E-ICT - Grade10 - Module 4 - Quarter 3 Lessons 1-9 As of Dec 5, 2014 PDF

CONTENT STANDARD PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner demonstrates The learner independently

understanding of concepts and demonstrates appropriate approaches
underlying principles in delivering in delivering quality customer services
quality customer services. in accordance with call center industry
policies.
QUARTERS III and IV Time Allotment: 100 hours
MODULE 4
DELIVERING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICES
Introduction
This module is designed to orient you on the essential functions and

specific tasks involved in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).
The quality of service is of utmost importance in the Business Process

Outsourcing world. The exchange of ideas between the service provider and
the client, which requires good communication skills acquired, helps you to
accurately impart ideas to your would-be clients. This, however, is just a part
of the whole process. There is still a need for hands-on training and industry-
based simulation which will permit application of communication skill concepts
that are part of a telemarketing or call center agent’s role.
Overall customer satisfaction is determined by the quality of your

service. Improved customer experience later on builds lasting and profitable
relationships which is one of the many advantages of a quality customer
service.
Through this module, you will gain knowledge and understanding of the
various functions and processes involved in a Business Process Outsourcing
firm.
Furthermore, it will enable you to gain the necessary skills and the right
attitude in transmitting and/ or receiving calls from the customers, handling
customers’ complaints, providing after-sales support and documenting events.
Knowing these skills will surely help you become more productive and
efficient in the field of Contact Center Services.
ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

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OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. describe the functions and processes involved in a BPO/Call Center
industry;
2. transmit/receive calls from customers;
3. handle customers’ complaints accordingly; and
4. provide after-sales support and document events.
******
Read the objectives presented on this page carefully.

Proper mind set on the competencies you have to master is
a good way to start your journey in learning. Take note that
you need to exert your best effort in using the English
language beginning today. It is suggested that you think and
communicate in English as much as you can so that it would
come naturally as that of the native speakers of the language.
This will also help you in understanding the concepts and in
the practical activities to achieve your goal.

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PRE-ASSESSMENT
Let us first assess your prior knowledge regarding this lesson. You need
to recognize the concepts which you already know and those which you need
to reinforce and enrich so that you would know how to equip and prepare
yourself for the tasks ahead.
Answer the test with all honesty and enthusiasm. Remember that this
is your personal assessment which will help you in identifying key concepts
which you have to improve.
DIRECTIONS: Write the letter of the best answer on your answer sheet.
1. It refers to the management of one or more specific business

processes or functions by a third party.
A. Business Process Outsourcing

B. Customer Relationship Management
C. Information Technology Enabled Services
D. Knowledge Process Outsourcing
2. Software development, data entry, programming, and web

development services are examples of services under _________.
A. Business Process Outsourcing

B. Customer Relationship Management
C. Information Technology Enabled Services
D. Knowledge Process Outsourcing
3. It includes customer-related services such as marketing or technical

support.
A. Back office Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

B. Front office Outsourcing D. Nearshore Outsourcing
4. It includes internal business functions such as billing, purchasing,

payroll of employees, and other similar tasks.

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5. When a Singapore-based company subcontracts a Philippine- based
company to do software programming, it is called _________.
A. Onshore Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

6. HSBC, a US-based finance company, hired an Indian-based BPO to

manage its online credit card inquiry and funds transfer. The type of
outsourcing shown here is ____________.

B. Onshore Outsourcing D. Nearshore Outsourcing
7. It is system is being carried out online with the data being held at a
third party’s premises and accessed via the web. This type of BPO is
a means to save physical office space so one may retrieve information
quickly and easily.
A. Accounting C. Procurement
B. Document Management D. Software Development
8. It involves managing requests for information or proposals and

recommending the best potential suppliers, selecting suppliers, and
issuing/managing legal contracts.
A. Accounting C. Procurement
B. Document Management D. Software Development
9. It is a subset of BPO which is a centralized office that facilitates large

amounts of inbound and outbound telephone calls
A. Accounting C. Document Management

B. Call Center D. Software Development
10. It is a set of measurements to quantify performance and results in

the call center world
A. matrix C. rubrics
B. metrics D. rating

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11. In a call center, this measures how effective your agents are in utiliz-
ing their time and how efficient they are in balancing the various
aspects of their jobs.
A. Time Metrics C. Quantity Metrics

B. Productivity Metrics D. Quality Metrics
12. Customer Service, Satisfaction Score, Escalation Rate and

Resolution time are all under _______________.

13. The customer became angry, and speaking to someone of higher

authority will be a prerequisite to calming him down. This example
falls under ________________.
A. Average Call Duration C. Escalation Rate

B. Call Quality D. Resolution Time
14. This criteria includes things like building rapport and using proactive,
service-oriented language.
A. Quality Criteria C. Subjective Criteria

B. Standard Criteria D. Objective Criteria
15. An example of this include opening the call with the appropriate
greeting and asking if there are any other issues which the customer
needs assistance.
A. Quality Criteria C. Subjective Criteria

B. Standard Criteria D. Objective Criteria
16. It refers to how well agents accomplish their tasks, especially their
primary function of customer contact.


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17. It refers to the ability to actively listen, question appropriately, provide
feedback, and use the skills outlined to build customer relationships.
A. Business acumen C. Interpersonal communication

B. Cross selling D. Change management
18. The focus on this type of call is more on “procedural” knowledge,

where there are specific steps required to complete a given operation
using the provided computer systems.
A. Handling queries C. Handling complaints

B. Handling transactions D. Handling reports
19. These are heavy users of knowledge management systems for

solving problems and issues regarding a product.
A. Academic instruction C. Directory
B. Booking D. Technical Support
20. A system that lets the agent see what has been done or promised
by others, so that customers do not need to tell the whole history of
the call.
A. Contact Management System

B. Automatic Call Distribution system
C. VoIP system
D. Desktop tools
21. Factors to consider when complaint arises are _______________.
A. customer and complaint C. customer and product

B. customer and service D. customer and contact center
representative
22. Issues, concern of customers to be satisfied are listed below except

________________.
A. reliability C. enjoy doing business

B. leadership D. do business with trustworthy
people

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23. It is a way to make the customer feel that his call is important to
you.
A. Act and speak calmly.

B. Listen attentively to what your customer is saying.
C. Treat complainants as valued customer.
D. Be understanding.
24. How do agents accept ownership of the problem then apologize?

25. Let the customer talk of his complain and say something to make
him feel comfortable.

26. "Okay, I really understand and agree with you that this is very
stressful to you, but for me to help you I must work within our
process.” The statement implies _____.
A. giving responsibility
B. empowering staff
C. using the person’s name often, and with care
D. controlling of situation
27. “I can understand why you feel the way you do Sir Robert” The
statement implies _____.
A. giving responsibility
B. empowering staff
C. using the person’s name often, and with care
D. controlling of situation
28. It is contact center representative’s skill where customers want you

to understand their issue with the hope you will be able to assist
them.
A. professionalism C. desire to solve problem
B. communication D. great listener
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29. It requires you to have the fundamental sincerity to help others. This
skill is known as _____.
A. professionalism
B. communication
C. desire to solve problem
D. great listener
30. It means you need to be a patient and calming influence when

interacting with customers at all times.
A. professionalism
B. communication
C. desire to solve problem
D. great listener

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LEARNING GOALS AND TARGET
After carefully reading the introduction and objectives, and upon

answering the pre-assessment, you probably have an idea now of what you will
be taking up in this module. It is best that you identify your personal goals in
the beginning of this lesson so you would have a sense of direction to guide
you.
Enumerate your targets and come up with your goals in your notebook.
Use a graphic organizer similar to the one below.
Target 1
Target 6 Target 2
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Target 5 __________________________
Target 3
__________________________
_____
Target 4

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Lesson 1: The BPO/Call Center Industry
The world adapts to the fast-paced developments brought about by

globalization and technological advancements. As a result, major changes in
the industries introduced various means to minimize or reduce production
expenses while maximizing profit.
This is one of the many reasons why companies channel the processes
of their production or service to third-party clients which lead to the birth of
BPOs.
As part of the industry, the terms customers, clients, call center agents
and representatives will be used frequently throughout the module.
Customers refer to the people who are current or potential buyers,

subscribers, account owners or patrons of the industry who enters into
transaction with you through information technology (IT) assisted devices like
computers, telephones and mobile phones.
Clients refer to companies you will represent.
Agents or representatives otherwise known as rep/s are job titles of

personnel who assist customers in activities which are described in this
module.
Preliminary Activity
Call center jobs are very popular in the country nowadays. Most likely,
you may find a relative or a neighbor in your community who works in the said
industry. Before formally knowing the career, first you need to create a concept
map of your prior knowledge on the topic.
Create a concept map of key words or phrases that are related to the
term call center.

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Your map may branch out to different directions. Remember, there is no
wrong answer here. This is your self-assessment on the depth of your
understanding on the topic. A sample is shown on the next page.
Buildings
Job
opportunities
Night shift for Filipinos
1.1 What is BPO?

The term outsourcing is a system whereby an organization can sub-
contract certain areas of work to a third party organization that specializes on
the task to be done.
Business Process Outsourcing or BPO refers to the management of one

or more specific business processes or functions by a third party.
It involves contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific

business function. Examples of these business processes or functions are
human resources, procurement, finance, accounting asset, and property
management. Here, you hire a separate company or firm to handle business
activities for your company.

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BPO is “the delegation of one or more IT-intensive business processes
to an external provider that, in turn, owns, administrates and manages the
selected process based on a defined and measurable performance metrics”.
Gartner Dataquest.
BPO is also a long- term contracting of non-core processes to an outside

provider.
Figure 6. Call Center Firm
This is basically performed by white collar and clerical employees to

achieve various benefits such as cost savings, and better quality and ability to
focus on core competence. BPO involves outsourcing processes that are not
core to a company but are somewhat essential for smooth operation of the
company. The customer transfers the complete responsibility of these functions
to another company which guarantees certain service quality standards. Such
processes include customer service, payroll processing, inventory
management, and the like.
Imagine an entrepreneur who is starting a small-scale business. In the

early stage of operation, one could still manage to personally deal with all the
tasks involved by himself. This will allow the entrepreneur to reduce labor
expenses, since he does not have to pay for workers or laborers. He, at the
same time, could focus on his finances, since he handles all the incoming and
outgoing funds personally.
As business progresses, he would probably need a helping hand, in the

form of additional workers to expand his business enterprise. If it escalates to
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a higher and more progressive level, more workers and upgrade in facilities
and equipment would be required.
In countries where labor cost is very high compared to the projected
earnings of a company, the need to pass the work to another team where labor
costs would be lower is a necessity. For example, a US company may have
facilities and resources in the Philippines, so that they can employ highly
educated personnel with lower social costs. As a result, the services can be
delivered at a much lower price than is possible in the US. This is the general
concept of BPO.
In the Philippines, the term BPO is frequently associated with Call

Center or Telemarketing firm. BPO, however, is not entirely synonymous to
“Call Centers”. You will understand this better as you explore the next lessons
of the module.
1.2 Why Outsource?
Have you ever wondered why the BPO industry flourished? It actually
benefits both the business organization and the manpower or labor force. It is
a win-win solution.
These are just some of the perceived benefits of outsourcing:
 Reduced or controlled operating costs

 Reduced labor cost
 Higher level of service for the same or even lower cost service
 Allows you to focus on your core business
 Gives you access to world-class expertise and those not
available internally
 Provides enhanced efficiency and productivity
 Predictability of costs
 Utilization of common applications; freeing up of some financial
and human capital

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1.3 Profile of the BPO Industry (Global and Local)
Data search , information

and management (31% or
$44B)
Customer interaction
services (24% or $33B)
Remote Education (13% or

$18B)
Finance and Accounting

Services (11% or $15B)
Networking and consulting

management (11% or $15 B)
OTHERS (12% or $16B )
Figure 7. US $142 Billion Market for IT- Enabled Services
The benefits that BPO industry contributes to the economy may be

quantified in terms of money and it can be from billions to trillions of dollars.
IT-BPO industry in the Philippines was projected to increase from

US$500 billion in 2009 to US$1.5 trillion in 2024 (Tholons, 2011). See Fig. 7
According to the Everest Analysis (World Bank and IMF projections), the
country’s 2016 roadmap might lead to 9% increase in GDP, wherein 2016
revenues of the Philippine’s IT- BPO Industry may vary from US$15 billion to
US$ 25 billion, depending on the strength of industry effort and government
support. Its projected direct employment will be 680,000 to 1.3 million and
indirect employment of 1.7 million to 3.2 million.
In the Philippine setting, call centers are widely known and accepted as
one of the leading job providers in the country. This is because the government
has opened its doors to foreign investors that require cost efficient technical
services.

