Inbound Campaigns

[Mark Sammons]

So, Joe requested something on inbound campaigns. Well, that topic is pretty wide open. I guess one could talk about technology; anything from CRMs to KBs and FAQs to auditing. One could also talk about processes or policies. Or, one could mention the necessity for hiring the right person and training. I could go on and on about the paradox of the client and the outsourcer in tech support world. The client is focused on call avoidance while the outsourcer only gets paid when the phone rings. And, I haven't even scratched the surface.

My expertise was in a technical support inbound center. I spent some time with some inbound sales campaigns, but support is really more of a challenge to me (no offense to sales groups). In support, the rules are easy - answer the phone quickly, and solve the problem quickly. Oh yeah, and sprinkle-in some empathy, call control, and niceness. But - that's really tech support 101. I should hope that everyone has that part down. Although, those basics seem to be a struggle at times, as well.

But how does a call center take that quantum leap over other call centers? How does a campaign differentiate itself from others and win more call volume? I don't believe in one silver bullet to solve that conundrum. I mean, everything considered, a call center has to be executing on the basics in order to even be in the position to ask that question, right? Basics like - schedule adherence, low turnover, good first time resolve metrics, good service level numbers, etc. Once a center has those basics down, the next key piece is accountability. What does that mean? It means that every single phone call is being monitored. It means that if an agent doesn't solve the problem, the customer will be able to get back to the same agent. It means regular monitoring (auditing) and coaching. It means the team leaders are freed-up to coach and mentor. have you ever heard of the education campaign the US gevernment developed called "no child left behind?" Well, what I'm talking about here is "no customer left behind." Customers need a life-line. Agents need ownership.

Sounds good, but does it work? The answer is an emphatic YES. My call center in the Philippines had customer satisfaction scores that were as good as onshore sites. I could go into all the statistical anlyses, but I don't want to bore folks.

Is there a downside? Well, I would say there is a slight downside. These processes that produce accountability aren't free. One has to pay for measures to outbound and check on customers, extra headcount to monitor and record, extra tools for recording and auditing, and others.

I guess you have to ask yourself - do you want to blend-in with all the other call centers and provide mediocre service? Or, do you want to stand-out from the pack and provide stellar service and get the cream-of-the-crop, high margin campaigns? The answer will tell you whether or not you should add-in accountability.

Please tell me your thoughts.