Starting the Call Center Operations: What You Should Know

Call Centre- Components- Call center companies normally employ VOIP as the technology solution to support large scale operations. Call center provides seamless integration of all customer touch points aiming to improve access to information with reduced delay in accessing information. Latest call center business enables speech recognition; speech enabled intelligent routing/menu-driven/queue based routing with screen pop-ups with caller information and subject information.

1. Equipment

Call center operations require a telecommunication network to be set up which necessitates connection of a caller with an employee in a contact center. Components are as follows.

Key definitions:

a. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) - PSTN forms the global network of circuit-switched telephones. PSTN supports circuit switched voice communication. 

b. Router-Router is equipment used to transfer data packets over networks.

c. Long Distance Carrier (LDC) connection- It involves using service of a telecom company which provides connections between local exchanges which are located in different geographic areas.

d. Ethernet Switch- Ethernet switch is employed to build a network which allows seamless exchange between computers on a network

e. Modem- Modem enables a computer to send/receive data over leased telephone/cable lines.

f. Server- Server handles computing requests across a computer network and works on client-server architecture.

2. Software

You may also need a call center software to work along with hardware components:

a. An organization intending to start the call center kind or business or wants to upgrade to a more rugged solution which provides advanced auto/predictive dialer, conferencing solution, advanced PBX functions and features, and dialer for inbound and outbound traffic. Some solutions come with its own advanced dialers for agents to make and receive calls; transfer calls; keep clients on hold and majority of other functions without necessarily getting a third party dialer. It is always cost effective to get a call center solution that has its own built-in dialer so that you may not have to  deal with many unsecured third party dialers on the market.

3. Hardware for hosting a call center operation:

a. Local Area Network(LAN):

b. Server to host the operation. One can get this from a colocation company scattered around the world.

Some selected features of a good call center software/operation you may look out for:

Agents features

- Agent authentication

- Agent service based on multiple skills

- Screen popup

- Call answer call hold, call transfer

- Notify hold time in queue

- Mini dashboard

- Talk to agent/supervisor

- Notify caller priority

- Notify caller language

- Call recording

- Answering machine detection

- CRM integration with fully customizable GUI and scripts

Administrative features

- Manage agent account 

- View reports

- Manage trunk

- Monitor running calls, queue and agent

- Real time statistics

- Create/Edit IVR menu

- Manage supervisor account 

- Perform backup

Supervisory features

- Monitor skills, running calls and agents

- Access CDR

- Live call monitoring and listening

- Talk to agent

- View reports

- Access on interactive dashboard

- Whisper to agent

- Multiple supervisors

- Access into voice log

- Queue Calls with custom Music On Hold or Pre-recorded messages.

- Single Extension or Batch of Extensions creation.

- Forward to agent on answer without playing IVR OR forward to agent with IVR on key press.

Business Scenarios that potential/existing call center owners may target:

- Automated Telemarketing

- Enterprise-grade Message Broadcasting

- Business to Business (B2B) lead generations 

- Interactive Voice Broadcasting/Press 1 Campaign type etc.

- Customer Phone Surveys or Collections

- Polling Auto Dialer

- Mass Communications or Notifications

- Political Voice Broadcast

- Phone Reminders

- Community and Emergency Alerts

- Many More

Call center businesses should aim to improve customer service, maximize productivity, flexibility and low operational costs. This can be achieved by contacting an organization with a lot experience in this industry that have clients interest as topmost priority.

About Us:

New Concept Technologies (NCT) is a leading application development and telecommunication company  based in two countries with resellers representatives around the world. NCT has been an innovative powerhouse in communication technologies, VoIP services and products since 2008.

Since inception, our strategic advantages have been our expertise, creativity and technical competence. We enable ITSPs to deliver the highest levels of performance and quality using our carrier grade, reliable and scalable systems.

Our passion at NCT is to facilitate wise technology investment decisions that provide a measurable return on investment to our clients. 

Contact NCT for any VoIP Softswitch, Class 4/5 Softswitch, Calling Card solution (PIN, PINless and Mobile App/Dialers for Android and iOS), Advanced PBX solution, Complete Call Center solution, Advanced Auto/Predictive Dialers, Customized IVR Solution, Conference Software, Mobile Top Up Solution, Call Termination/Origination, Bulk SMS Marketing Software, IVR/DID Management, Chat and Click to Call solutions.