What do start-up businesses with a limited staff and even scarcer resources have in common with Fortune 500 businesses with contact lists several hundred thousand names long? Both organizations are at the opposite ends of the spectrum facing a common conundrum: How can they reach out to their customers and clients with meaningful business communications in an efficient, timely manner? And more importantly, how can they ensure that each contact is handled personally and professionally--the mark of a successful business entity?

A Call Center is a Constant Employee
The call center is described by wiseGeek as an office where a companys inbound calls are received or outbound calls are made. Despite the basic definition, the call center has become a 24/7/365 employee that performs a litany of mission-critical functions that grow customer lists and build brands.

Call centers relay information. Be it a new product offering, discounts on popular services, or building excitement over an upcoming event, call center agents are an extension of the business that employs them. They identify themselves as employees of the company and are thoroughly trained in the processes and procedures expected from customers.

The Robust Menu of Call Center Services
As call centers have developed into the version we know today, theyve gradually increased their services and offer a collection of value-added functions that are fully-customizable. According to techFAQ, some of the unique features of call center services that have companies raving include:

• Automatic Call Distribution. Ensures that customer calls arent backed up in queue, waiting for one or two agents to respond. Calls are automatically distributed to waiting agents, improving response times and satisfaction rates.
• Computer Telephone Integration. The ultimate in high-tech fusion. Call center agents are equipped with computerized databases of information that allow them to find answers and make suggestion to customers. Bottom line? No dead air space.
• Telemarketing Lists and Predictive Dialers. Streamlines the communication process. Call center agents can peruse customer lists with ease, eliminating the need for paper and the stress of finding the right segment for the right offers.

Call Center Software: Connect With The Right Customers Now
The origin of call center services featured an agent with a phone and a pen, an extremely thick copy of the yellow pages, and an operations manual of the company for which they work. The advent of call center software was a godsend in that it combined all of these tools into an intuitive digital interface that left more time for actually connecting with customers.

• Scripting Software. Keeps the agent from freelancing. Prewritten scripts arm call center staff with the latest products and service offerings and avoids the robotic communication that can turn customers off.
• Do Not Call Compliance Software. Calls conform to local, state, and government laws of the customers that you service. This system of checks and balances keeps companies out of hot water by keeping them compliant with Do Not Call lists.
• Fulfillment Software. Everything a call center agent needs to make the sale is preloaded into an action template. From application forms to credit card processors, fulfillment software handles the process from start to finish.

Sources
MSNBC
techFAQ
The Great Voice Company
TMCnet
wiseGEEK