You are probably wondering why this is even a topic because a call centre is a contact centre. Well, as it turns out, that is not the case. These are two very different terms, and one offers more customer service avenues than the other.
I know, right. This is some mind-blowing stuff.
Whether you are outsourcing customer service solutions or provide your own internally, understanding what a call centre and a contact centre offers and utilising the right one for your customer’s needs will significantly improve your client relationship.
What is a Call Centre?
Traditionally, a call centre is a central location where customer inquiries from multiple channels such as inbound and outbound phone calls, emails, and chat messages are controlled and monitored. The traditional Call centres utilise a combination of telecommunications infrastructure and on-site hardware.
Customer service representatives in a call centre take orders, handle customer inquiries, and other customer-based functions, such as telemarketing and insurance. Many businesses create and utilise their own in-house call centres, but there is the option of outsourcing this function to a customer service expert.
As we move further into the age of technology with a push from the pandemic, some traditional call centres have made provisions to enable work from home capabilities. The customer service agents carry out the same job functions from a remote location and are no longer required to be in-office.
What is a contact center?
While a call centre only provides multichannel customer communication, a contact centre offers all that a call centre does and more. Faster and more personalised customer interactions across a broader range of channels such as email, phone, live chat, social media platforms, and website self-help features. Customer engagement from these channels are managed at the contact centre. This requires the coordination and integration of people, processes, and technology across the business.
A successful contact centre requires agents trained in each channel’s best practices to reduce customer effort in finding a resolution and deliver superior customer experiences.
With the growing demand from customers for more personalized interactions, contact centres were designed to provide 24 hour fast responses to all channels. Contact centres work alongside highly-trained customer service agents and unique Performance metrics applied to each channel to manage their performance and determine the best strategies to implement.
Customer satisfaction will increase with more effortless customer experiences. With this in mind, many organisations utilise a range of artificial intelligence (AI) features to deliver superior customer service.
Which is best for your business?
To determine which service is best for your business, consider what the world is like currently. Our world today is fast-moving, and each day is met with technological advancements. Ask yourself:
What type of service do my customers need?
What type of service would be more convenient for my customers?
What communication channels do my customers mainly use?
How can I serve my customers more efficiently?
The primary functions of a traditional call centre may be suitable for organisations whose customers prefer it. However, It might not be enough for others.
The more technology improves, the more competitive markets become, and businesses go through a stage of metamorphoses where they later emerge more modern and “trendy.” These companies have made themselves readily available on every communication platform that their target audience uses and is able to address customer comments in real-time. They are alerted to social media mentions through social media analytics, to be aware of every conversation their customers engage in and clear up any matter before it escalates into a costly problem or bad press. They also execute personalised marketing campaigns to suit each customer’s needs.
To rival your competitors and become successful in your industry, you too are required to change. A contact centre, such as Cube&Arrow Inc., can guide you through the transformation process.
Top 3 improvements a Contact Centre will Bring to Your Business?
We understand that making the switch to modernising your business can be challenging. So, here are three main benefits to consider.
1. Top-Notch Customer Engagement with Faster Support
The top priority for all organisations is effective customer engagement. Interacting with your audience on their terms through multichannel customer service is a great way to understand their likes and dislikes better. This information allows businesses to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Society today communicates quickly across various channels daily and expects businesses to be readily available on whatever channel they decide to reach out through. Establishing your presence on all platforms used by your audience makes it easier for customers to reach out to you. Contact centres offer immediate support through social media platforms, emails, live chats, and phone calls. Also, for more efficient support, the next agent to assist is able to view a customer’s track record and past behaviour.
2. Customer Behaviour and Contact Centre Analytics
Whether your contact centre offers Multichannel or Omnichannel customer service, having access to customer information and customer behavior history allows for better customer analytics to provide personalised responses. Businesses with working knowledge of their customer’s needs can adjust their products & services, personalise ad messages and marketing strategies to boost client satisfaction and interaction.
3. More Effective Marketing Strategies
As we do our usual channel-hopping, leaving comments and reactions like cross-pollination, the omnichannel service monitors our behaviour, establishes patterns, and prompts you to deliver personalised responses proactively. Businesses stand to gain more by using omnichannel retail to improve their marketing strategies. This gives you a bird’s eye view across the channels your business occupies and shows you where your customers are and what they are doing.
This way, you can predict a customer’s actions, assess the reasons behind an action, and structure personalised ads to help individual customers along the company’s sales route.
As stated earlier, deciding between a call centre or a contact centre is entirely dependent on what your business offers and the needs of your customers. Contact centres provide a range of technological solutions and can get very intense. This service is mainly used by big companies with large audiences, who need an in-depth analytical system to optimize marketing strategies.
Your business might not require that much, and a call centre might be enough. We recommend that organisations assess their customers’ needs and adjust accordingly to determine the right service for their business.
Reach out and tell us what you need today!
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