Every smart business owner understands the importance of professional customer live support. Because voicemails are no more considered effective in today’s fast paced and demanding business environment, business manages are looking for ways of deploying their own call center or turn to an answering service instead. On the other hand, there are some who believe that as soon as you provide high quality product to your clients there is no need in providing live support to consumers. We would like to share some interesting statistics about interactions with clients and how call center services can influence your company. Call centers are a vital part of many businesses, providing customer service, sales support, and other critical functions. While call centers are often associated with long wait times and frustrating experiences, there are also many interesting facts and statistics about the industry that you may not be aware of. In this article, we'll explore some of the most interesting call center facts that you may find surprising.
Call Center Statistics and Interesting Facts
The first call center was established in 1960 by the Birmingham Press and Mail in the UK. It was created to handle a high volume of incoming calls related to a new telephone directory, and it used a rotary dial telephone system to route calls to agents.
In accordance with Zendesk, over 90% of clients claimed they would use an online help it is were available for them and customized to their needs. This fact alone means it is not only about product quality. Whenever people need information, they will look it up online. If there is nothing useful online nor there is anyone who could provide such information online, then it would significantly reduce customer experience. The presence of expert live chat support for example would definitely be appreciated both by prospective and existing clients.
The call center industry is a significant employer, with millions of people working in call centers around the world. In the United States alone, there are over 3 million call center employees, making it one of the largest employment sectors in the country.
Call centers generate significant revenue for businesses, with the global call center industry estimated to be worth over $400 billion. In the United States, the call center industry generates over $500 billion in revenue each year.
Call center agent turnover is notoriously high, with an average turnover rate of around 30-45% per year. This can be attributed to factors such as stressful work environments, low pay, and challenging working hours.
The Philippines is a top destination for call center outsourcing, with over 1.3 million people working in the industry in the country. This is due in part to the country's large English-speaking population and low labor costs.
In recent years, call centers have become more customer-centric, with a greater emphasis on delivering a positive customer experience. This has led to a shift away from traditional metrics such as average handling time (AHT) and towards metrics that measure customer satisfaction, such as Net Promoter Score (NPS).
Nearly 70% of customers (Forrester) say their questions have been fully answered by a live support operator. This numbers say that with establishing your own call center you have a chance to make sure you properly address the questions and concerns of the majority of your clients. This may not sound impressive, but creating a better customer experience can significantly boost the flow of new clients to your company, increasing your revenue and improving your reputation.
Nearly 80% of clients (Nuance) would rather contact a call center representative of the company despite the growth of online customer service tools. No matter how well you have the information organized on you website, your customer would still choose to interact with a real person, asking specific questions and looking for specific answers.
About 82% of clients (LivePerson) claim that getting their issues resolved in a timely manger is the most important factor to an excellent customer experience. You can provide clear information to your clients through a website, but this won’t guarantee decent customer experience. When you have an issue the last thing you want to do is to talk to a machine (voicemail), realizing that it may take hours or even days before someone will get to listen to the tape. On the other hand, whenever you have an opportunity to talk directly about the problem to someone who represents the company you will have an absolutely different experience.
The majority of entrepreneurs (about 80% – Forrester) want to use the customer service as a method to set themselves apart from the competitors. In other words, the highest quality of customer service is what should differentiate companies from the crowds. The problem is that by far not all companies even have 24/7 customer support, without which creating a better customer experience is almost impossible. Business owners love talking about how good they are going to be in dealing with their clients, but as a matter of fact it often never goes beyond the talks.
Call centers are constantly evolving, and many are adopting new technologies to improve the customer experience and increase efficiency. This includes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots, which can help to automate customer interactions and reduce call center volumes.
Call centers are a fascinating industry with many interesting facts and statistics. From their humble beginnings in the 1960s to their current status as a major employer and revenue generator, call centers have come a long way. By adopting new technologies, focusing on customer satisfaction, and addressing issues such as high turnover rates, the call center industry is poised to continue its growth and evolution in the years to come.
Answering Service as Alternative
Some of business owners understand that despite the importance of establishing own call centers they cannot afford it. It doesn’t mean they can’t earn the reputation of the company who provides excellent customer support. Answering service is effective alternative. If chosen well, it can cover absolutely the same functions as a call center (at a much reasonable cost though).
