Call centers are essential for the operations of many businesses. Although they are essential, they can also be very expensive to run. Running a successful call center to grow the business involves a lot of careful planning.
Saving on call center expenses
There are many ways to save costs on call centers and improve their functioning simultaneously. Here are 12 things to do to save on call center expenses.
Planning Labor costs and Resources
Labor can be the most expensive element of a call center and you need great workforce management to save costs. So, consider having part-time agents if the volumes of workloads fluctuate and you don’t need a full workforce all the time.
Managing Office Space
Office space rent, along with the expenses on lights, computers and desks can add up to a lot. Consider adopting flexible working environments and if the agents can work remotely to cut down on office space costs.
Applying Machine Learning
Machine learning (ML) can help improve productivity and save costs in a call center by working smartly to get more efficiency. It can be used to analyze metric scores and find valuable insights to understand customer experience and figure out the areas for improvement.
Using AI Chatbots and Automated Interactions
Chatbots enable customers to get help at any time even when the agent is not available. These chatbots can work 24/7 and even on holidays and respond quickly to customer concerns. This helps in saving money and time while achieving productivity.
Automating workflows
At call centers, multiple processes need to be completed at the same time. Some critical tasks can be tedious and repetitive. By automating these tasks, you can save time, and money and increase productivity.
Forecasting
Forecasting can help cut costs in many ways. By analyzing the customer interactions, you can determine how long it takes to address specific issues and which are the best agents to deal with them. This can help in saving time as well.
Having Customer Knowledge Bases
Having customer knowledge bases can help resolve issues quickly. Compile a list of most common problems and create articles to resolve them.
Using Omnichannel Platform
With an omnichannel platform, your agents can handle everything in one place and work efficiently.
Improving Resolution Rates
Unresolved issues can be expensive for call centers. Agents should try to close tickets and resolve issues as quickly as possible. Working on improving resolving rates helps the call center maintain efficiency and also improves customer satisfaction.
Reducing Call Handling Time
Try to understand how to improve call handling time by analyzing the reason. You cannot ask agents to just spend less time on calls as it can negatively affect customer satisfaction. The less experienced agents may take up more time on certain issues and should be given simpler tasks till they gain enough experience.
Advancing Call Routing
With advanced call routing, the customer can be routed to the agent expert in resolving the issue that the customer is facing. It helps in increasing productivity and customer satisfaction.
Limiting Tech Vendors
Stick to a limited number of vendors when buying technology for your call center. It can help you save time and money and reduce the stress of dealing with multiple vendors with different contract terms and dates.
