Blog Archives - Page 33 of 37 - Etech Global Services

The Importance of Online Chat

The online behavior of the consumers is constantly increasing as companies continue to grow and provide services online. According to Forrester Research, last year in 2013, online retail sales in the US reached over $288 million with an expected growth rate of 10% annually through 2018. When consumers are increasingly shifting towards online shopping and business transactions, the need to have efficient customer service and support functions has emerged. This serves as the right opportunity with significant potential for companies to leverage their online presence to expand their customer base as well as provide quality customer care. Investing in establishing a robust online chat sales channel ensures greater ROI and improves customer satisfaction. Boosting Online Sales With customers taking the online route to making purchases, companies are aggressively adopting online marketing strategies to boost their online sales. To generate this revenue, companies are increasingly gearing towards the online chat sales channel as it offers direct interaction with potential customers and ensures a higher ROI and customer satisfaction. The online chat medium can effectively focus on qualified leads in the form of visitors on the website and convert these leads into sales. The entire sales process can be effectively shortened through chat by positively impacting the customer through quick resolution of queries. Shopping cart abandon rates can also be reduced by targeting such customers through proactive chat and offering assistance during the buying process. Also, a higher Average Order Value (AOV) can be witnessed due to efficient up-selling or cross-selling by agents through online chat. Ensure Higher Customer Satisfaction The online chat channel is an efficient mode of communication for providing information that is convenient, easy, and comfortable for the customer. Online chat is a dynamic medium used to promote sales and offer information in real time ranging from technical to product to service. The skilled chat representatives can provide customers with relevant responses and correct information while driving them along a sales path. This ability to solve customer queries in real-time improves the overall customer satisfaction and makes the online chat sales channel a sought after medium. Cost Reduction Reducing the overall operational costs is of great importance to companies today which is an integral part of the process to increase profitability of business. The online chat sales channel reduces the average interaction costs by speeding up the resolution process. Future calls to contact centers are also reduced significantly due to timely resolution of customer queries. Investing in an online chat program is a cost-effective option for both business owners and contact centers as less investment is required to establish infrastructure, technology and staffing of trained chat representatives. Create Robust Brand Image Online Having a solid online brand image is essential for generating web traffic and attracting qualified leads. The online chat sales channel can assist companies in creating this brand image by enhancing the customer experience. The online chat sales channel is rapidly replacing other modes of communication channels such as voice, email, and web as preferred mode of communication to provide customer service and sales growth. Investing in an online chat sales channel can help companies add value to their business.

What is Quality Assurance?

Quality assurance is defined as the maintenance of a desired quality of service especially by means of attention to every detail of the process of delivery. In the call center field, there are quality assurance processes in place to ensure that during a customer interaction a consistent standard of service is maintained. The highest duty of call center management is to develop the operational controls to ensure the level of customer service experiences rendered match the desired outcomes. Customers need to be satisfied, but at the same time protect the organization and optimize the resources available. Everybody who has ever communicated with a call center agent, has heard the phrase; “This call is being recorded for quality purposes”. These recorded conversations are monitored by a quality assurance team to check for the quality of service given. Following is a summary of the benefits to expect when you are observing stringent quality assurance measures: Increased customer satisfaction Problem recognition hence suitable solutions provided Increased agent productivity Improved and increased sales Improved call efficiency Increased agent knowledge and competencies Rapid business growth — hence increased profitability Positive branding Utilization of resources — For example: proper use of agent time Increased sales Improved business working relationship between call center and clients The challenge: How to ensure consistent quality service delivery As stated above, customer satisfaction is of utmost importance to a contact center and to the survival of your business. Quality service delivery guarantees happy customers who in turn become brand advocates; the ripple effect is worth every effort. The challenge then becomes how to keep your customer happy. Traditional solutions rely on manual methods, which are labor intensive and time consuming. Can you imagine trying to listen to all inbound or outbound calls in your center? It would require you to employ a large dedicated team to this process or to ignore the quality assurance step completely. Both options have negative impact to the quality of your service delivery. However, there is a solution to meet the needs and desires of all stakeholders in the contact center. The solution: Quality Assurance Software Quality assurance software can ease your QA monitoring needs. Yes, we understand you have performance monitoring metrics in place, some of which are quality specific. A quality assurance program goes the extra mile to improve efficiency and effectiveness of operations in your call center. Key areas that a quality assurance program addresses: Opportunity Identification This program identifies problem areas and growth opportunities. Without identifying these areas, the quality assurance process will be meaningless. This information provides a roadmap to improve service delivery, customer satisfaction and sales conversions. Business Insights In the process of gathering information, insights are uncovered on business intelligence. Using the data from your customers and understanding their perceptions on your pricing, promotions, new products and competitor offerings help your company to make informed decisions. Decisions based on verifiable statistics are a sure way to grow your business as well as make your leadership more efficient and effective. Customer Experiences Customers are the lifeblood of your business and that is why exceptional customer experiences are the ultimate goal. Monitoring the interactions for quality of service rendered help to discover gaps in the process. The result is to provide proactive solutions that eliminate customer dissatisfaction. Sharing these learning’s with your training team can help to ensure that all agents – new and existing are better equipped. Sales Conversion Without increased sales volumes, your business revenue will deteriorate. The ability to steadily increase sales conversion is a big part of the quality assurance program. Closely monitoring the selected agents will enable you to assess their selling skills, identify the training needs and empower agents to sell more. Human Monitoring Much of today’s quality monitoring is highly automated to capture the data in the end-to-end call process. Insights are then gathered on voice recognition. However, due to the increasing complexity of service delivery, human intervention is required to effectively monitor and measure the quality of service. Automation is good, and when combined with qualified personnel, the results are timely and reliable. In conclusion, quality assurance monitoring is the only guarantee you have to increased customer satisfaction, sales conversion and service delivery in general. Utilizing quality assurance software with a human touch makes it better and more reliable. Enjoy!

