By 2024, the global call center market is expected to grow to a staggering $484 billion as businesses prioritize customer-focused services.
Call centers promise businesses increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and a better professional image. Perhaps you want to open a call center but you’re not sure where to start.
Sounds familiar? If yes, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to start a call center business.
Determine Your Goals
The first stage of the process is to create a robust call center business plan. Consider the call center set up costs, your target market, how much you can charge customers, and your business’s name.
Drawing up a plan is key because it breaks down your progress into smaller chunks so they’re easier to achieve. Make sure you constantly refer to them so you can gradually chip away at them.
You should also identify the type of call center you want to be. For instance, you could either cold call prospects with telesales offers or help resolve customer issues. Once you have an idea, it’ll help you choose a location, determine the technology you need, and the types of candidates you can reach.
Note that it will take around six months to open a call center so make sure you consider these realistic time frames for your new business.
Decide Your Budget
Before figuring out how to get contracts for call centers, establish your budget. Work out how much you can realistically spend on your call center to determine how many employees to hire, the size of your office, and the type of technology to use. For instance, if you don’t have the budget for an on-site call center then ask employees to work remotely instead.
Still overwhelmed? Then check out these tips to build a successful call center without breaking the bank.
Find a Suitable Location
When you consider the location of your call center you may want to learn how to start a call center business in the Philippines. Offshore call centers are popular because there are minimal startup costs, favorable corporate laws, and lower salaries. But it’s wise to hire a local lawyer so you understand the costs and permissions you need with the country you’ve chosen.
Form a Legal Entity
Before you can rake in a huge call center business profit is forming a legal entity. You can choose between becoming a sole proprietorship, corporation, or limited liability company. This is a crucial step because it means if a customer sues then you aren't personally liable so your assets are safe.
Register for Taxes
You must also register for state and federal taxes before opening day. To do this, apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and then open up a business bank account. Again, this will protect your assets should a problem arise.
Get the Right Tools
Your call center must have the right tools so that it runs smoothly. Instead of a regular system, you’ll need a dedicated business one so you can handle a huge influx of calls. You can choose between a PBX system, IP PBX, and Virtual VoIP (voice over internet protocol) so your business can operate.
It’s also wise to invest in a customer relationship management (CRM) system so your team can easily save and access client records.
Build Your Team
To find the most qualified candidates for your call center, create a strong recruitment process. If you’ve got a physical location then target people in your city whereas virtual call centers are open to the whole world. Hiring remote candidates can be risky because you can’t monitor them so hire these candidates on a part-time basis to test them first.
Whichever you are, give candidates an assignment before you offer the job as it’ll determine their skill level. Plus, you can decide whether they align with your company culture. Make sure that your candidates are confident, pay attention to detail, and are empathetic to customers’ problems.
Your budget will determine how many employees you can hire but to save costs, consider hiring a mix of trainees and experienced agents. This means your expert employees can guide newbies through the process.
Prioritize Employee Training
Nearly 94 percent of employees would stay longer at companies that invest in their professional development. Because of this, you should offer your team regular training so they can develop their skill set.
Go over recorded phone calls with trainees so they know what they should and shouldn’t do. You should also show the team how to use the different tools in the call center so they’re confident in the role.
Regularly Measure Your Center's Performance
The key to a successful call center is using metrics to measure how well it’s running. For instance, check how many customers are abandoned in the queue, the average handle time, and median talk time.
When you pinpoint areas that you’re slacking then it’ll be easier to end them. So if you’re getting too many missed calls either hire a receptionist or get a system dedicated to quickly answering and forwarding it to the right agent. As a result, customers will be happier and you’ll increase profits.
That's How to Start a Call Center Business
Hopefully, after reading this article, you now know how to start a call center business.
Start by outlining your goals, figuring out your budget, and choosing a location. Then build a reliable team of employees, regularly train them, and measure your call center’s performance so you can make necessary adjustments. Good luck!
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