Every call center in the Philippines is a valued contributor to the local outsourcing industry's soaring success in the past few years. Other economies with business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors may wonder about this sudden success from a nation formerly referred to as the "sick man of Asia."
Perhaps a very significant factor that led to the Philippines' leadership in the BPO field is its topnotch customer service. But how exactly do Philippine contact centers elevate customer service?
Putting customers at the center of your business
It always begins with what you put at the center of your business and your goals. If your goal is to just make money out of your customers, then you'll just think of money in every transaction you make with your clients—that's all—and you'll end up focusing more on sales than their satisfaction.
Industry experts urge business owners to have a purpose, a deeper reason to make your business flourish. As a company that provides a service to people, your customers should be the reason why you go to work every day, strive to improve, learn new things, and adopt changes around your niche. With your customers in mind, you'll be surprised to see yourself aiming for their satisfaction on a regular basis, as though it's a natural thing for you to do.Forming a well-trained and more-than-capable staff
Every call center in the Philippines takes the entire hiring process seriously. It plays an essential role in ensuring that the customer support your outsourcing business provides is topnotch. This entails forming a team of dedicated customer service representatives that not only has the sincerity to serve customers but also the willingness to adapt to changes. As such, its members should be handpicked based on communication skills and aptitude for helping people. They must also be trainable and willing to step out of their comfort zones to help the customers.
Your call center representative will be your customer service staff, and having them trained, updated about the latest trends in your niche, and ready to answer any type of call are essential to nailing your goal.Setting standards
All customers know that the moment they dial your hotline number, they are entitled to receive a certain level of support that addresses their concerns and needs. As such, you are required to please and guide them every step of the way by answering their questions and solving their problems in a professional and pleasant way. In addition to these, you may also want to think of unique ways of branding—or a signature twist to your customer service that can set you apart from other BPO companies.Spending extra for customer service
The funny thing is that most business owners are willing to spend thousands and even millions for their sales and advertising strategies, but are reluctant to invest even a small amount to improve their customer service initiatives. You're in a business, so better spend money on satisfying your customers. It'll go back to you, after all. Remember: the income you can get from word of mouth and positive online reputation for making your customers happy is priceless.Testing your own system
While it's no longer a new strategy, it is still effective. Yes, "secret shopping," or in your case, "secret calling" will be a good way to look at your business from the customer's perspective. Or you can hire people to do it for you. You can pretend to be an irate customer and see how it'll go. Through this, you'll be able to see how your staff deals with your clients firsthand, and give you new ideas on how to improve your customer service more.Giving importance to continuity
"Startup excitement" (or having intense focus and sense of business direction only at the beginning of the venture) is a common malady among business owners. The moment their business hits two or three years, or when they obtain their return on investment (ROI) and increase in sales, they stop being overly conscientious about their operations—or worse, they slack off and get contented with what they have.
Continuity is important in any profession, trade, commerce, or any business undertaking. You just don't train your staff once and believe it's already enough, and you don’t focus on the same business strategy again and again. Instead, you must be updated and well-informed about the latest news and trends in your business, niche, and most importantly, your customers. Through these, you'll be able to know which of your strategies needs repetition and which deserves abolition.
Open Access BPO is a fast-rising outsourcing firm located in Makati, Philippines. Know more about our other services by visiting our website or by joining us on Google+.
