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EasyIVR Tech Library
Telephone Answering Services
This section of our technical library presents information and documentation relating to answering service systems and phone answering services. At Database Systems Corp. (DSC), we offer complete inbound call center and outbound automated phone services. Our inbound call center processes phone calls using our interactive voice response (IVR) system that answers calls without an operator.
Organizations looking to reduce costs and to improve customer service can now contract their inbound 800 phone services and outbound voice messaging programs at our automated call center facility.
As designers of call answering systems and phone answering service software, DSC is uniquely positioned to manage your call answering service and 800 number service campaigns saving your organization both time and money. Because our phone answering service software was created in-house, we can deliver comprehensive IVR consulting and IVR design services quickly -- providing you with a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
From external database access to web integration including XML messaging, DSC can provide very custom phone applications. Plus you will find our 800 phone service to be quite affordable.
Increase Sales by Customer Support Outsourcing
The following is an extract from the article entitled "How to increase sales by outsourcing customer support" by Randi Rowe from techrepublic.com.
"You’ve convinced customers that shopping online beats sitting in traffic. They understand that their credit card numbers are secure. Customers are visiting your site, browsing the inventory, and placing items in shopping carts. But they don’t seem to buy as much as they do in brick and mortar stores, and they leave many items in the carts without buying.
In fact, two-thirds of electronic shopping carts do not result in sales, according to a survey from Net Effect Systems.
Perhaps that’s because electronic shopping lacks the personal touch. “Being able to hear a voice is comforting to some,” said Jane Tsai, director of marketing at People Support, a firm that provides customer support to e-commerce sites.
Adding the personal touch can be a tough hurdle for many companies. Both information technology and human resources present challenges. That may be why the e-customer support industry is growing so fast. Here’s what you need to know to make this new outsourcing market work for you.
Boosting sales with online service
One company has found success offering e-commerce clients the customer service they’re lacking in-house. “The feedback we’ve gotten is incredible,” said Rita Meyerson, public relations director for Live Person, a provider of live chat technology that started in late 1998 and currently has more than 300 customers.
Live Person claims it helps increase its clients’ sales by 25 to 35 percent. One reason for the boost in sales: Online representatives suggest additional products that may interest the customer. Plus, the technology increases the productivity of the online representatives. They can effectively conduct conversations with four customers simultaneously. It’s not so difficult when you consider that typically 70 percent of all chat questions can be answered with pre-formatted responses.
Productivity also increases because the customer service representatives can perform other tasks while waiting for a customer who wants to chat. A pop-up window comes onto the rep’s screen when a customer needs attention.
During one chat dialogue, a Live Person representative at a sporting goods Web site answered questions and recommended products. At the end of the conversation, the rep successfully closed a $12,000 online order with an international customer. Besides bringing in a huge sale, the call also decreased expenses for the order; because the sale was an e-commerce transaction, the company avoided paying international phone toll charges.
The service benefits the customer too. They don’t have to wait for a clerk in a store or wait for an operator on an 800 number. Furthermore, the company avoids the expense of paying for each phone call. Live Person also manages the server on which the technology operates, so the client’s IT department isn’t saddled with a new project. Typically, the service can be up and running on a Web site within 24 hours.
Hiring qualified e-reps
People Support often has clients request that People Support use operators from the client’s firm, and sometimes the People Support reps are added to the client’s existing staff of customer service representatives. Either way, all of People Support’s representatives are trained extensively, learning about the client’s culture and concerns as well as the latest technology.
Overall, People Support has created an efficient hiring and training system. The company is located near the University of CA and three other major universities. From these, it recruits many college students or recent graduates.
To bring in high-quality job candidates, People Support offers higher pay than a typical call center, and it offers stock options. This is a major benefit in a high-growth firm. For every job opening, the company receives about twenty resumes...."
To view the entire article, please contact Randi Rowe at www.techrepublic.com. Randi Hicks Rowe is a writer and communications consultant in Washington D.C. She specializes in business-to-business communications, including financial services and technology.
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