How Social Media is Changing the Way we do Customer Care

Etech Global Services has recently done a bit of research on this topic and the findings have been rather eye-opening. Here’s what we learned: In Twitter, there are approximately 5,000 tweets every second. 30% of users expect a response within 30 minutes. One in five brands say they ”rarely” respond to customer complaints made via social media, yet customers who use social media expect a response within an hour. According to Sprinklr 38% of consumers feel “negative” about a brand who fails to meet their expectations for a timely social media response. Based on these findings, it’s safe to say that Social Media is literally changing the way we deal with customers, and if we’re not up to the task of social media, we are at a disadvantage. Additionally, when a customer uses a certain channel, such as Twitter, to ask a question, they expect the question to be answered through the same channel. The answer needs to be personal, quick and offer the appropriate solution. If the response to the question is not personalized, it leads to channel irritation which can then spread to other customers. We found this information to be rather defining for us as a company and hope you do as well. This Blog entry was written my Matt Rocco, President and COO of Etech Global Services. If you would like to learn more about Etech and our contact center technology and service solutions, please contact us at info@etechgs.com

The Call Centers Role in a Recovering Economy

There is perhaps no more difficult time for any country than when they are experiencing an economic downturn and conversely, there is no better time than when the economy begins to turn around and show signs of life again. Here in the United States, we are slowly beginning to see signs of economic recovery. As a businessman, it is always interesting to me to observe the industries that feel the recovery quickly as opposed to those industries that feel the recovery later. One industry that tends to feel the recovery more quickly is of the call center industry. In recent years, the call center industry has evolved from being a cost center to playing a more strategic role. How? By being the first line of contact with customers. Whether a call center is providing customer service or functions in a sales role, the call center has become the representative of the corporate brand. The Call Center is the place that delivers your promises to your customers and during a slow-growing economy, they can improve sales and build customer loyalty……. All while reducing your operating costs. So how does this work? Below are a few tips that will build a strong contact center and reduce overall operating costs: Well-trained agents: Investing in your agents is one of the primary ways to reduce operating costs. Agents should be trained in the software system as well as be well-versed in product knowledge. A well-trained agent will tend to stay at the job for a longer period of time, reducing turnover and improving overall efficiency. Empowering Agents: Once agents are trained, they should be given the authority to take the necessary actions that will best help the customer. Quick resolution of customer issues is one of the primary elements of superior customer service, giving companies an edge over their competition. This goes a long way in building customer loyalty that can be the difference in growing versus simply surviving in a down economy. Integrated Systems: Providing an integrated system, such as Etech’s ICE, that is easily integrated and provides multi-channel communication. Our ICE system is easily adaptable to any existing platform and offers products that can be used individually or jointly depending on need. Certainly, there are other factors that can reduce operating costs, but by implementing these tips in your call center you present a streamlined and efficient frontline of communication for your business. This builds customer satisfaction and loyalty that will bring your company through the down economy and to a great place as we move into the recovery. If you would like more information on how Etech Global Services can assist you, contact us here.

Etech Global Services: Going the Extra Mile in Quality Assurance

Etech Global Services offers BPO quality assurance services to increase sales and enhance customer satisfaction as well as gather important business intelligence. Quality Assurance is the means by which we measure the effectiveness and efficiency of business processes and here at Etech, we pride ourselves on the fact that our QA offering is second to none. We have developed a 10-step process that assists companies in identifying opportunities and developing actions that improve their processes, sales conversions and overall customer satisfaction. Here’s how it works: Needs assessment: A project manager is assigned to the customer’s account to evaluate needs, requirements and document plans. Create Performance Standards: We create a customized monitoring check-list and audit form to understand the expectations. Create Audit form guidelines: We create performance standards and guidelines defining each item on the checklist and articulate the scoring methodology. Sample Evaluations: The Project Manager and QA leadership ensure that the checklist is calibrated and in sync with the requirements. Diagnostics/Benchmarking: This provides a baseline measurement to ensure the rating scales are properly defined Go-Live : Transaction monitoring and “go live” post initial calibration. Client Calibrations: Blog monitoring calibration to ensure that the QA team and client are in continuous sync with the scoring and evaluations using the checklist. Client Review of Reports: Re-verification of transactions to ensure accuracy Coaching: Etech delivers Reporting and Analysis trends to the client to confirm data usability Track Progress: A robust scorecard is used to evaluate the transactions and monitor for accuracy which ensures consistent and accurate data insights to clients. Our clients have seen the following results with our Quality Assurance Services: 12% Increase in Customer Satisfaction 22% Increase in Average Order Value 35% Reduction in Average Handle time 45% Reduction in Agent Turnover 200% Increase in Agent Productivity In addition to our Quality Assurance program, we also offer an effective and customizable quality management platform to companies with internal contact centers. Q-Eval, our stand-alone software, captures specific metrics to provide intelligent reporting that can be used to improve internal call center performance. It is completely customizable to your specific needs, and can be easily interfaced with your current system. If you are in need of a Quality Assurance system, contact us today. We have the options you need.

Etech announces winners of the survey.

