Everything you need to know about call blending

There is growing interest in the adoption of call blending, the practice of combining inbound and outbound call centre activities. This innovative approach aims to maximise operational efficiency by allowing agents to answer inbound calls and make outbound calls alternately, via the same platform. This article explores the benefits of implementing call blending in your inbound and outbound call centre.

What is call blending?

Call blending is a strategy used in call centres to combine the activities of inbound and outbound calls within the same team of agents. Unlike the traditional method, where agents focus either on inbound calls (receiving calls from customers) or outbound calls (initiated by the company), call blending allows agents to handle both inbound and outbound calls simultaneously.

Agents have free time when incoming call traffic is very low. The call blending approach aims to optimise the use of human resources and improve the operational efficiency of call centres by reducing downtime and increasing agent productivity. They will not only receive, but also make calls via a single system. They may, for example, handle customer complaints on inbound calls and then carry out prospecting or sales on outbound calls.

As well as improving human resources, call blending also helps to reduce costs. It also improves customer satisfaction by offering greater availability to respond proactively to customer requests. Current technological developments enable the simultaneous and efficient management of incoming and outgoing call flows to meet the latest trends in customer relations.

What are the challenges involved in implementing call blending?

Implementing this innovative solution in your inbound and outbound call centre presents a number of challenges.

Agent training

Agents need to be trained to handle both inbound and outbound calls. This approach requires a certain level of versatility and skill. Training aims to give them the skills they need to respond effectively to customer requests and to make outbound calls.

Workload management

Balancing inbound and outbound calls can be difficult, especially during peak periods. Contact centre managers need to put effective strategies in place to manage the workload and ensure that agents are not overloaded.

The right technology for call blending

To implement call blending, the company must have telephone systems and call centre software that are compatible with this approach. This means investing in additional equipment to upgrade existing infrastructures.

Managing customer expectations

Customers may have different expectations when they call a call centre. They can expect a fast and personalised response, whatever the type of call. Call centres must therefore ensure that they maintain a high level of customer service while implementing call blending.

What are the advantages of call blending?

Combining the activities of inbound and outbound calls offers a number of significant advantages for call centres and their customers.

Optimisation of human resources

By enabling agents to handle both inbound and outbound calls, call blending optimises the use of human resources. It reduces downtime and increases the overall productivity of the team.

Operational flexibility

Call blending enables call centres to adapt better to fluctuations in demand. Agents can be split between inbound and outbound calls, depending on the needs of the moment.

Reduced waiting times thanks to call blending

By integrating outbound calls, call centres can proactively contact customers to provide relevant information, resolve problems or assess customer satisfaction. This significantly reduces waiting times for customers who call in.

Improved customer satisfaction

By offering a more responsive and proactive service, call blending helps to improve the customer experience and overall satisfaction. Customers benefit from faster access to information and solutions.

Increased sales and retention opportunities

Outbound calls can be used for sales activities, customer follow-up or feedback gathering, which can lead to increased sales and better customer retention.

Thus, call blending enables call centres to optimise their operations, improve the customer experience and seize new business opportunities, making it an attractive strategy for many organisations.

What are the steps involved in setting up call blending?

There are several key steps involved in setting up this solution:

Assessing needs and objectives

Identify your contact centre’s needs and objectives. This includes analysing your call centre agents’ workloads, incoming and outgoing call volumes and customer service expectations.

Selecting the right technology solution

Choose a telephone system and call centre software that support call blending. Make sure that the solution you select offers the features needed to effectively manage inbound and outbound calls simultaneously. These features must also be accessible and easy to use.

Agent training

Provide in-depth training for agents to prepare them to handle both inbound and outbound calls. This should include advice on time management, task prioritisation and communication skills.

Workflow configuration

Define clear and efficient workflows to ensure a smooth transition between inbound and outbound calls. Develop strategies to manage the distribution of agents according to workload and operational priorities.

Constant monitoring and optimisation

Establish monitoring mechanisms to assess the performance, including response times, customer satisfaction and agent productivity. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and make adjustments where necessary..

ProContact, your expert for outsourcing inbound and outbound calls

Don’t let your in-house call centre be overwhelmed by incoming and/or outgoing calls. In addition to the call blending approach, outsourcing is a viable alternative for improving your call management. Choose ProContact for efficient handling of your customer interactions. Focused on customer satisfaction, our agents provide personalised responses, both when receiving and making calls, to ensure an optimal customer experience.

Contact us via our contact form or call us on (+33)1 84 76 24 03 to establish a quality partnership.

Steer Clear of These 7 Back-Office Efficiency Traps

While often unseen, the back office is the backbone of any company’s growth. It encompasses the essential functions that keep the business running smoothly, from administrative tasks and customer relations to mail management. Mastering back-office operations holds significant weight, impacting employee efficiency, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, the company’s reputation and ability to thrive. To ensure a well-managed back office, here are 7 pitfalls to avoid:

What is the back-office?

The term « back office » perfectly captures its essence – the unseen but crucial part of any business. It’s the quiet powerhouse that handles all the administrative, logistical, and support tasks that keep the company running smoothly. This behind-the-scenes world encompasses a wide range of functions, including:

  • Accounting
  • Secretarial services
  • Human resources
  • Project management
  • IT support

Efficiently managing the back office is an investment in your company’s success. It directly impacts team efficiency, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, the company’s growth.

7 mistakes to avoid for optimised corporate back-office management

To achieve your efficiency and productivity objectives, here are the back office management mistakes to avoid in the corporate world:

Mistake #1: Neglecting administrative procedures

Administrative tasks, often pushed aside during busy times, can quietly become a roadblock to your business growth. Mishandling invoices, contracts, and insurance can lead to financial losses and hinder your progress. Fortunately, there are several ways to optimise your processes:

  • Identify the Bottlenecks: Start by listing repetitive tasks and categorise them based on their impact on your business. This will help you identify areas that need improvement.
  • Embrace Automation: Dedicated software can streamline and expedite these repetitive tasks, reducing errors and freeing up valuable time for your team.
  • Leverage Outsourcing: Consider partnering with an expert like ProContact to handle specific tasks. This allows you to gain agility and focus on your core business strengths.

Mistake #2: Using inadequate technological tools

Just like their front-office counterparts, back-office teams deserve innovative solutions to excel. However, many companies rely on outdated or ill-fitting tools, hindering efficiency and exposing staff to errors.

To unlock a high-performing back office, investing in modern, appropriate technology is crucial. Business software exists specifically to automate repetitive tasks such as invoice processing and accounting entries. These tools not only optimise operational efficiency, but also significantly reduce errors and associated costs.

By equipping your back-office team with the right tools, you empower them to work smarter, not harder, ultimately driving business success.

