Call Centers for Dummies, 2nd Edition
- 5h 56m
- Afshan Kinder, Bruce Simpson, Réal Bergevin, Winston Siegel
- John Wiley & Sons (US)
- 2010
Tips on making your call center a genuine profit center
In North America, call centers are a $13 billion business, employing 4 million people. For managers in charge of a call center operation, this practical, user-friendly guide outlines how to improve results measurably, following its principles of revenue generation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. In addition, this new edition addresses many industry changes, such as the new technology that's transforming today's call center and the location-neutral call center. It also helps readers determine whether it's cost-efficient to outsource operations and looks at the changing role and requirements of agents.
- The ultimate call center guide, now revised and updated
- The authors have helped over 60 companies improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their call center operations
- Offers comprehensive guidance for call centers of all sizes, from 20-person operations to multinational businesses
With the latest edition of Call Centers For Dummies, managers will have an improved arsenal of techniques to boost their center's bottom line.
About the Authors
Réal Bergevin is executive vice president of Transcom Worldwide. In 1991, he founded a call center consulting business that he and his wife, Anne, expanded into NuComm International, a global outsourcing call center service provider. NuComm was listed in Deloitte & Touche's Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for five consecutive years and, in 2005, was awarded the National Quality Institute's Canadian Award of Excellence. NuComm was sold to Transcom in 2007.
In 2001, Réal was honored as one of The Caldwell Partners International's Canada's Top 40 Under 40 business executives. He holds a business degree from Sir Wilfrid Laurier University and is the author of 23 Steps to an Effective Call Centre (NuComm Solutions, Inc.).
Afshan Kinder (formerly Bye) is a partner in SwitchGear Consulting with more than 20 years' experience running contact centers and more than 8 years' experience as an industry consultant and magazine columnist. She has been a senior vice president of sales and service for companies including Sprint Canada (now Rogers Communications), ING Direct, and Wardair.
She is a past board member of Contact Centre Canada, a current board member of the Greater Toronto Association of Contact Centers, and the author of the "Dear Affy" column that appears in each issue of Contact Management magazine.
Winston Siegel is a founding partner in SwitchGear Consulting and a specialist in high-growth service businesses and leadership development. He brings multi-industry expertise to call centers, having run customer service operations in restaurants, musical theater, and retail before seeing the call center light. He was vice president of operations for North America and Australia at Lavalife, growing its call centers from 9 to 20, and became president of the company in 1999.
He is a speaker on call center metrics, leadership, and sales, as well as the author of several white papers, including "The 10 Sacred Cows of Call Center Metrics" (Innovators Roundtable). He has a philosophy degree from York University and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto.
Bruce Simpson is a founding partner in SwitchGear Consulting with a sales background in pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and insurance. He was a founder and chief operating officer of North Direct Response, a call center outsourcer with clients including Royal Bank of Canada, Clearnet (TELUS), and Hewlett-Packard.
He is the author of industry white papers including "The ROI of Coaching" and "How to Control Payroll Leakage," published by Frost & Sullivan.
In this Book
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Introduction
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A First Look at Call Centers
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Business Basics—Models and Drivers and Goals, Oh My!
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Developing the Cast of Characters
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Building a Call Center of Your Own
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Choosing the Outsourcing Option
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Analyze This!
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Right People, Right Place, Right Time—Resource Management
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Call Center Scheduling—Not as Simple as 1, 2, 3
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An Introduction to Call Center Technology
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Technological Enhancements—Getting the Newest and Coolest Stuff
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Using Home Agents
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Hiring and Training
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Creating a Coaching Culture
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Creating a Motivated Workforce
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The Power of Process Improvement
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Mastering Change in Your Organization
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Quality-Control Programs and Certifications
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Ten Ways to Improve Agents' Job Satisfaction
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Ten Questions Every Call Center Manager Should Answer
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Almost Ten Ways to Decrease Call Center Costs and Increase Efficiency