Etech Global Services has always believed in providing intelligent and quality oriented services to the customer to help them make a remarkable difference in their businesses. Our technology division has been in the process of launching Live Chat software to overcome the challenges faced by users. The motto is to present a world class solution that meets simple to complex needs so that a wide spectrum of customers would be able to utilize it for their day to day operations. With our customer centric attitude and approach, giving what is needed, and to understand the requirements and challenges faced by them, Etech designed a survey. The objective of this survey was to understand the current needs and missing functionalities from different customers that have been using Chat products available on the internet. The survey, encompassing the different challenges and the features, was sent to over 5000+ contacts. We thank you for the overwhelming response to the survey. Participation was magnificent. Thank you to all of you who took time to fill in this survey. As promised, at the end of the survey, we would declare the results of the Winners. So, here are the 3 Lucky winners from the three different surveys: John Kaufman, SC, United States Dustin Guetzlaff, CA, United States Timothy Mohel, FL, United States Congratulations to the lucky winner!!. A $100 Amazon gift card will be sent to you via email.

Things you may not know about Live Chat

At this point in time, most people have at least heard of Live Chat and have a basic idea of what it is, however, if not, let me give you a quick overview. Live Chat is the means by which a customer can communicate with a representative from a particular business over an internet connection rather than having to make a phone call. If you have ever been on the website of a retailer and seen a window pop up with a representative offering to help you, then you’ve seen Live Chat in action. However, there may be some things about Live Chat that you did not know. First, did you know that Etech Global Services is one of the pioneers in Live Chat technology? I’m proud to say that Etech Global Services was one of the earliest call centers to offer Live Chat to our Ecommerce customers. While many may think that Live Chat is a very recent technology, Etech has been helping some of the world’s leading organizations improve their ecommerce sales and service through the use of our sophisticated Live Chat customer service for over 17 years now.. We truly are pioneers with this technology that monitors web site visitors, identifies hot prospects (those likely to buy) and converts these prospects to customers, and can engage customers with very targeted offers. Second, did you know that Live Chat is a far more convenient way for customers to communicate with your business than calling an 800 number and having to navigate through the maddening maze of options? It allows the customer to have their issue resolved or their questions answered in far less time, making it more likely for customers to come back to you if you offer a Live Chat option on your website. In addition to these benefits, here are some other benefits and statistics of Live Chat that you may not know: Live Chat cuts down on expenses by lowering average interaction costs, thus lowering over all contact center costs. Also, representatives can handle multiple calls at one time, reducing the need to hire more representatives. Live Chat increases sales by offering immediate help to the customer which reduces bounce rates (when a customer leaves your site). Live Chat gives you an edge over your competition by enhancing your sales and service capabilities. This encourages return visits to your Ecommerce site; a definite advantage if your competition does not offer Live Chat. In a study conducted by Forrester Research, 44% of online consumers say that having questions answered by a live person while in the middle of an online purchase is one of the most important features a Web site can offer. According to a poll by Andersen Consulting, almost 62 percent of Internet consumers said they would purchase more products online if live customer support were available. Here are some things you may not know about Etech’s Live Chat Services: Etech Global Services offers website live chat services 24/7/365 through our onshore, near shore and off-shore locations. Etech supports both English and Spanish speaking customers with our dedicated team of chat operators. You can view the progress of your website live chat program through our reports and analytics. In a single report, you can easily track close rates, sales per hour, average revenue per sale, and much more. Etech also provides a host of ad-hoc reports to meet all of your reporting and business needs. Etech offers 30 day free trials so that a business, small or large, can test the impact of live chat in real time. Because we have been pioneers in this technology, we have published numerous articles over the years on developing a successful live chat service and we regularly speak at leading industry events about live chat trends. One of these events is the IRCE, Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition coming to Chicago, June 2-5, 2015. This event allows pioneers, such as Etech, the opportunity to share their expertise in the Ecommerce industry of which Live Chat has played a key role in its success. Dilip Barot is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Etech Global Services, and founder of Creative Choice Group, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Etech employs 2,500 team members across the US, India and Jamaica. If you would like to learn more about Etech, contact info@etechgs.com for more information

Etech Global Services BPO: Helping Businesses Prosper Through Outsourcing

Here at Etech Global Services, we are a leading provider of intelligent sales, service and technology solutions specializing in inbound and outbound voice, and live chat. In addition to this, we offer a number of other services designed to support our clients in their efforts to provide superior customer service. One of these services that we offer is Business Process Outsourcing. Business Process Outsourcing is simply taking part of a company’s daily operations and outsourcing those functions to a third party. These business functions can range from finance and accounting to customer related services. Additionally, businesses can choose to outsource to off-shore, out of country offices, or to near-shore, near-by or neighboring offices for their outsourcing needs. At Etech Global Services, we offer on-shore, off-shore and near-shore services along with a wide variety of back office functions. We provide back office functions for some of the largest companies in the world spanning the cable, telecommunications, education, travel and retail industries. Our on-shore, near-shore and off-shore locations enable us to offer our clients 24/7 service 365 days per year. We also support both English and Spanish speaking customers. Here are some of the services you can receive from Etech Global Services: Data Entry/Form Filling Survey/Market Research Online Data Cleanse Payment Processing Accounting Support Order/Sales Support Email Management Reporting & Data Management Quality Assurance Business Intelligence Our highly skilled workforce has been able to consistently deliver the following results to our clients: 98%+ Accuracy Levels 100% in Meeting Deadlines 30% Reduction in Operational Costs Reporting and Analysis of Return Data for Business Analysis Our cost-effective and successful BPO services enable our clients to focus more of their time and energies on other aspects of their operations strengthening their customer service and increasing their bottom line. If you would like to increase efficiency and reduce costs contact Etech Global Services, and let us show you how partnering with us can do just that. This Blog entry was written my Matt Rocco, President and COO of Etech Global Services. If you would like to learn more about Etech and our contact center technology and service solutions, please contact us at info@etechgs.com.

What Is An Omni Channel Contact Center?

