Evolution from cost centres to revenue centre
The wave of converting call centres from cost centres to revenue centres has reached Pakistan with its full strength. And to get maximum results from the revenue centres, corporate sector has already started introducing call centres as contact centres.
There is absolutely no doubt that the Pakistani industry does not own any contact centre which fulfills the criteria of being a true contact centre. However they still manage to earn money for the organisations. The operators of the cellular industry are particularly very ambitious in achieving their targets through this domain. They save the cost by outsourcing contact centres and generate revenue by upselling their value added services through outbound and inbound calling teams. They have attractive products to offer, trained staff to present it and efficient people to follow up and analyse the trend. They make sure that the contact centre keeps generating revenue along with resolving customers’ issues.
This transition has opened a multilayered debate at corporate level, such as; is the industry ready for the transition?
Most organisations, especially, the cellular industry is successfully generating revenue through their outbound and inbound operations. Outbound teams of contact centres are normally used for the same purpose however there are still few large scale organisations which do not have a proper revenue generating system through inbound operation.
How do they generate revenue?
Call centres were used for inbound calls only where agents would resolve customers’ issues by maintaining their average handling time and by showing highest standards of courtesy. The trend has changed now and the contact centres are moving from helping customers to offering different products. Upselling is the only tool of generating revenue from contact centres. However to keep it cost effective, they offer a product which is already liked by a majority of the customers and they are not hesitant in spending money on that product. These products are earning millions of dollars for organisations.
Structured Upselling
The cellular industry is more structured in offering personalised services to the customers. They collect data about a customer’s usage and check his trend before designing a product or a service. Once they design it according to the need of a specific segment of the customers, they offer it to them as the product actually suits the customer and this generates better sales.
Through Outbound & Inbound
The success ratio of upselling through outbound channels is more than that of inbound channels; however organisations are focused on increasing the ratio of success at inbound channels as well. The targets of revenue generation will be multiplied if organisations use inbound channels more effectively. It is one of the most cost effective ways of upselling where agents do not have to contact the customer and convince him to purchase the product but customer initiates contact with the agents and can easily be guided about the product and its benefits. How to upsell through inbound contact centres. Organisations need to train their agents on every product they are going to launch and especially on the USPs (Unique Selling Proposition) of all the products they offer. They need to guide their agents to be as creative as they can in developing their own ways of upselling, designing USPs and having an attractive sales pitch.
Good News for Contact Centre Employees
The contact centre industry is famous for its high turnover, and jobs are always at stake. However it has an edge on other customer care domains in that it works round the clock and can earn money without a break and keep on generating revenue. The good news for contact centre employees is this that as long as they are generating revenue, there is absolutely no threat to their jobs.
The future is definitely promising for the contact centre industry.
The writer works as a training specialist AT mobilink pakistan
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2011.
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good article ahmad fuad....but i think up selling of a product in inbound is may be useful/acceptable for a particular class of people but not for all. If i am a customer who is approaching a contact center for my any type of issue/concern i will be more focused on my issue resolution rather than any product or service. All the USP's will be useful if my first concern will be resolved. Do you think after 10-15 minutes waiting time to connect with contact center employ, have i stamina to listen him???..... it may b enough to annoyed me. If an organization wants to make its contact center an useful revenue center so it should have some positive or basic changes in its structure or customer's handling methods, some most experienced & trained employees will be needed to up sell their products regarding customer's mood. We should not forget that contact center is to fulfill customer need first.