Inbound Call Centre

An inbound call center is one that exclusively or predominately handles inbound calls -that is-calls initiated by the customer rather than outbound calls. A call center may handle either only inbound or outbound calls or might deal with a combination of both.

Inbound Call Centre Services

Inbound call centre services deal with calls made by the consumer to obtain information, report a problem or request for assistance. For inbound services, the subscriber typically provides a toll-free number - with an 800 or 888 prefix so that the caller does not incur a toll charge. These types of services are crucial to most major businesses, such as mail-order catalogue firms and utility companies and. These entail a great deal of maintenance and cost for the business. Outsourcing these tasks to call centres is a sound business approach.

Inbound call centre representatives undergo intensive training to prepare them for undertaking the following inbound services -

1. Customer services
This forms an essential part of a company's value proposition, these involve activities that enhance your customer satisfaction, with the aspiration of going beyond their expectations.
2. Lead Generation
Lead generation involves gathering data on prospective consumer interest in products or services. This data can then be applied by company's sales force as a means of generating sales opportunities.

3. Order-taking
Order taking call centre services enables maximisation of resources by allowing customers to call a number to speak to a live person and ask questions. Agents are usually well trained for handling such calls, taking orders and can additionally even up sell or cross-sell in the process.
4. Tech Support
This involves services for assisting customers in solving specific problems associated with a particular product.

5. Sales and up sells
Agents are normally trained to market and sell additional products and services with higher values than those currently being purchased or subscribed to by the customer.
6. Help Desk Services
This is an information and assistance resource that answers common inquiries about products or services.

7. Appointment Setting
This is an effective marketing tool for contractors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, financial planners and service oriented businesses.

8. Surveys
Surveys are undertaken by social scientists, pollsters, marketing researchers, and statisticians. Surveys ascertain the numbers and proportions involving products and ascertain public opinion on new products or services.

9. Market Research
This process enables systematically gathering, recording and analyzing data about customers, competitors and your product's niche. Market research is essential for creating most business plans, launching new products and services, fine tuning existing ones, expanding into new markets, etc