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The BPO industry started here in the Philippines in 1992 with Accenture,
then followed by Sykes Enterprises, Inc. in 1997. The offshore call center
industry started in the Philippines in 1999 when Cyber City set up an
outsourcing facility at the former USAF base in Clark and has been followed by
other firms, such as eTelecare, People Support, ePLDT/ Ventus, Convergys
Corporation, TeleTech Holdings, Inc., Cyber City Teleservices, Sitel/ Client
Logic, etc.
The agents at these call centers handle inbound or outbound traffic via
telephone and other available channels. Today, the Philippines is an important
offshore player driven by several factors such as the following:
1. increasing government support on IT investment

2. large pool of graduates with English communication skills and
knowledge in ICT which is far superior to India and has led many
companies to close down Indian operations and move them to the
Philippines
3. reliable and reasonably-priced telecommunication infrastructure
4. low-cost high quality locations, growing buyer trends on outsourcing
The Philippines is considered the most attractive global provider of IT-

BPO services in Asia (Economist Survey: M. Alan in MBOL May 29, 2012).
IT-BPO revenues for the Philippines reached US$11 billion and 640,000
direct employees in 2011. It is the key driver of economy, and the fastest
growing source of employment and revenue (DTI, 2012)
This is just a big picture of the BPO industry as a worldwide

phenomenon. There are a lot more to learn, especially in terms of the actual
work. Learning and researching more about it will give you an edge among
others who will be pursuing the same career track in the near future.

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Process
TASK 1: Business Process Outsourcing
DIRECTIONS: Complete the following content organizer to summarize the
lesson.
BPO
Defined:
Perceived benefits of the BPO Industry
TASK 2: BPO Industry in the Philippines

DIRECTIONS: Write a short essay that stresses the factors which make the
Philippines a better, if not the best option for Business Process Outsourcing.
Write this in your notebook or on a separate sheet of paper.
What makes the Philippines a better BPO market compared to other nations?
_________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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Reflect and Understand
TASK 3: Video Presentation

1. Using a computer with Internet service, follow the given URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w1MJnz-vbg
2. Watch the video presentation on Youtube carefully. (Your teacher may

also download the video presentation for the class.)
3. Take down notes as you watch. Gather data on the following:

a. Why do Filipinos go to the call center industry?
b. What are the perceptions of the different call center agents
interviewed regarding their work?
c. What are the effects of their call center culture on their personal
lives?
d. What are the advantages of the Filipino call centers compared to
their competitors?
e. What is the implication of the BPO industry in the Philippine
economy?

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4. Organize the gathered data on your notebook or portfolio. Use a graphic
organizer to relate every information with one another.
TASK 4: Cooperative Learning – Reflection on the Video Presentation
Form small groups (with at least five members each) and compare the
data you have gathered through a 10-minute group sharing. Based on the
outcome of your collaboration, list down the advantages and the disadvantages
of the BPO industry on the lives of ordinary Filipino workers. Present your
output to the class (at least 3 minutes per group).
Your group will decide how you will deliver the output to the class. It can
be in the form of reporting, song rendition, poem recitation, panel discussion or
skit.
TASK 5: Oral Presentation- Economic Implications of the BPO Industry

Create a 2-minute speech on the topic of your choice. You may choose
from the following topics:
1. Call center industry’s contribution to the country’s economic growth

2. The challenges and opportunities for Filipino call center representatives.
3. The future of the Philippines in terms of BPO Industrialization
You may use the PDF file entitled “Philippine IT BPO Roadmap 2016:
Driving to Global Leadership” as your reference. It contains accurate
information on the economic contribution of BPOs to the Philippine economy.
Use this URL- www.ncc.gov.ph/files/lacdao_phil_it_bpo_roadmap.pdf
TASK 6: Research Activity
This transfer activity aims to provide you with an actual overview of the
BPO industry in the country. Your class will be grouped into 5. You and your
group mates will conduct a research about the current status of the BPO
industry in the Philippine setting.

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Cite outsourcing firms or companies which are on the lead at present
time and situated within your vicinity. Give a brief background about the firm
Gather general information such as job titles and job descriptions, average
salary and benefits for employees, and number of current employees.
Find out the benefits that your community get from the outsourcing firm
by visiting your local government unit or the Bureau of Internal Revenue to
inquire about the taxes being generated by these BPO firms.
Come up with a conclusion regarding the implication of the said industry

in terms of the economic growth of your locality.
Consolidate your findings in a PowerPoint presentation to be presented

to the class and a written report which will be submitted to your teacher.
Lesson 2: Types of Industry
Call centers, just like other types of businesses, offer a variety of

products and services. The development in the business world pushes the
industry to be more flexible, thereby making the possibilities endless.
Call centers are also classified based on job-tasks and the location in
which the service is offered.
Think about calls you have made or received from a call center
representative or telemarketer. Give examples of customer service functions
you have encountered or obtained in these interactions?
If you have not yet experienced such, ask your parents or close relatives
about their encounter with a call center representative.

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Fill in this chart on a separate sheet of paper to summarize the details
of your interaction. An example is already provided:
Concern/ Contact Person Resolution Remarks
Problem
Questionable Telecommunication Agent told me to Load was re-
load deduction Customer Service wait for the load loaded after
to be restored. 24 hours –
Problem
Solved.
Frequently, BPO is referred to as Information Technology-Enabled

Services (ITES). This is because most business processes include some form
of automation and information technology devices such as computers that
"enable" these services to be performed. This encompasses careers in
software development, data entry, programming, and web development
services.
BPO is distinct from Information Technology (IT) outsourcing, which

focuses on hiring a third-party company or service provider to do IT-related
activities, such as application management and application development, data
center operations, or testing and quality assurance. The Philippines is currently
among the most cost competitive destinations for IT-BPO services.
An offshoot of BPO is Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)

Considered by some to be a subset of BPO, KPO includes those activities that
require greater skill, knowledge, education, and expertise to handle. This may
include services in financial analysis and legal services.
2.1 Types of BPO Industries
BPO is often divided into two main categories:
1. Back Office Outsourcing- This includes internal business functions such

as billing, purchasing, payroll of employees, and other similar tasks.

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2. Front Office Outsourcing – This includes customer-related services such
as marketing or technical support.
Figure 8. Call Center in the Philippines
Based on the location of hiring and contracting, BPO may be categorized

as:
1. Offshore Outsourcing – is outsourcing contracted outside a company's
home country. This is done when high-volume, low-complexity tasks are
processed in a country with a significantly lower cost base than where
the service has become more sophisticated. For example, the UK:
traditionally India, but more recently China, the Philippines, Malaysia
and some South American countries.
(e.g., Numerous UK-based BPO companies such as Vertex and Capita

Group are now providing offshored services to their clients through their
operations in the Philippines.)
2. Nearshore Outsourcing - BPO that is contracted to a company's

neighboring country. The cost base of these countries is still lower, but
geographical proximity and cultural similarities can create an easier
working relationship. A good relationship, cultural similarities and
absence of communication gap can result in a more complex work being
transferred easily. For Western Europe, this is to Eastern Europe. For
the United States this is to Canada and Mexico.
(e.g., Tony Lee, an information management supplier based in the US
near-shored the development of its computerized purchasing system

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to Advance Programs, a commercial systems solution provider in
Canada.)
3. Onshore - is an entirely different scheme. It is the practice of obtaining

business-critical, high-level services from someone not employed by the
company, but within the same country. Onshore services are unique for
each company.
(e.g., When Burger King Corporation, a US-based chain of restaurants,

lost its laboratories in the havoc created by Hurricane Andrew in1992,
the company was forced to outsource its quality assurance functions to
other companies in the US. Burger King still outsources its quality
assurance functions onshore even after rebuilding its laboratories
because it allows the company to make productive use of its internal
resources.)
TASK 1: BPO Industries
DIRECTIONS: Write BOO if the example describes back office outsourcing

and FOO if it describes front office outsourcing. Do this in your notebook.
__________ 1.A telecommunications BPO firm which deals with repair
and maintenance of one’s internet connection
__________ 2. A BPO company which accommodates payroll services
__________ 3. A company which assists customers on US Phone
directory services
__________ 4. A company that takes orders of products
__________ 5. A BPO accounting firm that manages sales accounts
of other companies
_________ 6. A bank- associate BPO that updates customers on their
debit and credit accounts

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__________ 7. An office that deals with purchasing raw materials for
another company
__________ 8. A firm that entertains medical insurance claims
__________ 9. A document management BPOs that keep copies of
financial transactions for filing of taxes
__________ 10. A call center firm that assists customers on computer
hardware repair
TASK 2: BPO Terminologies
DIRECTIONS: Match the items in column I with its correct description

in column II. Write the letter of the correct answers on a sheet of paper.
I II
1. This obtains business-critical, A. ITES

high-level services from
someone not employed by the B. KPO
company, but within the same C. Back Office Outsourcing
country.
D. Front Office Outsourcing
2. It is an outsourcing contracted
outside a company's own E. Offshore Outsourcing
country.
F. Nearshore Outsourcing
3. It includes activities that require G. Onshore Outsourcing

greater skill, knowledge,
education, and expertise to
handle.
4. This is done when high-volume,

low-complexity tasks are
processed in a country with a
significantly lower cost base than
the home country of the
company.

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5. This is needed when business
processes include some form of
automation and information
technology.
6. It includes customer-related
services such as marketing or
technical support.
7. BPO that is contracted to a
company's neighboring country
8. It includes internal business

functions such as billing,
purchasing, payroll of
employees, and other similar
tasks.
9. It may include services in

financial analysis and legal
services.
10. Examples of these services are

software development, data
entry, programming, and web
development.

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Lesson 3: Basic Services within BPO Industry
There are basic services related to customer service, sales and

technical support that fall within the BPO industry. This depends on the
specialization of the firm and its facilities, and the competencies of the
manpower.
Explore the different BPO industries existing in the country. Name a few
based on your research and personal interview with call center agents.
Compare your answer with those listed on this module.
BPOs generally fall under several categories:
1. Finance and Accounting
Processes related to finances have to be accurate. In most

instances, this cannot be replaced by mere accounting software. It requires
resources and procedures like raising invoices, matching them with
purchase orders and reconciling bank accounts.
For example, payroll is a frequently outsourced process, simply

because it is being done once a month. However, when it comes to critical
business processes like accounts receivable, retaining this in-house can be
a good option. Remember that any issues can have a major impact on a
business. The finance director should still retain control and have overall
responsibility.
2. Document Management
Access to data is a must in the business world. Even small

companies generate large amounts of data and recording and storing these
can be time consuming and expensive.

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Companies can improve their use of data through an outsourced
document manager. One can save physical office space and can retrieve
information quickly and easily through this type of BPO. A document
management system is carried out online with the data being held at a third
party’s premises and accessed via the web.
3. Procurement
This involves looking for appropriate suppliers, monitoring supplier

performance, implementing appropriate processes and procedures,
managing requests for information or proposals and recommending the
best potential suppliers, selecting suppliers and issuing or managing legal
contracts.
The BPO service provider can help reduce costs through more
thorough evaluation of supplier performance, an in depth knowledge of the
markets within which they work and bulk purchases for a number of
customers.
4. Software development
This is increasingly being outsourced or ‘off-shored’, with software

development teams based in areas such as Central and Eastern Europe
and Asia where there is access to highly-educated, low-cost personnel. This
is because the social costs in these growing economies are currently way
lower than in Western economies.
It is more practical to simply hire a team of people to do the software

development when the need arises than having full-time developers on site.
The majority of software vendors have teams based outside of their main
domain for this reason.
5. Call Centers
A call center, a subset of BPO, is a centralized office that facilitates

large amounts of inbound and outbound telephone calls. As defined by
Keith Dawson (Dawson, 1988), a call center is a “ physical location where
calls are placed or received in high volume for the purpose of sales,
marketing, customer service, telemarketing, technical support, and other
specialized business activity.”

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Figure 9. Call Center Agent/ Representative at Work
Trained representatives who handle transactions do the jobs which

are formerly found in an organization’s customer service, accounting, and
sales department. Because of the continuous advancement in technology,
call center staff members can now do additional tasks such as identifying
and responding to customer needs and related tasks, providing
informational functions such as troubleshooting technical issues and selling
a variety of products and services. Call centers have a number of uses:
A. Customer Services (in-bound calls)

Customers that call for transactions like order processing,
administrative assistance like complaints or billing questions can be
handled by customer service call centers.
BPO companies that facilitate this have up-to-date equipment and

software that enables a seamless and fast way of dealing with queries and
resolving issues. These companies use an automatic call distribution (ACD)
system that routes each call automatically to the next free call-center
employee, to ensure that customers never have to wait for too long for a
call to be answered. Some even have the capability to recognize when a
customer is getting irritated or annoyed and automatically sends an alert to
a manager who may intervene if necessary. Many banks and financial
services have outsourced their customer services facilities.
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B. Telemarketing and telesales (outbound calls)
Call center agents place calls to customers in order to obtain

information or sell products and services (e.g., customer satisfaction
surveys, marketing, sales, and customer follow-up). Selling some products
and services are much easier to sell via the phone, and do not require ‘face-
to-face’ interaction. As a result, the costs for marketing and selling such
products will be drastically reduced.
C. Data cleansing
Data cleansing is a system of phoning the contacts within a database

in order to ensure that all the details such as names, phone numbers and
the like are correct. This allows sales people to phone and send emails
safely with the knowledge that the information is up to date. Again, it is far
more cost-effective to offshore this process in places with huge labor cost.
6. Legal Services
Legal offshoring is also gaining popularity nowadays. This is a good

example of KPO. Lawyers commonly handle this type of a job. This may
involve monitoring old contracts and licensing agreements to managing
documentary evidence for product-liability cases. Personnel of such
industry read, analyze, and annotate digital images of memos, payroll and
medical records, old engineering specs, and other documents that might be
used as evidence in legal cases.
The industry in which the call center industry operates is global,

making it an extremely competitive industry. As a result of intense
competition, outsourced call center services and solutions frequently are
subject to pricing pressure. Aside from our country, India, China, Malaysia,
Ireland and Canada are huge markets of call center industry.
Sample fields where one could work under the BPO industry are the
following:
 Customer Service
 Technical Support
 Administrative Support
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 Accounting
 Bookkeeping
 Virtual Assistant
 Telemarketing
 Programming
 Call Center Service
 Sales
 Data Entry
 Internet Research
 Web Development
 Content Management
 Graphics Design
 Direct Mail
 Email Marketing
Depending on the service being offered by the company where

one will be assigned to work in, delivering quality customer services will
always remain the top priority.
These are just some of the most popular BPO services. You
may find out more by checking out the different BPO firms (especially
those which are locally available) via the Internet.They offer variety of
services for you to choose from.
TASK 1: Identification of BPO Services

DIRECTIONS: Identify the service being described in the following statements.
Write your answers in a separate sheet of paper.
___________1. It deals with customer satisfaction surveys, marketing, sales,

and customer follow- up are the tasks involved in this service.
___________2. It involves looking for appropriate suppliers, monitoring

supplier performance, implementing appropriate processes
and procedures, managing requests for information or
proposals and recommending the best potential suppliers.
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___________3. It involves monitoring old contracts and licensing agreements
to managing documentary evidence for product-liability cases.
___________4. Order processing, administrative assistance such as

telephone directories, complaints and billing are under this
category.
___________5. Companies generate large amounts of data, recording and

storing these online with the data being held at a third party’s
premises and accessed via the web.
TASK 2: Basic Services within BPO Industry
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions as accurately as you can. Write

your answers in complete sentences. Use a separate sheet of paper.
1. What are the basic services related to the BPO industry? Give a brief
description of each service.
2. How are call centers different from Business Process Outsourcing?

