Crisis Management in Business: Call Centers at the Heart of the Action

Crisis Management in Business: Call Centers at the Heart of the Action 

At the end of 2019, many companies across all sectors had to urgently adapt their working processes to protect their business. Having gone through the trial by fire, the feedback allows for the creation of a crisis management methodology and highlights the importance of partnering with customer relationship professionals. Outsourcing communication strategy and revitalizing prospecting with call centers skilled in qualitative leads helps support a company in times of crisis, aiding its recovery. Call centers equipped with call management functionalities are essential in this context.

Crisis Management: The Bad and Good Practices in Customer Relations  

Every company is subject to unexpected events, but it is rare for these to cause so many problems in such a short time. The health crisis required a global responsiveness crucial for the survival of businesses. CEOs, financial directors, HR managers, IT managers, and employees all had to adapt rapidly. Amidst this unpreparedness, the most impacted service turned out to be telemarketing, which is on the front line of customer relations. Case studies in crisis management have demonstrated the bad practices to avoid. 

• The isolation of telemarketers who were suddenly set up for remote work without preparation, lacking manager coaching and support from experienced colleagues.
• The alignment between the anxiety of clients and that of telemarketers, creating fear rather than reassurance.
• The lack of functional technical resources. Call centers equipped with advanced features are essential to address this shortcoming.
• The lack of leeway for advisors when facing encountered issues: without the freedom or relaxed instructions to address the unprecedented situation, these unprepared professionals could not respond favorably to requests.  

The result is reflected in an increase in cancellations, customer dissatisfaction, and long-term damage to the company's image. 

The good customer service practices during a crisis aim to mitigate the impact of a major crisis on the company.

• Don’t succumb to the prevailing fear and reassure customers.
• Provide telemarketers with essential tools for their work in a crisis, such as high-performance equipment, appropriate language, and the advocacy technique, which involves offering exceptional solutions designed for the situation.
• Smartly integrate customer service agents trained to handle crisis situations, equipped with specialized software for better call and sales management. 
• Adjust management to remote work with coaching integrated into the daily workflow.
• Provide everyone with a shared collaborative space for real-time mutual support.  

Crisis Management by a Call Center: A Professional Expertise  

Stock market crash of 1929, Spanish flu, world wars, COVID-19 pandemic: a crisis situation is unpredictable and, by nature, inevitable in customer relations. While the unforeseen is part of any business, having a crisis communication plan specifically developed for such situations helps mitigate the impact on a company’s health, preserve its reputation, and maintain customer relations.

The crisis communication strategy can follow three different axes, but the challenge is to limit the expansion of the crisis to better protect the company:

• acknowledge and accept the crisis;
• present the event as beyond the company’s control;
• deny the facts at the risk of losing credibility.

Managing communication with a crisis management call center is a task that demands responsiveness and reassurance towards clients. The importance of operational management in real-time calls for a partnership with a team of customer service experts. Using an external call center ensures a proactive and effective approach to call management. A crisis management call center, made up of teleoperators specifically trained in corporate crisis communication, promises :

• Rapid and high-quality management of telephone communication, including numerous incoming and outgoing calls;
• Personalized contact with each client;
• Mastery of crisis communication through information, advice, and calming clients throughout the duration of the event;
• Development of a personalized action and communication plan for call management if needed;
• Peace of mind necessary for the continuation of the company's activities.  

A partner to anticipate the post-crisis phase: outsourcing prospecting

«Governance is about foresight»

Protecting a company from any crisis is the best way to ensure its longevity, handle the unexpected, and stay ahead of the competition. While a crisis communication plan is essential when an event occurs, other tools integrated into the company culture ensure crucial preparedness.  

Implementing or sustaining good crisis management practices  

One can appreciate surprises in personal life, but it is clear that they are rather unwelcome in business. Proven reflexes, processes, and calls to a crisis management call center should be integrated into the company culture to better prepare financial, marketing, managerial, and technical teams. Call centers equipped with agents specialized in crisis management enable effective and rapid communication with clients, thereby strengthening the client-company relationship.

Preparing for business recovery and digitizing B2B prospecting

Forward-thinking companies are destined for success and longevity. A good crisis manager knows they must plan for the post-crisis world and stay ahead of the competition. CMOs recognize that their sales teams struggle with prospecting, a task they find unappealing. They also understand that telemarketing is a challenging endeavor when aiming for the Holy Grail: the qualified lead. However, a successful recovery involves a well-filled order book and promising meetings with prospects. The best tools remain telemarketing and inside sales as they provide live interaction with clients and prospects, unlike emails or newsletters. Establishing this inherently distant yet human-centered relationship is the domain of professional telemarketers who are aware of:

• the expectations and positions of prospects;
• the value of the proposed product;
• the role of the salespeople.

Building a high-performing telemarketing team is an investment that impacts all departments of the company, from the CEO to the marketing manager, as it requires both time and a significant budget. Additionally, frequent turnover in this field necessitates a constant renewal of the team.

However, with the right communication tools and customer relationship management software, well-equipped call centers can mitigate challenges by ensuring effective training and optimal staff management. A well-trained and well-equipped telemarketing team can strengthen the client-business relationship and maximize sales opportunities.

The most cost-effective solution is to outsource prospecting through a crisis management call center. Professionals such as Leads Provider offer their clients teams of experienced telemarketers who specialize in engaging with prospects, delivering constructive and personalized interactions that address their issues, industry, and the market they occupy or wish to conquer. Thanks to these outbound salespeople, the conversion of calls into qualified leads , ensures the finalization of sales, and in case of rejection, the collection of relevant information that allows:

• improve the pitch and approach to address objections;
• adapt the product to the clientele to better define the persona and achieve product-market fit;
• enrich the customer CRMs.

This outsourced approach to prospecting allows the company to focus on its core activities while benefiting from increased expertise and efficiency in lead generation and customer relationship management.

Partnering with professionals who have cross-functional expertise is a daily asset for any company, especially during a crisis. Whether the crisis is specific to the company, its market, national, or international, it requires all available talent to ensure the company's future. Choosing to outsource telemarketing now is a long-term strategy designed to minimize and optimize costs through a high-quality partnership. With the expertise of call centers staffed with telemarketing professionals, your company can benefit from effective and targeted telephone communication, thereby enhancing lead generation and closing sales. Leads Provider is here to answer all your questions!