3 Ways Having a Voice Call Center Helps Assist Customers
Providing a dedicated and trained team to handle inquiries, resolving issues, and offering support through phone calls are just three ways a voice call center assists customers. When taken as a whole, this helps improve customer satisfaction and loyalty by ensuring faster response times, proactive engagement, and personalized support.
For many industries, excellent customer experience remains a key differentiator, and phone support continues to play a vital role in that. Many customers still prefer reaching out to customer care over the phone, even though the popularity of phone support is slowing among the young.
The bottom line is that even in the age of social media, email, and chatbots, customers still appreciate the human connection, empathy, and immediacy that only a real conversation with a human can provide. The following represent the three major benefits a voice call center brings to the customer experience.
For those old enough to remember, 80s sensation Rick Springfield sang about it in his hit 'Human Touch' – there's no getting around the fact that, as members of the human race, we need that person-to-person connection. It's easy to get lost in a sea of canned chatbot responses or frustratingly incomplete FAQs, and this is precisely why call centers continue to play a crucial role in customer service…even in today's world of AI.
In fact, research found that 77% of customers expect to be able to interact with a human as soon as contact is made with a business. Indeed, speaking to an agent not only helps customers feel supported, but it can sometimes help de-escalate situations while retaining customers. Customers like speaking to an actual person because it helps them feel heard and that their challenges and frustrations are being dealt with by someone who can actually assist in getting them fixed.
In a world where not all customer inquiries are alike, the key to exceptional customer service is being able to quickly, in an ideal world, automatically identify the issue and assign callers to the right queue. Call centers equipped with interactive voice response (IVR), intelligent call routing, integrated knowledge bases, and real-time reporting ensure that every customer is quickly connected to the right agent.
In this scenario, agents can access customer preferences, histories, and previous support tickets instantaneously, yielding quicker, more personalized resolutions.
By integrating with CRM systems, modern outbound call centers use real-time call analytics to personalize conversations, identify up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, and increase deal closure rates. Increased sales lead to streamlined operations, which are crucial in a call center to avoid long queues and frustrated customers; automation tools such as skill-based call routing, AI-powered chatbots, and auto-attendants eliminate repetitive tasks, freeing agents to handle more high-priority or complex issues.
Phone support is more than just answering calls – it's about creating memorable experiences that drive growth and loyalty. The benefits of a voice call center are multi-faceted, given the fact that by implementing modern call centers, businesses can scale operations flexibly to meet evolving demands, make smarter decisions via real-time data, and deliver faster, more personalized service.
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Time Business News
13-06-2025
- Time Business News
3 Ways Having a Voice Call Center Helps Assist Customers
Providing a dedicated and trained team to handle inquiries, resolving issues, and offering support through phone calls are just three ways a voice call center assists customers. When taken as a whole, this helps improve customer satisfaction and loyalty by ensuring faster response times, proactive engagement, and personalized support. For many industries, excellent customer experience remains a key differentiator, and phone support continues to play a vital role in that. Many customers still prefer reaching out to customer care over the phone, even though the popularity of phone support is slowing among the young. The bottom line is that even in the age of social media, email, and chatbots, customers still appreciate the human connection, empathy, and immediacy that only a real conversation with a human can provide. The following represent the three major benefits a voice call center brings to the customer experience. For those old enough to remember, 80s sensation Rick Springfield sang about it in his hit 'Human Touch' – there's no getting around the fact that, as members of the human race, we need that person-to-person connection. It's easy to get lost in a sea of canned chatbot responses or frustratingly incomplete FAQs, and this is precisely why call centers continue to play a crucial role in customer service…even in today's world of AI. In fact, research found that 77% of customers expect to be able to interact with a human as soon as contact is made with a business. Indeed, speaking to an agent not only helps customers feel supported, but it can sometimes help de-escalate situations while retaining customers. Customers like speaking to an actual person because it helps them feel heard and that their challenges and frustrations are being dealt with by someone who can actually assist in getting them fixed. In a world where not all customer inquiries are alike, the key to exceptional customer service is being able to quickly, in an ideal world, automatically identify the issue and assign callers to the right queue. Call centers equipped with interactive voice response (IVR), intelligent call routing, integrated knowledge bases, and real-time reporting ensure that every customer is quickly connected to the right agent. In this scenario, agents can access customer preferences, histories, and previous support tickets instantaneously, yielding quicker, more personalized resolutions. By integrating with CRM systems, modern outbound call centers use real-time call analytics to personalize conversations, identify up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, and increase deal closure rates. Increased sales lead to streamlined operations, which are crucial in a call center to avoid long queues and frustrated customers; automation tools such as skill-based call routing, AI-powered chatbots, and auto-attendants eliminate repetitive tasks, freeing agents to handle more high-priority or complex issues. Phone support is more than just answering calls – it's about creating memorable experiences that drive growth and loyalty. The benefits of a voice call center are multi-faceted, given the fact that by implementing modern call centers, businesses can scale operations flexibly to meet evolving demands, make smarter decisions via real-time data, and deliver faster, more personalized service. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