How are they alike?
3. If you are to choose among the sample jobs under the BPO industry,
what do you think best suits you and why?
4. What do you think are the advantages of having a career in a contact

services? What are its disadvantages?
5. If you will be offered a job in a call center that is not in line of interest or
expertise, would you accept it? Why or why not?

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TASK 3: BPO Services: Explored!
1. Explore more on the different services being offered by a Call Center

Industry, especially here in our country. Interview at least 2 call center
agents in your community and get information about the different job
descriptions in their respective areas. You may interview someone who
has experience in the industry, if you cannot find someone who is
presently working in a call center. Ask relevant information that you think
are essential in the field you are researching.
2. Conduct an online research about other BPO services (other than

those discussed here) that are being used by various organizations.
3. Consolidate the data you have gathered into a report which will be
presented using the following:
 panel discussion (oral presentation)
 news report (oral presentation)
 skit or role playing (oral presentation)
Then submit a written report after the presentation..
Rubric Scoring 5 3 1
Content (50%) Full of useful, Has considerable Has limited

relevant and up- amount of amount of
to-date relevant, useful relevant, useful
information and up-to-date and up-to-date
information information

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Written Report Written report Written report Written report
(25%) has insightful has good content has limited
content and was and was content and was
presented in a presented presented in a
comprehensive, comprehensively, brief manner.
and error- proof with a few errors. Report has a lot
manner. of errors.
Presentation Creative and Creative and Appropriate

style (25%) appropriate appropriate presentation
presentation presentation technique was
technique was technique was used but
used. used. However, information was
Information was information was not clearly
clearly relayed to not clearly imparted through
the audience. relayed to the it.
audience
Total: 100%
TASK 4: BPO Services: Career Graph of an Agent
It is also worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the roles you might be given
should you have the chance to be in a business process outsourcing service.
Here is a sample career graph of an agent. Study this carefully and interview
someone with experience in this career for the job description and their specific
duties and responsibilities.

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Create a graphic organizer similar to the hierarchical relationships given
here. Note how each job role progresses from top to bottom.
CEO
Chief Executive Officer
Operations Manager
Assistant Manager
Shift Supervisor
Leader
Team Leader
Team Leader
Senior Customer
Service Senior Customer
Representative Service Representative
Floor Support
Contact Center Agent / Contact Center Agent / Contact Center Agent /

Customer Service Customer Service Customer Service
Representative (CSR) Representative (CSR) Representative (CSR)
Present your output to the class. Compare and contrast your output with
that of your classmates. Stress the importance of each job and its impact in the
hierarchy of roles.

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Lesson 4: Call Center Agents’ Performance Metrics
Quality customer service is a high level of service attained when an

industry satisfies the unique set of customer needs.
This is achieved through the words and tone you use in dealing with
customers. Your choice of words and the manner of delivery (tone and volume)
suggests feelings that customers interpret positively or negatively. A sincere
and positive approach as reflected in your conversation would generate a
positive emotion thereby contributing to quality customer service.
Generally speaking, we practice quality customer service for the

following reasons:
 When customers wants to know basic questions about their

account
 When customers cannot understand the product or service they

subscribed to
 When customers are having difficulties with a product or service
 When customers are frustrated and irate with the product or

service
Understanding the customer needs is a key to quality customer service.
To assess the quality of performance or service being done by an

employee, call center managers use a set of standard measuring tools and
procedures, in the same way that your teachers check your performance in
school to maintain quality learning. This is essential if the company wants to
maintain a certain level of service quality.
Using the initial concepts you have learned on the previous lessons,
predict the different quality assurance means that call center employees go
through to achieve high quality of service. Plot these on a Venn diagram shown
below to identify their similarities and differences. Use a separate sheet of
paper for this activity.
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There are no wrong answers in this activity. This will simply show your ability
to contemplate and relate two different concepts in terms of their similarities
and differences.
Competencies shown here are the bases for screening candidates when
recruiting call center employees.
What skills or competencies (capacities or abilities to perform certain tasks)

do you feel should an effective call center representative have? Why?
4.1 Typical Customer Service Representatives’ Competencies

Here are what employers look for in applicants desiring to work in a
call center:
1. Business acumen - understanding the relationship between their
jobs and its impact to business and customers
2. Call management- controlling a call through effective
communication techniques
3. Change management- adapting to and handling changing
situations and environments
4. Conflict resolution - using effective interpersonal skills to resolve
conflict situations
5. Cross selling - selling upgraded or additional products to existing
customers
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6. Decision making - gathering relative information, and analyzing
situations then applying appropriate interventions to resolve an
issue or come to a decision
7. Interpersonal communication - ability to listen actively, question

appropriately, provide feedback, and use the skills outlined to
build customer relationships.
8. Managing diversity - knowledge and ability to interact with a

variety of people in the workplace.
9. Managing stress – ability to maintain a calm demeanor and

mental state when situations and emotions escalate to higher
levels
10. Multitasking - managing multiple priorities or assignments

simultaneously (e.g., receiving customer information over the
phone while inputting/ searching for data on a computer)
11. Negotiating effectively –ability to direct situations toward a win-

win outcome
12. Organizing information and data- ability to assemble and

maintain information in a logical file system that can be accessed
by themselves and others
13. Problem solving – identifying root causes of problems through

questioning and applying appropriate interventions to address
them
14. Good team player – ability to work effectively with others and
contribute to team task accomplishment
15. Time management- ability to use available time and resources to

address assigned tasks and customer issues

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16. Peer coaching – offering support and guidance to co-workers
Figure 10. Peer Coaching
17. Technical literacy- ability to apply basic knowledge of computer

usage, applications, e-mail and Internet, and the ability to learn
organization-specific software (requirement varies based on level
of technical competence needed by the organization.)
18. Using call center technology- e.g., computer, facsimile, printer/

copier, database software

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TASK 1: Customer Service Representatives’ Competencies
DIRECTIONS: Identify the customer contact representatives’ competencies

being referred to by the following statements. Choose from the competencies
in the word bank. Write your answers in your notebook.
peer coaching decision making teaming with others
decision making technical literacy multitasking
change management time management stress management
interpersonal communication Business acumen Cross selling
1. Basic knowledge of computer usage, Windows applications, e-mail and

internet and the ability to learn organization- specific software – requirement
2. Maintaining a calm demeanor and mental state when situations and
emotions escalate to higher levels
3. Gathering and analyzing then applying appropriate interventions to resolve
an issue
4. Offering support and guidance to co – workers
5. Managing multiple priorities or assignments simultaneously
6. Ability to actively listen, question appropriately, provide feedback, and use
the skills outlined to build customer relationships
7. Ability to work effectively with others and contribute to team task
accomplishment
8. Adapting to and handling changing situations and environments
9. Selling upgraded or additional products to existing customers
10. Built to use available time and resources to address assigned tasks and
customer issues

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TASK 2: Recognizing the CSR Competencies
DIRECTIONS: The class will be divided into 5 groups. Each group will create
a 5-minute skit which will showcase how you think these selected CSR
competencies are shown in a call center workplace.
The groups may draw lots so that the competencies will be
distributed evenly. Your teacher may also assign a unique set of competencies
per group.
Do not tell the audience what your group is presenting. Have
them identify the competencies through an interactive sharing of ideas after the
presentation. Process each answer properly and countercheck if you have
been able to present the ideas clearly through the use of the skit.
Assess the group’s work by using these rubrics:
5 4 3 2
Presentation (70%)
 clarity of the message
 appropriate portrayal of roles
 clarity in speech and action
 availability of props and sound effects
Cooperation and teamwork (30%)
 active participation of the members
 ideas were conceptualized by the

group
TOTAL (100%)
5- Outstanding 3- Satisfactory
4- Very Satisfactory 2- Fair

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TASK 3: Rating CSR Competencies Based on their Importance

DIRECTIONS: Evaluate the following CSR Competencies according to their
importance. Write them on your notebook according to their importance, then
discuss why you placed them on the said rank. Compare your answer with your
group mates’ and come up with a consolidated list based on your group’s
answers.
Business acumen Multitasking

Call management Negotiating effectively
Change management Organizing info and data
Conflict resolution Peer coaching
Cross selling Problem solving
Decision making Teaming with others
Interpersonal communication Technical literacy
Managing diversity Time management
Managing stress Using call center technology
Present your output to the class. Justify why you decided to place each
one ahead of the others. Give positive criticisms regarding the answers of the
other group. Give appropriate recommendations if necessary.
TASK 4: Observing The CSR Competencies in the workplace
Create a scenario in which these CSR Competencies will be shown

through actual calls. Select classmates who will portray the role of a CSR. Your
teacher may act as the caller.
The audience will observe carefully how these competencies are

interpreted into actions. They will conduct an assessment of their classmate’s
performance through the use of the checklist on the next page.

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SAMPLE ASSESSMENT SHEET
NAME OF AGENT:_______________________________________
ACCOUNT: sales technical support customer care
Others, please specify :_____________________
Encircle the number which corresponds to how well the agent has shown the
following competencies during the conduct of the simulation:
5- outstanding
4- very satisfactory
3- satisfactory
2- fair
1- not applicable
1. Business acumen 5 4 3 2 1
2. Call management 5 4 3 2 1
3. Change management 5 4 3 2 1
4. Conflict resolution 5 4 3 2 1
5. Cross selling 5 4 3 2 1
6. Decision making 5 4 3 2 1
7. Interpersonal comm. 5 4 3 2 1
8. Managing diversity 5 4 3 2 1
9. Managing stress 5 4 3 2 1
10. Multitasking 5 4 3 2 1
11. Negotiating effectively 5 4 3 2 1
12. Organizing info and data 5 4 3 2 1
13. Peer coaching 5 4 3 2 1
14. Problem solving 5 4 3 2 1
15. Teaming with others 5 4 3 2 1
16. Technical literacy 5 4 3 2 1
17. Time management 5 4 3 2 1
18. Using call center tech. 5 4 3 2 1
Do not feel bad if you were not able to achieve a high rating for some of the
competencies. Some of these may not be applicable to the situation you have
simulated.
Assessed by: ________________________________

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4.2 Performance Metrics
Call center managers use metrics which is a set of measurements to

quantify performance and results.
There are two types of call center performance metrics: productivity

metrics and quality metrics.
Call centers monitor both quantitative and qualitative aspects of calls

answered by employees.
Quantitative refers to calls per hour, average call time, time between
calls, etc.
Qualitative, on the other hand refers to content, style, adherence to

policies etc.
1. Productivity Metrics
Productivity metrics in a call center measure how effective agents are in

using their time and how efficient they are in maintaining the balance of the
various aspects of their jobs.
In measuring productivity, the one in charge of the quality monitoring

program keeps track of the metrics generated by the automated call distributor
(ACD), various computer software programs, or the phone system.
There are a number of call center metrics to track. Here are a few of
them:
a. Average Call Duration (ACD)
This tracks the length of time a customer is on the phone. It is

usually measured in minutes and exclusive of any pre-call
preparation or post-call documentation, referred to as “wrap”.
Measuring the duration of a call is a means to improve the efficiency
of the service, thereby improving the customer satisfaction while
controlling cost at the same time.
b. Call Quality
This attempts to determine customer satisfaction with the support

received by phone. Unless one listens to both sides of a conversation,

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however, it is impossible to know whether customers are receiving the
type of quality service that includes accurate information, adherence to
professional communication standards, and the feeling of being valued
by the company.
Measuring call quality starts by defining the components of a

successful call. These components are compiled in a monitoring form
listing the criteria by which each call should be evaluated. The best
monitoring forms differentiate between these two:
1. Standard criteria- are those elements that should be

included or “standard” in every call, by every
representative (e.g., include opening the call with the
appropriate greeting and asking customers if there are
any other issues with which they need assistance). It is
reasonable to require all representatives, regardless of
their level of experience, to include all standard criteria
on each call.
2. Objective criteria- include elements such as building

rapport with customers and using proactive, and
service-oriented language. All representatives should
attempt to do them on every call, yet we anticipate that
they will be carried out more successfully by the more
experienced ones.
It is important to complement the call quality criteria of the

monitoring form with appropriate questions asked in the customer
satisfaction survey. For example, surveys that include questions
like “Did the representative explain things in a clear manner?” and
“Did the representative ask if there were any other issues with
which you needed assistance?” provide feedback that accurately
depicts the representative’s communication skills and allows you
to correlate call monitoring scores with customer satisfaction.
c. Customer Service Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
The customer satisfaction score, or CSAT, intends to mea-

sure a customer's satisfaction with the received service.

