5 Call Center Setup Mistakes You Can Avoid
Setting up a virtual call center used to be a lot of work. From establishing a budget to purchasing the right technology and hiring a talented staff, your time and energy are put to the test. Because of this, it's easy to overlook small things that can lead to long-term complications.
In this post, we review the top 5 call center setup mistakes, and give you our best tips on how to avoid these pitfalls and build the foundation for a successful, efficient call center.
You Don't Have a Budget
Arguably one of the most important parts of starting a call center is deciding on a budget. This factor will impact everything from the equipment and technology you choose to the staff that you hire. That’s why not having a budget in place is one of the biggest mistakes you could make. Make sure you take the time to establish how much you're willing to spend on staff, software, office space, and other key elements so that you don't run out of budget at the last minute.
Choosing The Wrong Technology
If you've started looking for contact center software, you already know that there are a lot of providers from which to choose. But before you start evaluating individual provides, you need to make an important decision: will you use hosted or on-site call center technology?
Proprietary, on-site call center technology technology typically requires a large upfront investment, primarily for the purchase of on-site equipment. Hosted call center technology is based in the cloud, with technology managed by your provider. You need to fully understand your needs as a company so you choose the solution that makes the most sense for your business model.
Under or Over Staffing Your Call Center
With a new business, you are still learning how to best manage and schedule your staff. You want to make sure your agents aren’t overworked, but you also want to make sure that they handle enough call volume to justify the headcount.
Of course, it's not just about budget; you want to keep your customers in mind as you staff your call center. (Essentially, you need to make sure that you have enough agents on staff to respond to customer calls in a timely fashion.)
So, how do you avoid this call center setup mistake? Use call center management and reporting times to analyze your busiest call times and base your schedule and hiring practices off of this data.
Not Having a Fully Trained Staff
Another thing to keep in mind with your staff of agents is training. Before your new agents field their first call, you want to make sure they’re fully trained on your product or service. That way, they can successfully communicate with your current or potential customers. Use call scripts, implement key performance indicators, and take advantage of call center software features like call monitoring to make sure your agents are following protocol.
You Haven’t Planned For The Future
In the event of a disaster, what will happen to your call center? If there is a fire or a hurricane, will you lose all your data and technology?
What about if you want to grow or scale back your business? Do you have to purchase new equipment and have it installed on your premises every time you add an agent?
These are things you need to keep in mind when choosing the call center software you choose. Cloud-based technology is helpful here because in the event of a disaster, all your information is hosted and thus, accessible anywhere. It’s also extremely scalable, allowing you to make changes to your business as needed.
More Call Center Setup Tips
A call center can be one of the more complicated businesses to get off the ground and running. From the staff, software, technology and budget you’ll need to manage and implement, you’ll spend a lot of time and money making sure that your call center operation runs smoothly. Keep the above mistakes in mind when setting up your call center to ensure that it’s created as successfully as possible.