‘Omni channel interaction’ is the new buzzword going around customer contact centers, but although serious business owners know they should be implementing it, there are still many who haven’t quite got it right, and they could be losing valuable customers because of it. Worse still, some businesses claim to offer omni channel interactions without really understanding what they are. Omni channel does not mean every channel Some business owners mistakenly believe that an omni channel contact center is one that has a presence on every channel possible. This can be very damaging for a business because valuable resources are taken away from critical business operations and used for setting up and running channels that no-one – neither employee nor customer – particularly wants or needs. For example, if you run a law firm, you probably don’t need an Instagram profile! A real omni channel interaction is one where a customer seamlessly switches between multiple agents and self-service checkpoints, using various different channels, without having to repeat information. In fact, it is really the company that is omnipresent behind all of the channels they are using to reach out to their customers. Mobile devices and multi-channel capability As technology converges, applications become more sophisticated and networks provide faster and more reliable connections, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming powerful tools for interacting with businesses. Customers can now contact businesses by phone, SMS message, social media comment, live chat platform and more. Businesses have to be ready to respond to the customer’s preferred mode of communication and pick up the conversation from where it was left the last time. The continuous conversation To provide a true omni channel experience, business owners need to think beyond channels and focus on keeping that customer-company conversation going whatever happens. This requires deep integration between all departments so that relevant data is stored and shared, available instantly so that the customer’s question can be understood within the overall context of their journey. Not only will that prevent the frustration of having to start from square one in each interaction, it will also make it easier for agents to spot an opportunity to up-sell or cross-sell. Empowering customer service agents Of course, the data is only one half the story; the customer service agent also has to be able to quickly understand and analyze that data to rebuild the context. They also should be as empowered as possible to help prevent multiple calls to various departments about the same issue – frustrating for the customer and inefficient for the business. By looking at customer feedback and surveys, common issues can be identified and, where possible, self-service tools (for example FAQs or Knowledge Base articles) created. This should cut down on inbound calls and help give agents more time with those customers who do have complex questions. Ultimately, the omni channel contact center is one which is always there for the customer providing an efficient, consistent service no matter when, how or why they choose to access it.

How to Handle Call Center Escalations

Escalation, the process by which a customer’s complaint or issue is presented to a more senior company representative – usually a supervisor or a manager – is part and parcel of the call center operation. However, some call centers have a very high escalation rate while others are able to achieve ‘First Call Resolution’ (FCR) more frequently. While factors such as industry type and call center volume will affect the actual rate and number of escalations, it is always more efficient to reduce escalations as much as possible. But how can this be achieved? Empowering call center agents In order to maximize FCRs, a call center needs to empower the Customer Service Representative as much as possible. This means your agents need to be free to deviate from scripts to utilize soft skills such as ‘verbal artistry’ and people management. It also means they need to have appropriate de-escalation tools and permissions at their disposal (e.g. discount vouchers or the permission to waive fees). This hits at the heart of every aspect of a call center, since it relies on effective recruitment (unscripted call centers require a higher calibre of agent) and a shift from measuring performance in terms of Average Handling Time (AHT) and Average Speed of Answer (ASA) to degree of customer satisfaction (CSAT). De-escalation in action When a customer is dissatisfied, the CSR has a small window of time in which to de-escalate the situation. In some cases, a customer may be so irate and insistent that there is practically no window at all, in which case escalation may be the only option. In less urgent cases, the agent needs to work hard to convince the customer that they are both willing and able to assist. The first step is always to acknowledge that the customer is upset and that it is due to something they have experienced in dealing with your company. Simply by saying, “I’m sorry you are upset; is it something about our products or service you are unhappy about?” can be all it takes to prevent an immediate escalation. If the customer answers “yes,” the process of mutual understanding has already begun. It is now important for the agent to find out exactly what the problem is and what they want to happen next. Your agent should then be able to decide whether it is something they can try to resolve themselves. If not, it will form the basis of the information escalated to the next level, ensuring the customer doesn’t have to repeat themselves. If the agent isn’t able to solve the problem, for example if they are unable to authorize the level of discount asked for or warranted, they should, if at all possible, agree a callback with a supervisor within an agreed timeframe (which should form part of a call center’s escalation policy). Calling a customer back takes the emotional heat out of the situation, helps the supervisor to familiarize themselves with the call and demonstrates concern on the part of your company. Final escalation The supervisor should have a deeper knowledge of the company’s policies and the customer’s statutory rights. They should also have the power to offer higher levels of compensation or Gestures Good Will (GOGW). However, sometimes the matter is so complicated and the potential cost implications so large that the supervisor will have to escalate to their line manager and/or call the center manager. The call center manager needs to carefully weigh up the value of a customer against the cost implications of granting their request. This will depend on factors such as the length of the client-customer relationship, the lifetime value of the customer, the risk of creating a precedent and the implications on referrals (an unhappy customer is likely to become a detractor). This will usually be the final port of call for customers and the last chance to avoid losing a customer and potential legal trouble further down the line.

