THE CALL CENTER HISTORY
Operation CALL CENTER
-why, when, how-
Individuals have been selling and promoting services and products via calls since telephones were invented. Back in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell patented the first prototype of something we will later call telephone. This technology innovation was a great opportunity for businesses to grow and develop themselves based on a new customer-network, using new ways to contact and persuade their clients.
The myth about opening the first Call Centre tracks us back in 1973, when Rockwell was known to build this type of technology for Continental Airlines, with help of which, customers were able to book their flights using this revolutionary method. Few years after, British Gas developed the first multi-lingual Call Center, both English and Welsh, by contacting up to 20.000 individuals per week.
The origin of this famous activity tracks us back in the 50s, when the first agents were actually housewives. Can you believe it? Those ladies worked form their own home, by calling all their friends, relatives or neighbours in order to sell all that delicious home baked goods. How? By using strategies, we today call telemarketing and telesales. Even if the housewives had no You Tube tutorials or trainings, no LinkedIn Accounts and definitely no Facebook, they managed to take it to the next level.
Twenty years later, back in the 70s, the development of Wide Area Telephone Service was allowing companies to dial across the country with charges based on geography, but the introduction of the toll-free 800 number was the most important change regarding inbound Call Center agents. Consumers were able to respond to advertisements for free, imagine how shocked they would feel hearing about the free internet, the great mobile deals and the fact that in 2018 humans are more or less replaced by robots and voice apps, which are far much cheaper.
Call Centers continued and continue to flourish until today. The day-to-day tasks of an agent, his skill level, will always have a huge impact on an organization being excellent…or simply average. This is the reason why Consilo´s team works daily to develop skills and train them in order to deliver nothing but excellenceJ. Consilo is one of the 100% Romanian companies, that continues to keep up with huge competitors, even multinationals. How that? We are simply passionate about what we are doing!
On the one hand, the outsourcing of different Call Center services helps and will always help companies, it does not matter if small, medium or large, to optimise costs and to improve the relationship with their customers. On the other hand, one of the most important role of a Call Center is selling: both telesales and telemarketing are clever ways to sell and promote products/services, by answering the needs of the client as direct and fast as possible.
Lately, almost every company should think and take fast steps in the outsourcing direction, because it is proven that the conversion rate (contacted customers vs. sales) is much more efficient. Along with the evolution of laws and technology, Call Center and distance selling businesses adapted themselves to the legal norms and got more effective:
Own data center, high-end electronics and latest version softs;
Own Web based Apps, designed to deliver live information about its activity;
Special training programs for tech development and more;
Specialised human resources, competent to bring value to the required activity;
Strong internal structures and fine built procedures which help the achievement of every set goal.
Keep in mind, leading in business means also learning to delegate, outsource some parts of your activities. It helps you focus on your real deal and real deals bring real money.
Let us finish this week with at least one more reason to laugh!
“Customer: “Do I need a computer to use your software?” Tech Support: …?!%#$”
Customer: “I’ve been ringing your call centre on 0700 2300 for two days. I can’t get through to enquiries, can you help?” Operator: “Where did you get that number from, sir?” Customer: “It was on the door to the travel centre.” Operator: “Sir, they are our opening hours.”
Your Friend in Business,
Consilo WEB
