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Chances are that you already have books related to call centers in your IT library. But, you probably don’t have the 5th edition of the book. Author, Keith Dawson has done an outstanding job of presenting the complete guide to starting, running and improving your call center.

Dawson begins by showing you his Six-Stage Model of Call Center Development, which is has to do with the way the call center interacts with the rest of the company. Next, the author discusses how you are going to have to find a place or location for your call center. Then, he covers some of the important factors that go into a call center successful design. Dawson next discusses how you have to be very careful in choosing the toll free and long distance services for your call center, because they will be very expensive. Next, the author also covers the automatic call distributor, which routes calls and manages information with respect to those calls. Then, he examines predictive dialing systems, which automate the entire outdialing process, with the computer choosing the person to be called and dialing the number.

In addition, Dawson then examines the pros and cons of computer telephone integration. Next, the author looks at interactive voice response, which always captures information in an accurate manner. Then, he researches speech recognition system technology as an autoselector tool for the call center. Dawson continues on by exploring the Web as a tool to automate all of the call center functions without human interaction. Next, the author discusses some of the interesting new tools available, including CRM and the new theories of multichannel access for customer contact. Then, he gives some very serious thought about putting a video in your call center.

Really, the “best way” to route a call to the agent most capable of handling it, is by routing it based on the agent’s skills or combination of skills (e.g., number of languages spoken, years of training, experience, or any combination of those and other factors). Then, he explains the importance of customer relationship management. He goes over you should order processing systems give you power over your inventory and pricing, and reminds you why display boards and reader boards are stable technologies, and an inexpensive way to quickly improve call center performance.

Next, he discusses the on-hold messaging queue. Dawson also explains the importance of workforce management software, and how it is the art and science of having the right number of agents at the right times, in their seats, to answer an accurately forecasted volume of incoming calls at the service level you desire. Then, the author continues on by explaining why monitoring is a important part of the process of teaching anew rep how to deal with customers, how to handle difficult situations, even simply how to follow a script and read a screen full of information. Finally, he gets into how to make call center career meaningful.

The author has done an excellent job of making you, the reader, understand the value of surefire ways to motivate your reps; realize the value on the front line; outsourcing; disaster and contingency planning; and, telecommuting agents. At the end of the day, you’ll know whether the call center is self-service or self-delusion.

This is for any Call Center professional! All those questions about what system/technology does what and how are answered in one fact-based publication. If you want to avoid the headache of time-consuming hunts through web-sites and talking with marketing reps to learn which product works best for your company, this book is for you. If you are looking for a kids view of call center supervision, you just might learn the truth!

Tags: call center, call center jobs, crm, customer service, customer service careers, customer service jobs, online business