Come and Be Part of the Etech Team

We are experiencing phenomenal growth here at Etech Global Services and we are looking for great people to join our team. We are a great company to work for and we are currently offering some of the best positions in East Texas and Dallas. We currently have approximately 80 open positions for live chat representatives. In this position, you’ll be assisting customers for one of the most innovative technology companies in the world! We also have approximately 100 positions open for agents working on a campaign for one of Etech’s several Fortune 500 companies. These positions are for inbound and outbound voice and have a very generous base pay and commission structure. These positions can be performed in either our Dallas, TX contact center located at 2608 Inwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75235 or our Nacogdoches, TX contact center locate at 1903 Berry Drive, Nacogdoches, TX 75964, or our Lufkin, TX center located at 106 N. John Redditt Drive, 75904 as well as our Rusk, TX location at 173 Henderson Street, Rusk TX. Etech Global Services is a leading provider of intelligent sales, service and technology solutions specializing in inbound and outbound voice and live chat. For over a decade, we have been helping companies cost effectively acquire new customers and maximize profits by servicing and growing existing customers. We seek to hire the best and the brightest and we offer generous compensation and benefits packages. We invest heavily in our employees and provide the training and tools needed for success. Many of our current managers began their Etech careers as call center representatives and have grown professionally and advanced their careers here. We believe the best way to promote is from within and we provide many opportunities for professional growth and advancement. At Etech Global Services our vision is to make a remarkable difference for our customers, our associates and the communities in which we live and work. We promote a culture of service and giving back to our communities by actively engaging in various community service projects. If you are looking for a professional opportunity that offers generous pay and benefits as well as growth and opportunity, we hope you will consider joining the Etech Global Services team. Learn more about a career at Etech and apply online. Or, email us your resume.

Making a remarkable difference to your customers with the call center

The phrase ‘Voice of the Customer’ has become very popular recently, with businesses focusing their efforts on listening to their customers and understanding exactly what their needs and desires are. Nowhere is the actual ‘Voice of the Customer’ more often encountered than via the call center, which means call centers and their agents should be at the center of any company’s customer experience programs. In fact, call centers are deemed so important at Amazon, that CEO Jeff Bezos ensures that all of his managers, himself included, attend two days of call center training every year. Investing in call center agents The call center is often the first, and sometimes the only, time a customer gets to talk to a representative of your company, so you have to make the experience a successful and remarkable one – you want your customers to be so impressed with your agents’ knowledge and telephone manner that they will want to tell others about their experience. This can only happen if you put the necessary investment into recruiting and training your agents. If you are tempted to cut costs in this area, be aware that all of your marketing, product development and feedback capture will be for nothing if poorly trained agents drive your customers away when they come through to the call center. A decent call center agent training program will result in agents who are diplomatic and courteous, knowledgeable about your products and the industry and skilled at identifying customers’ needs, even those that are hidden in the initial conversation. In-house or outsourcing? Outsourcing your call center is not something that should be considered lightly. It is true that there is a lot of potential for cutting operating costs, but you have to be confident that your chosen call center is capable of delivering the remarkable service your customers expect. Before committing to outsourcing your call center you should ensure there is an effective management structure in place and that all agents assigned to your business have sufficient industry experience, are well-trained and receive regular and rigorous appraisals. The call center itself also needs to be equipped with the technology and infrastructure required to operate effectively. The role of call center technology The most important asset of a call center is its people, but technology helps to make the most of every encounter you have with your customers. The latest call center technology can integrate data from multiple channels (from online, telephone, mobile and face-to-face interactions); host live chat platforms, an increasingly efficient and popular way for customers to access support and information; distribute workload efficiently, streamlining business operations and provide in-depth monitoring of calls and data analysis. In the end, deciding where your call center is to be based is less important than its overall quality. A combination of highly trained, skilled and happy call center agents with up-to-date, smart, 21st Century technology is a potent tool in the quest to really hear the ‘Voice of the Customer’, and provide every one of them with a remarkable experience they will remember for a long time – and will want to share with others.

The ROI For Listening To Your Customers

Businesses live and breathe for ROI (return on investment), yet running a modern customer-facing business is a complex mixture of day-to-day business operations (accounting and admin sadly never go away) and managing a brand identity that is somewhat out of control, with conversations between brand advocates and detractors ongoing on multiple communication platforms. How can these realities be brought closer together? How can companies listen to what customers (and prospects) are saying and apply the knowledge gained to maximize growth? Social Media Monitoring With conversations about customer experience able to travel faster and further than ever before, successful businesses are starting to increase the priority of measuring Customer Referral Value – how much new business an advocate brings in – placing it at least equal to Customer Lifetime Value – how much business one customer provides over their lifetime. To start measuring CRV, companies need to get a grip on social media monitoring, which means overcoming the three challenges of: Determining Scale. How widespread an experience, opinion or mood is Measurement. How conversations can be turned into hard data for ROI purposes, and Tracking. How brand conversations over multiple platforms can be quickly located New Tools for a New Age As might be expected, the need to meet the challenges above has led to the growth of technology designed specifically for Social Media Monitoring (aka listening). These tools can often monitor billions of conversations across forums, blogs, chat-rooms, Twitter, social media sites and more; identify the key influencers in an industry; gauge a general mood based on the tone of discussions and provide in-depth demographic and geographic information. These tools are rapidly replacing traditional market research methods which can be expensive and unreliable. In addition to the number-crunching that can be done with the aggregated statistics, actually reading the conversations can provide raw qualitative data – sometimes quite eye-opening – which can lead to quickly identifying customer expectations, areas of concern and, just as importantly, areas where you out perform your competitors. Rather than remaining on the outside, it is good practice to join conversations with both advocates and detractors to extract as much information as possible. This must be done in a positive manner, regardless of the content of the conversation. Listen, Hear, Act We all know how frustrating it is when we explain an issue to a friend or family member and they listen, nod and continue to act in the same way. It’s the same for a business (in fact it’s worse since you can easily choose a new brand to spend money with). No matter how sophisticated the tools, listening is a waste of resource unless a clear, cost-effective strategy is created on the back of it. Fortunately, many of the conversations a brand will read will contain suggestions for how you could do things better. You don’t have to follow every recommendation, but the best ideas can be used to stimulate positive discussion. Another action step that should be considered is building rapport with any industry influencers you have identified (note, these are not necessarily industry leaders). You are searching for the ultimate combination: a powerful industry influencer who is also a brand advocate.

