To avoid losing valuable information on your CT Center system, take the following precautions:
In order to determine the amount of time collectors spend “busy,” print Collector Contact Reports or periodically watch the Manager Screen. This will help you determine which, if any, collectors are logging a large amount of unavailable time.
Note: Area code splits & overlays occur regularly throughout the nation. See www.nanpa.com.
Note: Depending on the extent of the changes to your host collection system, your telephone system or computer network, there may be a “time-and-materials” charge for updating your interface. Use CT Center IC to “clean up” accounts.
You’re in the Driver’s Seat!
One important advantage of your CT Center Predictive Dialing system is the flexibility it gives you to do business “your way.” Based on the type of accounts you’re working and your contacting objectives, you can “tune” the system and train your agents to give you just the results you want. Do you want to “speed” through your list for a maximum number of attempts, or is maximizing direct transfers while minimizing call loss a high priority? Do some of your clients expect different results than others? With just a little thought and time given to system setup and management, you can meet and often exceed their expectations.
When the dialer is adjusted to run faster, more debtors could be put on hold and may hang up before an agent is available. When the dialer is slowed down, agents may have periods of time waiting for calls. CT Center Predictive Dialing allows you to manually adjust the pace at which it dials or to leave it in Automatic mode. Automatic mode considers average talk time, hit rate, allowable call loss and other factors and adjusts dialer speed accordingly.
If an agent is not available to take a call, CT Center Predictive Dialing automatically speaks a “Hello” hold message. You can determine the number of additional hold messages to play before the system delivers a “Max Hold” message and terminates the call. You will probably find that very few debtors stay on the line through more than one additional message. We recommend no additional hold messages. Then rerecord the “Max Hold” message and include a directive to call your office. This will increase callbacks and reduce the number of debtors on hold.
Call centers that purchase both the CT Center Predictive Dialing (PD) and Interactive Communication (IC) modules have the ability to replace hold messages with an interactive payment dialogue or another automated message. Doing so dramatically increases the percentage of contacts who stay on the line and allows the called party to both give and receive information or select the option to be transferred to a live operator. Choose from one of the following prerecorded dialogues, or ask for custom programming:
Dialogues with an active transfer option check to see if an agent has become available by the time the called party has verified a right party contact. If the right party is on the line and an agent is now available, the call will be transferred directly without intervention on the person’s part. CT Center pops the screen for the agent, who can seamlessly continue the call, as though it came straight from the dialer.
Farther into the dialogue, the called party is asked how they would like to pay the debt or if he or she would like to speak with someone about their account. If the transfer option is selected, CT Center transfers the call to an available agent, or if no agent is available, the call can be transferred to an available operator. If the transfer cannot be completed, the called party is told there is no one available to take the call and instructions, including phone number and business hours, are given to call the office.
Train your agents to answer calls professionally and efficiently. Instruct them to remain available as consistently as possible while they are on.
Note: Any account may be on multiple lists, depending on the criteria used to build the list. If an account was called by PD, and the agent posts a result to call the account again, it will be called again on either PD or IC, if it is on an active list.
Note: Be uniform when using calling periods. Assign calling periods by list campaign or by system parameters. This will cause less confusion and reduce the potential of incorrect configuration.
If you check all of the above and still cannot determine the cause of or correct the problem, call IAT Support and report your findings.
Your system should be kept in a well-ventilated area with the room temperature between 60 and 75 degrees. As a general rule, the best temperature for storing computer equipment is a temperature in which you could also work comfortably.