2020 | PPCII.ca

The Era of Call Center Outsourcing Services

If you are in the United States and are trying to connect to a Fortune 500 company customer service department, chances are, you are going to end up talking to an Asian customer service representative located thousands of miles from you. Thanks to the phenomenon known as call center outsourcing services, the job still gets done and you can go ahead with your transaction, in spite of probable accent lapses and some connection problems. Indeed, availing of call center outsourcing services has its own advantages and these are evident by the increasing number of large companies that are turning to foreign labor to fill the slots in their customer service departments.

The main reason companies prefer call center outsourcing services is the significant financial cost savings they can enjoy. In developing countries where outsourcing services are mostly located, the value of the dollar is much greater, so companies can benefit from costs that are just small fractions of those received by employees living in first-world countries. For instance, if an American gets $3000 a month for solving technical problems over the phone, an Asian can be paid $300 a month for the same kind of job. Since labor takes a huge slice of the operating expenses, this drastic cut in costs provided by call center outsourcing is very profitable for companies.

Though the inevitable cost of training foreigners must be added to the overall expenses, recruitment and training are more or less negligible, primarily because of the high quality of employees that call center outsourcing services can attract. In developing nations, the workforce for an outsourced service is already equipped with the pre-requisite skills and may even be considered at par or exceeding that of a developed country. India, for one, is famous for being a tech-savvy nation; the Philippines, on the other hand, is well-known for its fluent English speakers. In addition, most agents in outsourced call center services are college degree holders and take their jobs more seriously. This more professional disposition assures client companies that the people they hire for outsourced labor are focused on and dedicated to their work.

Another attribute that some call center outsourcing services have is the offer of dedicated staff, which most first-world companies find practical. The dedicated staff model opposes the traditional outsourcing model, which reiterates that a particular offshore staff performs several tasks for different clients. Some companies put great effort in providing staffing solutions – if you’d like to check one, click here. Hence call center agents do multi-tasking. In contrast, having a dedicated staff service enables foreign companies to hire an exclusive offshore staff to work solely for them. Thus, call center agents only handle customer accounts from one company or one particular project at a time, which ensures more work focus and higher output quality.

With the cost, employee quality, and production advantages that call center outsourcing services can bring, it is no wonder that their emergence is at its peak and their services are here to stay in the following years. Because of the success and the help that call center outsourcing services can provide to larger clients, even small and medium-sized companies are predicted to venture into this kind of outsourcing services and see that there is more beyond the hype. It may just be about saving more money, but in reality, the service is more about getting the best people to do the work, at less cost, from the other side of the world.

Surviving a Video Interview

Today’s technology allows increasingly more employers and human resources management workers to use video interviews to screen candidates for employment. Whether it’s due to an employer’s time or location restraints, it allows them to replay, review and rate the interviews more easily, as well as compare candidates more effectively. Though video interviews are becoming more commonplace, they still can be a bit intimidating for the job seeker, even for those who are familiar with technology and use it regularly.

To interview successfully and survive the video interview process, it’s important to remember that such interviews are not vastly different from an in-person interview. Further, any nuances specific to a video interview are easily mastered if you remember these important tips:

A video interview will typically take place in a professional environment either at a recruiter’s office or a company that provides video conferencing services.
Be sure to send any written materials that the employer needs or you’d like them to have (such as a resume) well in advance of the interview.
Dress professionally in interview attire, preferably in solid colors for better camera presence.
To ensure you have time to get situated properly, arrive early. This will also give you time to ask for assistance if unsure how to use the equipment.
Since microphones pick up noise easily, don’t shuffle papers or tap a pen. In fact, keep the surface in front of you clear so there are no distractions for the interviewer.
Make eye contact at all times as if the person were in the room with you. If the Picture-in-Picture feature is used, see how you appear and make any adjustments.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions and interact with the interviewer.
If you are participating in a video interview where you are simply asked to read questions and then respond, do so with the same clarity and eye contact you would use as if a person were there.

Most important, remember that the basics still apply despite the video format. HR management companies, like Solvo Global, pay attention to all details. Be natural and confident, and it will come across, even through the airways.

The insurance coach

We’re in an interesting industry. People generally relate to their insurance and their agents in

a manner similar to the way they relate to their garage door openers and coffee makers. Let

me explain…

When things work well for us, when the garage door opener and the coffee maker works the

way we expect them to, we generally don’t think much about them. We take them for granted

and may not even recall who the manufacturer is. It’s only when they don’t work that we pay

attention. Then our attention gets focused on the product and the perhaps the people that

made the product.

This trait of human behavior is especially important to make note of when it comes to the

business of insurance. It’s pretty evident that when your policyholder has a claim, you have

the opportunity to really shine – to stand out from the crowd – to deliver more service than

they expected. The challenge comes when everything is working well! Just like the coffee

maker, when things go well (as expected) you’re hardly ever thought of. The insurance is just

there. Its “works” the way they expect it to, and therefore you and the insurance are taken

for granted. There’s often very little connection or relationship with the agent. Some

policyholders will just view you as the salesperson that was there to sell them insurance.

The bottom line is that when you don’t have an ongoing connection with your policyholders,

you’re subject to being picked off by someone with a little lower rate or by someone who

happens to come along at the right time and is able to build rapport with them.

Agents who retain clients in the face of rate increases, poor fund performance and increasing

competition understand that they need to connect with their policyholders in ways that address

some of the eight universal needs that people have. These universal needs are:

Sense of Accomplishment – People want to feel that they’ve accomplished something

through their efforts.

Sense of Belonging – People want to be part of a winning team. Make certain that you

communicate just how much your team is winning.

