Increase the answer rate of your call center

This is undoubtedly a very important subject for any call center that focuses on outgoing calls. That’s why, in this blog  post, we’ll tell you all about the various methods of improving the answer rate of your call center.

 

Let’s start with the basics – what is ASR and how is it calculated? ASR is the ratio between the amount of calls answered and the total amount of calls made. For example, the operator has made 200 calls throughout the day, 60 of which got connected to a client – 60 / 200 = 0.3, meaning the ASR of that specific operator on that day was 30%, meaning roughly every third of their call had been successful. Something to note here – a call counts as positive if it has reached the client’s or the mobile operator’s voicemail.
 

 

1. Once you’ve purchased a new number (CID), check if this number is “clean”, meaning, check whether this number can be found in Truecaller, Hiya, Google, etc. as a number already in use that has suspicion of being a spam number. If you see this number circulating in forums or complaint threads, demand that the operator changes it. Note that this needs to be done right after the number has been purchased, otherwise the operator may refuse the replacement of the number and will simply offer a new one.

 

2. Monitor the amount of calls made by your CID. Do not allow more than 2’000 outgoing calls from one number to any one operator. For example, in Germany there are 8 mobile operators (Lebara, Vodafone, O2, etc.). Do not allow calls to one of these operators to be more than 2’000 per day from the same number.

 

3. Add an incoming line to your CID. Operators often check if the number is active and if it is not a part of illegal activities. We’ve seen operators block incoming calls to their network due to the number not having an incoming line. In this case, you will see a drop in your ASR.

 

4. Use the feature of Routing – add countless numbers to the CID group, so that they rotate between one another when making outgoing calls. You will reduce the load on any one CID this way.

 

5. Use GSM routes. How does this work? When the local intermediary operator puts multiple SIM cards on the same GSM gateway and adds them to his network. Every operator’s internal calls will always be prioritized. However, you should check whether the operator changes their SIM cards frequently, and whether all the gateways are in one location. We have seen situations where such actions were not agreed upon by the operator, who then determines via their base towers that all of the SIM cards are being used for telemarketing purposes. In the case of the intermediary operator not coordinating this with the mobile operator, there is a large change that this is not a viable long-term strategy. That’s why you should always keep an eye on the ASR, the regularity of SIM card changes and stability. The downside of this – usually operators sell such routes to multiple clients, which means the incoming calls and stability are not guaranteed.

 

6. Use TMD routes, e.g., when the intermediary operator puts a large range of local numbers into rotation automatically. In this case as well, it’s important to know the ASR and how often do the numbers get changed/replaced, otherwise the ASR might drop below the norm. The downside of this – usually operators sell such routes to multiple clients, which means the incoming calls and stability are not guaranteed.

 

7. Split the CID numbers into groups. Use one group for the first call, then use other numbers for the repeated call. The goal of this is to always have “fresh numbers”, so that you can check whether the client has blocked you or not.

 

8. Regularly check the ASR of your numbers. If any of your numbers’ ASR has suddenly dropped, it’s time to replace it with a different one.

 

9. Make sure that you have multiple routes to the same country/prefix. The system should be built in such a way that primary routes are used first, but if these are not successful, the system automatically begins using the next route in line. This allows for a configuration where calls are being made through multiple operators.

 

10. When calling clients, use both local and international connections. By definition, the local connection should be the priority both in terms of price and accessibility, since people usually don’t want to pick up foreign calls. Besides this aspect, it is an additional tool for checking the accessibility of the client.

 

11. If you want to call your entire database, we recommend checking the number in (LookUP). This is a paid service, however, it is very valuable because it will let you know whether a number is active and can accept calls, or whether it is inactive. 

 

12. What else is there to know? Don’t make too many short calls, database check calls, talk to the client respectfully. These things can affect your ASR too. Always remember that mobile operators have their own monitoring systems.

 

You can receive all the aforementioned services at Octella, along with consultations about the best practices when using them. But, before you begin working, we recommend you discuss your goals and preferred results with your operator. Good luck!