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In its simplest form, CSAT is expressed as a percentage
between 0 and 100, with 100% representing complete customer
satisfaction. CSAT is often determined by a single question in
follow-up surveys along the lines of “How would you rate your
overall satisfaction with the service you received?”
This is often graded on a scale of one to five, with a score

of one (1) representing “very dissatisfied” and five (5) represent-
ing “very satisfied.” All surveys are then averaged for a composite
CSAT score. Some organizations set their standard at a 4-out-of-
5; any customer who provides a score of 3 or less triggers a call-
back from a manager or quality assurance (QA) team member.
The CSAT can help companies determine the effect of

new initiatives on their customer satisfaction.
Figure 11. A Team leader with a Call Center Representative
d. Escalation Rate
In an actual call center interaction, we know that some

issues will need to be brought up to higher levels of management
in the course of supporting our customers. Keeping the escalation
rate low helps boost customer confidence in our products, ser-
vice, and company, and supports overall customer satisfaction.

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Whether an escalation is requested by a customer or initi-
ated by a representative, the reasons for the escalation are
often that:
 the customer realizes that the representative does not

have the authority or knowledge required to resolve the
problem, or
 the customer has become angry, and speaking to some-
one of higher authority will be a prerequisite to calming
this customer down.
In either case, the best way to deal with escalations is to

try to prevent them from happening in the first place. The best
preventative steps include:
 making sure that all representatives have adequate tech-

nical training and customer handling skills. Monitor the
performance of representatives through the use of your
contact center's monitoring technology by listening to live
calls. Coach and provide additional training as needed.
 teaching team members how to project confidence when
dealing with customers. Speaking with confidence
includes using an up-beat tone of voice and choosing
positive, and service-oriented words that demonstrate
competency and self-assurance. The more confident a
representative sounds in her/his abilities, the less likely
a customer will request escalation to a supervisor.
 illustrating the difference between confidence and arro-
gance, making sure all representatives know how and
where to draw the line between these two very different
ways of dealing with a customer.
e. First Call/Contact Resolution (FCR)
This is at the top of the list for many organizations when it

comes to the metrics they are tracking. Also referred to as first-
call resolution in contact centers where the primary mode of con-
tact is by phone, FCR helps organizations track the efficiency with
which their representatives are able to resolve customer issues.

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Customers who avail such service/s as billing, account
status, product information, technical assistance, among others,
would want their inquiries be answered as quickly as possible.
Companies share this goal, as faster resolution equates to lower
support costs. For basic issues, this may be accomplished on the
customer’s first inbound call; for more technical or complex
issues, multiple contacts are often inevitable. Some issues
require research and cannot be resolved on the spot. In either
case, ongoing communication with the customer while the prob-
lem is being resolved is the critical factor.
To effectively measure FCR, organizations need to track

the number of customer contacts per issue, regardless of the
communication channel.
As with other contact center metrics, one of the main

advantages of tracking FCR is to help measure the effectiveness
of new initiatives. Baseline is measured by determining the first
contact resolution before a new process is established, then
comparing it to the subsequent measurements taken after the
implementation of the change, or after training or coaching of the
representative.
If there is improvement, progress can be tracked. If there

is none, you have to look back at the changes you have
implemented.
f. Resolution Time (Time – to – Resolution or TTR)
Resolution time (or TTR for time-to-resolution) helps

organizations track the average amount of time spent in resolving
customer issues.
This is of great importance, especially in technical sup-

port, where organizations and their customers share the common
goal of resolving customer issues as quickly as possible. For cus-
tomers, this means returning to “operational status” or “good
working condition” as quickly as possible; for employers, this
means controlling support costs while maintaining customer
satisfaction.
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TTR is typically measured in hours or days depending
on the nature of the product or system being supported, and is
measured from the time a support is requested.
Many factors can contribute to TTR. These factors

include:
 communication skills and technical expertise of both the

representative and the customer;
 access to relevant resources of the representative and
his/her troubleshooting skills; and
 caseload of the representative and his/ her diligence in
following up with customers play into the equation.
While keeping TTR as short as possible is a goal of

every technical support team leader, care needs to be exercised
so that the goal doesn’t become ever-shorter resolution times. If
root cause analysis is abandoned in favor of a quick workaround,
or if rapport is jeopardized by an overworked or under-trained
representative, then customer satisfaction may be diminished no
matter how quickly an issue is resolved.
1. Quality Metrics
Quality metrics in a call center refer to how well agents accomplish their
tasks, especially their primary function of customer contact.
These quality metrics fall into two categories:
 Standards
Standards describe the minimum acceptable level of

performance for all agents. These vary from call center to call
center, but include behaviors such as giving the appropriate
greeting, verifying the customer name and address, and giving
accurate information. When measuring standards, the
representative determines whether or not these were met. This
can be assessed through observation of actual or recorded calls
by the agent.

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 Objectives
Objectives are qualitative. They describe something

that will be accomplished to different degrees depending on
the agent’s skill level and on the unique properties of the call,
email, or chat session.
Typical objectives include building rapport with the

customer, handling challenges effectively, and using empathy
as appropriate. When measuring objectives, the
representative assesses how well they were met.
Process
TASK 1: Call Center Metrics Acronyms

DIRECTIONS: Write the complete terms for the following acronyms in your
notebook.
1. ACD
2. CSAT
3. TTR
4. QA
5. FCR
TASK 2: Identifying Call Center Metrics

DIRECTIONS: Identify the call center metrics described in the statements
below. Write the letter of the correct answer in your notebook.
a. ACD f. TTR
b. Call Quality g. Objectives
c. CSAT h. Standards
d. Escalation Rate i. Productivity Metrics
e. FCR j. Quality Metrics

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1. It refers to how well agents accomplish their tasks, especially their
primary function of customer contact.
2. It measures how effective the agents are in the use of their time
and how efficient they are in maintaining the balance of the vari-
ous aspects of their jobs.
3. These are elements that should be included or are present in
every call by every representative.
4. It intends to measure a customer's satisfaction with the service
received, which is usually expressed as a percentage between 0
and 100, with 100% as completely satisfied customer rating.
5. This evaluation is done by listening to calls and following the
criteria listed in the monitoring form.
6. It tracks the length of time a customer is on the phone. It is usually
measured in minutes and exclusive of any pre-call preparation or
post-call documentation, typically referred to as ‘wrap’.
7. It refers to tracking the average amount of time spent resolving
customer issues.
8. This refers to the frequency with which issues are to be brought
up to higher levels of management in the course of supporting
our customers
9. It includes building rapport with the customer, handling chal-
lenges effectively, and using empathy as appropriate. When
measuring objectives, the representative assesses how well they
were met.
10. It is on top of the list for many organizations when it comes to the
metrics they are tracking resolving issues as quickly as possible

TASK 3: Video Presentation
Here are some suggested video clips which will take you to the world
of a call center agent. Watch each one and observe it carefully.
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“A Day in the Life: Call Center Agent”
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kudxLVJRmM0
“A Day in the Life of a Modern Philippines Contact Center BPO”

URL:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xhy9V7V-90

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DIRECTIONS: After watching the video, write down your observations in your
notebook about the following:
1. reasons why they took the call center job

2. advantages of being a call center representative
3. economic implications of the BPO industry
4. ways and means of maintaining quality call center service
TASK 4: Call Center Simulation

DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you will be subscribing to an Internet Service
Provider (ISP). Reflect on your possible expectations if for example, you were
able to avail of their service.
1. On the first column, list down the possible reasons which you think
would require you to call on their customer support service.
2. On the second column, write your expected response that would

satisfy your problem.
3. On the third column, write down a response that would probably cause
dissatisfaction on your part as the customer.
Expected Service of an Internet Service Provider
1. ex. Connection reliability
2.____________________________________
3. ___________________________________
Possible Problems
encountered with the
service Satisfied Customer Dissatisfied Customer
1.
2.
3.

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Lesson 5: Transmit and Receive Calls to or from Customers
Call center industry is fairly a modern phenomenon. Improved computer

and telephone systems have upgraded the level of customer service by
transferring transactions handled face to face by employees and telephone
exchanges into technology- based systems. Technological innovations like the
invention of the Internet and the World Wide Web led to the expansion and use
of calls centers. Advances in computers and telephone directories made
customer service more efficient and economical than in the past.
A customer can now gain access to a service or product with a click of
the mouse button or a phone call.
Preliminary Activity:
Recall an experience with any customer service you encountered and

say something about it. Rate the service with a scale of 1 to 5, one being the
lowest and five being the highest. Use the emoticons below and justify why
you have evaluated the service as such. Do this in your notebook.
________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)

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A call center representative may perform tasks specific to a business or
industry or may provide more generic functions. However, in addition to
providing key customer contact functions, a typical call center employee
handles many fairly routine processes for an organization. Functions such as
order fulfillment, technical support, or application processing – are often
enhanced with a variety of specialized units within the call center (e.g., foreign
language specialists, technical experts and product specialist). Each unit
performs a specific task, serves a particular customer base or supports a
certain product or service line.
Some typical call center job titles are:
 Account executive
 Agent
 Associate
 Attendant
 Consumer affairs counselor
 Consultant
 Customer Service/ Member Support Clerk
 Customer Service Representative (CSR)
 Data Entry / Order Clerk
 Inbound Telemarketing Specialist
 Member Counselor
 Operator
 Outbound Telemarketing Specialist
 Sales Representative
 Senior Customer Service Representative/ Member Counselor
 Technical Support Representative (TSR)
 Teleservices Representative (TSR)

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5.1 Client’s/ Customer’s Needs
Here are some of the most common customer service and related
functions provided by a call or customer contact center employees. Type of
calls are in accordance with the customer’s needs:
1. Complaint resolution- allows discussion of a problem related to a
product or service provided by the organization. By offering multiple
alternatives, customer needs and preferences can more readily be
addressed. Depending on the chosen method by the customer, time
and money can be saved by the organization since technology can
often replace the need for employee intervention.
2. Document / order processing – organizations that deal with a

membership base or process forms, orders, or applications generally
allow several ways for customers to accomplish these functions
(warehouse clubs, credit companies, mortgage companies,
organizations that do product warranty registration or order
processors). The agent of the organization takes the information and
completes the form for them.
3. Inquiry services – some organizations program response to frequently

asked customer questions (FAQs) through a system that can deliver
the answer electronically. Some of these means include website, fax-
on-demand, interactive voice response (IVR), and/or online internet
fulfillment system.
4. Telemarketing or teleservices- prescreening possible customers or

setting up sales calls for sales representatives.
5.1.1 Counseling
This is an assistance that makes use of toll-free
telephone service designed to assist callers on matters that
may include the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual well-
being. These are commonly being handled by religious or
non- governmental organizations.
This may also involve identifying, researching, and
resolving customer issues using the computer system.

