by Keith Fiveson

Setting up a BPO call center is no small task. Because it is such a big investment, it requires a well-thought-out plan and a lot of commitment. There are a multitude of tasks to accomplish to ensure that the call center runs smoothly. To get your business going, you have to analyze the requirements of your business, invest in the necessary infrastructure (hardware and software), and hire the right personnel.

Let’s take a look at this checklist to get you started on your business:

Goals

First, ask yourself: do you really need a call center? Before setting up any business, ensure that you have a clear idea of your main objectives. Do you want to generate sales or offer better customer service? Establishing the purpose of your business decision is essential for you to align the setup of your call center to your goals. Try dividing your objectives into primary and secondary for clarity.

Budget

A crucial thing to do is to set a budget for your upcoming call center. What is your maximum spending capacity? Take into account the number of agents you need, the type of call center you want to establish, the infrastructure, and the training costs.

While planning your budget, do not forget to allot a percentage of money as an emergency fund. You will need this for damage control due to unforeseen accidents, like a hardware or software crash, for example.

Type of Call Center

If you have the resources to invest in building a call center infrastructure, hiring in-house agents, and maintaining your staff, you can start a physical call center. However, if you are hard pressed for resources, opt for a virtual call center instead.

Both physical and virtual,  cloud-based call centers have their own benefits. Compare and decide what is best for you. We help clients do this every day.  The operational parameter and constraints of your call center depend on the behavioral attributes of your customers as well. So, make sure you understand your customers before making the final decision.

Team

Establishing a strong team, from your call center representative to your call center manager, is the most important part of setting up your business. Choose your team based on your goals and objectives. Your agents need to sound well-educated, professional, and fluent, so do not hesitate on investing in staff training.

Set up a strong assessment criteria to help you analyze the performance of individual agents as well as the call center as a whole. Constant analysis and respective change of strategies define the success of your call center.

Choose the Right Network

A very basic and crucial part of your call center is the network. A reliable and high-quality telecom network will make a huge difference. An unclear, patchy network will create a lot of interruptions during your calls, which will affect the customer experience. GCOM Worldwide is in partnership with high-quality network providers such as CenturyLink and Gryphon Network that can provide the best systems for your call center.

Before you begin the process of setting up a call center, analyze your existing telephony system to decide on the most cost-effective and efficient course of action. Would your existing system need a complete revamp or would an upgrade be adequate? What are the flaws and strengths of your existing telephony system? Can a new system be integrated with the existing one? Analyze all these factors before making the final decision.

To help you decide on what’s best for your company, don’t hesitate to contact us at GCOM Worldwide.