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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
What are your costs?
There are a lot of variables that determine
cost. Like the number of seats you will you be running, the
hours they will be running, the specific requirements of the
agents. But if I were to "ball park" it, you're looking at
around $8 - $14 per hour. Remember, this is not just labor cost,
this is an ALL INCLUSIVE cost. When you factor in all the overhead
costs of a domestic office in the US, Canada, Australia or UK
you could be talking anywhere from $20 - $50 an hour.
Can I hear how the agents sound? |
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Philippines is
the #1 destination for English speaking call center Reps.
That's why major blue chip companies like Dell, Microsoft & Sprint
just to name a few, have relocated their customer support
services here. Voice samples are available on the web
site. Use the contact form and we'll send you the link.
As an
additional quality control measure - you'll have the abiltiy
to approve call center agents
BEFORE they go live on your campaign - this ensures you of 100%
satisfaction with the quality of agents you'll have handling
calls on your campaign.
Why is it a good idea to outsource
to the Philippines?
With call centers springing
up all over the world there are more choices now than ever for
outsourcing. Why the Philippines?
Well there's actually alot of
great places to outsource with a lot of great people running
them.. But there's one reason why we're located in the Philippines
and that's because there is a higher concentration of fluently
speaking, western culture aligned agents here than anywhere else
in the world. For specific reasons on why the Philippines is
better than India, I suggest you read Richard Mills Challenging
Mckinsey. Just click the link.
"...a survey by the
Michigan-based global staffing firm Kelly Services Inc. and the
Singaporean market research outfit ACA Research Inc. showed that
Filipino call
center employees worked harder, were easier to train,
had better language skills and were more devoted than their
counterparts in India."
What kind of cost savings can
I realize by outsourcing?
We discussed this at top,
but for example, a 25 seat customer service operation
moving from the US to the Philippines could reasonably expect
to save $600,000 or more. That's a pretty hefty incentive for
outsourcing.
How do I ensure that the same
management controls are maintained when the process goes offshore?
This
is a great question, and often the most critical. The first step
is analyzing your current situation. Often very complex operations
can be streamlined with software or some "outside of the woods" thinking,
in other words - someone with a fresh new perspective. The second
step is forming the plan of attack. Prior proper planning prevents
poor performance - or something to that affect. *smile*
What kind
of lines are you guys using, IPLC, VOIP or TDM? (If you don't
know what any of those acronyms mean, don't worry.)
We're using
VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). Yes I know, a few years
ago it would have been unheard of. But with the recent advancements
in the technology its actually better than some of the dedicated
IPLC lines we've used in the past. Quite stunning really. VOIP
is changing the world of outsourcing rapidly.
What is the line
quality like?
Well, we wouldn't be in the business
of call centers if we offered anything less than
a quality line connection. Toll quality lines (the calls you
make from a traditional phone) transmit at less than 200 ms,
so you don't notice a delay. Well, our VOIP is now trasmitting
at less than 200 ms, which means - you guess it, no noticeable
delay.
I treasure my customer database,
how do I make sure that my data is secure?
Great question. This is a major
issue in outsourcing. No matter how many iron clad non-disclosure
agreements you try to have a vendor sign, unless you can really
trust who you're working with - there really is no other way
to protect your data. Once you've got your data in the hands
of a company you trust there are other measures you can take
to keep it secure. Like simply having your database stored onsite
in your office and having a few of our designated agents draw
from the database to make or handle calls. There is also the
option of transporting the data to our location, and having it
stored on a secure, firewalled server to prevent break ins or
any chance of data theft. If you have highly sensitive data like
credit cards and social security numbers we can plan out your
security needs accordingly and have them addressed before you
outsource.
Will my customers know that I'm
offshoring?
If they are Filipino yes. But
for the most part, unless you want to tell them, customers will
not know that you're offshoring the work. Filipino agents have
accents that could pass in any major city, with a melting pot
of immigrants and diverse ethnicities. To further assure you
on this issue, I've included voice samples of agents below.
