customer service agents and your customers can be incredibly frustrating for everyone involved. Your CSAs will not be able to understand your customers, and your customers will likely become frustrated when their questions and concerns can’t be attended to because of the barrier. It is easy to see how this can make your customer satisfaction rating go down.

  Outsourcing Customer Service

  In order to hire bilingual customer service agents, you would likely have to pay them more per hour than standard agents. You would also have to verify their fluency in the language to make sure they can actually speak French well enough to assist your customers. However, if you outsource your customer service calls, you will have access to bilingual customer service agents that the call center has already hired. This is less expensive to your company, it saves you time, and your customer service department will be better equipped to handle your customers’ questions.

  All these reasons, and many more, are why you should have a bilingual customer service department or outsource your calls to a customer service call center that features bilingual services. The repeat business from happy non-English-speaking customers will most likely offer big returns, making it worth the effort.

  The post Should You Have a Bilingual Customer Service Department? appeared first on KPI Connect Ltd..