It`s not really necessary to discuss the role of call centres in driving e-commerce. Anyone with a smidgen of business sense and a nose for the smell of cold hard cash can tell you that call centres are it, when it comes to a sales channel with which most people are comfortable, and through which they`ve shopped before.
What I want to know from businesses with which I communicate and perhaps transact, is not that there is a call centre in place to handle my query, but that it will do so quickly and efficiently.
Basheera Khan, Journalist, ITWeb
Indeed, it`s not much of a surprise that in this country, retail call centres are generally more lucrative than their Internet counterparts. So far though, my experience has been that the telesales/call centre channel has yet to be exploited to the fullest effect.
It`s strange that while call centres and the implementation and use thereof are key business strategy points, and while major companies worldwide are adamant about the need for this channel, the actual benefit that there is to be had from optimum use of the channel is either not fully realised, or not completely acted upon.
Eastern flavour
The call centre capital of the world used to be Ireland, but the focus is rapidly shifting to India. For example, Dell Computer plans a call centre in India to support its US home and small-business customers. Dell is one of a growing number of blue chip multinational firms doing business in India.
The benefits are obvious: it`s cheaper, there`s no shortage of human capital, and with VOIP technology being what it is, any enterprising individual could set up a call centre in his or her own home - depending on the legislative climate in any particular telecoms industry, of course.
What I want to know from businesses with which I communicate and perhaps transact, is not that there is a call centre in place to handle my query, but that it will do so quickly, efficiently, and above all, will leave me with a sense of value attached to the call centre channel. In turn, quality of service hinges upon the infrastructure across which the service is provided.
Entertaining call
Case in point - I phoned the Ster-Kinekor booking line a while back, and had a very interesting conversation with the call centre operator who had taken my call. This was necessary to while away the minutes that dragged by as my operator - let`s call him Bob - battled to coax the crawling Internet connection to the ticket-booking engine into serving back results. After two failed attempts - at significant personal cost to me, I might add - he advised me to book offline, in the cinema itself.
Now, how exactly does an event such as that help Ster-Kinekor maintain the image of an entertainment company that understands the importance of convenience in their customers` lives?
I won`t even mention the medical aid scheme whose recorded introduction to the call centre droned on about policy changes for a good five minutes, before then allowing the caller to request emergency medical services.
Ultimately, any company providing any product or service can have a direct impact on a customer`s perceived quality of life - as long as they understand the value of information they have on record relating to that customer. It`s an old lament, but one which I regret to imagine will be around for a while longer.
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