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5.1.2 Directory
This is formerly known as “information”. It changed
its name because of the unrelated queries being thrown at
the agents. It is an important resource for updated telephone
lists and skip tracing, where one can get persons’ addresses
as well as their telephone numbers.
5.1.3 Booking
Many corporations provide services over the
telephone, such as technical support, customer service, and
direct sales. To maximize efficiency, corporations often
perform repetitive telephone functions at centralized call
centers. Hotel bookings, concert ticket reservations, and
airline ticket bookings are some examples.
5.1.4 Technical Support

Technical support help desks are heavy users of
knowledge management systems. For example, a customer
wants to know if a computer system is compatible with a
specific printer. The agent types the computer model and the
printer name on the search window and the knowledge
management system finds all the data on the specified model
and printer. When the information has been located, the data
about compatibility, known issues, information on where to
download the appropriate printer drivers, etc., is displayed so
that the agent can answer the customer’s question. Even
though this agent may have never heard of the printer, the
information that was stored by someone else is there to solve
the problem.
Although these tools can improve service in highly

complex environments, they require a great deal of
maintenance.
Each time a new issue or problem is identified, or

the company makes a new product, all relevant data must be
entered into the system so that those who need it can access
it. In many organizations, this updating process requires that
the solution be tested to ensure its accuracy before it can be
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entered in the system. This prevents erroneous or incomplete
data from being entered and proliferated. The initial data
entry to set up the system is generally a huge task, and
regular maintenance is essential to ensure that the system
stays up to date and remains as effective as possible.
5.1.5 Academic Instruction
These involve online tutorial call centers and other

academic institutions which provide academic instructions.
They accommodate agents who are capable of teaching
specific areas on a real time basis.
Japanese learners for example, would like to learn

English, so there are a number of call centers which cater to
this need. English as a Second Language (ESL) lessons will
be taught to them by competent personnel without the need
to leave their homes.
5.1.6 Travel Advisories

Travel advisory needs can be attributed to travel
bookings.
5.1.7 Sales
Online product sales (depending on the call center
account the representative is holding) is in demand, since it
saves the customers’ time and resources in product
promotion. Providing customers with product and service
information is the main task involved in this type of customer
service.
If the agent work in sales, it is your job to undertake
administration and other office duties that leave the sales
team free to focus on the busy business of selling. This may
include:
 Handling and answering telephone calls to inform,

update, and answer clients’ concerns, queries and
complaints,

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 answering tickets/emails that they get from clients who
have purchased something online
 processing refunds, as requested by clients, for something
they purchased online
 verifying validity of amount charged in the clients’ credit
card accounts for something they have purchased online
 research billing issues and misapplied payments
 calling back customers who have left a voicemail asking
for assistance
 calling customers to confirm their purchases are valid
 using online customer service system to locate customer
information, provide refunds, and leave notes
You may also come across the term “cross-

selling”. Cross-selling may be defined as selling a product to the
caller which is not the primary reason the caller contacted the
call center.
5.1.8 Data Gathering

One of the most valuable assets an organization
has is the knowledge of its employees. Capturing that
knowledge and making it available to everyone who needs it
are very difficult. Knowledge management systems are
designed to address this need because they are essentially
data storage and retrieval systems. They organize data so
that may be searched easily to find answers to queries.
Process
TASK 1: Type of Calls in Accordance with the Customer’s Needs
DIRECTIONS: Enumerate the type of calls are in accordance with the
customer’s needs. Answer this in your notebook.
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
4. __________________________________

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TASK 2: Identifying Client’s/ Customer’s Needs
DIRECTIONS: Write the term that best describes the following. Do this in
your notebook.
_______________1. It is an important resource for updated telephone lists

and skip tracing, where you can get the persons
address as well as their telephone numbers.
_______________2. This deals with troubleshooting of the client’s product.
_______________3. It addresses the need for data storage and retrieval
systems.
_______________4. Its main task is providing customers with product and
service information.
______________5. This provides customers with assistance in processing
refunds, as requested by clients, for something they
purchased online.
_______________6. These involve on-line tutorial call centers and other
academic institutions such as ESL for Japanese
learners.
_______________7. These include assistance that make use of toll-free
telephone service designed to assist callers on
matters that may include the physical, mental
emotional or spiritual well- being.
_______________8. It includes services such as calling customers to
confirm their valid purchases and use an online
customer service system to locate customer
information, provide refunds and leave notes.
_______________9. An example of this is data about compatibility,
known issues, where to go to download the
appropriate printer drivers, and the likes where in the
agent can answer the customer’s question.
______________10. Some organizations program response to frequently
asked customer questions (FAQs) into a system that
can deliver the answer electronically via a website,
through fax-on-demand, interactive voice response
(IVR) or online internet fulfillment system.

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Lesson 6 Products and Services
There are several products and services being offered as part of
business process outsourcing. Here are some of the most common.
6.1 Financial Services

Online payment processing account may cover tasks such as:
a. Billing support- is a means of improving collection activities.
This may include, but not limited to the following: questions
about a billing statement charge, interest rates and accounts
receivables, facilitating reconciliation of invoices to
remittance, and others.
b. Collections – have in-house (internal) agents who call

delinquent customers in an attempt to have them pay past due
accounts. Others (bank, credit card companies, credit
lenders, and similar agencies) sometimes sell their delinquent
accounts to third party collection agencies in exchange for
immediate cash recoupment. The third party agencies are the
ones that then follow up with calls and letters to collect the
debt.
6.2 Technical Support/ Help Desk
Every organization that develop products (e.g., electronic

equipment, software, electrical appliances, and craft tools) offers
services for customers through a toll-free number. Accessing
information and assistance related to assembly, use, warranty,
registration, benefits, and various other functions are examples of
these services.

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Figure 12. Technical Support Agent
6.3 Sales Support
The work involved in sales support depends on the size of team

the agent work in and the type of sales your company focuses on.
Typically you will be:
 processing new sales leads
 managing the correspondence between the sales team and their
clients
 monitoring customer accounts
 providing data and reports to help the sales team
 keeping track of sales targets
Consultative selling, for example, is a selling technique that

emphasizes the needs and wants of the customers. Questions are
probing and open ended. This involves listening more than talking.
6. 4 Client-Specific Products
The sale of standard products via Internet is taking place on a

large scale and is growing fast. But what are the possibilities for selling
customer-specific products and customization via Internet?
Selling standard products over the internet has become relatively
simple. Be it IT-based systems such as application programs or products
which will be used in the business, client-specific products are now readily
available through this system.

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Process
TASK 1: Products and Services

DIRECTIONS: Complete the diagram to summarize the knowledge you have
learned from the topic. Do this in your notebook.
Products and Services
1. 2. 3. 4.
A. B.

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Lesson 7: Interactive Communication
The life of a call center firm revolves around an extremely essential

player: the satisfied customer. Since this career deals with satisfying the
customer’s needs, it is of prime importance to maintain a certain level of
customer satisfaction so that these key players will be back for more.
It is good to assume that once you have entered the world of call centers,
your first and foremost goal is to leave a good impression on the part of your
customers. Therefore, you have to do your best and deal with their needs in
the most accurate, fast and courteous way possible.
PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY:
You probably experienced answering a business-related call from
someone or inquired a service through the telephone. An example is calling a
customer service of your cellphone service provider regarding a load that has
been consumed without your knowledge.
What do you think are the best practices in answering calls?
Enumerate the best procedures in taking a call using this graphic
organizer. Write in the box the exact words you will say based on the written
cues. Do this in your notebook.
• The phone rings and you

____________________ take the call.
____________________ •You ask the caller to

provide information.
• Ending the
__________________
call and
hanging
up.

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Customer service is not just about answering calls or emails. It is a
complete experience; from the welcome greetings down to the parting words
that leave a mark on the customers. More so, interactive communication
should be the main priority of each and every call. The caller and the receiver
must have full understanding of what both are conversing about. Success of
your call center career would generally depend on this.
Let us first focus on inbound call centers. There are two types of inbound
call centers: Those that deal with queries and transactions, or both. You need
to know them both to carry out Interactive Communication.
A. Handling Queries
Queries are questions or inquiries which may start from a

very simple request relating to facts and figures, to very complex
queries regarding policy matters.
Example of this is a query on motor vehicle registration.

Questions may range from simple matters, such as fees and
charges, to less common questions such as specific types of vehicles
that can be registered and the circumstances that cover such.
The call center staff needs to be well rounded on both facts

and figures, as well as the policies and guidelines to address the
concerns. These types of calls rely on a body of factual information.
B. Handling Transactions
Other call centers process transactions for customers.

This is different from merely answering queries.
For example, financial organizations are tied up to call
centers that allows bills to be paid on-line, or funds to be transferred
between accounts. Insurance companies and investment firms have
complex transactions to deal with.
The call center staff would have to utilize a complex front-
end systems to record these transactions. This may involve entering
details on multiple screens to complete the transactions.
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The focus on this type of call is more on “procedural”
knowledge. There are specific steps required to complete a given
transaction using the computer systems provided. Detailed and
careful use of the front end application must be applied for complex
cases. These procedures must be well documented within the call
center.
Those that handle this type of transactions rely on a
comprehensive set of procedural details.
C. Both types of Calls

Many call centers handle both queries and transactions.
Appropriate resources and effective information must be provided to
support this kind of complex environment.
7.1 Gathering Information in a Courteous and Professional Manner
Presented below are some of the customers’ needs and how you will
deal with them using the telephone and Information Technology (IT) system
available in your workstation.
Best Practices
1. Prompts and greetings. Greet the customer politely. Make sure that you
speak clearly and the department or service you are handling is made
known to the caller. Ensure prompts are brief and concise. Use language
that is easily understood by the customer. Lengthy prompts, legal terms,
and marketing jargon confuse customers, and results in a poor customer
experience.
2. Manner of the conversation. Be nice and courteous. Express gratitude for

completing a functional task whenever necessary, but be careful not to
overdo it. This might lead to lengthy discussion and may increase amount
of customer time required to accomplish a task. Conversely, offer
appreciation when a customer completes a revenue generating transaction,
expands his/her relationship with your brand, or rates his/her experience
high.

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3. Confirm messages. Confirmation messages should only be presented when
confirming critical entries such as making a payment, transferring funds, or
updating account information. This helps increase the ease and efficiency of
customers completing their transactions with your brand and improves
customer experience.
4. Redundancy. During emergencies, having a redundant solution ensures the

IVR channel is always available to serve your customers. Customers are
increasingly reliant and expectant of reaching brands on their timetables,
and have little patience for technological or natural disasters.
5. Security. Having a secure solution that helps safeguard customer data is a

requirement for all. Ensuring your solution conveys this sense of security to
the customer is very important.
6. Number Clarification. When a number is read back to the caller as

clarification, confirm the numbers in logical groups (4x4 for 16-digit card
numbers, 3-3-4 for phone numbers, etc.). This may remove the feeling of a
non-human interaction within the IVR, which callers generally do not like,
thus improving customer experience.
7. Menu Structure. Limit the menu items to five or less options. Concise menus
with a minimal number of selections helps customers efficiently and
effectively complete their intended goals. Avoid the use of “Return to the
main menu” option.
8. Temporary Messages. The use of temporary messages is only effective

when the information is presented in an urgent and timely manner. These
messages have to be clear, to the point, and most importantly, temporary.
9. Accuracy. Have accurate and up-to-date information available to your callers

at all times. When a caller contacts you via phone, they are generally saying
they need information now, and have actively selected the most efficient
channel they believe will get them the most accurate answer.
10. Be objective and business-like at all times. Deal with matters in a
professional manner and most of all, avoid injecting personal feelings
especially.

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7.1.1 Call Structure
Calls in general, follow a specific sequence of actions are logical in

structure. Whether it is inbound or an outbound call, the agent must acquire the
necessary skills in carrying out his or her job by following the protocol of the
company.
Although calls in general may be answered almost in the same way, the
greetings and responses may be different in some instances. Observe closely
that you have various examples below which are marked inbound or outbound.
2. Identifying the call

1. Opening /
purpose through
Greetings
listening
3. Gathering
4. Making an
information
agreement (Inbound)/
(inbound)/
Closing the deal
Negotiating (outbund)
5. Closing
Figure 13. Call Structure

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TABLE 15. Call Structure
1. Opening / Greetings
Good morning. This is Diane from RRD
Software Company. How may I help
you? (Inbound)
Thank you for calling RRD Software

Greetings, Introduction , company company. This is Diane Logan. May I
name, and offering of help help you? (Inbound)
Good day. Hi, this is Diane calling on

behalf of RRD Software Company. May
I speak to Brad Cooper? (Outbound)
2. Identifying the call purpose through listening
Customer says "Hi, Diane. This is

Britney. I would like to ask about the
availability of your RRD Antivirus
Customer acknowledgement, starts program. How much does it cost and
introducing himself and states the what are the terms of the delivery?"
purpose of the call (inbound)
Customer says "Hi, this is Brad

speaking." (outbound)
3. Gathering information (inbound)/ Negotiating (outbund)
Have you made any transaction with

our company before, Britney? (Yes I
Getting the customer's information bought a product a month ago.)Well
(inbound) then, can I have your complete name,
mailing address, and account number?
Stating the purpose of the call Well Brad, I'm calling to let you know
(outbound) about out special holiday offering which
is 50% off on all Antivirus programs.
(outbound)

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4. Making an agreement (Inbound)/ Closing the deal
(The customer has provided the agent

the necessary information.) Agent will
then say, "Thank you for that
information. Happy to inform you that
Providing the customer with his /her RRD Antivirus program is still available.
needs, offering suggestions, It costs a hundred dollars, and it will be
options/choices, recommendations delivered right on your doorstep within 3
working days. (inbound)
Customer responds, "I'm sorry. I am not

interested with the offer. (outbound)
5. Closing
Is there anything else I can do for you?
Have a great day.
Have a nice day .
Offering extra help
Have a great day.
Leaving friendly parting words such as
advising the caller to call again to avail Thank you. / Thanks for calling.
of the product or service if problem
persists
I understand that you dont' need our
product at the moment, but do give us a
Saying goodye call at our toll-free number whenever
you need them. Have a nice
day.(outbound)
Process
TASK 1: Enumerate the Best Practices in Interactive
Communication
DIRECTIONS: Without looking at this module, enumerate the best

practices you should apply in taking or making a call. Write down as
many as you can remember on your notebook.

