Why call centers in the Philippines must not live on technology alone

Wednesday, January 29, 2014



In 2013, call centers in the Philippines were shaken by the buzzphrase "multi-channel customer service." It wasn't really a new thing per se, but it indubitably shifted the mindset of contact center business owners to a different way of thinking.

Telephones have found partners in software, as call centers began incorporating chat, email, and social media to their business strategies. Now, the existence of technology in a contact center environment becomes a major and even an invaluable requirement.

Technology's importance to improve customer service has been a concern ever since call centers existed. Over the years, we've seen how call centers clamor for upgrading their systems to make customers happy. Technologies such as Intelligent Call-Back, Universal Queuing, Data Center Automation, and Interactive Video are some results of this.

In general, this universal campaign for incorporating new technology has failed miserably to industry experts. They say that brands don't really get their customers satisfied. On the other hand, in the standpoint of customers themselves, there are only a few brands that deliver good customer service despite their adherence to technology.

Up until today, only a few customers are convinced that this incorporation of technology to boost customer service has already gotten a long way.

So where do brands fall short?

Technology can improve customer service.
But if there's no "customer satisfaction" in mind, it won't happen.


For so long, the customer service industry has convinced itself, and propagated even, that it knows what consumers want and need. They unveil marketing researches of all sorts using flow charts and diagrams, convincing business entities around them that numbers do not—and will not—lie.

There's a difference in how customer service is done today. Companies say that they deliver customer service, but they fall short in empowering their customers to actually believe it.

Most brands do not "walk the talk," which shows that they're missing a lot in believing themselves. So how would customers believe them if that's case?

Walking that talk


Call centers must put customer in front of their marketing aspirations, goals, and strategies. What does a person do to make the most important person in his life happy? Simple: he does everything to make him "more than contented"—whatever it takes, whatever the cost is.

Brands and contact centers must learn how to listen sincerely—both to feedback on social media and to call transactions. There must be a comprehensive engagement plan in form of rewards and other customer-centered services that will make them come back, needless to mention loyal followers.

In short, all marketing efforts must be directed to forming real relationships with the customers, and not just to earning immense amount of income from sales. Because when consumer relationship is established, money will naturally follow.

To the businesses


Businesses that want to seek customer service aid from different call centers in the Philippines must not look at the call center's arsenal of technology alone. Partnering with somebody who understands how advance equipment and software could elevate employee performance is one thing, and looking at the contact center business owner's attitude, mindset, and care for customers is another. But the former needs the latter to actually become a powerful and effectual business strategy.