Call Center Terms and Jargons Newbies Should Know

Kwestyon

29 Nov 202015:58

Summary

TLDRThis video script offers an insightful overview of the call center and BPO industry, particularly for newcomers. It explains the concept of BPO as a broad service outsourcing sector, with the call center industry being just one of its many facets. The script clarifies the roles of 'accounts' and 'agents,' the difference between inbound and outbound calls, and various job titles like CSR and TSR. It also covers essential industry terms such as 'product training,' 'tools,' 'mock calls,' 'nesting,' and 'escalation.' The speaker invites viewers to request a follow-up for further exploration of the topic.

Takeaways

😀 BPO stands for Business Process Outsourcing, where a company hires another to perform certain tasks, often due to lower labor costs.
🌐 Call centers are a subset of BPO, focusing on customer service via phone, while contact centers also handle emails and chat.
📞 The Philippines is highlighted as a popular location for BPO due to cost-effective labor, with examples like Amazon and eBay outsourcing customer service.
🔄 The difference between inbound and outbound calls is based on the direction of the call flow: inbound from customer to agent, outbound from agent to customer.
👥 CSR stands for Customer Service Representative, responsible for addressing customer inquiries and problems.
💻 TSR refers to Technical Service Representative, requiring specific technical knowledge to assist customers with more complex issues.
🛍️ An Account in a call center context is the client company for whom the call center is providing services.
📚 Product training is essential for new hires to learn about the account's policies, processes, and tools needed to assist customers.
🔧 Tools are the applications and software agents use to assist customers, varying in number and complexity depending on the account.
🎭 Mock calls are practice sessions simulating real customer interactions to help agents get accustomed to handling calls.
🔄 Nesting is a training phase where new agents take real customer calls under supervision, typically for a reduced number of hours to facilitate learning.

Q & A

What is BPO and how does it relate to Amazon or eBay?
-BPO, or Business Process Outsourcing, is a process where one company hires another company from a different country to handle certain tasks for them. Companies like Amazon or eBay might outsource their customer service needs to another company in a different country to take advantage of lower labor costs.
Why would a company choose to hire another company from another country for BPO services?
-Companies often choose to hire another company from another country for BPO services due to the lower cost of labor in that country, which can result in significant cost savings for the hiring company.
What is the difference between a contact center and a call center?
-A contact center deals with emails, chat, and calls, while a call center typically only deals with calls. Both are places where agents make and receive calls and interact with customers or potential clients.
Why might people in the Philippines commonly associate BPO with call centers?
-In the Philippines, the term BPO is often synonymous with call centers because a majority of the BPO companies there are call center companies, even though BPO is a broader term that includes various skills and services.
What is an 'account' in the context of call centers?
-An 'account' refers to the client company that the call center is working for. It is the company that pays the call center and for which the call center agents provide services.
What are the three parties typically involved in a call center setup?
-The three parties typically involved in a call center setup are the account (the client company), the call center company (which manages payroll and operations), and the call center agents (who interact with customers).
What are 'inbound' and 'outbound' calls in a call center?
-Inbound calls are those coming from the customer to the call center, such as for customer service or booking appointments. Outbound calls are made by call center agents to potential clients, for example, to sell products or conduct surveys.
What does CSR stand for and what is their role in a call center?
-CSR stands for Customer Service Representative. Their role is to answer customer questions, solve problems, and assist customers with their concerns.
What is the difference between a CSR and a TSR in a call center?
-A CSR is a general customer service representative, while a TSR (Technical Support Representative) has a more specific field of expertise, often dealing with technical issues such as fixing computers or internet connections.
What is 'product training' in a call center and why is it important?
-Product training is the process where call center agents learn about the account they will be working for, including company policies, processes, and the applications and software they will use. It is important because it equips agents with the necessary knowledge to assist customers effectively.
What is a 'mock call' and why is it used in call center training?
-A mock call is a simulated call where a trainee acts as a call center agent, and another person, usually a trainer or fellow trainee, acts as the customer. It is used to help agents get used to taking and handling calls in a realistic setting.
What is the purpose of 'nesting' in call center training?
-Nesting is a part of call center training where trainees take actual calls from real customers under the supervision of a trainer. It helps trainees transition into actual work by providing a shorter, supervised experience before full employment.
What are 'warm transfer' and 'cold transfer' in a call center?
-A warm transfer is when an agent informs the next agent about the customer and the issue before transferring the call, allowing the next agent to prepare. A cold transfer is a direct transfer without such preparation, often used to save time or when transferring between departments where an introduction is not needed.
What does 'ACW' stand for and what does it involve?
-ACW stands for After Call Work. It refers to the tasks that agents must complete after a call, such as updating customer information or resolving issues, which can vary in complexity depending on the account.
What does 'avail' mean in the context of a call center?
-'Avail' in a call center means changing one's status in the dialer from unavailable to available, signaling readiness to receive calls from customers.
What is the difference between 'cueing' and 'veil' in a call center?
-'Cueing' refers to a situation where many customers are calling and waiting to be answered, indicating a busy line. 'Veil', on the other hand, describes a status of a queue when no one is calling and the line is available.
What does it mean to 'escalate' a call in a call center?
-To 'escalate' a call means to transfer it from an agent to someone higher up, such as a supervisor or the escalation department, when the agent cannot resolve the customer's issue or the customer requests to speak with a higher authority.
What is 'de-escalation' in a call center and when is it used?
-De-escalation is the process of convincing a customer not to transfer a call to a supervisor when the issue can be resolved at the agent level. It is used to manage call volume and keep as many calls as possible from going to team leads or supervisors.
What are 'auto in' calls and how do they affect the call center workflow?
-Auto in calls are calls that are automatically dialed by the system, either for inbound (receiving calls) or outbound (making calls) purposes. This can lead to less downtime between calls, potentially increasing stress for agents as they have fewer breaks between interactions.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to BPO and Call Center Industry