Mistake #3: Ignoring current regulations

For back-office teams, compliance with current laws and regulations is non-negotiable. Neglecting it can expose the company to serious legal ramifications, hefty fines, and irreparable reputational damage.

Consider the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which safeguards personal data. Failing to comply through proper data security leaves the company vulnerable to cyberattacks with dire consequences: stolen customer data, financial losses, ruined reputation, and potential lawsuits.

By prioritising compliance, back-office teams become the company’s shield against these threats, safeguarding its future and fostering trust.

Mistake #4: Lack of internal communication

When communication falters between the back office and other teams, the consequences can be severe: isolated and disengaged staff, rising errors, plummeting productivity, and ultimately, lost customer confidence.

Here are some strategic steps through which you can build bridges and improve communication:

  • Choose the right tools: Identify the most effective communication channel, whether it’s email, instant messaging, an intranet platform, or something else entirely.
  • Prioritise face-to-face interaction: Whenever possible, schedule in-person meetings to foster stronger connections and clearer understanding.
  • Invest in team building: Organise events and activities to encourage collaboration and break down communication barriers across the company.

By fostering open and regular communication, you empower your back-office team to collaborate effectively, driving overall success and customer satisfaction.

Mistake #5: Poor human resources management

Poor HR management can be a performance killer, leading to demotivated teams, high turnover, and stifled business growth. Thankfully, you have options to optimise your HR:

  1. Embrace Technology: HR software streamlines administrative tasks, freeing up your team to focus on strategic initiatives.
  2. Leverage Expertise: Consider outsourcing HR services like recruitment, training, payroll, and legal guidance to a dedicated provider like ProContact.
  3. Reap the Benefits:
  • Focus on your core business: Free up valuable resources to invest in your core strengths.
  • Control costs: Gain access to expert services without significant overhead expenses.
  • Boost flexibility: Scale your HR needs up or down as your business evolves.
  • Access cutting-edge expertise: Benefit from the latest HR knowledge and best practices.

By implementing these smart solutions, you can transform HR from a potential pitfall into a strategic advantage, propelling your business towards success.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Ignoring key performance indicators (KPIs) is like driving blindfolded – you miss growth opportunities hidden in plain sight. KPIs objectively measure the efficiency of your back-office, enabling data-driven decisions that fuel success.

Choose KPIs relevant to your business, such as error rate, processing time, and customer satisfaction. Analyse them regularly to identify your back-office’s strengths and weaknesses. Take corrective action, and watch your performance soar as you achieve your business objectives.

Mistake #7: Lack of flexibility

Today’s business landscape demands agility. New competitors, shifting economies, and evolving regulations require companies to adapt quickly. But a rigid, in-house back office can hinder your ability to respond, becoming a roadblock to growth.

Here’s how inflexibility hurts:

  • High Fixed Costs: Salaries, benefits, and infrastructure create significant overhead, even during slow periods.
  • Struggles with Activity Fluctuations: Seasonality, project surges, and market changes can overwhelm your in-house team, leading to inefficiencies.
  • Limited Expertise: Hiring and retaining experts for every back-office function is complex and expensive.

Outsourcing your back office offers a solution:

  • Increased Flexibility: Scale your support up or down as needed, adapting to changing conditions without significant cost adjustments.
  • Access to Expertise: Gain access to specialised skills and industry knowledge you may not have internally.
  • Improved Efficiency: Leverage an established provider’s experience and resources to optimise your back-office operations.

By choosing an external service provider, you gain the agility, expertise, and efficiency needed to navigate the ever-evolving business environment.

Outsourcing, an effective solution to optimise back-office processes

Outsourcing your back-office operations can be a game-changer, paving the way for optimised processes and company success. Consider these scenarios where outsourcing shines:

  • Skills Gap: Access cutting-edge expertise and advanced technologies you might lack in-house.
  • Resource Constraints: Gain flexibility to adapt your resource allocation based on needs.
  • Regulatory Labyrinth: Ensure seamless compliance with evolving regulations.
  • Core Focus: Free yourself from administrative burdens and concentrate on your core business strengths.

By partnering with a specialised provider, your back office transforms into a silent engine of success. Embrace outsourcing, and watch your business thrive, unburdened and reaching its full potential.

ProContact, your back-office partner for growth

Outsourcing with ProContact means benefiting from proven expertise and tailor-made solutions, gaining flexibility and agility, refocusing on your strategic missions and freeing up precious time for your teams. We can help you outsource a wide range of operations, including telephone reception and secretarial services, data entry and processing, and HR outsourcing.

Make your back office a major asset to your success with ProContact! Contact us today for your tailor-made offer.

5 reasons why you should outsource your telephone answering service

A well-run telephone answering service is one of the key factors in a company’s success. However, most companies are unable to manage it properly due to a lack of resources or skills that adversely affect the customer’s phone experience. To avoid these situations, outsourcing your call management is the smart choice, since it guarantees the quality and availability of your call answering service. Here are 5 good reasons to switch to outsourced telephone answering services.

What is an outsourced telephone answering service?

The outsourcing of call answering services involves entrusting the management of your inbound calls to an external service provider, like ProContact. The aim is to maintain the quality of the call answering service and optimise customer satisfaction.

Suitable for all business sectors, this solution ensures that your telephone lines are always available, whether you’re a company, a liberal profession or a craftsman.

ProContact provides you with high-performance technological tools and qualified teleoperators to handle your incoming calls. Our staff use a vocabulary adapted to your field of activity and your clientele.

We follow your specific instructions and can transfer calls to your in-house team depending on their importance. What’s more, as a telephone answering service provider, we also manage your business agendas and guarantee quality services thanks to our qualified and well-trained agents.

5 good reasons to outsource your telephone answering service

Outsourcing your inbound calls can have a positive impact on customer satisfaction, credibility and productivity, provided you choose a reliable partner like ProContact.

1. Optimised telephone answering service

Outsourcing your call management provides you with round-the-clock access to a skilled team, reducing wait times for your customers. With a qualified team handling your calls, your outsourcer can grasp your customers’ needs and offer suitable solutions. This ensures a high-quality customer experience, boosting satisfaction and enhancing your brand’s reputation, ultimately fostering lasting loyalty and driving growth.

2. Cost control

Outsourcing your call answering service gives you full control over your customer relationship management costs. By having a predetermined budget, unforeseen costs are eliminated, ensuring stable financial management. Additionally, this cost-effective solution eradicates the expenses linked with in-house management of your telephone answering service, including operator training, equipment purchase and maintenance, and mobile operator fees.

3. Focus on your core business

Outsourcing your telephone answering service not only frees up valuable time by removing the need for in-house management of incoming calls but also provides access to additional time-saving services of the service provider. At ProContact, our extensive range of services includes:

  • Personalised telephone answering: handling complaints, taking messages, screening or transferring calls
  • Agenda management
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Management of invoices, quotes and orders
  • Organising meetings and videoconferences.