The 5 Things that Always Matter to the Customer (Whatever your Industry)

To work out exactly what it is that matters to customers, we don’t have to look very far. We are all customers ourselves, and have discovered the things we like about a company and those things that turn us away. Although customers tend to appreciate the same values as they always have: integrity, speed of service, politeness, quality, etc., we are living in an age where large, medium and even small businesses have the tools and technologies to really deliver on those needs, which means customers’ expectations are raised across the board. After all, if company x can provide a fantastic customer experience, what’s stopping company y from doing the same thing? To help you keep customers happy and loyal, this article highlights five things that always matter to customers – no matter what industry you’re in. Ease & Convenience We have busy lives these days, and when we need to purchase products or services, whether it is our weekly bag of groceries or a movie to watch in the evening, the quicker and easier it is to complete the transaction, the happier we will be (providing our other needs are met too). If we have to spend too long on a website, fill in complex forms or wait for ages on hold or in a long line we will definitely consider whether the product or service is worth the effort next time. Sometimes it’s the little things that make all the difference, like the position of a ‘buy’ button on your payment page or the number of options on a telephone menu. Have a look at what your competitors and industry leaders are doing and compare their customer journey with yours to make sure your process is as simple and quick as it can be. Multiple Communication Channels In the past there was face-to-face communication, the telephone and the snail mail. Then came email and mobile phone technology. Today, there are more ways to communicate with companies than ever before, with live chat, various social media platforms (Twitter tweets, Facebook posts, etc.), blogs, webcasts, podcasts, webinars, videoconferencing and VoIP services such as Skype™ to name just a few. It is not economical to jump on every option available, so make it your mission to find out which communication channels your customers prefer and concentrate on excelling in those areas. Any other channels you can manage will be a bonus. Continuity Humans are social creatures and although we understand, particularly with large companies, that we cannot possibly have a personal relationship with every staff member, we still love it when an employee of the company remembers our name, the details about what products and services we are interested in and what experiences we’ve had in the past. This kind of continuity doesn’t come about by chance, but by organizing our databases and customer records and giving our workforce the training and technology (smart interfaces, well-designed scripts, etc.) to access and use them. Trained & Equipped CSRs A company’s overall customer service provision is only as good as its weakest CSR (Customer Service Representative). As your biggest asset, you need to invest generously to employ high quality personnel, train them to a high standard in product knowledge, technical skills and ‘soft’ skills, such as rapport-building, and equip them with the tools and technologies that will let them shine. The Right Products & Services It seems obvious, but customers will only buy from you if you offer the products and services they want and need, so finding this out should be your number one priority. There are many methods successful companies use to keep on top of this challenge such as surveys, questionnaires, online feedback, point-of-sale interviews, focus groups, etc. The best companies of all can actually anticipate, and sometimes shape, customers’ future needs.

A recipe for creating amazing customer experience

Excellent customer service has the potential to create loyal customers that will stay with your business for life. When they need a specific product or a service in the future, they will think of using your business without hesitation. Moreover, they will likely refer your business to colleagues, family and friends, bringing your business more and more potential buyers. That’s why you need to provide excellent customer support, which can create an amazing customer experience. The following are some simple tips that can be used to deliver an amazing experience to your customers. First, it is important that your customer service agents have a good knowledge about the product or service that you offer and this is achieved by providing great training to your agents. Taking the time to teach your agents about your products or services will allow them to speak confidently to your customers and know how to answer their questions and solve any problems your customers may have. Regardless of what you are selling, it is important that your customer service agents really know your product and how it can meet the needs of your customers. A staff that has been well-trained in the products or services offered by their company is one of the most essential qualities for being able to offer a great customer experience. In addition to training in product knowledge, training in the area of service is equally important. Product knowledge is great but so is a pleasant agent who knows how to field questions, handle complaints and solve problems in a timely manner. This involves listening to the customer……really listening! Listening allows you to not only hear what is being said, but what is NOT being said. For example, in a face to face interaction, body language can communicate volumes, however, over the phone, agents need to be trained to listen for tone of voice and other non-verbal queues that can communicate frustration or anger. It is important that agents know how to quickly diffuse this in a customer by reassuring them that they understand and will do everything to handle their issue quickly. If an agent encounters a problem that may take a bit of time to solve, it is very important that they communicate this to the customer and give them an idea as to how long it may take to find their answer. This may even involve the agent having to call the customer back, but a little “wait” time, beats poor customer service EVERY time! Additionally, agents should be trained in expressing gratitude to their customers. Let’s face it, we live in a world where there are many options available for just about any product or service, so when a customer chooses YOUR business over another, it’s important to acknowledge that and be thankful for their business. Plus, if you have agents who are well trained in product knowledge AND service, you give customers a reason to come back to you every time! Finally, another important aspect of providing great customer service is Feedback! Yes, FEEDBACK, because this helps you know where you’re doing great as well as where you can make some improvements. Feedback is a powerful tool when it comes to knowing what your customer wants and then implementing that. Getting proper feedback can be a challenge, but if it’s a quick and easy process for your customers, you are more likely to get the information you need. It may take a bit of time and effort to know what process works best for your customers, but once you’ve identified it, you will have a steady flow of helpful information that will provide the recipe you will need for great customer service every time.

