Question 1

What is a call center company?

Accepted Answer

A call center company is a specialized agency that manages both incoming and outgoing customer phone calls, often providing customer service, technical support, or sales services.

Call center companies use advanced technologies to route and handle calls efficiently, ensuring effective communication between businesses and their clients.

Call centers fall under one of four main categories:

In-house: These include companies that operate a call center themselves, allowing for direct control over the quality of the service and experience.
Outsourced: Also known as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), these third-party service providers handle customer service and support operations.
Automated: These call center services use bots, AI, and other technology to perform tasks without the need for a human agent.
Blended: This type of call center company can provide both inbound and outbound customer services.

Question 2

What do call center service providers do?

Accepted Answer

Call center service providers manage and field phone communications for businesses, offering telecommunication services like customer support, technical assistance, and telemarketing. Through these, call center providers:

Streamline customer support operations
Enhance relationships with clients
Improve brand image
Save costs and resources

Call centers, depending on their nature and focus, can offer a wide range of services. Here's a quick overview of what inbound, outbound, and automated call center providers can do:

Service category	Inbound	Outbound	Automated
Customer support	Customer inquiries	Outbound surveys	IVR systems and chatbots
Sales	Order taking, upselling	Telemarketing, lead generation	Predictive dialing, CRM systems
Technical support	Troubleshooting, help desk	Follow-up calls, product updates	AI-powered troubleshooting
Appointments	Appointment bookings	Appointment reminders	Automated appointment scheduling
Helpdesk	Incident logging, ticket routing	Follow-up calls	Self-service portals
Complaints	Complaint resolution	Follow-up calls	Automated case tracking
Surveys and feedback	Customer satisfaction surveys	Market research surveys	Survey automation tools
Collections	Payment reminders	Debt collection calls	Automated payment plans
Emergency response	Emergency dispatch	Emergency notifications	Automated alerts and notifications
Market research	Data collection	Survey outreach	Data analysis and reporting

Question 3

What is the difference between call center companies and answering service providers?

Accepted Answer

The main difference between call center companies and answering service providers is in the type of calls and tasks they handle.

Call center companies handle high call volumes, mainly focusing on phone communications, order-taking and processing, and tech and chat support, which includes both customer service and sales.

On the other hand, answering services mainly take and pass on messages, often after regular business hours. Answering service providers primarily handle inbound calls, messages, and appointment scheduling.

Question 4

How much does a call center services provider charge?

Accepted Answer

Inbound call center services charge from $0.50 to $1.75 per minute. [Twilio] However, rates can vary based on factors such as location, volume of calls, type of service, and level of expertise required.

Below is a breakdown of different pricing models for call centers:

	Description	Cost range
Minute	Calculated based on the minutes spent talking to clients	$0.50 - $1.75/minute
Call	Flat fee for each received call, dependent on call scripting	$0.73 - $2.27/call
Month	Monthly fee per designated user (e.g., agent, supervisor, admin)	Starts at $150/user

Question 5

Why hire top call center outsourcing companies?

Accepted Answer

You should hire call center outsourcing companies because great customer service can increase customer retention and loyalty, which in turn boosts profits. According to HubSpot research, 93% of consumers are more likely to become repeat customers after a good experience with the call center.

Here are the other reasons why you should hire a call center company:

Reduce operational costs: Hiring a call center saves you the cost of staffing, training, and equipment, making it cheaper than setting up your own.
Increase productivity: With dedicated customer service specialists handling your calls, your employees can save time and focus on larger sales drivers without compromising on service quality.
Improve customer service: Professional agents are trained to handle inquiries, resolve issues, and create positive customer interactions.
Boost sales: Call centers can help you reach out to potential customers, follow up on leads, and close deals.

WOW24-7's case study for Walks, a global travel company, demonstrates how call center services are beneficial to businesses. Walks conducted walking tours in 14 cities for a decade. After the pandemic, it aimed to improve operations by replacing in-house staff with a specialized team of seven English-speaking agents.

WOW24-7 made a six-week preparation plan, smoothly integrating the agents and providing comprehensive training on client communication. This collaboration increased Walks' dedicated team by 40%, with plans for another 20% increase next year.

Question 6

How do I select the best call center for my business?

Accepted Answer

Selecting the best call center for your business involves a combination of research, understanding your requirements, and due diligence. Here are some steps and factors to consider and make an informed decision:

Needs: Assess your needs and understand the volume of calls you expect, the level of expertise required hours of operation, and any specific technical requirements or software integrations.
Specific services: Not all call centers offer the same services. You can find call center providers offering inbound call handling, outbound sales, or technical support.
Budget: Determine the budget for call center services. Different providers offer various pricing models, including per-minute rates, per-call rates, or flat fees. Make sure the cost aligns with your budget.
Shortlist: A call center with experience in your specific industry can offer a smoother customer experience.
Reputation and reviews: Look for call center companies with good reputations based on online reviews, case studies, and testimonials.
Technological capabilities: Outsourced call centers should have updated systems, omnichannel support (e.g., email, chat, and social media), and data analytics tools.
Scalability: As your business grows, you may need to increase the number of agents or add new communication channels. Make sure the call center you choose can scale with your business.
Data security and compliance: Ensure they comply with data protection regulations and have robust security measures to protect customer information.
References: Speaking directly with past clients can provide insights into the call center’s strengths and weaknesses.
Proposals: Send a call center request for proposal (RFP) with key information about your company, customers, required services, timeline, and budget. This saves time and ensures that your chosen vendor can meet your needs.

DesignRush can assist you in finding the ideal call center company. Just visit our Marketplace and provide your project details—we'll link you with up to five top candidates from our directory.

Question 7

What should I ask call center companies before hiring one?

Accepted Answer

When hiring a call center company, asking detailed questions about their services, processes, and teams can lead to a smoother partnership. Here are some of the most important questions:

How many years have you been in operation?
Do you have any client references from similar industries or sectors?
What specific services do you offer (e.g., inbound, outbound, customer service, telemarketing)? How can they be customized to our needs?
What software and tools do you use? Can they integrate seamlessly with our systems?
Where are your call centers located?
Do you offer 24/7 support?
How do you train your agents, ensure quality, and provide feedback?
What Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) do you track? How frequently is reporting provided?
How do you ensure the security of our customer data? What compliance certifications do you hold?
In what languages can you offer support? How do you ensure a cultural fit with our target audience?
How is your pricing structured: per call, per minute, or a fixed monthly fee? Are there any setup or hidden fees?
What is the minimum contract duration?
How do you handle terminations or transitions?
How do you handle feedback or complaints? What processes do you have for continuous improvement?

Question 8

What are the best call center providers in the U.S.?

Accepted Answer

The best call center service providers in the U.S. are:

CIENCE Technologies
- 4.5 stars on DesignRush (2 reviews)
- 3.7 stars on Google (19 reviews)
- Top clients: Microsoft, Google, Uber, SAP, Second Genome
WOW24-7
- 5.0 stars on DesignRush (10 reviews)
- Top clients: Skillroads, Calmerry, Dixa, Walks, Slidepeak
IdeasUnlimited
- 5.0 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (8 reviews)
- Top clients: Twitch, Sapphire, Babebox, BRK Trading, Heads Group
Unity Communications
- 5.0 stars on DesignRush (2 reviews)
- 3.9 stars on Google (7 reviews)
- Top clients: AT&T, Samsung, Wireless Watchdogs, Fleet Complete, Ring Central
CallZ Telecom
- 5.0 stars on DesignRush (1 review)
- Top clients: Dubizzle, BOA, Expedia, Just Life

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