Thinking of ways to increase your bottom line?
Order-taking is an integral part of business operations, especially if you’re in the e-commerce or food industry. It’s the process through which a customer care representative answers product-related inquiries, takes down purchase details, and processes payment.
Great phone order-taking service can spell the difference between a successful transaction and a failed one. That’s why an increasing number of businesses are outsourcing it to offshore call centers.
Here are the qualities of a top-notch phone order-taking service:
- Speed – Quick response times, brief hold times, and low call abandonment rates are the hallmarks of excellent customer service. The average hold time for businesses is usually pegged at about 56 seconds. However, research suggests that 15 percent of customers hang up within 40 seconds of waiting, while 60 percent give up when put on hold for a minute or longer.
Customers are more likely to follow through with a purchase and give you repeat business if they don’t have to wait too long for a live agent to pick up. There’s nothing more frustrating than being put on hold for long periods and having to listen to elevator music playing on the other end of the line.
- Accuracy – The customer service rep should be attentive and detail-oriented. Extreme care should be taken when taking orders, especially when the customer places an order for multiple items. Customer reps should be able to keep track of who ordered what, how much is owed, and to which address the items should be shipped. They should ask questions if anything is unclear and leave nothing to doubt.
- Organization – Customer reps do not only make sure that all orders are accurate, they also keep them organized. Mix-ups are avoided at all costs.They also know how to retain and store customers’ information, and have a means of accessing the necessary information when interacting with returning customers.
- Accessibility – Your business hours are limited, but customers will place an order only when they can, and they won’t necessarily follow your schedule.That’s why your phone order-taking service should be operative 24/7 throughout the year. This ensures that a knowledgeable customer rep is always available to provide product information and take orders. Your customers will appreciate that you’re easy to reach, encouraging them to make more purchases in the future.
- Competence – The caliber of your customer reps play a large role in service quality, so if you want to deliver great service, hire the best. A top-rated customer rep knows your products in and out, and can gamely provide specs when customers ask questions. They can follow the call center script without sounding robotic, and get the job done in a quick and efficient manner.
- Profitability – Top of the line phone order-taking service has a positive impact on your bottomline. More and more customers follow through with their purchases. It allows for more successful transactions, and in effect, higher conversion rates. Your business becomes more profitable as a result.
Thinking of outsourcing? Order-taking Philippines services are some of the most reliable around. Talk to an agent today to explore your options.