Call Center Reps Routinely Hang Up On Customers
August 27, 2007
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Call Center Challenges…
As organizations try to become more efficient, I bet this issue comes up a lot.
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company Fires Call Center Reps For Routinely Hanging Up On Customers bigcallcenter.jpgNationwide Mutual Insurance fired five Iowa call center workers for regularly hanging up on customers in an attempt to boost their stats, but one of them contends that the practice is widespread and they were only fired so Nationwide could deny their upcoming paid and unpaid leave, reports the Des Moines Register. "I didn't think about the fact that it could be someone that was needing help right
Technorati Tags: call center, customer service
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Ten Ways To Help You Improve Your Customer Service
August 17, 2007
Ten Ways To Help You Improve Your Customer Service
By Catherine Franz
1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis. Just as it is bad news to send out too many emails to customers, it is just as bad to not stay in contact with them. Customers don't want to feel abandoned. So don't.
Here are three things to help you stay in touch.
(1) Offer them your ezine subscription at least once a month.
(2) Ask customers if they want to be updated by e-mail when you make changes to your Web site.
(3) Follow-up after each sale to see if they are satisfied with their purchase. Send an e-mail out a few days after their purchase, another in a week or two, and then another in a month.
2. Create a customer focus group by inviting 10 to 20 loyal customers to meet regularly. Alternatively, send out a monthly survey to this group asking for ideas and input on how to improve your customer service. Give them a reward. Pay them, give them a gift certificate, or send them free product.
3. Have a web site that is easy to navigate. Add a frequently asked question's "FAQ" page and explain anything that might confuse your customers or visitors. Follow-up with an electronic survey with questions on how to increase your site's user-friendliness.
4. Resolve customer complaints quickly and completely. Answer all e-mail and phone calls within a few hours. This will show your customers you really care about them.
5. Don't make your customers or visitors hunt for your contact information. Make it easy for them to contact you. Offer as many contact methods as possible. Hyperlink all your e-mail addresses so they don't have to find or type it. Offer a toll free number.
6. If you have strategic alliances or employees, make sure they are familiar with your customer service policy. Give your employees bonuses or incentives to practice excellent customer service. Tell employees to be flexible with each individual customer, each one has different concerns, needs and wants.
7. Give your customers more than they expect. Send thank you gifts to long time customers. E-mail them greeting cards on holidays or birthdays if you have their address or online cards if you only have their e-mail address and name. Give bonuses to your customers who make a big purchase or multiple purchases.
8. U-welcome, please, and thank you and can never be over used. Be polite no matter what. Admit and apologize for mistakes quickly and make it up to them in BIG ways if you want them to continue being a customer.
9. Reward in points — give customers a point for every dollar they spend. Set up a points-earned sheet. E-mail the customer an update monthly. If they send you a referral they get 10 points, if they buy something add 10 more points.
10. If your business is local, invite customers to your office for lunches, parties, barbecues, dances, seminars or other special events.
It isn't what you perceive as valuable but what customers see from their eyes. Yet, sometimes, you just can't please some folks. If that occurs, do you best and then let it go. You don't want them for clients anyway.
About the Author: Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com
Source: www.isnare.com
Call Center News….
August 14, 2007
Here are a few recent call center news updates…
Convergys to open ninth call center in Bacolod City
Convergys to open ninth call center in Bacolod City
INQ7.net, Philippines - 1 hour ago
By Lawrence Casiraya MANILA, Philippines — Convergys Corp. will open a facility in Bacolod City looking to add at least 500 more people to its workforce in …
CVG
EEOC Resolves Hang Up on Call-Center Staffing
EEOC Resolves Hang Up on Call-Center Staffing Washington Post, United States - 16 hours ago Naomi C. Earp, the commission chairman, said the call center had freed up the agency's field staff to work on a growing caseload but noted that "we … Lawrence call center loses national EEOC contract Kansas City Star EEOC decides to use federal employees at call center Federal Times all 3 news articles »
Egypt Attempts to Become a Player in the Call Center Industry
TMCnet Egypt Attempts to Become a Player in the Call Center Industry TMCnet - 1 hour ago By Brian Solomon, TMCnet Web Editor Egypt is looking to make a dent in the international call center market, touting the advantages it holds over call …
Technorati Tags: call center news, call center, call center outsourcing
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Massive Layoff At Dell Call Center
August 2, 2007
I went through this a couple of years ago. I had to communicate to over 600 employees that their jobs were being outsourced to India and the Philippines. Not a good scene.
I found this story on Consumerist.com
Nobody Home: Massive Layoff At Dell Call Center - Consumerist
Dell's Oregon based call center experienced a massive layoff this morning, according to KPIC. All of the employees were herded into a conference room and told that their positions had been eliminated.
Unfortunately, this is going to happen. I think Dell is losing Market Share. The centers in the US are probably the costliest.
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