200
TASK 2: Enumerating the Call Structure
DIRECTIONS: Write down the needed information to complete the idea.
Do this in your notebook.
1. 2.
_____________________ _____________________
_____________________ _____________________
_____________________ _____________________
_________________ _________________
4.
3. _______________-
_____________________ Providing the customer
_____________________ with his /her needs,
_____________________ offering suggestions,
_________________ options/choices,
recommendations
5. Closing-
_____________________
_____________________
_________________
TASK 3: Role playing: Best Practices in Making/Taking Calls

DIRECTIONS: Role play an actual outbound or inbound call that
displays the best practices in taking / making a call.
Observe the presentations made by the assigned group

carefully. Identify the best practices shown in the presentation and give
the exact instance where they were shown.
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TASK 4: Interactive Communication
Use the URL below and watch the video clip carefully. Observe
how the call center agent handles the call. Take down notes on the following
points:
1. How did she greet the customer?
2. How did she get the customer’s details?
3. How did she handle the call?
4. How did she confirm the veracity of the details?
5. How did she end the conversation?
6. What other observations can you add?
7. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the call
center agent in the video?
“Customer Support Philippines , Sample Order Taking “

2 mins and 56 sec
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaPn_FcKSW0

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7.2 Active Listening
Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. Major
impact on job effectiveness and the quality of your relationships is achieved
when you have acquired good listening skills.
As you have learned in the previous lesson, you listen to obtain

information, understand, enjoy and learn.
Given all these listening benefits, do you think you will be good at it?
Most of us actually are not that good when it comes to listening. Recent
studies suggests that we remember between 25 to 50 percent of what we hear.
That means that when you talk to your peers and friends for 10 minutes, they
pay attention to less than half of the conversation.
In return, when you receive directions or when presented with

information, you are not hearing the whole message either. You hope the
important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent. But what if they are not?
Improving our listening skills therefore can give us a lot of benefits. By
becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your
ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate. More so, you will avoid conflict
and misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success,
especially in call centers.
About Active Listening

To become a better listener is to practice "active listening." This is where
you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is
saying, but more importantly, to try to understand the complete message being
sent as well.
Enhancing your listening skills takes a little effort and will give you great
results.
To do this, you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. Let
the other person know that you are listening to what he or she is saying.
Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod or a simple "uh
huh." You are not necessarily agreeing with the person, but you are simply
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indicating that you are listening. Using body language and other signs to
acknowledge you are listening also reminds you to pay attention and not let
your mind wander.
You should also try to respond to the speaker in a way that will
encourage him or her to continue speaking, so that you can get the information
that you need. While nodding or making an affirming sound such as an ‘u-huh’,
an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates
that you understand the message as well.
Becoming an Active Listener

To help you ensure that you hear the other person clearly and concisely,
and to inform the other person that you are hearing what he or she is saying,
here are the key elements of active listening:
1. Pay Attention.
Give the speaker your undivided attention and acknowledge the
message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also "speaks" loudly.
Here are some tips on how to do this.
 Look at the speaker directly.
 Put aside distracting thoughts.
 Look attentively to the speaker's body language.
 Avoid preparing mentally for a negative response.
 Avoid being distracted by environmental factors like side conversations.
2. Provide Feedback.
Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort
what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said. This
may require you to reflect what is being said and asked.
 Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. "What I'm hearing is," and
"Sounds like you are saying," are great ways to reflect back.
 Ask questions to clarify certain points. "What do you mean when you
said…" or " Is this what you mean?" are some examples.
Summarize the speaker's comments periodically.
3. Defer Judgment.
Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full
understanding of the message.
 Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions.

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 Do not interrupt with counter arguments.
4. Respond Appropriately
Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are
gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker
or otherwise putting him or her down.
 Be candid, open, and honest in your response.
 Assert your opinions respectfully.
 Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want
to be treated.
Internal Barriers
(These are hindrances that
occur within yourself.)
External Barriers
(These are hindrances that occur around you or in your surroundings.)
The most powerful action you can take to improve your listening skills
is to eliminate or overcome the common barriers to effective listening. Some
barriers to effective listening are internal, like your hearing condition and
current mental and emotional state of the person, while some barriers are
external, like environmental factors such as the noise of the people around
you, a turned on television, ringing telephone, etc.
Process
TASK 1: Benefits of Active Listening
DIRECTIONS: List five benefits of active listening. Explain why you consider
each of them as a benefit.
1. ____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
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3. ____________________________________________________________
4. ____________________________________________________________
5. ____________________________________________________________
TASK 2: Internal and External Barriers

DIRECTIONS: Examine yourself by identifying the internal and external
barriers that you think may interfere with your effective listening skill. These
are your clues as to what points you must improve on.
Internal Barriers External Barriers
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.
After the listing activity, try suggest ways on how you can
eliminate or overcome the external and internal barriers by filling up
this table.
Internal Barriers External Barriers
(ways on how I could overcome or (ways on how I could overcome or

eliminate these hindrances) eliminate these hindrances)
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4
5. 5.
6. 6.
7. 7.
8. 8.

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TASK 3: Listening Exercise
TASK 3: Listening Exercise
DIRECTIONS: Arrange yourselves in groups of five. Have a card ready in

which you will be writing the message that will be passed on by your team
mates.
Procedure:
1. The first person in the team will get the message from your teacher. You
need not memorize it. Just make sure that you get the most important part
of the message. This must be relayed to your next team mate.
2. At the teacher’s cue, start passing the message to the next student by
whispering. The messenger is not allowed to show the message on the card
to the receiver. No one is allowed to take down notes while the message is
being passed on. The receiver could only write down the message on his/her
card when the messenger leaves.
3. The process will continue until the last person gets the message. He/ She
will have to read the final message from his/her card.
Processing:
The teacher will ask the students to post the cards sequentially by group
so everyone could see the slight changes in the message. The team will then
have the opportunity to study how subtle changes in word use, slight additions,
or eliminations, can significantly alter the meaning of any message.
TASK 4: Selective Listening Exercises
Selective listening is the act of hearing, remembering, and interpreting

selected parts of a message that seem relevant to you, while ignoring or
devaluing the rest.

207
This is also an important to point to bring up in class. Misunderstanding
arises whenever selected details of the call are ignored by the receiver.
DIRECTIONS: The teacher will compose a group of words that belong to a

similar theme. He/ She may use at least 15 words that she may repeat
randomly. For example, burgers are made up of lettuce, cheese, patty, catsup
etc. So the words which will be given will be the following:
Patty, catsup, lettuce, olive, pickles, lettuce, cheese, catsup…
He/ She would then give this set of words to the class. You will be given 30
seconds to write down the words you remember on your notebook.
Processing:
Read the words you have listed down on your notebook carefully. Check
how many words match with that of the list given by the teacher. Notice how
many have been added which are not part of the original set of words.
TASK 5: Online Listening Exercises
Listening exercises are also available via the Internet. A sample

activity can be accessed through this link:
http://www.esl-lab.com/market/marketrd1.htm

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Task 6: Role Playing Assessment
You need a group with three members each. Assign each one according
to the following tasks: 1. speaker, 2. listener, and 3. observer. Make notes
about how the exercise affected you as speaker and as listener. Here are the
rules of the activity:
1. The speaker will finish the first sentence below. He/she should limit the
response to two to three sentences.
If I could change one thing about myself, I would…

209
2. The listener sits attentively. The listener has to nod his/her head and
acknowledge the speaker verbally when appropriate. When the speaker is
done, the listener briefly restates what the speaker said using an introductory
phrase such as, "What I hear you saying is…" or “As I understand it, you…"
Finish by asking, "Is that right?"
3. The observer will monitor what transpires between the speaker and the
listener.
This will be done on a rotation basis, meaning all of you in the group
will experience every role.
Rotate only if the speaker confirms the accuracy of the listener’s

restatement. If not, have the speaker clarify further and have the listener
paraphrase again. Continue until the listener gets confirmation. Rotate so that
each person has a chance to be speaker or listener. The second speaker
finishes the second sentence and the third speaker finishes the third sentence.
2nd sentence: I admire people who can…
3rd sentence: I would love to have the chance to…
Take time to talk about the exercise after each round. The observer can
give feedback to the listener about his or her attentive posture and
paraphrasing.
Record your observations in your notebook. Compare your

observations. Identify similarities and differences.
Provide feedback on how to improve your listening skills.

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7.3 Probing skills
One of the worst things a customer service representative could do is to
resolve an issue without knowing and fully understanding the customer’s
concern. It takes not just a question, but a series of questions to fully
understand where the customers are coming from. It is important to dig deep
into the customers’ concerns to get to the root of the issue.
Probing questions are intended to help the presenter think more deeply
about the issue at hand. If a probing question does not have that effect, it is
either clarifying question or a recommendation with an upward inflection at the
end.
Here are some suggestions to help you formulate good probing

questions:
1. Make the probing question brief.

2. Facilitate thinking from reaction to reflection.
3. Allow multiple responses.
4. Do not place the blame on anyone.
5. Avoid yes or no responses.
6. Make it brief.
7. Encourage taking another party’s perspective.
8. Require the person to solve his /her own problem.
9. Elicit a slow response.
10. Make it general and widely useful.
Examples of probing questions:

 How do you think your own comfort with the material has influenced
your choice of product?
 What makes you say that, Madam/Sir?
 What do you think is quality work?
 What would students say about this issue?
 Why did allowing students to create their own study questions cause
a problem to you?
Quotes on the other hand refers to the following:

 Exact phrase/s
 Direct passage of a sentence or more
 Quotation Marks (" ") are needed as well as the
parenthetical documentation or intext citation

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7.3.1 Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is your own version of what the customer told you.

It is an effective way of checking if you and the customer are on the same page.
It assures the customer that you listened to their concerns and have understood
them.
To paraphrase effectively, take note of the following:

1. Re-read or listen to the original passage or statement until you
understand its full meaning.
2. Probe if necessary and if possible to fully grasp the meaning of the
original passage or statement.
3. Record or develop your paraphrased message/idea.
4. Repeat paraphrased idea to your customer to check if your
understanding of his/her idea is correct.
5. Use quotation marks (“ ”) when writing to identify any term or phrase
you have borrowed exactly from the source.
Table 16. Paraphrasing Example
PARAPHRASING EXAMPLE
Customer says: Proper Paraphrasing Improper Paraphrasing
“I want my account “If I understood you “So you want to cancel
cancelled because I correctly, Mrs. Wilson, your account because
cannot pay my monthly you want to cancel your you can’t pay the fee?”
subscriptions because
fee.”
you are having
difficulties in coping
with the monthly fees,
is that correct?”
7.3.2 Summarizing
Summarizing is also an important factor to master in this field.

Summarizing is taking the main idea from a source. It often focuses on several
paragraphs or an entire article. This need parenthetical documentation or intext
citation of source
Here is another way to compare paraphrasing and summarizing:
If you watched a TV Program and you came to school telling your

friends about what happened during the episode, you would be summarizing.

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But if you watched the same program last night and you told your
friends about a specific scene, you would be paraphrasing.
What would these two have in common? You would still need to
credit your source (TV Program) by including parenthetical documentation
(intext citations) with a complete work cited page.
7.3.3 Clarifying
Clarifying lets you address the customer’s practical needs

immediately.
Here are simple ways on how to clarify the customer’s inquiries
or concerns:
Table 17. Clarification Examples
How to clarify Sample Call Sample Response
 Clarify the customer’s “This is Alex Alex, I believe you
single and easy to Hanks and I’d like are referring to the
understand inquiry by to know if I could Summer promo
explaining a piece of still use the discount coupon of
information about it. discount coupon I our store? Yes, you
received last can still use it.
Thursday ?”
 Paraphrase several “I received my “Britney, I apologize
concerns as explained by shoe orders for the
the customer. yesterday. It inconvenience
seems like you brought about by the
have problems situation. I
with your delivery understand where
service. Two of you’re coming from.
my orders are out Let me check if I
of shape and the understand you
red one has completely. You
molds.” received two pairs of
shoes that are out of
shape and one with
molds?”
 Clarify further by probing “Samantha “I believe you are
when you do not Morrison on the referring to the New
line. I’d like to York City 20%
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understand the customer’s know if the Discount Tour
concerns. discount rates of Package. Yes, it is
your New York still available next
travel package week.”
applies next
week? ”
Clarifying Questions are simple questions of fact. They clarify the dilemma
and provide the nuts and bolts so that the participants can ask good probing
questions and provide useful feedback later in the protocol. Clarifying
questions are for the representative and should not go beyond the boundaries
of the customer’s dilemma. They have brief, factual answers, and does not
provide any new food for thought from the customer service representative.
Process
TASK 1: Paraphrasing Exercise

DIRECTIONS: Complete the following table by paraphrasing the customer’s
concerns. Do this in a separate sheet of paper.
Customer says: Correct Paraphrasing
1. “I want to cancel my
flight booking because a
close relative of mine has
just passed away.”
2. “I’d like to have my ATM
account blocked. My wallet
had been stolen with my
ATM cards in it.”
3. “I would like to make a
follow-up on my orders. I
was expecting them
yesterday but until now It
they haven’t arrived yet!”
4. “I‘d like to know if my
Internet Service
subscription as been

214
terminated? I called up last
week for termination since
I lost my job.”
5. “May I ask if your
products are suitable for
sensitive skin? My skin
easily gets irritated by
cosmetic products.”

TASK 2: Tips on Effective Paraphrasing
Visit these websites for additional reading resources and actual video
clips regarding paraphrasing questions:
1. http://www.exforsys.com/career-center/questioning-skills/how-to-
paraphrase-questions.html
2. http://www.network-marketing-mlm-success-system.com/how-to-
paraphrase.html
3. https://myragolden.wordpress.com/category/customer-service/telephone-
techniques/
TASK 3: Online Paraphrasing Exercise
Refer to this website for more paraphrasing exercises:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/28/12/33/
TASK 4: Actual Paraphrasing Exercises
DIRECTIONS: Prepare your own customer concerns on a piece of paper.

After everyone has completed this task, present you concern in front of the
class. Choose a partner who will paraphrase the concern.