At Etech, We Are Thankful For Our Customers, The Lifeblood Of Our Business

Anyone who is in any type of business will tell you that were it not for their customers, they would not be in business. It’s really a no-brainer: businesses survive and thrive because of their customers. On the other hand, businesses die due to a lack of customers. Customers are the life-blood to any business. A quick Google search will give you an array of articles offering advice on how to keep your customers, how to increase your customer base, how to offer great customer service, etc. Many of these resources are excellent and offer great advice. A growing, thriving business cannot expect to stay that way if they don’t treat their customers well. During this month of November, when we all take time to reflect on our blessings and what we are thankful for, I’d like to take a moment to say ‘Thank You’ to each and every one of our customers. At Etech Global Services, we support a variety of industries from Telecommunications and Finance to Education and Healthcare. We are extremely thankful for all of our customers, those who have recently joined us and those who have been with us since the beginning. During our early years, our first clients had faith that we could provide customer support services and technology that would help them grow their businesses. We had some ups and downs, made mistakes and learned some things the hard way, but our customers never lost faith in us and we proved them right! That’s amazing to me as I look back on it now. I’m not sure I could have demonstrated that same, unwavering faith as they did, but I’m extremely grateful for them. Without those first customers, we would not be one of the leading providers of inbound, outbound and web chat technology and services as we are today. So as you take time out to give thanks this month, make sure you say a thank you to the people who have made you who you are today! All of us, individuals as well as businesses, have people in our lives who showed faith in us when they didn’t have to, let those people know how thankful you are for them. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Etech Global Services.

How to Power Online Sales With Chat

The benefits of utilizing live chat seem to be endless. Each and every day more and more companies who are taking advantage of this competitive edge are finding more benefits and positive outcomes that they did not experience previous to implementing live chat. Whether it be providing real-time customer service, or having the ability to walk a customer through a technical process, live chat continues to deliver. For the purpose of this blog however, we are going to focus on the positive effect live chat can have on increasing a company’s overall sales conversion rates. Live Chat Enhances Sales: The Evidence If any company can attest to the value of having a live chat program it is, Everything Everywhere (EE). EE revealed that, during their first year of implementing live chat, not only did their overall customer satisfaction score remain at a stellar 83%, but they also saw a remarkable boost in sales conversions of 40%. Of the 30,000 contracts they sold that year, their online chat operators were not only outperforming their telephone and physical store teams, but they were doing so with authority. With an average rate of one new customer every two hours, their online team was twice as effective as their telephone sales team and a whopping ten times more effective as colleagues in brick and mortar stores. Different Ways to Use Live Chat One of the reasons live chat is such an attractive means of communication is because of its versatility. Whether it is used to answer general questions and assist in the visitor’s overall experience, or if it is strategically placed to assist at just the right moment, live chat is there. The potential is virtually limitless so let’s take a look at some of the most common places companies implement live chat: Specific Customer Questions: The most common use of live chat to increase sales is to answer questions from customers whenever they might have one. Customers want answers immediately and if there is a live chat agent there and ready to answer that question, their chance of buying and converting to a sale significantly increases. General Conversation: A lot of the time we see customers visit a site who are not 100% sure on what exactly it is they need. In this situation having a live chat agent there to actively listen to the customer and understand what they are looking for works wonders. A competent chat agent will use this conversation to identify the customer’s needs and then suggest a solution. Behavioural Analytics: This tactic requires a little more work. By observing real-time visitor behaviour on a website, the chat agent can recognize certain sales cues as to what the customer is trying to achieve. Having the knowledge the products and after observing the customer’s behaviour, the chat agent is able to strategically time their chat to come in and offer to assist at just the right moment. Following a Visitor’s Footprint: Sophisticated tracking analytics can also determine where a visitor has arrived from. For example, they may have followed a link from another website or clicked on a promotional ad. Every step a customer takes on their path helps paint a picture of their goals which helps the chat agent to affectively communicate with them. Other tools: Some live chat services can integrate chat buttons in social media posts, outbound emails, affiliate sites and search results. This further increases the chances of interaction and sales. At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that customers want assistance and communication in the easiest and fastest way possible. Chat is continuing to prove that it is the most effective means of communication when it comes to customer choice and effectiveness. As for EE, they believe their results speak for themselves with a conversion rate that is five times higher with live chat assistance than when visitors have to self-serve. Contact us today to see how live chat can help you!

Live Chat – Online Customers Prefer Human Touch

According to their recent Global Customer Experience Survey, NICE systems have discovered yet more evidence to support the hypothesis behind Live Chat: that customers want to deal with a real person when they are experiencing issues. While all of the attention may be on social media and smartphone apps, the clear message from 64 per cent of respondants was that these count for nothing in terms of customer service – unless there’s a live person on the other end. Live Chat combines the ease and speed of social media with the human contact of the customer service phone line. Since it provides exactly what customers are asking for, the use of Live Chat has doubled from 2011 to 2014, with everyone from big banks, retail outlets and media firms to small start-ups taking advantage of the cost- and resource-saving potential. Remember them and they will remember you However, just because Live Chat is growing in popularity, it doesn’t mean that a business will suddenly start converting more sales just because they install a Live Chat platform. Visitors still want to be seen as more than just chat windows on a screen and expect that your company will remember the last three to five interactions you had with them, regardless of which channel was used. Fortunately, Live Chat is made for that level of service continuation. Most platforms give agents an easy way to recall historic chat conversations, enabling them to pick up where they left off. And the rewards are potentially huge, with 96 per cent of customers saying that they would reward quick and effective resolution of problems with loyalty to that particular brand. Personalization: the root of the issue Delving deeper into the whys of the NICE findings, it becomes clear that personalization is what customers are looking for. In a new age of web traffic, clicks and conversion rates, people are crying out to be treated as a human being with needs and wants. A strategic Live Chat set up can really help with this by seamlessly blending the power of mass data analytics with the human touch of a caring Live Chat agent. As soon as your tracking software flags that a visitor has satisfied the rules for a Live Chat approach (lingering on a particular page, performing a specific action, etc.), their transition from nameless statistic to real person has already begun. By the time a chat agent engages with that customer they should know enough about them to make a human connection. The danger of the one-click, no-touch mentality When a company like Amazon, which prides itself on its one-click ordering and no contact with customers, does an about-turn and starts promoting its customer engagement facility, it is wise to sit up and take note. It is a fundamental law of business that it costs a lot more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one, and that principle applies even over the huge global ecommerce marketplace. With so much competition on the internet, it becomes just as easy for a customer to click an order button on one site as it is on another. If there is no opportunity to talk to a human being to resolve an issue, a customer is likely to leave a site frustrated. If a rival vendor engages that customer and solves their problem, that customer my never return.