Thanks to our agents handling your incoming calls, you’ll have more free time to concentrate on your core business.

4. Greater agility and flexibility

Opting for outsourced call handling services gives you greater agility and flexibility. The third-party provider offers adaptable solutions, enabling you to choose the option that best meets your changing needs. For example, you can opt for a 24-hour telephone answering service, or one that’s programmed to suit your own closing times, call peaks, weekends, vacations or public holidays.

5. Incorporating the latest technological innovations

Telephone answering service providers like ProContact are consistently at the forefront of the latest technological advancements to enhance your customer relations. We employ innovative call flow management tools designed to decrease waiting times, accurately identify callers’ needs, deliver personalised responses, and provide comprehensive activity reports. By entrusting your inbound call management to us, you leverage these technological breakthroughs, ensuring top-notch customer service and seamless follow-up.

The challenges of outsourcing call answering services

There are many challenges associated with outsourcing telephone answering services. These include:

  • Lack of outsourcing experience: the challenge may lie in choosing best practices, adopting common concepts and managing the workflow between the two entities
  • Lack of knowledge of outsourced services: this can lead to an inability to measure the results of the work performed
  • Poor choice of external service provider
  • Poor evaluation of outsourced tasks
  • Poor knowledge transfer
  • Lack of communication

To meet these various challenges, the wisest choice is to call on an experienced service provider like ProContact. We’ll work with you from the outset of your inbound call management outsourcing project, and guarantee you a high-quality, reliable partnership.

How do you choose your telephone answering service provider?

There are a number of points to bear in mind when choosing a call handling service provider.

A service provider who can meet your needs

The choice of a third-party service provider depends on an assessment of your company’s needs. Outsourced telephone answering services vary from provider to provider: some specialise in receiving incoming calls, while others offer complete outsourced telesecretarial services. At ProContact, we offer tailor-made solutions to perfectly meet your needs.

The performance and efficiency of the service provider’s team

The quality of your call answering service depends mainly on your teleoperators’ performance. They must be qualified, well-trained and experienced, while mastering good customer relations practices. In addition, the service provider must employ high-level technical resources to ensure that all incoming calls are handled correctly.

At ProContact, we invest in a qualified, competent and experienced team, as well as in the best tools and software to ensure the performance and efficiency of our call management service.

Choosing an à la carte telephone answering service

When selecting a service provider, consider a trial period to assess the quality of their services. You can also opt for an à la carte call management contract, allowing you to customise the content of the contract and evaluate costs before committing yourself.

Procontact, the pros’ choice for outsourced telephone answering services

Choose ProContact for your outsourced telephone answering service. We offer tailor-made solutions including call management and telesecretarial services. Thanks to our skills and advanced technological tools, we guarantee your customers’ satisfaction and provide you with a quality service.

Our telephone answering service is designed to meet your needs, regardless of your profession or sector of activity: legal, medical and paramedical, self-employed, VSEs and SMEs, craftsmen or others.

Contact us today for your tailor-made offer or you can call us on +(33)1 77 75 04 50.

7 trends in customer service for 2024

In today’s fast-changing commercial landscape, customer relations remain a key concern for companies seeking to satisfy and retain their customers. With the advent of disruptive technologies and the emergence of new purchasing behaviours, the year 2024 is shaping up to be a pivotal period, when customer relationship trends take on a new dimension.

In this article, we will explore the major advances and transformations shaping the customer service landscape in 2024, offering an insight into the strategies and approaches needed to thrive in this field.

The factors shaping customer service in 2024

This year, the customer service landscape is being shaped by data, technology and increased customer demands.

The increase in data processed by customer services

There is an increase in the amount of data collected by companies, essentially due to the diversification of communication channels used by customers. What’s more, companies are seeking to better understand their customers’ behaviour and expectations, with the aim of offering them tailor-made solutions. This leads them to collect and exploit more and more data.

The rise of Artificial Intelligence

Customer relations in 2024 will be influenced by the rise of Artificial Intelligence. According to statistics provided by Gartner in 2023, 80% of customer services departments will be using AI by 2025, with the aim of improving operator productivity and optimising the customer experience. This is hardly surprising, at a time when AI is already making major breakthroughs into data analysis and the creation of customer profiles.

Increasing customer demands

When most customers contact a company, they are always looking for fast, relevant answers. A study published by Zoom in 2022 reveals that customers say they are ready to leave their usual brand and switch to the competition only after a few bad experiences in terms of customer relations. So, in the face of growing demands, managing customer calls is not always an easy task. Find out how to handle incoming calls effectively.

Agent well-being at work

In a context where the work from home culture is widespread, the question of well-being at work is a key issue. Many customer service departments are now focusing on the principle of symmetry of attention, with the aim of providing employees with a healthier working environment, conducive to performance.

The 7 trends in customer service to watch in 2024

Here are the 7 unavoidable trends in customer relations that await you in 2024.

1. Empowering your agents

In a business landscape increasingly focused on personalisation and rapid response, customers are looking for fluid, efficient interactions. Autonomy enables your call agents to make quick, appropriate decisions, without having to constantly consult their superiors, which speeds up the problem-solving process.

There are several ways to empower your customer representatives:

  • Provide them with in-depth training: when they are well-trained, they are able to solve customer problems independently;
  • Provide them with the right tools to facilitate their access to the information system and to quickly come up with solutions to problems;
  • Delegate responsibility: give agents the freedom to make decisions and solve customer problems without the need for constant supervisory approval, by setting clear limits on the types of situations they are allowed to handle autonomously.

2. Involving customers in strategy

In 2024, customers need to be more involved in customer relations strategy. This requires an approach focused on active listening, personalization and continuous innovation. One way of doing this is to proactively collect customer feedback and suggestions through a variety of channels, including social media networks, online surveys and face-to-face interactions. Incorporating this feedback into the decision-making process allows offers to be personalised and products and services to be improved according to customers’ real needs. Companies can also create online communities where customers can interact with each other, share their experiences and contribute to product evolution.

3. Segmenting customers’ experience with your business

Improving the customer experience requires the segmentation of customer experience and this concerns all departments of the company that come into direct contact with consumers. Data on the customer’s profile, their geographical location, and even their previous interactions with the brand is collected.

This information is then used to better direct customers to specialised agents. By adopting such an approach, the company is able to offer appropriate responses to each customer, thus reinforcing customer satisfaction and commitment.

4. Proactivity for a successful customer experience

To stay ahead of the competition in 2024, your customer service must do more than just respond to issues on the ground. You can go even further by proactively seeking solutions to your customers’ concerns before they even arise. This involves exploiting data, which is useful for anticipating customer needs or potential problems they may encounter.

