What Makes a Great Call-Center Agent?

The Philippines is the third-largest English-speaking nation in the world. The Philippine government also declares that 75% of the population is fluent in English.

It is a common misconception that to be a great call center agent is to speak fluent English. While having a good command of the English language is certainly a huge component in being a good agent, there are other qualities that define agents worthy of representing your company.

Attitude is one. Communication is heavily influenced by attitude. To be able to form an amicable relationship with your clients, call-center reps must have the right attitude for work. Professionalism is the key in achieving a healthy environment in any work place. Likewise, call-center reps should have a deeply rooted understanding of the virtue -especially when dealing with upset customers.

Flexibility in work paves the path for success, while teamwork mobilizes the direction. Teamwork is a vital tool for surviving the call-center industry. To be able to wear multiple hats is a pre-requisite (almost) set in stone in today’s industry, but call-center reps should know that they are not striving towards an individuated goal. In team play, there has to be a collective effort and cooperation to score. Members should look out for each other, and there is definitely no room for dead weight.

Abigail Adams once said “Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence”. Agents must have the heart for learning. The industry is absolutely not a stagnant community; growth is fast, and learning is a powerful medium for continuous progress.

To be well versed in the age of computers is an advantage. Having the technical skills and vast knowledge in computers applications would afford the agents efficiency and accuracy. Consider multi-tasking to be an art, work as the canvas, and technical skills as the brush. Especially now that work demand on call-center agents is increasing their responsibilities swiftly, computer literacy proves to be a mighty edge.

Communication is the very life of the industry. An agent must possess strong communication skills. As mentioned before, English proficiency is a huge component in being a good call-center rep, and the skill to exercise it accordingly is just as important. Knowing how to communicate well means being able to form and express ideas constructively, listen comprehensively to what is being said, and act upon in correspondence of the situation.

Together, these qualities empower today’s call-center agents for success.

Want to add more qualities, or discuss the post? Feel free to leave a comment!

10 Things To Remember if You're New to Outsourcing

These are important outsourcing compatibility criteria regardless what industry you are in or how large (or small) the business is:

1. Successful BPO companies understand their client's business. This means that they are tuned in to their clients' customer's pulse. Remember that outsourced service providers are actual 'extensions' of every client, therefore how well the outsourcing partner mirrors the client's customer-centricity is critical in ensuring a successful implementation and long-term sustainability.

2. Successful BPO companies are profit centers for their clients. They are able to ride the unpredictability of economic and market conditions and will be willing to work with clients in adjusting operational levels while maintaining focus on continued growth for their clients.

3. Successful BPO companies are agile. They provide quick, easy-to-access, real-time progress reports through advanced technology.

4. Successful BPO companies invest in continuous learning and development for its employees to ensure the highest level of quality service and productivity as well as to retain well-rounded employees and to retain clients.

5. Successful BPO companies build and learn from experience. They take a closer look into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats throughout the outsourcing lifecycle and drives improvement initiatives based on actual scenarios and cases.

6. Successful BPO companies have a solid financial backing which allows them to support their clients' unique requirements from technology upgrade to staffing expansion.

7. Successful BPO companies are managed by experienced decision-makers who have solid track records in the industries they serve.

8. Successful BPO companies invest in talent and in keeping happy and productive employees.

9. Successful BPO companies invest in cutting-edge technology and infrastructure.

10. Successful BPO companies maintain high standards for data and facility security.

Legal Process Outsourcing is the Future of KPO

Legal Process Outsourcing is the next wave of KPO given the Philippines' vast English speaking talent pool of legal professionals. Two of the main areas of concern for outsourcing 'virgins' are confidentiality and data security.

Confidentiality and data security are apparently the key issues which concern the legal process outsourcing (LPO) market. The market will need staunch measures to ensure data security but prior to that their biggest challenge is winning clients' confidence.

Tom Berenguer, Business Development Manager at Global Hotline Philippines states that, "the BPO industry has been trying their best to ensure that they do not face any data security and confidentiality issues by complying with international security standards like ISO and BS7799. Our infrastructure is designed for very tight security at all costs." Being a lawyer by profession, Berenguer adds, "the LPO market is predicted to grow in the years to come, a definite agenda is to enact a laws that deal with such data security and confidentiality matters. Legal software and technology cannot be the only answer, giving way for focus on people and process development as well."

"The Philippines is considered a ripe market for small and medium size law firms and legal departments of big companies willing to outsource coding, research and other legal back office jobs offshore. The Philippines' legal system is patterned after the US legal system which makes the process easier to plan, implement, measure and manage overall. Global Hotline is launching its very own software for litigation support during the first quarter. We consider this a major achievement for the company and we're looking forward to its full roll out by the second quarter of 2009. This goes hand in hand with our ISO certification process."

Merry Christmas from Global Hotline

On behalf of the Global Hotline crew, we'd like to thank all our clients and friends in the industry for making the year busy, challenging, purposeful and worthwhile!

We are happy to serve you and we are looking forward to an exciting 2009 and beyond!

May the holiday season bring you more love, peace, challenges and success!

Cheers!

When the going gets tough, is the solution outsourcing?

Most outsourced service providers are in a quandary since the second quarter of this year, with the global economic downturn threatening the market for off- and on-shore outsourcing demand. The major players across many industries have either cut thousands of jobs or asked for government support.

Though at first look, a slowdown or recession in the US, which accounts for 75% of the Philippine BPO exports, may seem very negative for the health of the industry, the cloud is not without its silver lining. While the winding down of economic activity will negatively impact service providers who depend too much on US corporate expansionary, marketing or support activities; the cost pressures may also encourage new US companies to look at outsourcing for the first time.

The tough state of the economy has put even the biggest companies in dire straits. Small and medium size companies who struggle to stay afloat in this financial and economic melt-down may look to find outsourcing as the next alternative.