What Is an Outbound Call Center? How to Measure ROI in It?

Posted by Mike Hussain on February 9th, 2021

Usually, call centers using a call center solution will have access to both, call center dialer and call routing rules along with all other features. It means call centers can run inbound, outbound, and blended campaigns. However, usually call centers run any one type of campaigns more frequently, and based on its stream it is known as a specific type of a call center:

1. Inbound
2. Outbound
3. Blended

What is an outbound call center?

When a call center, all the times or a majority of the time runs outbound campaigns, it is called an outbound call center. An outbound contact center uses call center dialers and other features available in the call center solution to run outbound campaigns.

An outbound call center can run multiple campaigns such as:

• Lead generation
• Lead qualification and lead filtering
• Debt collection
• Sales
• Brand or cause awareness
• And more

How to measure the ROI of an outbound call center?

Measuring ROI in an inbound call center is quite easy compared to an outbound call center as retaining customer ratio and new customer rate can provide the required “ROI” value. In an outbound call center, as well calculating ROI is easy. The value of a number of sales, collected collection, etc. can give the ROI value. However, the question is how to measure returns over investment in this type of contact center. Other than checking accounts, you can use a call center solution to measure ROI. Let me share how.

In any business, ROI is measured by deducting expenses from generated revenues. The same thing can be done in the case of outgoing campaigns as well. Improved KPIs are also a sign of increasing ROI.

1. Calculate expenses

When I say expense, it is not just monetary expense. All occurrences of loss of productivity, opportunity, business, collection, etc. are expenses. When you invest resources, but you do not get any return, it is an expense instead of an investment. You do not get any return from what you have used. To count expenses, you can count all of the following:

• Total number of missed calls
• Total number of abandoned calls
• Total number of closed calls with failed or missed opportunity disposition
• Total number of dropped calls
• Average call duration value
• Negative feedback
• And more

2. Calculate success

Here, the success can be converted leads, saved the time of agent, collected debt, etc., depending on the nature of the campaign. The call center solution can be used to calculate success as well. Try to measure the following KPIs:

• Increased sales volume
• Increased rate of lead filtering
• Increased collection
• Reduced call hold time
• Reduced average call handling time
• First call resolution
• Increased positive reviews
• Increased number of total calls
• And more

Of course, the clear way of calculating ROI in this business is to check the revenues and expenses. However, measuring relevant KPIs using a call center solution can also help in measuring returns over investment for an outbound call center.

Author Bio

Author works in a company that offers different call center solutions such as hosted call center solution, omnichannel contact center software, etc. The company also offers various services such as call center WhatsApp integration, VICIDial customization, etc.

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