Sales and marketing staff are also more aware of any problems customers may encounter with the services or products on offer. To be more proactive, call agents need to work closely with these departments.

5. CSR

According to a study conducted by BearingPoint in 2023, 85% of customers believe that companies should operate in a responsible manner. This implies the need to include environmental, social, economic and ethical investment issues in its strategy. For customer service in particular, the company must commit to ethical and transparent use of customer data.

6. The advent of new KPIs

When it comes to customer relations, this year also sees the emergence of new KPIs alongside those already in existence. These include the deviation rate, which is the number of views on the customer FAQ divided by the total number of tickets, multiplied by one hundred.

There’s also the useful contact time, which corresponds to the length of contact required to resolve the customer’s problem. Some call centres take a more emotional approach to customer relations, using indicators linked to customer feelings and emotions. These tools are useful for gaining a better understanding of callers’ behaviours, so as to be able to offer them the right kind of communication.

7. Artificial intelligence, driving change in customer service

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will profoundly transform customer relations in 2024. Indeed, AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants offer instant, personalised assistance 24/7, improving the accessibility and responsiveness of customer service. Predictive analytics and natural language processing enable companies to understand customer needs and preferences in greater depth, making it easier to personalise interactions.

What’s more, AI powers sophisticated recommendation systems, suggesting relevant products and services based on customers’ past behaviour. However, this raises concerns about data privacy and ethics in the use of customer information.

ProContact, your specialised customer service provider

Choose ProContact for customer service solutions in line with the latest trends. We are a service provider specialised in multi-channel customer relations and possessing the human, technical and material resources to handle your customer relations. Hand-picked and well-trained, our agents offer your clients a tailor-made service. We are always on top of the latest trends and we guarantee customer service that will help you gain a competitive edge, improve your brand awareness and boost your sales.

Reach out to us via our contact form or call us on (+33)1 84 76 24 03 to build your tailor-made offer.

10 tips for optimising your email management

E-mail remains a preferred choice of communication for customers and business partners to keep in touch with companies and their managers. However, this preference can sometimes lead to an avalanche of emails, making them tiresome and stressful to manage. According to latest statistics, executives spend almost half their working day checking email, directly impacting on their efficiency. To counter this situation, it’s crucial to implement a specific approach to managing these email flows. Find out, in this article, ten useful tips for optimising email management.

What drives the increase in email traffic?

In the workplace, e-mails are used to request information, say thank you, make requests, apply for jobs or update partnerships. Thanks to their speed and efficiency, emails are increasingly replacing conventional mail. Around 320 billion emails are sent every day worldwide, including 1.4 billion in France. That’s around 39 emails a day for every French Internet user, so imagine the heap a company receives in a single day!

This massive use leads to an avalanche of emails for executives to manage, with the constant pressure of unread emails weighing on their shoulders. And that’s not all, social networks also have an influence on email management.

What are the challenges of email management?

Effective management of e-mail flows presents several major challenges:

Individual and collective productivity

Dealing with a large number of emails can easily lead to a significant loss of time, affecting individual and collective productivity. The result is often difficulty in concentrating on high value-added tasks.

Professional communication

E-mails are a crucial element of communication in many professional environments. Poor email management can lead to delayed responses, misunderstandings and overall ineffective communication.

Time management

Managing email requires time and attention. Without the right strategy, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by a high volume of incoming emails, which can hinder effective time management.

Task organisation and tracking

Emails can contain essential information and tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible. Efficient email management involves the ability to plan, prioritise and track these tasks effectively.

Security and confidentiality

E-mails can contain sensitive and confidential information. Poor e-mail management can compromise data security and confidentiality, particularly in the event of data leaks or phishing attacks.

Customer relations and satisfaction

E-mails are often an essential means of communicating with customers. Poor e-mail management can lead to delays in responding to customers, which can have a negative impact on customer relations and satisfaction.

Managing stress and well-being

A cluttered, poorly managed inbox can be a source of stress, anxiety and reduced productivity. Effective e-mail management can contribute to well-being by reducing the stress associated with overload and making it easier to concentrate on important tasks.

Our 10 tips for optimising email flow management

Here are our top 10 tips for improving email processing.

1. Establish specific time frames for managing emails

Set specific times during the day to check and reply to your emails, to avoid constant interruptions. Limit frequent checks of your inbox, as David Burkus points out in his book « Under New Management » (2016), where he highlights the positive impact that restricting access to emails has on productivity.

In fact, a famous study conducted some ten years ago by the University of California Irvine, titled « The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress », shows that it takes an average of 23 minutes and 23 seconds for an employee to regain his focus on a task interrupted by the arrival of an email. When accumulated over the course of a day, these interruptions add up to several lost hours.

2. Adopt the Inbox Zero technique

Aim to keep your inbox empty by processing every email as soon as you receive it. Reply, archive, delete or delegate each email as soon as possible to avoid accumulation, gain productivity and reduce stress.

Here are the steps you need to follow to implement the Inbox Zero technique:

  • Delete irrelevant messages: for example, unsubscribe from newsletters or unnecessary marketing emails;
  • Forward emails not intended for you;
  • Respond quickly if this task takes no more than two minutes. After sending, archive or delete the e-mail;
  • Postpone the reply if it takes more than 2 minutes to write.

3. Organise your inbox with labels or folders

Labels are like tags designed to organise your emails. Using them saves you time and boosts your productivity, as they help you sort your emails and find messages more quickly and easily.

Categorise your emails using labels : create labels for different projects, customers or subjects, so you can quickly find the emails that interest you. Here’s a tip: did you know that Gmail lets you create up to 500 labels and sub-labels?

4. Use automatic email filters and rules

To optimise management of your email flow, use automatic email filters and rules. These sort messages according to your criteria, putting less important ones into specific folders, and keeping your inbox clear. For example, you can configure your inbox to automatically move newsletters to a dedicated folder.

5. Limit unnecessary replies and CCs

Avoid bulk mailings and excessive use of CC and CCI unless really necessary. By adding more recipients, you run the risk of getting more replies in return. Before you press « Send », make sure your recipients are relevant to avoid unnecessarily overloading your inbox.

To reduce the number of emails you receive, avoid replying to all emails where you are copied, unless your reply is really essential.

6. Use standard replies or email templates

Create standard replies or templates for the common types of email you send regularly, to save time and ensure consistency in your replies.

If you’re going to be away, set up an automatic out-of-office message beforehand. This will help reduce stress during your time off, and at the same time maintain communication with your customers or business partners.

7. Work on the email content

Endless e-mail exchanges are often the result of misunderstandings. To avoid this, work on the body of your email and organise the content while being concise and clear. Here’s a few tips:

  • Organise your ideas using bullet points;
  • Use only short, easy-to-understand sentences;
  • Break up your message into paragraphs;
  • Be sure to check the addressee to avoid dismissal, as well as writing and sending an apology email.

