Automate Cost Efficiently*

There are many levels of call center automation. Use the ones that are appropriate and deliver a return-on-investment (ROI) for your operation. If there is no ROI or the payback period is very long, perhaps the automation is not a cost-efficient initiative for you. This is an introduction to call center automation. Let’s begin with the basics and move up to more advanced technology.

Headsets
Reps who make or receive call after call are more productive with headsets – some say 11% more productive. By spending $150 for a headset for each rep, your business could gain $1,760 - $5,500/year in productivity per rep (11% x rep salary of $16,000 to $50,000/year).

Fax Automation
Do your reps send 10-20 faxes a day? Perhaps its time to recover that time each day with a PC based fax program or fax server. Forty-five minutes a day is 180 hours/year/rep (48 work weeks @ 5 days/week). Multiply by their hourly cost for the ROI.

CRM or Contact Software
CRM or simpler contact management software, as well as customer service and help desk software can each reap real rewards if bought and fit to scale. The rewards can be more sales or retained customers due to better account or service management. CRM/contact management software cost is $200 low end, $1400 mid-range and $5000 high end. If the software enables reps to generate 5% -10% more sales revenue/year or 5% -10% more retained customers/year, what’s the payback period at your firm? See the Lieber & Associates Knowledge Base entry A Ten Step Process for Buying Call Center Software.

Automation for Inbound Calls
Adding an automatic call distributor (ACD) upgrade to your phone system enables inbound reps to work more productively – as much as 15-25% more productively. See the Lieber & Associates Knowledge Base entry The Bottom Line on ACDs.
Voice recognition systems can handle many routine calls effectively (Did my order ship?). Properly designed, they are more user friendly than an IVR and can pay for themselves in just months. The airlines use these and even UPS uses voice-recognition for air pick-ups.

Automation for Outbound Calls
A preview or progressive dialer will boost outbound productivity for even a single caller (a 20-30%/year boost in productivity over manual dialing for $1200/station and up). A predictive dialer – properly used (and in compliance with regulations) – can more than double productivity for shifts of 8+.

Many-In-One Devices
In some cases, the newest generation of communications servers (phone systems based in fault-tolerant pcs) can provide ACD, IVR (perhaps voice-recognition) and predictive dialer functionality in a single system – saving money initially and in support.

Whichever automation you select, do so carefully using in-house expertise or that of a consulting firm such as Lieber & Associates. We recommend the technology acquisition process outlined in the Lieber & Associates Knowledge Base entry A Ten Step Process for Buying Call Center Software.

*These are general recommendations. Specific strategies and tactics should be based on a review of your needs, market and operation. For outside support, contact Lieber & Associates.