Call Center Support

A call center is a physical place where customer and other telephone calls are handled by an organization, usually with some amount of computer automation. Typically, a call center has the ability to handle a considerable volume of calls at the same time, to screen calls and forward those to someone qualified to handle them, and to log calls. Call centers are used by mail-order catalog organizations, telemarketing companies, computer product help desks, and any large organization that uses the telephone to sell or service products and services. Two related terms are virtual call center and contact center. 

When customers experience issues with your product or service, the top priority and main goal is to provide immediate help and consistent answers to prevent negative feedback or product/service returns.

Services

Contact centers run support or help desks, which regularly answers technical questions from customers and assists them using their equipment or software. Support desks are used by companies in the computing, telecommunications and consumer electronics industries.

Dynamics

A contact center supports interaction with customers over a variety of media, including telephony, e-mail, and internet chat. A telephone answering service is a more personalized version of the call center, where agents get to know more about their customers and their callers; and therefore look after calls just as if based in their customers' office. Calls may be inbound or outbound. Inbound calls are made by consumers, for example to obtain information, report a malfunction, or ask for help. In contrast, outbound calls are made by agents to consumers, usually for sales purposes (telemarketing).

Outsourcing

In contrast to in house management, outsourced bureau contact centers are a model of contact center that provide services on a "pay per use" model. The overheads of the contact center are shared by many clients, thereby supporting a very cost effective model, especially for low volumes of calls. Outsourced centers have grown in popularity. There is criticism of the outsourcing model.