8. Add a keyword to the subject line

When writing the subject of your email, choose your keywords carefully. This will make it easier for you to find the email later, saving you precious time.

9. Avoid procrastination

Deal with emails as soon as they arrive in your inbox. The longer you let emails pile up, the harder it becomes for you to deal with them efficiently.

10. Outsource your email management

Don’t let emails overwhelm you! Entrust their management to an external service provider, like ProContact, and free yourself partly or totally from managing your customer relations by e-mail. We have a team specialised in e-mail handling. Outsourcing your email management has many advantages, including

  • Optimised email management;
  • Saving time;
  • Refocusing on your core business and boosting productivity;
  • Customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Choose ProContact, the outsourcing expert for email management

Focus more on your core business by entrusting us with your email management. Our team, trained to handle email communications, provides personalised responses tailored to the needs of your customers, suppliers or partners. We always guarantee quality service, whether it’s a one-off or permanent contract.

Reach out to us today via our contact form or call us on (+33)1 84 76 24 03 for a personalised quote.

Outsourcing your call management service: 7 key criteria for choosing your service provider

By choosing to outsource their call handling service, companies can delegate the management of their call centre to an external service provider. This approach enables them to offload certain internal responsibilities, focus more on their core business and, as a result, improve productivity, flexibility and visibility. However, finding a quality provider can sometimes prove difficult, given the large number of contact centres specialising in outsourcing. To help you make the right choice, here are 7 essential criteria for choosing the right external service provider.

What does it mean to outsource your call management service ?

Outsourcing call answering services is a call management solution that handled remotely by a service provider. Unlike traditional call handling systems such as PABX or PBX, which require physical equipment on site, remote call management rely on a cloud-based infrastructure.

The provider in charge of managing incoming calls can handle various types of call, such as troubleshooting, appointment scheduling, reception, assistance, telesecretarial and others. To meet the requirements laid down in the specifications provided by the client company, the service provider puts in place key performance indicators (KPIs), as well as human and technological resources.

Companies usually resort to outsourcing their call management service when one of the following situations arise:

  • When in-house management of incoming calls offers limited added value to your company;
  • When the time dedicated to in-house call centre management prevents you from devoting time to your specialised activities;
  • When your customer service department is frequently overwhelmed with calls;
  • If your customer service is often out of order;
  • If you don’t have sufficient in-house skills to handle incoming calls.

What are the advantages of outsourcing your telephone answering service?

Entrusting your call management to an external service provider brings numerous advantages to your company and your business:

Refocusing on your core business

By outsourcing the management of your telephone calls to specialised contact centres, you free up resources and energy to refocus on your core business. You no longer have to invest in time-consuming tasks, allowing you to focus all your efforts on developing your business. The professional ensures telephone service availability, even outside your normal working hours, guaranteeing continuity of service.

Quality service

Our agents are specially trained to handle your incoming calls efficiently. They are committed to ensuring the quality of call handling, respecting your guidelines and preserving the confidentiality of the information exchanged.

Cost control

The outsourced call management system is hosted on remote servers, usually in the cloud. This solution eliminates the need to invest in IT equipment, dedicate a specific space on your premises and hire dedicated staff. By opting for an outsourced call handling service, you avoid costs that can sometimes be considerable, giving you greater control over your budget.

What’s more, by opting for an external service provider to handle your calls, you have clear visibility of service costs from the outset. Before the partnership begins, the service provider provides you with a price list, enabling you to plan and manage your expenses effectively.

Flexible and open to change

Outsourcing inbound call management offers considerable flexibility in terms of configuration and customisation of features. As your needs evolve, you can add or remove phone lines, set up queues, configure interactive menus and more. This flexibility means you can easily adjust your call service as your business grows.

7 criteria to consider when choosing an offshore partner for call management services

Choosing the right provider to handle your call answering services is a crucial decision for any company. Here are seven essential criteria to take into account to ensure you make the right choice:

1. Experience in your industry

Choose a service provider with in-depth knowledge and proven experience in your industry. This expertise will enable him to get up and running quickly, thus avoiding excessive training delays. To assess their know-how in your field, ask for examples of previous projects, and make sure they have been successful. This will guarantee their competence and adaptability to your needs.

2. Service reliability

Check the quality and effectiveness of the solutions the provider offers by consulting testimonials from previous customers, online reviews, and asking for references. It’s also important to check the company’s overall reputation and, if possible, request a trial period. This will enable you to assess the quality of its services more thoroughly, ensuring that you make an informed decision in line with your needs.

3. Privacy policy and data security

As part of the outsourcing process, the service provider is required to process critical data concerning your customers, your business or your company. To guarantee the protection of this information, the call centre must implement strict confidentiality and data security policies. Safeguarding sensitive information must be a central priority when outsourcing your call management.

4. Flexibility

The solutions proposed by the contact centre in charge of handling your calls must be able to adapt to the evolution and growth of your business. This applies in particular to the human and technological resources deployed, which must be flexible to meet your changing needs.

5. Tailor-made service

The service provider must offer you a personalised service, and be at your side to correctly identify your needs and customer service requirements, so as to offer you tailor-made outsourcing services.

6. Proposed rates

When evaluating the prices of service providers for inbound call outsourcing, be sure to follow these steps:

  • Compare rates: obtain detailed quotes by comparing costs per call, per hour or per agent.
  • Items included: clarify the items included in the price, such as training, technology, and tailor-made reports, to avoid additional charges.
  • Pricing structure: check the transparency and flexibility of the pricing structure, particularly when demand fluctuates.
  • Reputation and experience: consider reputation, experience and customer feedback to assess value for money. An attractive price must be combined with quality service and good customer support to ensure the effectiveness of the outsourced call management service.

7. Financial stability

Hiring a service provider who is financially sound will ensure the continuity of your services. The contact centre is less likely to encounter financial difficulties or go bankrupt throughout the duration of the collaboration. The financial stability of the contact centre ensures a long-term relationship and constant availability to better meet your company’s expectations.

Choose ProContact, the customer relations outsourcing expert

As a contact centre specialising in outsourced customer relations, ProContact offers outsourced call management solutions to enable you to refocus on your core business while ensuring the quality and availability of your customer service. Our skilled, trained and hand-picked agents offer you tailor-made support to fully meet your needs.

ProContact is much more than a contact centre, we are your trusted partner for establishing a reliable, long-term collaboration. Contact us today to create your tailor-made offer.

Inbound call management: 10 KPIs to monitor

Customer service quality is crucial for call centres, especially those handling inbound calls. Indeed, customer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as a company’s reputation and growth, depend on good inbound call management.