What
kind of services do you provide, is it just inbound or do you
do outbound as well?
Primarily inbound customer
service, but we also do outbound services as
well. But honestly, because outbound can be a real resource
hog, we are VERY selective about the outbound accounts
we bring on. Performance only campaigns have a slim chance
of making it unless they've been proven elsewhere. For outbound we
mostly offer hybrid models such as a base hourly + performance.
Is it possible to run a trial campaign?
Sure! But please, 5 seat minimums
only (for outbound). We do have some exceptions
to this rule like for inbound we may accept less seats. That's
because they require less management after they are setup. We
establish minimums so we can give all of the clients we bring
on the proper amount of attention.
What kind of software are you
guys using?
Well I could tell you that we're
using a $2 million dollar, state of the art PBX, and a full loaded
predictive dialer that only costs us $2,000 per seat - but instead
I'll just tell you that by capitalizing on the latest open source
software (Asterisk) and upgrading the code over a period of months
with a very talented crew of developers, we now have essentially
the same thing that would have cost us ALOT of money. When you
ask us how we can do some of the things we do so inexpensively
- its because we pass the savings on to you, our client - with
none of the traditional "sacrifice" you can expect with a lower
cost provider.
What kind of attrition rates do
you guys have?
This really depends on the campaign
you're running. If it's inbound, attrition rates
at Global Sky are extremely low. These campaigns have relatively
little pressure and Filipino agents by their very nature, fit
the customer service role like a glove. If it's outbound,
that's a different story. There are things you can do to prevent
high attrition rates like having some kind of training and customer
loyalty program from the very start. If your program is very
demanding with high expectations however, still expect high attrition
rates. One point to note however, attrition rates are not NEARLY
as high as they are in places like the US, Canada, Australia
or UK where qualified job seekers have many options. In the Philippines
for a good sales person or customer service representative,
a call center job is the highest paying job, you therefore find
some of the best sales people in the country working in call
centers.
Will you bill me from the US or
from the Philippines?
We could bill you from both locations.
We are incorporated in Delaware and have a US bank account for
easy payments by wire transfer. We also have US representatitives
available for handling payment in the beginning as well. We will
have bank accounts and represenatitives setup in Australia and
the UK shortly, which will make payments from these countries
more convenient.
One note on billing - we only accept bank wires.
How long have you guys
been in business?
The combined experience of the customer service transition
team is more than 30+ years. Global Sky started in the later
part of 2004.. The outsourcing industry is relatively young
so you find a lot of relatively young players. Global Sky is
an "outsource
with certainty" operation based on team experience.
What kind
of equipment are you guys using? (Skip this if you're not real
tech savvy)
All of the equipment we use is
top of the line, and based on VOIP technologies. US, Australia
and UK voice termination is setup for the most direct routing
of calls to those destinations or receiving points. Quintum Gateways
to convert digital signal into analog. Cisco switches ensure
optimum network performance. The traditional seven-figure setup
for call centers no longer applies with VOIP technology. Optimum
network performance is key. If you have more questions about
our network you can consult with one of our technicians.
Will
I be able to see when my agents are online?
Yes! Our software reporting allows
you to actually log in and see a little green light next to all
of your agents that are logged in.
Will I be able to listen in
on calls?
Yes! You can even take it a step
further, click on the green light and hear the conversation!
Will
I have access to reports? How about daily?
Yes! We have a web based reporting
system with snazzy charts and graphs for both right and left
brained people.
Is there a setup fee involved?
Seat cost varies. We keep it
low. Usually anywhere from $99 to $497 per seat depending on
what you require.
Do you have references?
Yes. Upon request. We do have
testimonials on the site as well.
I'm not the one who makes a
final decision, do you have a brochure that I can take to my
boss?
Sure! Just click the "I want
more info" link below and request our brochure. |
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