If you’re like most people, the term “call center” makes you think of a group of representatives sitting in front of computers wearing headsets, waiting for customer calls or dealing with customer issues. Although that’s the common notion of a call center, there are actually two main types; the inbound call center and the outbound call center.
Each of these use significantly different methods and technology so you need to know which one will best serve your needs. Some call centers are capable of providing both, but it’s still important to recognize what you get with an inbound vs. an outbound call center.
Here’s how to tell the difference between an outbound and an inbound call center.
Inbound Call Centers
“Inbound,” as you might suppose, refers to the direction of the call. Calls originate from outside of the call center and a representative of the business answers. Call center representatives react to situations initiated by customers and find ways to resolve those situations accordingly.
When you call the toll-free number on the back of a product, you’re contacting an inbound call center.
Many inbound call centers are available any time of the day or night. There’s no predicting when customers will need services, so being able to stay open 24/7 is often a necessary part of inbound call center operations.
Outbound Call Centers
Outbound call centers are actually more common and more popular with businesses than inbound call centers. Representatives initiate contact by reaching out to your customer base; calling your customers or potential customers.
Being contacted by a representative to complete a survey over the phone is an example of a call from an outbound call center. Most people have more frequent contact with outbound call centers than with inbound call centers.
If more than 50 percent of a call center’s calls are outbound, it’s considered an outbound call center and the same goes for an inbound call center.
Inbound Services
One type of service that an inbound call center can provide to your customers is for customer service, which includes customer complaints, questions and requests. It can also include sales. For instance, the number you see on the TV to place an order during infomercials goes to an inbound call center.
Most inbound call centers are customer-service focused. They receive calls from people who need help with a product or service that the company specializes in.
Typical inbound call centers handle:
- customer complaints
- customer questions or requests
- take orders
- resolve issues
- provide technical support
During this digital age, another common inbound service is for technical support. If you’re having trouble with a new product you’ve just bought, you can call in and have a technical support person help you troubleshoot or diagnose the problem.
Another type of inbound call center deals with taking orders and reservations, such as for hotels, airlines and restaurants.
Outbound Services
An outbound call center’s focus is in making outbound calls. Most of them are sales focused. Agents concentrate on a list of customers and potential customers that a business wants to get in touch with related to sales and gaining customers. It allows businesses to make contact with a potential customer who may or may not purchase a product or service.
Also, a business may want to contact existing customers about promotions or special sales they’re having. An outbound call service can be a very effective way of reaching new customers.
Typical outbound calls include:
- Sales
- Telemarketing
- Fund-raising calls
- Calls for contact list updating
- Verification services
- Selling
- Collection calls
- Issue resolution calls
Outbound call centers are virtually everywhere. One of the most popular services of these call centers is the customer service survey. Some surveys are completed for a charity or government department. Others are market-oriented for a particular business or industry. Businesses are only seeking information, rather than a sale.
Non-profit outbound call centers are used during political campaigns, the purpose of which is to encourage you to vote, volunteer or donate.
Finding the Services You Need
While many businesses do need an inbound call center, the most popular services are really functions of an outbound call center. Most businesses do best when they have a mix of inbound and outbound services. Discuss your needs with different call centers and get quotes from them about what services your business could benefit from.
Whether they’re inbound or outbound, in-house or outsourced, call centers are crucial to most major businesses in just about any industry. They are often a company’s main way to interact with customers.
Regardless of the type of call center a company uses, or whether they use a mix of inbound and outbound, the principal that ties them all together is great customer service. Whether an agent is handling a problem, taking a reservation, trying to collect a debt, closing a sale or taking a survey, their success hinges on treating the customer well.
