The Top 5 Industries Capitalizing on Call Center Software
Call centers and related technologies once came with hefty price tags. As a result, only the largest of enterprises and retailers could implement and benefit from them.
Today’s solutions, many of them cloud-based and offered as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), feature more affordable pricing tiers. The effects have been profound. More small- and medium-sized businesses invest in the platforms because of the cost savings, as well as the ability to scale the solutions across their organizations and to increase profitability and growth.
The technologies give greater insight into customers, allowing businesses to deliver best-in-class customer service and experience. In addition, they offer opportunities to better manage data. Many small businesses track customer data via Excel spreadsheets and maybe even a pen-and-paper ledger.
The limitations become self-evident quickly: manual data entry can be effective, but it’s time-consuming and error prone. Plus, it’s hard to update an entry when a customer moves or needs to change a payment method. A physical ledger groans beneath the number of crossed out details and notations in the margins.
The better solution is cloud-based call center technology. Businesses in the following five industries use it to improve efficiency and organizational processes, although they often see other benefits.
Business Process Outsourcing
Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies provide critical services like payroll, human resources (HR) and accounting to clients. If those services go down, the client suffers, regardless of its position in the marketplace. Just because they don’t compete on payroll or accounting doesn’t mean they can go without them; their financial health dictates the ability to meet customer demand and maintain their spot on the leaderboard.
BPO companies facilitate clients’ need with leading call center technologies. Through them, they can guarantee uptime and a timely delivery of services, such as collections or inbound and outbound calls. The BPO company might be behind the scenes, but it makes sure all the hidden machinations critical to success stay in working order.
Healthcare
The healthcare industry, ranging from the hospital to outpatient care and from medical insurance to the local pharmacy, rests upon call center technology; without it, little would be accomplished. Patients wouldn’t know when to arrive for appointments. They would forget to fill a prescription. People might wait on hold for 45 minutes for something as simple as scheduling a follow-up visit.
In healthcare, then, the need isn’t merely for cloud-based call center technology but for a cloud-based blended call center. Healthcare organizations and facilities’ needs are met it with a platform like TCN’s VocalRx. With it, call center agents seamlessly transition between inbound and outbound calls. They are also enabled to manage surveys across communication channels, including telephone and email, as well as payments and collections.
Financial Services
Financial services, which cover everything from financial institutions and banks to lenders, stock brokerages and tax services, also rely on the call center to accomplish their day-to-day tasks. Seasonal demand, i.e., tax season, can affect call volumes, as well as news cycles such as a breaking story about potential fraud or a data breach.
Financial service companies, large or small, take preemptive action with cloud-based call center technology. They scale inbound and outbound calling when a crisis occurs. And, with seasonal needs, they can more accurately forecast and plan for them via the call center platform.
Consulting Services
Consulting services might seem like an odd contender in the call center space, but Software Advice lists it second only to medical. One reason might be the varied client base, which often spans multiple geographic regions.
The second possibility resides in the service itself. The more technical it is, such as geotechnical engineering, the more likely it is it will need a call center platform. It’s that, or have consultants share their cellphone number with clients and be inundated with calls every time a client needs an inspector on-site.
Consulting services can overcome these challenges and potential inefficiencies with cloud-based call center technology. Every point of contact with clients is recorded, ensuring compliance and a record to fall back on. Clients can also call in whenever it’s convenient for them—without inconveniencing the consulting service.
Other Business Services
Any business with an extensive business-to-consumer (B2C) component stands to benefit from cloud-based call center technology. Automobile mechanics, newspaper publications, utility providers and landscaping services all interact with customers routinely, making an on-demand call center an asset rather than a cost.
Many such companies express interest in call center software; according to Software Advice, businesses with as few as 10 employees seek it out. They grasp its benefits, and, thanks to the simplicity and reasonable price afforded by SaaS solutions, they can leverage them. With the solution they increase efficiency, improve operations, and create end-to-end customer experiences that drive loyalty and profitability.
Want to learn more about increasing profits through cloud-based call center software? Download our “Implementing TCN to Increase Profits” eBook to read more!