Call centers are the hub of many growing businesses' customer service efforts. In forward-thinking companies, this key function is being integrated with Internet technology to transform customer care into a powerful business-building force.
Traditional call centers are used by firms such as catalog sellers, telemarketers, and computer help desks to manage large volumes of telephone calls and customer contacts. Call-center applications route incoming calls to sales and service agents who can respond to customer needs. Integrating this call-center activity with an Internet-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution gives agents immediate access to customer purchase histories, order tracking capabilities, and other key information and tools. This enhanced information flow enables call-center staff to use their customer interaction to build customer loyalty and retention.