Engaging a call center can be a smart move to handle your phone traffic professionally and improve your customer contact. Whether you choose an inbound call center for incoming phone calls or an outbound call center for telephone acquisition and sales, outsourcing your phone calls can save your organization a lot of time and money. But what should you look for when choosing an external call center? Here are some important considerations and tips for hiring a call center that fits your wants and needs.

Advantages of outsourcing to a call center

  • Professional telephone operators A call center has experienced telephone operators who are trained to speak to customers professionally. This ensures a better customer experience and a representative image of your company.
  • Flexibility and scalability Whether you are a small entrepreneur or lead a large organization, a call center offers the flexibility to handle peaks in phone traffic and guarantee your accessibility, even outside office hours.
  • Cost efficiency With outsourcing to a call center, you can convert fixed costs into variable costs. You only pay for the services you need, such as answering phone calls or generating sales leads through telephone sales.
  • More languages, more possibilities Many call centers offer support in multiple languages, ideal for companies that are active internationally.

Important considerations when engaging a call center

1. Quality and reputation

Ask for references and read reviews from other companies that use the call center. If necessary, call the customer service yourself to experience the quality.

2. Services and specializations

Determine which services you need. Do you want to have incoming phone calls handled, or are you looking for an outbound call center for telemarketing and telephone acquisition? Make sure the call center agents have experience in your industry.

3. Opening hours and time zones

Check if the call center can offer your desired accessibility. Some call centers are available 24/7, while others offer specific time packages, such as office hours or evening shifts. By setting time zones on your phone number, we can easily forward calls to call centers in other countries. For example, do you want to be accessible late in the evening? Then consider a call center in the Antilles or India.

4. Costs and subscriptions

Pay attention to the price structure and ask for a free trial period to test the service. See what is included in the rate, such as reports, call routing or customization options.

5. Capacity and flexibility

How many phone calls do you expect? Make sure the call center has sufficient capacity and is flexible to handle peaks. At Belfabriek, for example, you can forward your phone number to multiple call centers to find the best match.

6. Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A good SLA provides clarity about response times, accessibility and performance. This allows you to measure the quality of the service and make adjustments where necessary.

Outsourcing a call center: How do you find the right partner?

Finding the right call center starts with a shortlist. Ask business partners for recommendations and look at specialized providers online. Consider the following factors:

  • Experience in your industry: Choose a call center that specializes in your sector.
  • Personal click: Schedule an introductory meeting to see if the working method fits your organization.
  • Customization options: Make sure the call center is flexible and offers services that meet your needs.

By activating your phone number at Belfabriek, you can easily switch between different call centers and always make the best choice.

The future of call centers

Call centers have made great technological leaps in recent decades thanks to service numbers, national numbers, smart routing systems, VoIP and web-based telephony. More changes will take place in the coming years.

Call centers are increasingly evolving into contact centers. The main difference between call centers and contact centers is that a call center only handles phone calls, while a contact center supports multiple channels, such as chats, e-mails and social media interactions. Customer interactions via social media are increasing. Companies that actively communicate via these channels gain sympathy and loyalty. Smartphones, the internet and tablets give consumers more control over how they seek contact, which offers unique opportunities for companies that respond to this.

Request a number from Belfabriek

With a virtual phone number from Belfabriek, you can easily forward calls to any desired call center and flexibly outsource (part of) your phone calls. This gives you the opportunity to test multiple call centers and easily switch if necessary. This gives you maximum freedom of choice and you can choose a solution that fits your specific needs.

Good luck finding your call center!