Big Data’s Growing Impact

The truth is that our technology driven society is, and has been, growing at an alarming rate and it is not slowing down. We live in a world where information can be accessed from nearly anywhere on earth and our market choices, contacts, transactions, and most of our digital lives is being stored somewhere in one way or another. This is Big Data.

Large companies and government agencies are not the only ones facing the Big Data dilemma. Small and mid range companies are also finding the need to store and analyze more and more data as our technology advances in a globalized marketplace. The days of purging old files to make room for the new ones are numbered; today’s businesses are in need of serious solutions.

Big Data is here to stay as we become ever reliant on our electronics and companies working in the realms of information technology are constantly devising way to keep up with the exponential growth of data. This task is not an easy one as the uses for such an array of information are nearly as limitless as the types of data that are present.

Because the data that companies compile is not shrinking, the need to harness and translate this data is also growing at an exponential rate. Analysis opens the door to huge business opportunities as well as the ability to stop fraud and theft and create up to the minute risk analysis. The trouble lies in finding the right information to analyze amidst the ones and zeros.

To be able to analyze such massive quantities of data is a valuable and vital tool to any business regardless of size. Without analysis, this information is not only hard to quantify in any usable manner, but can range from documents files to the latest social media postings depending on the company.

This is the analyst-in-a-box approach that so many small businesses need to gain control of their data storage needs. Failure to grow with this technology could have dramatic results for companies seeking growth in this competitive marketplace. Contact TeleDirect today to see how your business can tackle the Big Data challenge head on to keep your business moving full steam ahead.

Cloud-Based Solutions from TeleDirect

At TeleDirect, we are always on the lookout for the next big technological trend in customer service so that we can keep your business on the cutting edge. Now, we’re putting our efforts into establishing cloud-based customer service technology that should further enhance the convenience and business-friendly nature of our customer service.

One of the main issues that arises with traditional call center operations is that customer service representatives require access to all kinds of spreadsheets and databases that contain the information needed to answer the questions of customers. Any information about your business that you need us to know is likely contained within these types of documents. This type of service isn’t always extraordinarily efficient. For example, some representatives might be slower to get the information they need, meaning they would need to transfer customers to people who have answers or call other representatives for assistance when on the phone with customers.

With cloud computing, we can instantly update the capabilities of our customer service operations. Instead of having an inconvenient mass of spreadsheets, databases, and documents, our customer service representatives can use tools that allow them to instantly retrieve important customer information, customer history, contact information and more all from one central location – the cloud. All customer service representatives and call center employees have access to the cloud, as well as our clients, meaning that you can update this information and have it instantly seen for our entire customer service team.

Cloud computing services in customer service can also directly benefit the customer. The cloud enables the creation of self-service stations, which allow customers to instantly seek the answers to their questions themselves or to create a log of any troubles they have with products. Customers also could have the ability to post ideas about products that could have a great benefit for your business. It’s a way to make customer service more engaging than ever before!

For more information about our work with cloud-based technology, contact us at TeleDirect today. We constantly strive to bring your business the best in new customer service technology!

Direct IVR Solutions from TeleDirect

Many businesses and call centers today are constantly on the lookout for tools that can reduce costs of making sales, customer service, collections, support calls, and more. One such tool is IVR, which stands for Interactive Voice Response. At TeleDirect, we use Direct IVR services to cut costs and increase efficiency in all of our operations.

Many companies choose to use IVR services to help establish 24/7 business operations. This is partially how we are able to constantly serve your customers. The use of IVR, voice automation, and other technologies allows any questions from your callers to be answered without the presence of a live customer service representative. While we believe in the importance of having live representatives available as much as possible, it is also important to have a system that works when there is no representative availability.

We can also use our IVR system to identify and classify your business’s callers. Since we can identify your callers before we even pick up the phone, we are able to better personalize our services for that customer’s specific needs. Imagine how impressed your customers will be when you answer the phone and already know who’s calling and how they can help you!

In addition, IVR services give more options to callers when lines are busy. In the event that you have a huge rush of callers to our phone lines, the IVR service gives the caller the option to wait for the next available representative, work with the automated service or request a call back from a live representative as soon as possible. The idea is to give the customer the option to avoid a long wait on hold while still ensuring that they will get the service they need.

Finally, IVR allows your business to prioritize your customers. If you have customers that you classify as being major clients, loyal customers, or anything else you consider to be a priority, you can move them to the front of the line when they call in. It’s a great way to reward people who consistently do business with your company.

To achieve all of the great benefits from IVR technology, work with TeleDirect today! Visit our website to learn how you can get started with our services.

How Mobile Technology has Changed Business

It is truly fascinating how quickly mobile technology has evolved. Think back just ten years ago – cell phones were just becoming popular and few people would have thought that Internet access would soon be available on these devices everywhere they went. Now, mobile technology dominates the business and entertainment worlds, and many companies are still trying to catch up.

Here are some of the ways that mobile technology has changed the business world:

People expect instant results. Mobile technology has made people expect instant answers. After all, phones and tablets now give people access to the Internet with the touch of a button, just about anywhere in the country. Since people can find immediate answers for questions they have that aren’t related to your business, they’ll also expect the same from your customer service team. Therefore, it’s important to have customer service representatives who can efficiently and instantly solve customer problems.

Everything is quick and simple. Not only do people expect instant results, but they expect answers to their problems or questions be quick as well. Mobile devices generally don’t cater to reading long blocks of text. People want the kind of brevity they find through text messages and Tweets. This is one of the reasons so many answering services now provide text messaging services – they’re quick, simple, and efficient.

