Magellan Inbound Call Center

On December 20, 2010, several team members from Magellan Solutions selflessly shared their time and resources to celebrate Christmas with the children at White Cross Children’s Home in San Juan City. This activity is part of the company’s outreach program aimed at encouraging employees to volunteer in community work.

The company for this year chose White Cross Children’s Home as beneficiary. White Cross is a child welfare institution catering to children of parents with tuberculosis.  The center today also provides shelter to children of unwed mothers, physically incapacitated parents, prisoners and victims of rape.

Joining this civic cause were team members from Operations Support, Telenational (Omnitrix) and Human Resources.

Magellan Solutions’ human resources manager Jenice Chua opened the program with an invocation, followed by a short introduction of guests and participants. Parlor games later ensued, bringing delight to the children as they participated in Bring Me, Stop Dance, Stacks of Cups, Heaven and Earth, Pass Around games, and even a singing contest.

And to make the visit more memorable to the children, gifts and other exciting surprises were given and Jollibee meals were served.

The participants came home feeling a sense of satisfaction knowing that this once a year undertaking brought happiness to the children who attended the event. Aside from growing its inbound call center business, Magellan Solutions understands its obligation to the society by sharing its blessings to those who have less.

The Philippines remains the global leader in contact center services, thanks to its steady supply of English-speaking Filipino professionals with strong work ethic and unwavering government support.

According to the Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP), the country is considered Number 1 in providing call center or “voice-based support” services. CCAP said the industry now commands over 350,000 professionals working in call centers, versus India, which presently has 330,000-strong workforce.

The annual contact center industry revenues are estimated to reach $5.7 billion for its 24/7 support to small and large businesses in the United States, Australia and Europe, compared to India’s $5.5 billion earnings. There are already 68 call centers that are active members of CCAP.

India, on the other hand, remains on top of the business process outsourcing space, earning a total of $70 billion in revenues, compared to the Philippines with only $9 billion. The BPO is wider in scope as it goes beyond voice-based call centers. This can be as varied as business back-office operations, which include finance, logistics and accounting; software development; gaming and animation; engineering design; and medical and legal transcription.

The Philippine outsourcing sector now has a total of 530,000 employees and contributes 6% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Data sources: Trading Markets, Bloomberg Business Week

Industry experts say the business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines will continue to expand by 30% annually over the next 5 years.

The Philippines is expected to earn about $25 billion in annual revenues by 2015, hoping to maintain its position as one of the world’s top outsourcing destinations. According to the latest forecasts by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), this will be more than double the revenue the industry is expected to register this year, placed at about $9 billion.

Thanks to its educated workforce, the Philippines will continue to attract top businesses in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries in their desire to reduce capital costs and save more. To date, the BPO sector employs an estimated 520,000 Filipinos.

The country sealed its reputation in the international community by winning the Offshoring Destination of the Year Award from the UK’s National Outsourcing Association for the third time in the row.

Sources: Financial Times, inquirer.net

We can no longer say that customer service is an isolated department that doubles as shock absorbers from angry callers.

The lesson this hard economy has taught every organization is that all its employees should work together towards keeping the business, improving areas that contribute to its bottom-line, and that would include managing customers.

With slashed budgets and lay off threats, everybody is left with one choice: Deliver customer service that is quick, immediate and proactive.

Employees with ‘customer service’ mindsets

Gone are the days when employees are happily working under the shadow of a division within the enterprise.

This is fine today, but if you think your dear colleagues in the accounting and logistics departments are not involved in customer service, you are greatly mistaken. There will be situations when calls are routed to them because the issue is something only a specialist can deal with and resolve. When an opportunity like this comes along, you would be hoping the conversation is handled well. When this happens, ask yourself these questions:

What attitude should your employees exhibit in their interaction with a live customer?

How would you want the customer feel about your company after the call?

How can this particular department work with the REAL Customer Service team (or outsourced inbound call center handling order taking, customer support or live chat) so that they can exceed clients’ expectations?

If you treat customers properly by pointing them to your key resources, they end the call with a positive impression about your business. This greatly impacts satisfaction and your company’s growth.

Want to improve your customer service? Start from your internal employees. This puts everyone in the same line of thinking, which translates to a better workplace culture. The success of every company lies in your employees’ point of view, which affects their attitude. So build a “customer-centric” organization first, and the rest will follow.

Many of today’s retailers are capturing a bigger market share, thanks to the web. While the doors of brick-and-mortar stores will remain open only during business hours, the trend is now seeing more customers researching and buying online – from cell phone accessories, jewelry, books, shoes to clothing – anytime of the day.

Fred Chua, chief executive officer of Magellan Solutions, said customer service plays a big role in any web-based business, whether it is a small merchant or a global manufacturer. “Consumers may be looking for Internet retailers to buy specific products, they’re also expecting them to provide a highly sophisticated shopping experience supported by a high level of customer support.” Inbound call center support means receiving their inquiries through live chat, e-mail, voice and social media. “Although the most advanced e-commerce platform is impressive, customers still want a ‘human voice’ on the other line that can help them in their decision or make recommendations on the latest offers,” Chua said.

Magellan Solutions has done a wide range of call center services, particularly order taking, telephone answering services, technical support and reservations, for several businesses with established online presence. “The quick replies to e-mails and call center agents on stand by can generate strong awareness. Outstanding inbound customer support gives them a good reason why business success is achievable.”

As an advice for online retailers wanting to provide a better experience to customers, this is what Chua has to say – “Don’t ever think you can do ‘everything’ alone. Customers these days want answers – and they want them fast. Extend your assistance wherever and whenever it is convenient for them.”