Direction – Communicate your purpose and provide your clients and prospects with the direction to achieve it.
Sense of Empowerment – Expect the best of people and they will rise to your

Expectations.

Recognition – Everyone, to one degree or another, loves recognition for a job well

Done.

Respect – Treat people the way you want to be treated. Understand that although we

all have different hopes and dreams, we all have them.

Sense of Significance – Make sure you help your policyholders understand the

significance of their efforts towards reaching their goals and achieving their purpose.

Sense of Purpose – I believe that everyone craves a purpose. We want to be

passionate about something (anything!).. Take advice from great motivational professionals like Richard Jadick to be able to be clear on your purpose and develop the purpose of others.

Top Ten Interview Bloopers and How to Avoid Them

When recalling highlights of all-time worst interviews, many human resources management employers agree on several most common interviewee blunders. As people interview for jobs, it’s common to feel nervous or worry about making mistakes; however, don’t let these simple but common goofs get between you and your dream job.

Wore your favorite vacation outfit.

Research what might be specifically appropriate for an interview in your field, but remember that a serious suit shows that you are a serious candidate. If you are equal to the other candidates but you are the only one to dress appropriately, you will probably be first in line for the job.

Forgot the first rule of Boy Scouts.

Be prepared and do your homework on the company and the job before you interview. Be ready for any question. This will show that you are competent and will also help you be more confident.

Hovered somewhere between a motor mouth and a one-word-wonder.

You only have a limited amount of time to interview, so use it well. Don’t let yourself ramble, and don’t give answers that are too short. Converse with confidence and be natural. Look for nonverbal cues from the interviewer, respond accordingly and use common sense.

Figured you’d nail it without practicing.

Do several practice interviews before you go. This will help you feel more at ease and come across much more strongly.

Neglected to have hygiene in check.

Make sure you are clean. Don’t pick your nose or sniff your arm pits just because you think no one is watching. Sometimes they are.

Spoke before thinking.

Many people blurt when they’re nervous. Don’t let inappropriate, gross, or overly personal stories exit your mouth. Stay focused and keep it professional.

Channeled Pinocchio.

Never, ever lie. Ever. It may seem tempting, but it always comes back to bite you in the end.

Badmouthed everyone who’d ever done you wrong.

This is not the time to reveal your list of grievances against former employers, coworkers, or anyone. Don’t speak ill of anyone. If you feel something negative from the past relates to the interview in a relevant way, find a polite, professional way to say it without being mean. For example, instead of saying “I hate my former coworkers,” say that you’re accustomed to dealing with challenging personalities and you always try to get along with everyone so things run smoothly in the business.

Felt too at home.

If an employer’s environment or personality seems ultra-relaxed, don’t be fooled. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be completely and absolutely professional at all times. Do relax, but don’t get let business decorum slip.

Went radio-silent.

Write a nice thank you letter to your interviewer and follow up appropriately. Always thank people for their time and the opportunity to interview.

Remember to come prepared, have a nice resume, dress well, and keep your wits about you and you’re sure to let your best talents and qualities shine through. If nothing else, you’ll easily distinguish yourself from other interviewees who make these common blunders.

How SEO Makes Your Web Copy Stronger

People say that web writing is a balance between writing copy that’s friendly for search engines and copy that’s friendly for people, and there’s some truth to that. But I’ve found that search engine optimization (SEO) actually strengthens my copy.

SEO is not black magic. It’s not about tricking the search engines into ranking your site higher when people search for a certain word. It’s about aligning the best practices of SEO with the principles of good communication.

Yes, there is a technical aspect to optimizing your website so people will find it when searching with tools like Google. True also that there are certain things that can be done with HTML code that web visitors never see. However, the real trick to SEO is to make your site as relevant as possible to the people you’re talking to.

Relevance: that’s what it’s all about.

Think like a search engine

Can content be relevant both to machines – the web crawlers that search engines use to index websites – and to your human web visitors simultaneously?

Absolutely.

In order to think like a search engine, you have to know what parts of your website the web crawlers sent to scan your pages look at. But you have to keep the overall goal of the search engines in mind, too.

The search engines, after all, have the same goal as you. To help users find relevant websites. In this case, hopefully, your website. A big part of creating a keyword list is trying to figure out which words are being searched for by the people you want to visit your website.

So really, good SEO copywriting is about getting into the mindset of your audience. And that happens to be rule number one for good copywriting of any kind. Think from the point of view of your audience.

Once you have the keyword list, you’ll want to use it in places where the web crawlers will find it. Like in headings, subheadings and image titles.

SEO makes online copy stronger

Will using the keywords in places that the search engine dictates make your copy weaker?

Not at all.

If your web copy is already strong, it will make your web copy stronger. It’s not an accident that the search engines are looking for keywords in places like the headings and bullets and links. It is, after all, logical, that the words that are relevant to your content should appear there.

The only way it could make your copy weaker is if you do things backwards and try to jam keywords into your text as an afterthought, giving it an unnatural feel.

When does it make sense to prioritize keywords over good web copy?

Never.

When you start focusing on SEO, rather than relevance, then you’ve lost the plot. Because if SEO tactics detract from the flow, sound or rhythm of your text, then the text is less readable. And if the text is less readable, then it’s less valuable to your target audience, and therefore less relevant. After all, who wants to read a text that’s written more for search engines than human beings?

The trick is to use the best practices of SEO in a way that makes your copy stronger, more important and more valuable to your target audience. Then, not only will you the right people find your content, but they’ll be pleased that they did. If you want to know more about SEO, click here.