215
Conduct the activity as a simulation of an actual call center setting.
Inform your classmate on the topic of your concern so he/ she can create an
appropriate opening greetings. Let your classmates judge whether the
paraphrasing was correct. Have them discuss suggestions on how to improve
the paraphrasing done by your classmate.
Your partner would then be the next to act as the customer, and you,
this time, will be the agent.
Assess the activity using these criteria:
Paraphasing Skills 70% (correct paraphrasing,

good choice of words, clarity of the idea)
Voice Quality 30% (tone, pace, pronunciation,

enunciation)
TOTAL: 100%

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7.4 Ensuring Consistent Quality Service for all Types of Customers
Reporting Packages
The Automatic Call distributor (ACD) has two primary types of reporting
capabilities. One provides historical data and the other gives real-time
snapshots. The historical data can provide information on call handling, agent
performance, volumes, and service levels over the last half-hour, day, shift,
week, or longer. There are hundreds of standard reports offered by the
vendors. Customized reports can be provided, generally with an export of the
data to a software package designed for customizing reports, such as Crystal
Reports.
Real-time data is generally provided on a color-coded computer screen

and allows “corner of the eye” management. Supervisors can monitor how long
an agent has been on a call or in a work status, what the Average Speed of
Answer (ASA) is, how long callers are waiting in queue, and other data.
In addition to the standard reporting packages that come with the ACD
from the manufacturer, there are third-party reporting tools. These include wall-
display boards and TV monitors that provide the current queue status, service
level information, and other customized messages for all in the center to see.
These can keep the staff and supervisors informed and serve as a quick
communications tool for disseminating updated information that needs to be
passed to everyone quickly. Other tools can also provide the same kind of data
on the agent’s monitor.
ACD Integration Trends
Call centers are growing and changing rapidly. New features and
technologies are announced almost daily. Some of the trends over the last
couple of years are fully digitized operations and integration of voice-over-
Internet-protocol technologies to allow full utilization of the Internet.
Integration of the ACD with a variety of other technologies in the call center
continues to expand. The ACD can be linked to a quality-monitoring system to
allow managers to tap into the agent phone for recording the conversation. A
workforce management system looks to the ACD for both real-time and
historical data to update forecasting and performance data.

217
Email management systems connect to the ACD to distribute work on a
blended basis to the agents. Time clocks are linked to the ACD so when an
agent logs into the ACD for work, the time clock is updated for payroll purposes.
Learning management systems use the ACD to manage the agent’s work state
when a session of e-learning is pushed to the agent during idle periods. The
list keeps growing. Any linkage that saves data entry, coordinates functions,
and aids operations should be considered. These technologies are discussed
in more detail later in this section.
Quality Monitoring and Recording
Nearly every ACD is equipped with the capability to support silent

monitoring of calls by a supervisor. This allows the supervisor to access a call
in progress, listening to both sides of the conversation without either the caller
or the agent knowing the supervisor is observing. This approach requires the
supervisor (or quality control manager) to access these conversations in real-
time. If there are few calls in progress, the supervisor can waste time waiting
for a call to come to a specific agent. During busy times, the supervisor may be
needed on the floor to assist agents. While centers typically set a goal of
listening to several calls per agent per month, the goal is often missed if real-
time silent monitoring is the only option.
Automated recording of the calls is the role of the call-recording system.

While some organizations record every call for business purposes, most do not.
The call-recording system typically is set to record randomly, sampling each
agent at different times of day and days of week throughout the period to ensure
a fair sampling. Alternatively, the system may also record agents’ data screens
during the calls so that the supervisor can see exactly what the agents saw on
the screen and what keystrokes they entered as they processed the calls.
With a recording, the supervisors can review the calls whenever they have
time. Recordings can be accessed from outside the center by phone in some
cases and the data portions accessed through the Internet so supervisors can
even review calls while at home. One of the additional benefits is that the
supervisor and agent can listen to the recording together during a coaching
session. With the system recording on a regular basis, there is little risk of
missing the goal of monitoring the number of calls needed to ensure quality
control. Supervisors must find the time to listen to the calls and score them
based on the criteria that is pre-set for this purpose.

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Contact Management Systems
Whether the contact being tracked is a troubled ticket reported to a help

desk, a sales lead, or a customer interaction requesting some service, a contact
management system can be of assistance. This type of system tracks
interactions by customers and provides the databases and analytical tools to
look for trends and sort by demographics.
In a call center, the contact management system provides a record of all

the previous interactions with the customer.
The customers find they do not have to tell their whole history to the agent,
and the agent can see what has been done or promised by others.
7.5 Avoiding Sensitive Topics
Sensitive customer situations and issues will arise, and call

center agents are usually the first people in the enterprise to learn about
problems. Because of this, it's important to let your call center manager
know when issues come up. Call center agents should not keep these
calls to themselves -- instead, they should flag any calls that involve
sensitive customer situations so that managers can review and make sure
the situation was handled correctly.
Sensitive topics are those that might offend or upset people. It is

generally suggested that as an aspiring call center agent, you stick to the
concern of the customer and not dwell on issues which are not related to
the conversation.
Examples of sensitive issues are:
7.5.1. Racial and Ethnic groups
In the United States, for example, this issue is the

most sensitive. Areas of vocabulary are often those that deal
with racial and ethnic groups. Those whose roots are from
Africa, prefer to be called African-American, while some
prefer “Black” because they see themselves as Americans
and not Africans. It is improper to use the terms
interchangeably. It is therefore best to call them by their
names.

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7.5.2. Gender
Use neutral words that include both sexes. For

example, use business executive in place of businessman
and fire fighter instead of fireman.
7.5. 3. Age
Many people think that using words like old and elderly
describe older people is offensive because they seem to
suggest inactivity or weakness.
To avoid offending people, use terms that give more

detailed or exact information about the person or people
described:
 Membership is only available to retired people.

 People over sixty-five can get a discount.
 Many senior citizens enjoy taking walks year-round.
7.5.4. Illness and Disability
Most people are sensitive to disease-related phrases

such as AIDS victim, mental patients, or handicapped
because these seem to stress their physical disabilities or
illness rather than the person. Those who are suffering from
such diseases or disabilities also are more sensitive due to
their health conditions than people who are not. Avoid saying
words that might offend them or their loved ones.
7.5.5. Sexual Preference
Avoid old-fashioned and insulting terms when

referring to people who have sexual relationships with
members of the same sex.
7.5.6. Titles
One of the problems with the English language is that

it does not have different titles for single and married men, but
it does for single and married women.

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When addressing a woman, do not guess her marital
status. If you do not know whether she is married or not,
use Ms. to address her, rather than Mrs.
7.5.7. Politics
This is another sensitive issue, particularly around election

time. While you may feel very strongly about your political party
or candidate, or have negative views about the opposition, you
should not involve this issue in any way with customer- agent
transactions.
7.5.8. Religion
Avoid discussing your religious beliefs or your

thoughts about other religious beliefs in your conversation with
customers. Religion is a very personal issue and people are
very sensitive about it. They do not want to hear that you
disagree with their religious beliefs or that you believe your
religion is the one in which everyone should believe in.
Process
TASK 1: Identifying Sensitive Issues
DIRECTIONS: In your notebook, identify the sensitive issue being presented

in these situations.
________________1. A call center rep stresses the superiority of the

religious sect where he belongs.
________________2. An agent calls the caller “African American” and not his
actual name due to the sound of the caller’s voice
voice.
________________3. A call center representative jokes about a “Republican“

election candidate.
________________4. An agent calls the caller a “retard” because he could

not understand what the caller was saying.
________________5. The call center agent said, “I’m sorry madam, but the
promo isn’t available for oldies like you.”
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TASK 2: Addressing Sensitive Issues
DIRECTIONS: Imagine that you are in a conversation with one of your
customers. How would you address these issues during an actual
conversation? Role play your responses. Discuss what had transpired after
each presentation.
1. An elderly insists that the delivery of her orders is already a week delayed.
She keeps repeating the annoying complaints over and over again.
2. A caller asks about your religion and claims that his is better than yours.
3. You have mistakenly called a woman “mister” due to the depth of her voice.
4. An annoying caller challenges you for a debate on regarding the better
political party.
5. A man orders feminine products intended for his own use.
TASK 3: CSR / Agent Interview

Conduct an interview with a call center agent/ service representative and
discuss how they handle sensitive issues in the workplace. Ask them for useful
tips on how to address this. Ask for specific instance and actual situations which
they experienced firsthand and how they resolved such concern.
Talk to at least 3 agents so you can come up with various responses.

Compare and contrast how each agent handled the situation and make a
conclusion regarding the best ways on handling sensitive issues.
Create a narrative report (with pictures for documentation purposes if

the interviewee permits/ agrees with the idea) and submit it to your teacher.
You will be assessed based on the following criteria:
Validity and Reliability of the gathered information: 60%

Implication and Conclusion: 40%
100%

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LESSON 8: PHONE ETIQUETTE
Agents should exhibit good telephone etiquette on a call, but different

people may have different definitions about what constitutes good telephone
manners.
Below are a few sample competencies associated with providing quality

service over the telephone:
• Adapt the call to the customer’s tone and pace.

• Project a positive and professional corporate image.
• Demonstrate a supportive approach when dealing with callers.
• Maintain control of the conversation to balance service with efficiency.
8.1 Creating a Good First Impression
The first thing to do when you receive a call is to identify yourself.

 Inform the customer who you are clearly and confidently by mentioning
your name. It is a good sign of willingness to take accountability.
 Use an American-friendly name so as not to give the customer a hard
time pronouncing your name.
“This is Diane.”
Ask sincerely how can you be of assistance to the customer. The

tone will do the work for you. Project a tone that will make the customer
feel that you would like to resolve the issue immediately and that you
feel for them.
“How may I help you?”
Respond appropriately after hearing the concerns or inquiry of

the caller. This will help you build rapport and trust with your caller.
Make sure that you apply the active listening skill you have acquired in
the previous lesson. Listen attentively and make sure that you have
fully understand the purpose of the call and what the caller requests
from you.

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Table 18. Opening a Call
OPENING A CALL
Start with a greeting “Thank you for calling Great Service
Company.”
Identify yourself “This is Richard.”
Ask how you can be of help “How may I help you today?”
Respond to the customer Great. I’d be happy to assist you.
appropriately Or
I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be glad to
take care of this for you.
Verifying customer’s membership “Do you have a service reference
number?”
The reason of the call will always identify the response that you
need to give.
Here are some examples of responses based on the reason of
the call:
Table 19. Responses Based on the Reason of a Call

A customer is… You respond by saying…
inquiring about a service from our “I’d be glad to assist you.”
client
interested in inquiring more “That’s great to hear. I’d be happy to
service from our clients assist you.”
unhappy with a particular service “I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll be glad to
outcome or product take care of this for you.”
Here are some tips on how to improve your performance:
Goal: Adapt call to the customer’s tone and pace

Definition: Adjust to the mood and pace of the caller.
Refrain from imposing your own style or rate of speech on the
caller.
Relate to callers as individuals and adapt presentation style and
content to fit their needs.
Positive Behaviors: Slow pace for inexperienced caller.
Behaviors adapt to slower pace for different language
or accent.
Negative Behavior
Raise your voice to a caller who is yelling.
Offer detailed, complicated explanations when caller has
indicated he is in a hurry.

224
Another example might be the expectation of displaying a
positive, professional corporate image. That phrase “positive, professional
corporate image” alone leaves much room for interpretation about what is
meant by “professional” or what contributes to corporate image. Fully defining
this expectation and providing examples of positive and negative behaviors will
make the expectation clearer, and therefore, more likely to be met.
Goal: Project a positive and professional corporate image

Definition: Speak clearly and keep conversation focused on the caller’s
needs.
Use the agency name in the greeting and/or closing.
Avoid slang and technical terms unfamiliar to the caller.
Use “we” instead of “they” to project cohesion.
Positive Behavior
Offer assistance – “I’ll be happy to help you with that question.”
Offer positive statements about the company – “Our success rate
is excellent with this program.”
Use “we” when referring to company – “We have a wide range
of services to offer.”
Negative Behavior
Use can’t, don’t, or won’t – “I can’t find that in your record.”
Disclose undesirable things about company – “Delays have
been really long all day.”
Use “they” when referring to company – “They don’t give out that
number to callers.”
Process
TASK 1: Create an Appropriate Opening Spiel
DIRECTIONS: Make your own opening call spiel based on the format
discussed earlier
Imagine that you are working for a Hard Hat Hardware Supply Retailer.
Create your opening call spiel here:
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

225
Here are the opening lines of your customers. Write your
response opposite the situation.
Situation Your response
a. “I ordered 50 boxes of floor tiles
last week. Upon opening the
delivered boxes, I found out that 30
boxes have broken tiles, 2 have
mixed designs, and 5 boxes have
incomplete quantity.”
b. “This is Madeline. I need 20 sets of

power tools to be delivered as soon
as possible.”
c. “I just would like to make a follow

up on the status of my order last
week. When will it be delivered? I’ve
been waiting for it since last Monday.
You said it will arrive in 5 working
days! ”
d. “Mr. Williams here. I would like to
know what colors of paint would
match a 9-year old girl’s bedroom?”
TASK 2: Role Playing Activity
DIRECTIONS: Choose a partner. Assign roles; one would be the call center
representative and the other, the customer. Use your answers above in this
task. Role play the presented situation. Switch roles afterwards. Assess each
other’s performance based on the scoring rubrics blow. Do this on a separate
sheet of paper.
5 4 3 2 1
Tone
Energy
Pronunciation
Inflection

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8. 2 Following the Standard Hold Procedure
The following are the standard hold procedure that one must follow:
Table 20. Standard Hold Procedure
What to do Example
1. Explain why the customer will be “Mrs. Smith, I just need to take a
put on hold. careful look at your account and
transactions.”
2. Provide an exact duration of the “Allow me to put you on hold for a

hold. minute or two.”
3. Thank the customer for agreeing. “Thank you, Mrs. Smith.”

