During a time of crisis, utilizing the services of a call centre can help with business continuity. Call centres like The CommAlert Group offer a range of call answering and virtual assistant services that can help when your inbound calls are higher than usual, or when you are short-staffed as many are during this public health emergency. Having a live human answer the phone will help assure and retain your customers. This is especially important during challenging times.
Emergency communication services are also essential during times of crisis. A call centre can answer and dispatch emergency calls, initiate emergency alerts, and offer work alone monitoring for your employees.
Here are some tips for choosing the right call centre for your needs:
Try to find a local call centre
There are contact centres all over the world. While you can save money utilizing a call centre overseas, you will lose a connection with your customers you can only get by being ‘local’. There might not be a contact centre in your town, but a Canadian-based call centre can help your customers feel cared for right here at home. When the person on the line has local knowledge and cultural understanding, it boosts the experience for the caller.
Ask what emergency communication services they offer
Every call centre will offer a different range of emergency communication services. Find the solutions that best meet your organization’s needs. They can range from crisis communication hotlines, emergency alerts and mass notification, emergency call answering and dispatch, and lone worker monitoring.
Make sure they can accommodate your business as your needs change
You’ll need to utilize different services when the business grows. Or, in cases like these, when things scale down for some organizations. The call centre you choose should offer options and pricing that can be scaled up or down, according to your changing needs. They should also have the staff and technology onboard, so they can quickly implement any changes in services you might require during uncertain times.
Ensure your data is kept private and secure
If you’re sharing your data with a third-party, like a call centre, security must be a top priority. There are regulations around security and privacy, but you should still ask about their methods, policies, and procedures. You also need to have access to all your data, messages, and reports at any time.
The cost of hiring a call centre to manage inbound calls, emergency communications, and other virtual assistant services does not need to be a burden. In fact, you might be surprised to learn how affordable call centre services can be. Your emergency preparedness plan should have room for outsourcing some of the work. This allows your staff can focus on their jobs to help your organization navigate the crisis.
Connect with us and learn how we can help. You can also find free resources and tips for business continuity at www.covidcontinuity.com.
