Coronavirus or COVID-19 as it is being referred popularly, has posed a great big threat globally. Every sector, be it government, healthcare, industrial and so on, has been falling off its perch due to the panic-stricken atmosphere propagated by the virus. The LeadsRain team would firstly like to address this concern by saying that it is a time to stand united and follow necessary precautions to avoid the spread of this virus any further. Health comes before everything, and we hope that our readers are in the best of shape.
But just how the pandemic has changed our lifestyle, it brings along the inconveniences and challenges at the workplace. Many countries are taking measures to lockdown and quarantine the citizens for long periods, and recommending work-from-home culture.
In such a state, a major set-back is faced by work setups like the call-center where the employees are bound by their physical presence at these centres. In this dilemma, the company cannot risk the lives of their call-centre workforce, and at the same time cannot allow this to affect the business.
Today, call-centre setup is used by numerous industries as help centres, guidance or even for making purchases among other uses. Not to forget that during times of crisis like these, calls made to helplines are high. With a work-from-home culture enforced, all these activities will come to a standstill and hamper the business, bringing tonnes of losses. If you are a brand who is going through similar concerns, you must continue to read.
LeadsRain is here with a solution for those who are expecting to shut down their call-centres with no alternatives in mind. The solution is also applicable to NGOs, hospitals and government bodies expecting to send messages and take distress calls. The Cloud-based Predictive Dialer allows your call-centre setup to become remotely accessible. In other words, the callers will not be confined to a single location and can go on with their daily calling and receiving calls from anywhere in the world, including their homes.
It is understood that a call-centre setup cannot be effectively designed for mobile agents. You may be right, which is why we recommend that before adopting this model, you take a couple of necessary steps.
- In the age of technology, this remote working is possible only through a certain device such as a laptop or a PC. Ensure that all your workforce who will work from home, be well-equipped with such devices.
- Maintain a list of details that the agents will come across or will have to address on the course of their calls so that the agents are well-informed about how they must assist the callers. This will avoid the unnecessary transfer of call to higher levels, and the caller can be satisfied instantly at the first stage itself.
Here is how it can assist in maintaining the functionality of every call centre model.
Helpline
In these difficult times, the helpline number must be readily addressed and must provide the necessary details to the callers. Additionally, calls to various industries, asking for further assistance or information, will be made in abundance. This makes it all the more necessary to keep as many employees behind the phone as possible.
One of the simplest functions of the Predictive Dialer is that it will direct the calls effectively to the idle agent so the caller does not have to wait long hours to get his call answered. This feature can be added with a pre-recorded message as well that will play when the call is made, so basic information is provided instantly, and hence, for further information they can remain on call. This is because most of the time, the callers during a crisis will have similar questions. Identify these questions and record the message to play when every call is made to avoid wasting of time and prompt response.
Summary
1. Selectively assigning calls
2. Pre-recorded message
Guidance
Many industries would use this particular application where callers address a specific query from a vast chunk of options. For instance, let’s say that a travel company is facing issues regarding holiday packages or bookings. The issues are of a vast variety, leading from individual flight bookings and cancellations, package details, making changes to the plan, specific requirements for the tour and so on. In this case, a ‘press-1’ campaign can be assigned.
Working from home; this would require the company to segregate the employees addressing the specific issues and give them the guidelines accordingly. Smartly allocating your resources could bring better yields than hardcore donkey-work.
With the press-1 campaign, callers, on calling, will be asked to pick their area of concern by pressing on the number, based on the segregation of your liking. On pressing that extension, the call will be forwarded to the agent who is addressing only those specific concerns.
Summary
1. Segregation of calls
2. Agents category
Sales Driven
For a sales-driven campaign during the Coronavirus outbreak, nothing will be different from a regular call-centre setup, provided that the agents are equipped with the necessary technology. Different companies have a different sales-driven call-centre setup but all of it can be achieved through the Cloud Predictive Dialer.
Just like a regular call-centre, you can feed the data on the Predictive Dialer dashboard in a few simple steps and engage the agents with the calls. Throughout the day, the software will make the calls to the enlisted numbers and once the call goes through, it will connect the agent with the recipient on the other side. Not only does this save time, it also makes the agents work at their maximum potential by reducing idle time. Its smart call-allocation algorithm will detect the agent who has remained idle for the longest and once a call goes through, it will connect them on a priority basis, thus optimizing the output of the workforce.
Summary
1. Prompt call dialing
2. Dynamic call allocation
These, and many more types of setups can be achieved through the predictive dialer and its endless modification possibilities. Businesses may also use a cross-channel approach, using other services like the Rich Text message or ringless voicemail while using the predictive dialer to allow for a more organized information sharing experience.
LeadsRain’s service ensures that this work-from-home culture will not let businesses compromise on their customers, most of whom rely on your brand during these times. Remember that these are the times where people cannot afford the luxury. Essentially meaning that if your company starts receiving increased phone calls during this time, your solution is perhaps on which aligns with the current needs and hence, your company must do everything to help people in these distressing times.