To determine where you stand with regard to your objectives, consider keeping track of the effectiveness of the strategy you’ve implemented. This involves monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), powerful tools that enable you to determine what’s working well and what needs to be improved in your inbound call handling. In this article, discover 10 KPIs for good inbound call management that your call centre absolutely must monitor.

What are KPIs and how do they help?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a set of quantifiable measurements that assess the overall efficiency of your customer relationship management agents. These tools enable you, the decision-maker, to monitor your team’s productivity and evaluate the effectiveness of your call centre in achieving your objectives.

KPIs are one of the crucial elements of dashboards.They can be used at different levels of the company and enable to:

  • Analyse the current situation
  • Evaluate team performance
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Assessment of objectives achieved
  • Management of corrective action plans
  • Make more informed decisions on the right strategy to adopt.

10 key performance indicators to monitor for effective inbound call management

There are many types of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to be rigorously monitored in call centres.

1. Service Level

This metric corresponds to the number of incoming calls answered within a time limit expressed in seconds. The service level is obtained by dividing the number of calls handled by the number of calls received over a given period, then multiplying the result by 100.

For example, if 80 of your 95 incoming calls were answered within 15 seconds, you’d have a service level of 80/95 x 100, or 84%. A high percentage means that your agents are efficient and that your customer service is performing well.

2. Average call duration

Average call duration indicates the average talk time between caller and agent. This metric enables you to determine the productivity of your team. A high call duration means that your agent is taking a long time to process an interaction, and that the time devoted to other callers is reduced. To lower this rate, train your staff and equip them with the right technology.

3. Average Handling Time (AHT)

Average handling time, or AHT, is a way of calculating the amount of time your team needs to handle incoming call volumes. This metric encompasses not only average talk time, but also the time spent finalising the transaction after the call. Even if the call is hung up, the agent may still have to enter certain data into the database until the corresponding customer file is closed.

Like the average call duration, an excessively high AHT is not a good sign, since it means that the agent is taking longer to deal with one and the same customer, which means that the volume of incoming calls cannot be managed on time.

4. First Call Resolution (FCR)

This is a key performance indicator that corresponds to the number of calls where the caller’s question or problem is resolved on first contact, without the need to call the company again. It is one of the key metrics for measuring call centre service quality. The higher the first-call resolution rate, the more efficient your agents are, since they are able to provide relevant answers to customers’ requests for assistance.

5. Average abandonment rate

The abandonment rate measures the percentage of incoming calls that are abandoned by callers before being answered by an agent. A high abandonment rate, often due to excessively long waiting times, should alert managers. In the majority of cases, call abandonment is due to customer frustration at waiting too long. The consequences can be disastrous, particularly in terms of customer loyalty: customers may not want to contact the company again.

6. Overflow call handling rate

A high overflow rate means that your call centre is receiving a high volume of incoming calls that it can no longer handle, and is forced to put customers on hold. With this KPI, you can determine the efficiency of your agents. It also tells you whether your agents are understaffed.

To reduce the overflow rate, there are a number of solutions available, such as offering your customers the option of being called back at a time that suits them. If call peaks are chronic or persistent, it would be wiser to outsource all or part of your inbound call management to a qualified external service provider, such as ProContact.

7. Average time in queue

Average time in queue represents the average length of time callers are asked to wait during a conversation with an agent. During this waiting time, the advisor may, for example, need to ask a colleague for help or seek specific information.

A high hold rate means that your employees don’t have enough information available immediately. To reduce this KPI, you need to streamline your work processes and/or introduce more effective tools. These solutions can speed up the processing of support requests.

8. Occupancy rate

Agent occupancy rate measures the time during which agents are actively engaged in call-related operations. Many factors are taken into account in this KPI, such as conversation time, hold time and closing time.

This indicator helps determine whether agents are being over- or under-booked. A low occupancy rate means they’re idle, while a high rate means they’re working just-in-time. This KPI is obtained by dividing the total productive hours of all agents by the hours worked. Multiply the result by 100.

9. Average after-call work time (AWT)

This KPI measures the time an agent spends finalising a call after hanging up. Indeed, after a call, the agent may have to perform certain actions, such as updating the customer profile, recording the reason for the call or sending a message to a colleague. In call centres, After-call work time (AWT) should be kept as short as possible, as it reduces the availability of agents to handle incoming calls from other customers.

10. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score

As its name suggests, this KPI measures customer satisfaction. Call centres can use it to measure the quality of their services, identify customer expectations, steer any corrective actions and build customer loyalty.

The customer satisfaction rate can be obtained in a variety of ways, for example by carrying out a customer survey.

Contact ProContact for professional inbound call management

Boost your company’s growth by opting for ProContact’s inbound call management service. Our qualified, trained and hand-picked agents, combined with our commitment to continuous improvement, enable us to guarantee a tailored telephone answering service that’s always available and attentive to your customers’ needs.

ProContact is more than just a contact centre. Partner with us and treat yourself to a premium customer service that makes it easy for you to build customer loyalty. In addition to our outsourced telephone answering service, we also offer other services, such as secretarial outsourcing and HR outsourcing.

For a quality collaboration, contact us via our contact form or call us on (+33) 1 84 76 24 03.

Back office outsourcing: 4 key points to maximise cybersecurity 

More and more businesses are choosing to outsource their back office to free up time to focus more on their core activities and improve operational efficiency. While there are clear benefits to this approach, it also masks a number of challenges, particularly those relating to data security. If you’re considering outsourcing some of your business processes, you need to think carefully about cyber security. To reduce the risks, here are 4 key points for you to consider and apply.

The importance of cyber security when outsourcing your back office

Cyber security is crucial when outsourcing the back office, where tasks such as data processing, accounting, remote secretarial services and human resources management are delegated to maximise efficiency, control costs and refocus on the core business.

However, outsourcing exposes your business to increased risks, particularly in terms of IT security, as the back office often handles sensitive information such as personal and financial data and business strategies. This information, shared with an external service provider, must be protected against unauthorised access.

Cybersecurity is of paramount importance because of current regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The person responsible for the information, whether your company or the external service provider, is required to guarantee the security of the data collected, in accordance with the legal obligation imposed by the GDPR. Each party involved in outsourcing must therefore commit to complying with these regulations, thereby ensuring the security of the information system and the confidentiality of digital data.

4 key solutions for optimising cybersecurity when outsourcing the back office

Here are the main aspects to consider in order to improve cybersecurity when outsourcing the back office.

1. Categorise digital data

The aim of categorising digital data is to better identify, organise and secure critical information. Here are a few tips for effectively categorising your digital data:

  • Identify the types of sensitive data that your back office is used to handling. This could be financial data, personal information or trade secrets;
  • Take account of applicable regulations, such as the GDPR, to identify which data is considered sensitive;
  • Categorise data according to its importance, level of confidentiality and criticality for the company;
  • Use classification labels to distinguish data according to its sensitivity. You can, for example, apply the labels « confidential », « internal » and « public ».