Customers in the UK are likely to spend more money buying online if web-based retailers give them better customer service, according to the survey by Swedish firm Avail Intelligence. The online survey was conducted between June 29 and July 1 to 2,107 adult consumers.

Here are the rest of the firm’s findings:

• 35% of respondents would buy online if supported by a better customer service like product advice and recommendations
• 30% of respondents prefer shopping in brick-and-mortar stores
• 47% of respondents would rather go to a store than shop online because stores offer better customer care
• 35% of respondents say the reason why they choose physical store visit is because sales associates give more advice and support than online retailers.

In all, the survey clearly shows that customers will consider shopping on the Internet if they experience the same kind of assistance offered in a physical store. Customer service, whether through inbound call center or live chat, is fast becoming a necessity to succeed in the ever-changing marketplace.

Source: Avail Intelligence

Small businesses can do more with less. The simpler their operation workflow, the better they can get rid of unnecessary things that affect bottom line and performance. For a huge segment that contributes 55% of GDP in the United States, finding new ways on how to work efficiently has never become critical.

Business owners always strive to see their business operate better than the day before. Here are simple tips that offer a one-two punch for small enterprises:

• Do more without adding more

A dilemma among business owners is whether they should hire additional people when they see an increase in workload or not.

You can (still) increase business productivity without hiring additional people. Outsourcing to a call center is an enviable solution small and large organizations now utilize to get things done without straining capital. Call center providers now have a vast array of services designed to meet everyone’s requirement. These services can range from virtual assistant, live chatting, message transcription to technical support.

• Putting more focus on the customer

Your business goals should be geared towards providing better service to the customer. The hotline numbers that can be remembered easily or a single e-mail address can ensure they get that much-deserved attention. Your business should be synonymous with great customer service.

Running an efficient business is possible if you know how to play your cards right in these times. Not only does it recession-proof your business but you can also look forward to its great payoffs in the long run.

The Philippines won the Offshoring Destination of the Year Award by the National Outsourcing Association during the 2010 NOA Awards on October 21 at Park Plaza Riverbank, London. NOA is UK’s only outsourcing trade association.

This is the third time the country has won the award since 2007.

The Philippine outsourcing industry has been enjoying steady growth despite the effects of the economic meltdown experienced in the US and other countries.

In 2009, the industry earned a total of $7.2B in export revenues. This makes the Philippines the second biggest BPO provider in the world, next only to India.

The BPO industry is expected to register $9.5B in revenues, up 26% from the previous year, by end of 2010.

Reference: Philippine Star

Keeping customers these days is becoming more important than ever. Despite all efforts to ensure they stay, you still hear stories about the most loyal customers going elsewhere. A bad service can turn away customers who generally look for a product or service that is backed by great customer support. The root of the problem often comes from the company’s inability to connect with them regularly.

There’s never been a better time than now to put together a meaningful customer retention program that starts with the end in mind.

Delighting decreases losing
Entrepreneurs and marketing executives know it is more expensive to win than to keep customers. Lost clients can be future buyers – people with a network of friends who might benefit from the products and services you offer.

If your brilliant marketing has acquired a significant number of customers, your creativity should crank into gear to keep them intact.

Be consistent. The sale does not stop once you acquire it. You need to be in touch with both new and existing customers through communications such as e-mail marketing, customer satisfaction surveys and printed newsletters. Share with them the latest happenings and upcoming offers. Social media has opened up a new avenue for staying connected 24/7. Make sure your brand is always-on, always top of mind.

Offer great deals. Many businesses promote themselves by considering seasons and celebrations. Thanksgiving might be a great time to raffle off a nice gadget for their continued patronage. In the summer, give them a free ice-cold beverage with every purchase of your product.

Build a database. Keep active and inactive records of your customers. If people left because your offers do not meet their needs, you may want to bring some of them back by promoting a new set of products.

Have a solid customer support team. Call centers are now playing a big role in keeping customers satisfied at all times. Clients are grateful that there are people on hand every time they call. Your inbound call center should be well-trained, ready to answer questions and more importantly, can up-sell.

Remember that client appreciation programs excite customers. It also makes them feel good about their decision in choosing you. Satisfied customers will talk about your product, winning you more customers through referrals or word of mouth. The key to keeping them is to connect with them always – understanding their needs, and what they can expect from you in the future. Today’s customers are smart enough to know if your business is doing everything it can to make them your no. 1 priority.

Many enterprises have performed badly with customer service that they are missing out in its potential to drive more growth. In these uncertain times, you cannot afford to lose a single customer and keeping is a privilege.

Your best alliance

When budgets are becoming tighter than ever, small and medium enterprises will find an ally in customer service – whether in the form of a technical support or order taking call center. Any business can significantly increase revenues through service that draws customers rather than driving them away. Size is not an issue. Whether you run a large chain across the country or a mom-and-pop store, customers are customers, and their views and opinions about you will differ.

When you take customer service up a notch higher, there is no doubt about igniting customer retention. Outstanding service can keep your customer acquisition costs low.

Do you have money for advertising? Customers become your walking brand representatives. Regardless of what ad campaign is being rolled out, they will still talk about the kind of stuff you offer. Consistency in both product and service impacts your performance. Not only you have launched word of mouth advertising thanks to your clientele, it makes your business life easier.

Start looking for a Customer Service partner

Now is a good time to shop around and look for an outsourced inbound call center to help you manage customers effectively. Search for those that serve your specific needs to help you handle customers properly. Best of all, hire a provider that values long-term relationships. You will go a long way in cultivating your market and keep them especially in these times that making more is vital.