Advertising now caters to people with mobile devices. Methods like QR Codes, mobile apps and deals that can only be activated by “Checking In” on Facebook or FourSquare have become extremely common in the business world. If you were to rewind to just five or six years ago, most of these tactics did not even exist in marketing. That shows the power that mobile devices have in advertising.

People are constantly connected. Since people bring their mobile devices with them wherever they go, they can now call or be called, text or be texted or surf the Internet at any time. This means that customer service representatives need to be constantly available for answers, since customers are constantly available to ask questions.

TeleDirect has done an excellent job of staying up-to-date with mobile technology and the changes it’s brought to customer service. Work with us today to help keep your company on the cutting edge. You’re just minutes away from 24/7 customer service!

Call Centers Give Your Business a Consistent Image

When you own a small business, chances are that one of the first things you’ll concern yourself with is attracting customers. This is natural and expected – you need to find customers right away to get your company up and running. But once you have customers, how do you maintain their loyalty?

One of the best ways to secure long-term brand loyalty from your customers is by presenting a solid, consistent brand image. You can do this through a variety of methods – contributing a consistently high-quality product, performing marketing techniques with a consistent message, and presenting a professional image through your customer service.

With a call center, presenting that consistent, professional image is easier than it’s ever been. After all, there’s nothing more consistent than a call center like TeleDirect. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, meaning your customers can call in at any time and receive your own personalized message from our customer service representatives.

That message is another way that our call center keeps your business’s image consistent. When you work with TeleDirect, you have the ability to personalize the scripts for your calls in any way you want. Those scripts go live as soon as you edit them, giving you the ability to instantly change the message your customers hear. That script gets sent out to every single customer service representative who answers phones for your company, meaning that no matter who takes your calls, your customers get exactly the same message.

In addition to these aspects of TeleDirect, we also make sure that our representatives stay up-to-date with all of the latest information about your company. We provide them with the resources necessary to answer any questions about your business, so that customers who call in will all receive the same answer to any given question or problem.

TeleDirect gives your company a consistent brand image which, in turn, creates a much stronger sense of brand loyalty in each of your customers. Our years of experience and understanding of what makes great customer service give us a true insight into how we can transform your business. Contact us today to learn more about our services, or to get started!

Customer Service Increases Customer Satisfaction

Customer service isn’t just about answering questions or solving problems your customers have – it’s about building a positive experience and extending the influence of your brand as well. Building this positive experience is extremely important if you want to satisfy your customers.

There are a variety of ways that your customer service methods can increase the satisfaction of your customers. Here are a few of them:

Customization – If you tailor your customer service to the needs of your customers, you’ll see much greater customer satisfaction. This gives the customers a sense that you care enough about them to personalize your service just for them. And if you can succeed in creating a personal touch in your customer service, it makes your representatives seem less like they’re representing a business and more like they’re just another person that your customers can talk to.

Gratitude – Show your appreciation for your customers as often as you can. Thank them over the phone, or send them thank you notes. Offer them special deals for having been a valued customer for so long. Little steps like these do a lot to improve customer satisfaction, and encourage them to keep coming back.

Kindness – You might not be giving customers anything as tangible as a discount or a freebie when you give them a smile or a cheery expression, but it does certainly help to brighten their day. Customers enjoy doing business with companies that make them feel welcome, and a little kindness goes a long way in doing exactly that.

Availability – Customers want to know they can come to your business at any time when they have an issue to be solved or a question to be answered. Answering services like TeleDirect offer 24/7/365 customer service, meaning that you’ll never have to send a customer to voicemail. Don’t underestimate the power of having a live representative answering your calls at all times – people simply prefer talking to other people!

Your customers are what keep your business going – shouldn’t you be doing all that you can to keep them satisfied? Work with TeleDirect to revamp your customer service and give your customers the satisfaction they deserve. Contact us today to learn more about the services that we provide!

The Most Common Call Center Mistakes

Call centers can be a great asset to your company by providing a direct line of communication to customers, clients, and other audiences you’re trying to reach. However, there are a variety of mistakes that other companies make that can actually have a negative impact on your business. Check out some of the most common mistakes that a call center can be subject to, mistakes that you will not have to worry about by working with TeleDirect:

Automated Lines

Automated call lines and answering services may be a great solution to cutting down on the number of staff members that you need to employ, but in the end, the quality of service suffers with these lines. For example, if a caller’s question isn’t addressed as part of the automated menu, they’re going to be transferred to a representative eventually, but by the time they get there, they might not be as patient as when they first called, or they might simply choose to hang up rather than wait. Plus, people simply prefer the personal touch of speaking to an actual live person. You can’t get this from an automated line.

Misinformation and Misdirection

Larger companies can have a lot of information going out to a multitude of different outlets. Often times, the touch point for a lot of this information is split between two mediums: the company website and a call center. Providing your call center employees with the right information about a campaign, company announcement, or other pertinent media item is necessary to ensure that the message gets properly transmitted.

The more information your call center has to work with, the easier it’s going to be for them to solve problems. Also, keeping up with the company’s marketing efforts can lead to a more complete experience for those being targeted when they’re seeking answers and information from your company call center.

Improper Staffing

A common misconception that many companies have about their call centers has to do with the frequency and volume of staff. Simply put, it’s hard to predict when calls will come in and how often, so why take the chance of being unprepared? Have a dedicated call center on hand all day, every day like TeleDirect to field all of your calls. You’ll never have to worry about being understaffed, unprepared, or closed for your calls ever again!

Contact TeleDirect today to learn about how we can change the way you perform customer service forever! We have years of reputable service at our backs, so you know that we will avoid all of these costly mistakes.