Call Center setup

[Nikitha]

Hello,

I am doing research for my term paper in the topic of call centers and outsourcing strategies. Since, I am not very technical and do not know anything much about them, I was looking if any body can help understand about

1. What is involved in setting up a basic call center?
2. What are the different technical components involved in it (In terms of software and hardware)
3. Why is it that everybody keeps talking about setting up call centers outside US is cheaper (like Canada/Ireland/India etc..) I understand, it could be cheaper in terms of setting up infrastructure or personnel but how would you handle the costs of calls?
4. Make it transparent to the user that they would call a number is US but it would get transferred to an offsite location in a different country and viceversa? Wouldn't the cost of calls get very high?

These may be pretty basic questions for the call center guru's here but pardon my lack of any knowledge in this area. Any help and or suggestions as where I can get more info. (books/websites) will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Niki

[pramod]

I tried to send you an email, but could'nt send it. Actually I am also looking for the same information you are looking for. Can you please tell me whether you have got any information regarding the same.
I am new on the site, so don't know much about it. As my company is planning to start up a Call Center and the job is assigned to me of getting the information and looking after the development part, I would be very much obliged if you revert me back on my mail address regarding the same(pramodk_2001@yahoo.com).

Wish you best luck in your research.

Thanks and bye,


Pramod

[manojkpatel]

1. What is involved in setting up a basic call center?

A basic call center requires the following :
a) Telephone lines.
b) Phone instruments.
c) Computer with database.
d) Printer.

2. What are the different technical components involved in it (In terms of software and hardware)

A basic call center requires the following :
a) International Private Leased Circuit.
b) Modem.
c) Multiplexer unit for packet comression / decompression.
d) ACD / IVR for auto call distribution and IVR for handling calls in wait and interactive voice response based call routing
e) Predictive Dialer (with dialing software and dialer management modules) for making automated bulk dials for the agents , and forward only voice response calls and thus manage the calling intelligently.
f) Telephone Headsets with dialpads / consoles.
g) Lead server for lead management (with Reporting software).
h) Call barge-in equipment.


3. Why is it that everybody keeps talking about setting up call centers outside US is cheaper (like Canada/Ireland/India etc..) I understand, it could be cheaper in terms of setting up infrastructure or personnel but how would you handle the costs of calls?

Setting up a call center in India is economic is but just a myth as on date when we see it in comparison with a foreign end setup. The advantage lies in the fact that Indian executives are extremely productive and that generates a high level revenue in the company.

4. Make it transparent to the user that they would call a number is US but it would get transferred to an offsite location in a different country and viceversa? Wouldn't the cost of calls get very high?

The cost of calls would not be high coz the calling would happen on a IPL voice circuit. The voice circuit can be 1 MB / 2 MB , each voice channel on the circuit takes 8KB so 1 MB of bandwidth would give 128 Voice channels (128 simultaneous agents) and 2 MBPS the double 256 voice channels. The IPL high bandwidth voice circuit is far cheaper than individual 128 / 256 PNT lines.


For any further queries you can contact me at manojkrpatel@hotmail.com

Regards

Manoj Patel.

[hallbj2]

I have been involved previously in 2 successful call center start-ups. One was featured back in 1994 in Teleprofessional Magazine related to the publishing industry. The other - in a wireless environment. Both were from the bottom up.
If you need assistance, my services are available in start-ups.

Hall & Associates
Beverly Hall