There are two major types of call centers: inbound and outbound
When we discuss call centers, there are two major types out there. In inbound call centers, calls are made to your business by leads or customers who want more info about what your product does or may have an interest in your services. Since people are calling you, you need to be prepared for different caller profiles.
On the other hand, outbound call centers are where your sales reps make calls to convert sales. Targeted calls can be a great income generator for some businesses. Beyond that, let’s look at some of the other differences between the two and why you may pick one over the other.
Kinds of Services Offered
An inbound call center can offer excellent customer service to help reinforce your brand. You can also offer product or technical support if you have products or services that could require some troubleshooting. Leads may call and ask about specific features, pricing, or just how something works. There will be some opportunities for sales as well, though they’re limited since you have to wait for people to call you.
Outbound centers can offer more direct services, like customer success, different from customer service in that it’s a proactive attempt to get customer feedback. Scheduling calls with customers can help you get market data about how your customers feel.
Software Features
Each kind of call center leverages its own technologies to increase efficiencies. An inbound call center uses Interactive Voice Response technology. In this telephone menu, callers can hit certain buttons to get to certain sections of the process, preventing anyone from wasting their time. Call tracking is another great piece of tech where you can gain insights into who is calling you and when.
Outbound call centers may use automatic dialers, helping you sift through the huge number of contacts you’ll be using by connecting a rep from customer to customer. Predictive dialers can be another factor, which help cut out unanswered calls and keep everyone productive.
Ease of Sales
Remember that inbound callers are looking for solutions, so they likely already have an interest in your product or services. It’s just a matter of giving them the right amount of customer service and helping guide them toward a satisfactory solution for both you and them.
Outbound leads might not know who you are or what you do. Granted, an outbound call center can do market research and help ensure you’re calling your market audience, you’re nonetheless working harder to make those sales even though it’s a more targeted sales approach.
Contact TeleRep For Call Center Services Today!
If you are ready to install a call center service for your business, TeleRep is here to help. If you still have more questions, our trained professionals are ready to answer them. We know how important customer feedback is to you and your business, so let them know that you care with an answering service. To learn how TeleRep can help you today, visit us online or give us a call at 1-800-638-2000. To keep up with our work and to see what we have been up to, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.