2. Develop and implement an access policy

Once sensitive data has been identified, it is also useful to design access policies to identify the data to which your external service provider has access. Apply an effective access control system to ensure that only authorised people have access to your critical information.

3. Choosing the right outsourcing provider

Outsourcing takes place in several stages. Once you have identified the back-office functions to be outsourced and determined the data to be shared with the service provider, the next step is to choose a professional service provider.

With this in mind, pay particular attention to factors such as experience, technical expertise in back-office outsourcing and the technologies used. Security is crucial to establishing a solid partnership, so give preference to a service provider who is committed to applying robust measures to preserve the confidentiality of your data.

To secure the storage and transfer of sensitive files across networks, make sure that an encryption system is in place. Encryption algorithms must be powerful and encryption keys must be managed appropriately.

4. Implement effective protection measures

The outsourcing company you have selected must ensure the security of your applications and your project. As specialists, they can recommend effective protection measures to secure your data. For example, they could recommend network segmentation, limiting employee access to networks while offering freer access to shared servers.

In addition, clear and strict protocols are essential for updating and managing software, systems and cybersecurity practices. This helps to reduce new vulnerabilities that hackers could easily exploit.

What are the consequences of poor cybersecurity management in the context of outsourcing?

Poor security management as part of back-office outsourcing can lead to a number of problems.

The most common consequences include:

  • Data leakage: Inadequate security management as part of outsourcing can lead to leaks of sensitive data. The consequences can be disastrous for the company, including loss of customer trust, significant financial impact and legal disputes;
  • Breach of compliance: poorly managed security as part of outsourcing can lead to breaches of compliance, exposing the company to legal penalties;
  • Loss of control: inadequate security can lead to a loss of control over outsourced operations, as the company may no longer have any insight into how the service provider manages its data and systems;
  • Service interruption: Security breaches can lead to service interruptions. This can have a direct impact on the customer’s business, causing disruption, downtime and financial loss;
  • Damage to your image: security incidents linked to outsourcing are not without consequences for your company’s reputation. Customers can lose trust in the company’s ability to protect their data, which can lead to a reduction in customers and investment opportunities;
  • Additional costs: Resolving security incidents can cause additional costs that could reduce your company’s profitability.

To avoid these risks, make sure you choose the right back-office outsourcing company.

Procontact, your trusted partner for back-office outsourcing

Choose ProContact for your back-office operations, such as HR outsourcing, remote secretarial services, accounting and tax management. By partnering with us, you will secure the longevity of your investment. We are committed to ensuring the security of data exchanged during outsourcing, guaranteeing the continuity of our services and preserving your brand image.

For a high-quality, reliable partnership, contact us via our contact form or call us on (+33) 1 84 76 24 03.

Customer service: 10 practical tips for dealing with an unhappy customer

Effective management of customer dissatisfaction is a key factor in creating value within a company. It helps to strengthen customer loyalty, increase trust in the brand and preserve its credibility.

Yet managing customer dissatisfaction is far from easy. De-escalating the situation must always involve understanding the customer’s dissatisfaction and listening to them, whatever the cause of their anger: late delivery, a problem with the service or product, an order tracking error, or whatever. Here are 10 tips that can help your customer service department manage your customers’ dissatisfaction online.

1. Reduce waiting time

For an already angry customer, having to wait a long time before speaking to an agent can become even more irritating. To prevent the situation from getting worse, it would be wiser to reduce the waiting time. There are many ways of doing this, including deploying the latest technological tools or delegating some or all of your incoming calls to an external service provider.

2. Listen carefully to the customer

If a customer expresses anger, it’s because they want to be heard. If you are their first point of contact, remember to let them express themselves and listen carefully. Give them time to relate their experience and express their resentment. Use this time to determine their expectations and find appropriate solutions to the problem they are presenting.

If you are the customer’s second or third caller, don’t simply repeat the explanations of previous call centre agents, as this may upset them even more. The advantage of using a CRM tool is that you can access the complete history of the customer’s interactions with the company. Gathered on the same interface, this information allows you to better understand the situation and propose the most appropriate solution.

Adopt an active listening approach by recording what they say and responding with words such as « of course » or « I see ». Above all, note the important words they say so that you can understand their concerns and contextualise your answers when you have the chance to speak.

3. Understand the customer’s emotions and apologise

It is crucial to show empathy when faced with an angry caller on the other end of the line. As a representative of your company, your agent must be able to identify, understand, accept and even share their feelings. Through his language, the agent must be able to show the dissatisfied customer that he understands the reasons for his annoyance and that he also shares the same feelings. Depending on the circumstances, an apology may be useful to ease the tension.

4. Being sincere and honest: the key to good customer service

One of the most common mistakes agents make is to take their customer’s displeasure or malice personally. When faced with such situations, it is crucial to maintain a professional attitude. In most cases, angry customers calm down as soon as they realise that they are dealing with a sincere and honest customer relations agent.

Let’s suppose, for example, that the customer’s dissatisfaction is linked to a delay in delivery. In this case, the agent can honestly tell the customer that the problem is due to a stock shortage. Sincerity and honesty play an essential role in appeasing and reasoning with the customer.

5. Use positive language

Avoid using negative language when talking to a dissatisfied customer on the other end of the phone, or the situation could escalate. Every time you answer, make sure you use positive language. By doing so, you are showing them that you are happy to help and that you want to find a solution to the problem together. Avoid words like « unfortunately » or « I don’t know ». Instead, use words like « certainly », « absolutely » or « I’ll find a solution to that ».

6. Suggest a solution

Your contact centre advisers should be able to propose a compromise or a middle ground, or at least an alternative that partially resolves the customer’s concern.

In some cases, it may be difficult to identify a solution that satisfies the caller. They may even reject the proposal outright. In this case, the ideal solution would be to give them the option of finding the solution that will satisfy them. For example, the advisor could say: « If our proposal doesn’t suit you, we’d like to know what will make you happy. If we can do it, we will. If that’s not possible, we hope we can still work together to find another solution ».

7. Thank the customer

During the conversation, it’s a good idea to thank the customer for sharing their concerns with your customer service team and for helping to resolve the problem. Thanking the customer allows them to see themselves as an important part of the company and to renew their relationship with it.

8. Follow up

Once you have agreed on a solution, remember to explain to the customer the various steps to be taken to achieve it. They should also have the name and contact details of the agent to give them a sense of control and the option of calling back if necessary.

Your agent should also follow up with the customer some time after the initial contact to check whether the solution has really satisfied them.