4. Thank the customer for holding. “Thank you for waiting, Mrs. Smith. I
appreciate your patience.”
8.3 Transferring a Call
There would be times during the early or later part of the call where you
would need to transfer the customer to another department or line. There is a
need to do this because you may not have the solutions required by the
customer. Call transfer requires specific guidelines to follow.
When you transfer a call, you must exert an effort in having the customer
believe that you are transferring him/her because this would help resolve the
concern, not because he or she is being “passed around.” In doing this, you
need to pass the call properly to another department or line.
Let the customer know the reason why you need transfer the call.
Educate the customer about the time and about the external contact number of
the other department where you will transfer him/her.
Transfer is needed only when:

 the concern is outside your support service
 you have already exhausted all possible means for helping the customer
227
 you have explained to the customer that you will be transferring them
due to specific reasons
 it is expressedly instructed by the client that you should do this for
specific cases
There are types of call transfer:

1. WARM. If warm, you need to introduce the customer to the agent of the
department you are transferring the call to.
The agent will wait on the phone to introduce the customer and to provide
background information about the call.
2. COLD. If cold, let the customer know that you are no longer going to stay
on the line with them. The customer needs to wait for the other department
to answer the call.
3. DRY. Dry transfer on the other hand is transferring without introducing the
customer to the department who will take the next call.
8.4 Taking Notes During a Call
Taking notes during a call requires documenting the details of the call.
There are specific instructions on how these notes would be taken which vary
from client to client. A common practice is to encode the details of the call on
the computer as you conduct the conversation. This will be a good
documentation of what transpired during the call should the customer make a
follow up on his/ her concerns. This will also assist other call center agents on
how they will deal with the matter based on the last resolution you have made
or agreed upon.
8.5 Making a Lasting Impression
As an agent, you need to close a call that creates a lasting impression.

Closing the call is an opportunity to recap key points, resolve, and or
summarize the outcome of the conversation. This is also an opportunity to end
the call in a professional manner.

228
Table 21. Making a Closing Call
Closing Call Structure Example
Recap the reason for the call “Mr. Keating, your request to
activate your account has now been
done.
This will be processed within the
Summarize the action to be taken
next 24 hours after which, you can
Advise processing time frame
already make use of your card in an
ATM machine nearest you.”
“Is there anything else I can help

Offer additional assistance
you with?”
Thank the customer “Thank you for calling Thrift Savings

Inc. and have a nice day!”
Process
TASK 1: Standard Hold Procedures
DIRECTIONS: Enumerate the standard hold procedures to follow.
• ______________________________________________________________
1.
• ______________________________________________________________
2.
• ______________________________________________________________
3.

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TASK 2: Reasons for Transferring a Call
DIRECTIONS: Examine the following conversation between a call center

representative (CSR) and a customer. Read it out loud. Assess the reason for
transferring the call based on each conversation.
•CSR: I am sorry, Rose, but I •CSR: Mr. Clifford, I have thoroughly

Transcript 1
Transcript 2
think your concern is about an checked the status of your
unpaid bill. connection. It seems like there is no
problem with our service. You have
also personally checked your
•ROSE: Yes, indeed. computer’s configuration and you said
that it’s working fine.
•CSR: Well then, to address your •MR. CLIFFORD: Absolutely.

concern, we need to transfer
this call to the billing •CSR: Please hold on the line. I will be
department. Please stay on the transferring this call to the technical
line while I transfer your call. repair department so they can
Thank you. schedule an actual check of the
Internet connection in your residence.
All it takes is a few minutes. Thank
you.
•LIAM: My internet connection at • CSR: Is there anything else I can

Transcript 4
Transcript 3
home has been cut off for two days help you with Mr. Martin?
now. •MR. MARTIN: I would also like to
•CSR: Please check the modem. report my stolen ATM card. I'd like to
Are all the lights turned on? block all withdrawals.
•LIAM: Yes they are. •CSR: You were saying that your card
•CSR: What color is that of the 2nd had been stolen so you want to block
light? all withdrawals on the said account,
•LIAM: It’s red. Wait… I am I right sir?
remember… Could you transfer me •MR. MARTIN: That is correct.
to the billing department so I can •CSR: Sir I would have to transfer you
confirm my last payment date? to the Stolen/ Lost card section.
•CSR. Surely. Please hold on for Please hold the line for a few minutes.
while I transfer your call. Thank you.

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LESSON 9: HOLD PROCESS
Whether you work in an office or call center, there is a right and wrong
way to talk on the workplace telephone. When answering the phone, you
become the face of the company. How you handle the call from start to finish
will leave a neutral, good or bad taste in the customer's mouth. If the call leaves
a bad taste in the customer's mouth, you may lose the customer. For this
reason, it is best to make sure each call received is handled with excellence.
Answering the Telephone
When answering the telephone at work, it is important to use a

professional greeting. Do not act like customers have to call you. Thank them
for calling. Instead of using a simple “Hello,” brand the call using the company's
name. Branding the call serves two purposes. First, it lets a customer know he
dialed the right number. Secondly, it prevents your company from appearing
unprofessional. Include your name at the beginning of the call and ask the
customer how you can assist him/her. Your first name is sufficient. Giving your
name makes the call personable and friendly. An example of a professional
greeting is, “Thank you for calling ABC company. This is Madeline. How may I
assist you?”
Talking on the Telephone
When talking on the telephone, it is easy to sound bored, dry, and

monotone. To prevent this, add a smile to your voice. Adding a smile to your
voice makes you sound happy and upbeat, excited to speak with the
customer. Adding a smile to your voice is simple -- just put a smile on your
face as you speak. When you put a smile on your face, the smile comes
through in your voice. Be mindful of your language when speaking on the
phone. Enunciate your words clearly. Avoid using slang and words such as
“yeah” and “naw.”

231
9.1 Why Call Hold is Necessary
Call holding is necessary for the following reasons:

1. to give time to pull out a customer’s details
2. verify some information from your supervisor
3. run some web based troubleshooting tips
4. to verify information or call someone from another department
9.2 Permission Before Placing Customers on Hold
When talking on the telephone, it is often necessary to place the

customer on hold. You may need to place the customer on hold so you can
contact another department or transfer the call. Many customers hate being
placed on hold, especially if there is a long hold time getting to you in the first
place. Before placing the customer on hold, ask for permission. For instance,
“Mr. Richards, do you mind if I place you on hold?” If you place the customer
on hold, make it brief, no longer than two minutes. If the hold is longer than two
minutes, refresh the customer to let him know what's going on.
Proper Closing
Closing the call gives you one final opportunity to make a good
impression on the customer. Although you thanked the customer for calling
during the call greeting, thank him again during the closing. Ask if there is
anything else you can assist him/her with. This makes the customer feel
appreciated versus the feeling like he/she is annoying. Wait for the customer
to release the call before hanging up. This prevents you from accidentally
hanging up on the customer. Another equally important thing that you need to
consider is to protect every customer’s information.
9.3 Hold Estimates
Have you tried calling a customer service hotline where you are
instructed to hold the line for a few minutes?
Customer service representative sees the need to hold the call due to a
variety of reasons.

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Call estimates vary. Some provide longer estimates than the actual hold
time. Whatever the case maybe, it will still be the agents’ responsibility to give
the customer the hold time estimate that is closer to reality.
This may also depend on the strategy of the particular call center firm.
Some chooses to give a longer hold time and beats it. For example, an agent
may give you a long hold estimate but then picks up the call immediately.
Others opt to give a realistic hold time.

Whatever the case maybe, customers prefer accuracy over exceeding
the expectations. Fast and honest service is favored by the customers.
Some factors which may be considered in the hold time are:

1. call queue
2. average call length
3. number of agents who will be taking the call
4. estimate of how long a customer is willing to wait
9.4 Returning the call
Part of the agent’s responsibility is keeping your words. You have to

maintain honest service to the customers at all times. This is best shown
through returning calls as promised the last time that you conversed with your
customer.
In cases where you can not solve the issue in the duration of the
caller’s to stay on the line, you need to exert effort on finding a resolution by
setting an estimated time which will give you the opportunity to address such.
This prompts you to return the call.
9.5 Acknowledge the Customer
One of the best ways to send a message to your customers of how

important they are to you is to simply acknowledge them.
A positive way of showing this is by acknowledging them by their names.
Saying “thank you for the information, Gracie.” or “How can I be of service,

233
Gracie?” are simple examples that recognize the individual you are speaking
to. It psychologically conditions the mind of the customer that you are in
serious business of helping them with their concerns.
This however should be used in moderation. Frequent mentioning of

their names might be annoying and might sound too scripted.
To end the conversation, you may say something like “Is there anything
else I can help you with, Gracie?” or the parting words “Thank you for calling
customer service Gracie. Have a good day! ”. The firm where you are in
probably have their own pattern of greetings. You just have to make sure that
you sincerely acknowledge what the caller is telling you. These are effective
ways of building rapport and providing a great caller experience.
Service does not end here. Acknowledgement stage is just the first part.
Taking action should take place afterwards. You have to make sure that you
address them properly. Provide a refund of the service that did not go well. A
discount perhaps on their next purchase. Assure the customer that you will
coordinate with the department to solve their issues on their next call, then do
as you say.
TASK 1: Interactive Communication

Use the URL in the picture to access the video in the Internet.
Watch the video carefully. Take note of the interactive communication skills
shown by call center agent. Take note of the telephone etiquette and report
your observation to the class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=hpZFJctBUHQ
Customer Support Philippines

Sample Order Taking

234
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfiGSb1brS0
Sample Call Tech Support
TASK 2: Call Simulation
Make a simulation of a call center conversation similar to the one

that you have seen. Choose a partner and agree on what service you are
going to role play. Limit your skit in 2 to 3 minutes only.
Follow all the guidelines you have learned in this module. Start
with a god opening spiel, apply probing skills such as paraphrasing and
clarifying. Negotiate positively, close the deal and make a lasting closing
remark.
Record the conversation. Listen to it for a few minutes then

criticize your own work and appraise your conversation.
Fill up a sample coaching form, similar to the one on the next

page.

235
Coaching Session Form
To: (Name of the Agent )

From: (Coach/ Team Leader/ Assessor)
Date:
RE: Coaching Session- Talk and Type
Opening Phrase:
_______________________________________________________
Acknowledgement:
_______________________________________________________
Questioning and Verification:
________________________________________________________
Interrupting/ Overtalking:
________________________________________________________
Team Manager: _______________________

Date : _______________________
Agent: _______________________________
Date : _______________________

236

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CONTENT STANDARD PERFORMANCE STANDARD

The learner demonstrates The learner independently

DELIVERING QUALITY CUSTOMER SERVICES

This module is designed to orient you on the essential functions and

The quality of service is of utmost importance in the Business Process

Overall customer satisfaction is determined by the quality of your

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

Read the objectives presented on this page carefully.

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

1. It refers to the management of one or more specific business

A. Business Process Outsourcing

2. Software development, data entry, programming, and web

A. Business Process Outsourcing

3. It includes customer-related services such as marketing or technical

A. Back office Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

4. It includes internal business functions such as billing, purchasing,

A. Back office Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

A. Onshore Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

6. HSBC, a US-based finance company, hired an Indian-based BPO to

A. Back office Outsourcing C. Offshore Outsourcing

8. It involves managing requests for information or proposals and

9. It is a subset of BPO which is a centralized office that facilitates large

A. Accounting C. Document Management

10. It is a set of measurements to quantify performance and results in

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

A. Time Metrics C. Quantity Metrics

12. Customer Service, Satisfaction Score, Escalation Rate and

A. Time Metrics C. Quantity Metrics

13. The customer became angry, and speaking to someone of higher

A. Average Call Duration C. Escalation Rate

A. Quality Criteria C. Subjective Criteria

A. Quality Criteria C. Subjective Criteria

A. Time Metrics C. Quantity Metrics

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

A. Business acumen C. Interpersonal communication

18. The focus on this type of call is more on “procedural” knowledge,

A. Handling queries C. Handling complaints

19. These are heavy users of knowledge management systems for

A. Contact Management System

21. Factors to consider when complaint arises are _______________.

A. customer and complaint C. customer and product

22. Issues, concern of customers to be satisfied are listed below except

A. reliability C. enjoy doing business

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

A. Act and speak calmly.

24. How do agents accept ownership of the problem then apologize?

A. Act and speak calmly.

A. Act and speak calmly.

28. It is contact center representative’s skill where customers want you

30. It means you need to be a patient and calming influence when

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

After carefully reading the introduction and objectives, and upon

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

The world adapts to the fast-paced developments brought about by

Customers refer to the people who are current or potential buyers,

Clients refer to companies you will represent.

Agents or representatives otherwise known as rep/s are job titles of

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10

1.1 What is BPO?

Business Process Outsourcing or BPO refers to the management of one

It involves contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific

ICT-CONTACT CENTER SERVICES- Grade 10