The video script introduces the concept of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), explaining that it involves one company hiring another to perform tasks due to cost-effective labor. It clarifies the difference between a contact center and a call center, with the former handling emails, chat, and calls, while the latter primarily deals with calls. The script also highlights that the call center industry is just a part of the broader BPO sector, which includes various skills such as virtual assistance and graphic design. The Philippines is used as an example where BPO is often synonymous with call centers, but the reality is that BPO encompasses a wide range of services.

05:03

📞 Call Center Terminology and Roles

This paragraph delves into specific call center terminology, including 'account' which refers to the client company, 'inbound' and 'outbound' calls, and various agent roles such as CSR (Customer Service Representative) and TSR (Technical Service Representative). It also discusses the importance of product training for call center agents, which covers company policies, processes, and the tools required to assist customers. Mock calls and nesting are introduced as training methods to prepare agents for real customer interactions, with the former being a simulated call and the latter involving actual customer calls under supervision.

10:04

🔄 Understanding Call Transfers and Call Management

The script explains the process of call transfers, distinguishing between 'warm transfer' where the next agent is prepared for the customer's issue, and 'cold transfer' which is a direct transfer without prior notice to the receiving agent. It also covers 'ACW' or After Call Work, the tasks agents must complete after a call, and the concept of 'avail', which means agents are ready to receive calls. The terms 'veil' and 'cueing' describe the status of call queues, while 'escalate' and 'de-escalate' refer to transferring calls to higher authorities or resolving issues at the current level, respectively. The paragraph also touches on 'auto in' for both inbound and outbound calls, which automates the call process for agents.

15:06

🔄 Call Center Dynamics and Viewer Engagement

The final paragraph addresses the dynamics of working in a call center with auto-in systems, which can be stressful due to the lack of rest between calls. It invites viewers to request a part two of the video if they need more information and encourages them to comment with suggestions for future content. The script concludes by thanking viewers for watching and signals the end of the video.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡BPO

BPO stands for Business Process Outsourcing and refers to the practice where a company from one country hires another company from a different country to perform certain tasks on their behalf. In the video, it is explained that BPO is a broad term encompassing various services, not limited to call centers, and can include virtual assistants, graphic designers, and more. The script uses Amazon and eBay as examples of companies that might outsource customer service to a BPO in another country, usually due to lower labor costs.

💡Call Center

A call center is a central location where customer service representatives handle incoming and outgoing calls from customers. The video script clarifies that while call centers are often thought of as synonymous with BPO, they are actually just a subcategory under the larger BPO umbrella. The script also discusses the difference between contact centers, which handle emails and chats in addition to calls, and call centers that primarily deal with phone calls.

💡Labor Cost

Labor cost refers to the expense incurred by employers in paying their employees. The video script mentions that one of the reasons companies might choose to outsource to another country is due to the lower labor costs, suggesting that the cost savings can be significant, as the salary of one call center agent in the U.S. or Canada could potentially pay for three or four agents in the Philippines.

💡Inbound and Outbound

Inbound and outbound are terms used to describe the direction of calls in a call center. Inbound refers to calls coming from customers to the call center, such as for customer service or booking appointments. Outbound, on the other hand, refers to calls made by call center agents to customers, often for sales or conducting surveys. The script provides examples of both types of calls to illustrate their applications in a call center environment.

💡CSR

CSR stands for Customer Service Representative, a role that involves answering customer inquiries and resolving their issues. The video script explains that a CSR is responsible for helping customers with their concerns, positioning them as the frontline support for customers interacting with a company.

💡TSR

TSR stands for Technical Service Representative, a specialized role within customer service that requires technical knowledge. The script mentions that TSRs, unlike general CSRs, focus more on the technical aspects of customer support, such as fixing computer issues or internet connections, and thus require specific technical expertise.

💡Product Training

Product training refers to the process where new employees learn about the products or services they will be supporting. The video script emphasizes the importance of product training in a call center environment, stating that it covers company policies, processes, and the tools and software agents will use to assist customers. Missing a day of training could leave an agent at a disadvantage.