Slash Cost of Acquisition using Live Chat

Acquiring new customers is no simple task. It requires a large amount of time and resources dedicated to getting potential customers through the door – or on to your website. Advertising by Direct Mail or through the media is notoriously expensive, but even when your marketing has been limited to an online campaign, there is still the cost of web design, copywriting and hosting to consider. In this blog we will focus on a couple of key questions every online business asks themselves, “How are you losing customers?”, and “Why are visitors not becoming customers?” and also how implementing Live Chat can help turn those visitors into actual paying customers. Using Analytics and Live Chat When visitors arrive at your website they are either looking to buy, or to educate themselves on your products. When a customer is casually shopping, they want to have an error free, enjoyable experience. If they encounter any type of issue, whether it is a page not loading correctly, or that they simply can not find the product they desire, the entire experience could take a quick turn for the worse and they could leave your page for good. Your analytics data – working in unison with your Live Chat platform – can help to track your visitors’ movements and solve any problems they are having in real time. The chat option will provide the customer an outlet to express whatever situation they are experiencing and the chat agent would be able to supply them an answer. Example 1: The frustrated buyer Imagine a visitor is interested in purchasing a product and, due to a browser incompatibility issue, after they click the order button nothing happens – or their browser ‘hangs.’ Worried that resending the order will trigger multiple payments, they simply choose to close their browser and buy the same product elsewhere. In effect you have just paid advertising money to sell to a competitor! This is where Live Chat can help. If there was the option for Live Chat or, even better, one of your agents jumped in with a pro-active offer of support, we could have retained that customer by dealing with their order manually and reassuring them that they would not be billed twice. Also after the issue, you could pass the browser issue to your website development team to ensure the issue is resolved. Example 2: The interested observer A second example of how Live Chat and analytics can save money on customer acquisition is when you see that a customer has spent an above average amount of time on a product page. Whether they are looking for more information or undecided about making a purchase, you can practically guaranty that they have questions they would like to ask. By opening up a chat window, your agent can engage your visitor to increase the chances of making a sale by using a professional sales approach (identifying the customer’s needs, removing barriers, etc.) to help them alleviate any uncertainties they may have People Buy From People In both of the above examples, we have shown that people want to ask questions and people want to be reassured that their purchase is the right purchase. If your company is lacking in these two areas or if the customer has a difficult time reaching you, they will have no problem whatsoever to leave and go to a competitor. Whether you are solving technical problems or increasing buyer confidence, your live chat interaction with your visitors will have a positive impact on your ROI.

Is Your Company Customer-Centric? Live Chat Is the Option

Most businesses would probably claim to be very customer-centric. It is a term that one hears a lot in sales and marketing circles, but what does it mean? Literally Customer Centric means that your customers – not your products, services or balance sheet – are the center around which your business is built. It means starting each work day with the question: ‘What do my customers want today?’ rather than ‘what product should I launch?’ or ‘what is my cash flow situation?’ Given this definition, do you still say your business is customer-centric? Changing your mind-set Fortunately, becoming a fully customer-centric organization requires less upheaval than one might think. It is really a matter of a small but significant change of mind-set. When you consider the fact that your customers ARE your business, every problem becomes a symptom of where you’re letting your customers down; every KPI becomes a barometer measuring how your company is fulfilling the customers’ needs and every new product launch has to be justified against real customer needs. So how do you find out what those needs are? The answer to that could be simpler than you think too. Why every business should offer Live Chat One thing that is becoming apparent in market research is that customers both want and expect prompt service delivery. For an online business, the only tool that can consistently and pro-actively fulfill those expectations is a live chat platform. Once a customer decides to respond to your company’s invitation to chat, you can start to demonstrate what a truly customer-centric organization you are by identifying your customer’s needs, asking about any problems they might be experiencing and making changes to your products, services or business operation depending on what is needed. Inexpensive with instant results Compared with other business development costs, integrating live chat with your business is easy, inexpensive and offers instant results. Sophisticated software means the technological side of things is usually refreshingly simple, with most of your time and resources needed for training live chat agents to make the most of their opportunity to engage directly with active visitors. Once live chat is up and running, the surveillance capabilities of most platforms can be employed to full effect. If online ‘surveillance’ sounds a bit sinister, think of it as being no different than observing the movements of a customer in a bricks and mortar store with the motive of helping them find what they need with minimal time and effort. With live chat packages you can usually track where a customer has arrived from, which pages they have looked at and what on-screen actions they have taken. Inviting a browser to chat has the same function as walking up to a shopper in-store and asking whether you can be of assistance. In fact, the live chat window is even more customer-centric than an in-store assistant, as the online browser is free to ignore the chat window without feeling awkward. It’s all in the training Finally, a live chat platform is only as good as its customer service agents, which is why you will need to ensure the customer-facing agents are trained (or re-trained if necessary) to employ that customer-centric mind-set. A professionally trained customer service agent will look beyond the initial request for help to provide the fullest service possible. This may, or may not, involve cross-selling or up-selling and can include identifying problems with the customer journey that can be fixed for the benefit of future visitors.

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