9. Share the experience with other employees to improve customer service

The reasons for customer dissatisfaction and the solution found to resolve the problem should be shared with other advisers so that they in turn can resolve recurring problems. The experience gained can also be shared during training and coaching sessions. The aim is to enable your customer service department to deal better with unhappy customers and optimise service quality.

10. Hang up (after all options have been exhausted)

This is one of the possible alternatives if one of your agents is faced with an angry customer. But this option should only be used as a last resort, when the customer is, for example, harassing, physically threatening, personally insulting or shouting at you. Before hanging up the call from the unhappy customer, the CRM advisor should have first contacted a manager who may be able to find other options to try and resolve the problem.

Enjoy peace of mind by entrusting the management of your incoming calls to ProContact

Dealing with unhappy or dissatisfied customers in-house can become a real source of stress, which is why it is a good idea to delegate the management of your incoming calls to an expert in the field, such as ProContact. Thanks to our trained, qualified, hand-picked and multilingual agents, we help the companies that choose us to gain credibility and above all to satisfy their customers, whatever the situation and in complete transparency.

Contact us today to build your tailor-made offer.

What you need to know before outsourcing your email management

With the growing avalanche of emails flooding our inboxes on a daily basis, many businesses are finding themselves faced with the complex task of managing their electronic correspondence. The figures speak for themselves: on average, each employee receives 88 emails a day, according to statistics published by Arobase for 2015. According to the same source, French executives and company directors spend an average of more than 5 hours a day checking their inboxes.

To avoid being overwhelmed by this large volume of emails, many companies are opting for outsourcing as the wisest solution. If you’re considering delegating the processing of your emails, find out the key points for a successful outcome.

How exactly does outsourcing email management work?

Outsourcing email management involves entrusting all or part of the processing of your electronic correspondence to an external service provider. This approach frees you from low added-value tasks, allowing you to dedicate more time to your core business.

In today’s digital age, email plays a crucial role in customer relations. Interaction between a company and its customers via email is becoming increasingly important, and takes many different forms. Often, it is customers themselves who first contact the company via the email address displayed on its website or on social media. They may also simply reply to emails sent by the company itself.

It can happen that a company is faced with a high volume of emails, exceeding its internal management capacity. Chaotic handling of this influx of emails can damage the company’s image. Unanswered emails or late responses lead to a significant drop in customer satisfaction. Poor management can also result in the loss of crucial information, or even misunderstandings, leading to the loss of customers.

It is important to note that email overflow also affects the well-being of employees, becoming a source of stress that can impact on their productivity. To promote business growth, it is therefore recommended to implement an email processing strategy based on outsourcing.

When should you outsource your email processing?

Outsourcing incoming emails makes sense in the following situations:

  1. During periods of peak activity, when a large number of emails are received. This approach can be adopted permanently or for a limited period.
  2. If you are committed to providing fast, accurate responses to your customers, but are having difficulty responding to some of your emails.
  3. If you want to free yourself completely from managing your customer relations by email.
  4. If you don’t have a competent team to deal with your emails.

What are the advantages of outsourcing email management?

Outsourcing your email management has a number of significant advantages:

  • Adding value to the company: this approach enables the company to respond effectively to all customer requests via email, while adding real value by freeing up time to concentrate on the core business.
  • Optimising the management of incoming e-mails is becoming essential, especially when companies receive hundreds of messages every day. By entrusting this task to a specialist company, every customer e-mail is handled properly, from sorting to response, guaranteeing customer satisfaction.
  • Saving time is another significant benefit, with 56% of users spending 2 hours a day dealing with their emails, according to the results of a study carried out by ORSE (Observatoire de la Responsabilité Sociétale des Entreprises). Outsourcing considerably reduces this lost time, improving overall efficiency.
  • The extended availabilityof the outsourcing company, operating outside business hours, ensures continuity of service, boosting customer satisfaction and increasing sales.
  • Increased flexibility proves to be an advantage of outsourcing at times of peak activity, offering the possibility of quickly adjusting the service to fluctuations in email volume, thus ensuring uninterrupted customer service.
  • The tailor-made service offered by a specialist company such as ProContact meets the unique needs of each business, with the possibility of defining the scope of intervention at the start of the partnership, whether one-off or permanent.

Key points to consider before outsourcing email processing

Before you outsource your email processing, there are a number of key points to consider.

The service provider’s range of services

It is important to clearly define the scope of the outsourcer’s work right from the start of the collaboration. The most common option is « full service », where the service provider takes charge of the entire processing of email traffic, from the receipt of messages to their delivery to the appropriate recipients, including the management of outgoing mail.

However, the choice of « full service » is not automatic. A preliminary analysis phase is required to identify the types of e-mail that can be outsourced. All mail can be outsourced, with the exception of technical mail involving a dispute with a supplier or customer. In this case, it is advisable to set up a level escalation system, routing « complex » e-mails directly to your address once they have been received, so that they can be processed internally.

The service provider’s ability to deliver quality responses

The success of email outsourcing depends on the service provider’s ability to provide quality responses. To achieve this, it is imperative that your company understands the nature of the messages that arrive in your inbox. In the event of an error, such as the incorrect classification of crucial messages, the company could suffer serious consequences.

It is recommended that you set up a quality control system to assess whether the service provider’s responses are of at least the same quality as those produced in-house. This control requires the emails to be traceable, as well as access to the statistics provided by the offshore service provider to gain an overall view of the emails received.

Finally, the service provider must continually enrich its knowledge base to guarantee and maintain the quality of responses. This implies a better understanding of customer knowledge in order to respond effectively to their expectations.

Choosing an offshore company specialising in e-mail management

The choice of external service provider is crucial if you decide to outsource all or part of your customer contacts. First of all, you need to check that the service provider is capable of providing a service of equivalent quality to that provided in-house, an assessment made easier by the traceability offered by many e-mailing tools.

It is also essential to ensure that the service provider can effectively communicate data on e-mails received and processed, which is important for assessing the quality of the services provided and ensuring optimum follow-up.

Finally, although most companies opt for outsourcing in order to cut costs, it is not advisable to choose excessively cheap offers at the expense of quality. To obtain a satisfactory service, it is advisable to find a balance between cost and quality of service. Entrusting e-mail management to an offshore company such as ProContact is therefore a good way to benefit from satisfactory services at more affordable prices.

ProContact, the outsourcing expert

Entrust the management of your emails to ProContact. We can accommodate and manage your emails, whether on a one-off or permanent basis and according to your preferences. This can be done directly via your email address or via routing.

Trained to handle email communications, our agents will offer your customers a rapid, personalised response tailored to their request. What’s more, our business expertise allows us to provide a service that exceeds your expectations. As an offshore company, we guarantee the best value for money.

Contact us today to build your tailor-made offer.