Call Centre Job

Call centre Jobs have grown dramatically in the last ten years and are now widely used. Recruitment for many of the larger call centres is handled by recruitment agencies, which often have an office on the call centre site and deal with applications, interviewing and induction training. Ongoing call centre training is normally hosted by the employer, or outside organisations may be employed specifically.

Call Centre Job description

The manager of a call centre (now increasingly called a contact centre) is responsible for the daily running and management of a call centre through the effective use of resources with responsibility for meeting, and possibly setting, customer service targets as well as planning areas of improvement or development. Call centre managers ensure that calls are answered by staff within agreed time scales and in an appropriate manner.

See more on Call Centre Management.

Call centre managers liaise with businesses for which they provide the first response, as well as the third parties who supply products to the centre. They coordinate and motivate call centre staff and may also coordinate staff recruitment.

Typical work activities

There are two main types of call centre - inbound and outbound (some centres may incorporate both):
    * Inbound centres receive calls from customers and clients, e.g. queries, requests, orders and complaints.
    * Outbound centres contact potential customers and clients with the aim of gathering information or selling a product.
 
Typical work activities vary according to the type of centre but, generally speaking, tasks will involve:
    * Setting and meeting performance targets for speed, efficiency, sales and quality;
    * Planning and managing change;
    * managing the daily running of the call centre;
    * Liaising with supervisors, team leaders, operatives and third parties to gather information and resolve issues;
    * Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of industry developments and involvement in networks;
    * Monitoring random calls to improve quality minimize errors and track operative performance;
    * Planning and developing staff recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing, including wording vacancy advertisements and liaising with HR staff;
    * Reviewing the performance of staff, identifying training needs and planning training sessions;
    * Recording statistics, user rates and the performance levels of the centre and preparing reports;
    * Handling the most complex customer complaints or enquiries;
    * Organizing staffing, including shift patterns and the number of staff required to meet demand;
    * Coaching, motivating and retaining staff and coordinating bonus, reward and incentive schemes;
    * Forecasting and analyzing data against budget figures on a weekly and/or monthly basis;
    * Developing, implementing and reviewing core responsibilities and tasks;
    * Analyzing performance statistics and making decisions on the basis of these statistics;
    * Improving performance by raising efficiency and sourcing new equipment to enable this, e.g. new dialing products.

Call Centre Job Salary

    * First posts with managerial responsibility tend to be at senior adviser or team leader level with a salary ranging between £20,000 and £25,000 (salary data collected Nov 08).
    * At senior level, salaries vary widely between £20,000 and £60,000. The average call centre manager's salary in the UK is £28,500. Operations Managers can reach £35,000 (salary data collected Nov 08). Senior level salaries tend to have bonuses and other benefits attached. Some salaries are anecdotally quoted as £120,000+.
    * Salaries vary greatly according to the location, size (usually measured in 'seats') and type of call centre (financial, cold selling, public service, educational etc).
    * Working hours regularly include unsocial hours, particularly in the early stages of a career. Call centres may operate up to 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Some target clients abroad in different time zones. It is common to be required to work additional hours/overtime at management level to enable representatives of the management team to be present on a rota basis throughout the call centre's opening hours.
    * Jobs are often in large, open offices that may be noisy and fast-paced. As technology advances, the virtual call centre is also developing, creating opportunities for staff to work from home. Product experts may be 'on call' creating new challenges for managerial staff. Call centres may be scaled up and down to accommodate seasonal fluctuation. It is the call centre manager's responsibility to optimize the workforce during this time.
    * Job share posts are available. Freelance and consultancy work in staff training or project management is available for experienced call centre managers.
    * Call centres employ a high percentage of women (usually 50% - 70%). The majority of staff are in their twenties, although there is a wide range by type - emergency call centres can favor older workers able to deal with harrowing details.
    * The dramatic growth of call centres has slowed with the increase in out-sourcing to other countries, but promotion prospects in call centre management are excellent as it is still a large industry.
    * Jobs are widely available. In 2005, a conservative estimate put the number of call centres at 5,700 throughout the UK (other sources suggest as many as 9,300), with numbers expected to rise by approximately 9% every year.
    * Dress code tends to be smart, with a requirement to wear suits and formal clothing once on the management team, though call centre operatives tend to wear smart/casual clothes. Uniforms are not usually required.
    * The role may be stressful. The majority of call centres are target-driven and results/performance is expected.
    * Travel within the working day and overseas work and travel are uncommon, as is absence from home overnight. Some managers may be seconded to other sites to set up operations or work on a large-scale project for the company, and this may involve working away from home.

Premiercallcentre Jobs

Premiercallcentre.co.uk offers Call Centre Jobs, if you require further information please contact us today. Through a pre-set of questions, we will be able to establish your needs and the full nature of your call and handle this in line with your specific job requirements.