💡Tools

In the context of the video, tools refer to the applications and software that call center agents use to assist customers. The script mentions that the number of tools an agent might use can vary depending on the complexity of the account, ranging from 5 to 20, and includes examples such as tools for processing refunds or checking customer billing statements.

💡Mock Call

A mock call is a simulated call used for training purposes, allowing call center agents to practice handling customer interactions. The video script describes two instances where mock calls are used: during the job application process and during training on the job. The script also mentions that the channel has five mock call videos available for viewers to learn from.

💡Nesting

Nesting is a phase of training where new call center agents start taking real calls from customers under the supervision of a trainer. The video script explains that during nesting, agents typically take calls for only four hours while spending the rest of the time discussing their calls with the trainer. This helps agents transition into full-time employment by providing them with immediate feedback and guidance.

💡Soup Call

A soup call, as mentioned in the video script, is a call where the customer specifically requests to speak with a supervisor. The term is used to describe a situation where the call needs to be escalated due to the customer's request or because the agent is unable to resolve the issue, requiring the expertise of a team lead or supervisor.

💡Warm Transfer and Cold Transfer

Warm transfer and cold transfer are terms used to describe different methods of transferring a call to another agent. A warm transfer involves informing the next agent about the customer and the issue before transferring the call, allowing the agent to prepare. In contrast, a cold transfer is a direct transfer without prior notice, which can be less ideal but sometimes necessary for time-saving. The script provides an example of each to illustrate the differences and appropriate situations for their use.

💡ACW

ACW stands for After Call Work, which refers to the tasks that a call center agent must complete following a call with a customer. The video script describes how ACW can vary in complexity and time required, with some accounts allowing only two minutes for ACW, while others might require contacting external parties on behalf of the customer.

💡Avail

In the context of the video, 'avail' is a term used in Philippine call centers to indicate when an agent is ready to receive calls. When an agent's status is changed from 'unavailable' to 'avail' in the dialer system, they become available to take customer calls. The script also mentions 'a veil' as a term used to describe a situation where no calls are incoming, and the line is available.

💡Cueing

Cueing, as described in the video script, refers to a situation where there is a high volume of incoming calls and customers are waiting to be answered. It is the opposite of 'a veil' and indicates a busy period in the call center where customers are queuing to speak with an agent.

💡Escalate and De-escalate

To escalate a call means to transfer it from an agent to a higher authority, such as a supervisor or the escalation department, when the agent cannot resolve the customer's issue. De-escalate, conversely, is the process of handling a situation without involving a higher authority if the customer agrees. The video script explains that de-escalation is important to manage the workload of team leads and to resolve as many issues as possible at the agent level.

💡Auto In

Auto in refers to a call center setup where calls are automatically connected to agents without the need for them to manually press a button to answer or dial. The video script mentions that auto in can be used for both inbound and outbound calls, and it implies a fast-paced environment with little downtime between calls, which could potentially be stressful for agents.

Highlights

BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) is a process where one company hires another to perform certain tasks, often due to lower labor costs.

Amazon and eBay are examples of companies that outsource customer service needs to BPOs.

The difference between a contact center and a call center is that the former handles emails, chat, and calls, while the latter primarily deals with calls.

In the Philippines, BPO is often synonymous with call centers, but BPO encompasses a wide range of skills beyond just call centers.

A call center industry is a subcategory of the broader Business Process Outsourcing industry.

An account in a call center context refers to the client company that the call center is working for.

Call centers in the Philippines often partner with multiple accounts, and vice versa.

Inbound calls are those coming from customers to the call center, such as for customer service or booking appointments.

Outbound calls are initiated by call center agents, such as for sales or conducting surveys.

CSR stands for Customer Service Representative, responsible for answering questions and solving customer problems.

TSR (Technical Service Representative) focuses on the technical side of customer support, such as fixing computer issues or internet connections.

A Sales Representative promotes a company's products and services or offers appointments over the phone.

Product training is essential for call center agents to learn about the account they will be working for, including company policies and processes.

Tools in a call center are the applications and software used to assist customers, which can range from 5 to 20 depending on account complexity.

A mock call is a simulated call used for training purposes, either during the job application process or for ongoing skill development.

Nesting is a training phase where new agents take real customer calls under the guidance of a trainer.

A supervisor call, or 'soup call', is a call where a customer specifically requests to speak with a supervisor.

Transferring calls can be done as a warm transfer, giving the next agent time to prepare, or as a cold transfer, which is more immediate and less informative.

ACW (After Call Work) refers to tasks that agents must complete following a call, which can vary in complexity and time requirements.

In the Philippine call centers, 'avail' means changing status to receive calls, while 'veil' describes a queue with no active calls.

Cueing, or queuing, is when many customers are calling and waiting to be answered, indicating a high call volume.

Escalate refers to transferring a call to a higher authority when an agent cannot resolve an issue, while de-escalate is the process of handling the issue at the current level.

Auto-in is a call center setup where calls are automatically connected to agents without the need for manual dialing.