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NEW DELHI , June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) has added another remarkable milestone to its legacy. At the ABP Smart Education Summit 2025 held in New Delhi , IIHM was presented with the 'Excellence in Global Hospitality Education' award by Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan , recognising the institute's pioneering contribution to global-standard hospitality education and transformative technological integration. During the ceremony, Minister Pradhan lauded IIHM for redefining hospitality education in India by 'building global pathways from Indian classrooms,' and credited the institution with contributing to India's growing soft power in service leadership and innovation. The award was received by senior executives of IIHM New Delhi on behalf of Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman of IIHM, entrepreneur, visionary educationist, and globally recognised AI evangelist in the hospitality domain. Reacting to the conferring of this award Dr Bose said, 'This recognition is a testament to IIHM's vision of inclusive, future-forward education that fuses tradition with technological intelligence. It strengthens our resolve to position India as the global epicentre of hospitality learning.' AI + Hospitality: A Revolution Led by India Dr Bose has been at the forefront of driving the global conversation on Artificial Intelligence in hospitality and tourism. In 2024, his groundbreaking book, 'Harmonizing Human Touch and AI in Tourism & Hospitality,' was launched by Union Minister for Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat , at the Bharat 24 Summit in Goa . Minister Shekhawat saw the book as a visionary roadmap that places India on the frontlines of intelligent hospitality and credited it for 'offering a model for the ethical and strategic integration of AI in a people-first industry.' The book has since become a reference point for both academic institutions and hospitality enterprises exploring AI in operations, personalisation, guest experience, and workforce transformation. Global Hospitality Joins Hands: 60 Countries Sign the Knowledge Sharing Declaration In an unprecedented global initiative, IIHM led the creation and signing of the Global Knowledge Sharing Declaration on AI in Hospitality Education, bringing together educational institutions, thought leaders, and policymakers from over 60 countries. This declaration envisions a collaborative global framework to share curricula, research, practices, and AI innovations that can uplift hospitality education equitably across developed and developing economies. It promotes chain-agnostic, brand-neutral learning with a focus on inclusivity, accessibility, and AI literacy for students and professionals alike. The initiative underscores IIHM's status as a convening power in global hospitality education, capable of bridging continents through technology, pedagogy, and purpose. NamAIste – The World's First Hospitality GPT is Made in India In February 2025 , Dr Bose and IIHM made headlines globally with the launch of NamAIste – IIHM Hospitality GPT, the world's first generative AI-powered knowledge engine for the hospitality industry. Unveiled at the IIHM Young Chef Olympiad in Goa before delegates from 50+ countries, the platform was developed in collaboration with Entiovi Technologies, a leading deep-tech solutions provider. NamAIste is India's first domain-specific Large Language Model (LLM) designed exclusively for hospitality operations, learning, research, and innovation. Dr Bose has called NamAIste ' India's gift to the global hospitality world – made in India , made for the world.' This latest national recognition by the Union Education Ministry further strengthens IIHM's mission to shape the next generation of global hospitality leaders through transformative education, global collaboration, and ethical AI innovation. For media enquiries, please contact: Sujay Gupta Group Director – Communications & Media, IIHM+91 9923057937 [email protected]
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Jesper With-Fogstrup is Group CEO at Moneypenny, with a global perspective on leadership and a steadfast commitment to people and tech. There was a time, not too long ago, when customer service carried a certain elegance. Whether you were in a boutique, in a hotel lobby, or even just on the phone, customer experiences could feel personal, thoughtful and genuinely helpful. Companies didn't just focus on getting things done—they aimed to make customers feel truly taken care of. Today, that kind of service seems to be increasingly rare. From retail to travel, healthcare to home services, the personal touch is quietly disappearing as interactions become less about people and more about processes. Customers are greeted by kiosks, not by names. Problems are routed through tickets, not through humans. And 'we're dealing with it' has become a catch-all excuse that often fails to end in actual resolution. This isn't just nostalgia talking—it's a systemic shift. In the relentless pursuit of efficiency, automation and scale, many businesses have deprioritized the human touch. That means fewer trained team members, more generic scripts, and a growing reliance on tech as the sole solution. It might be faster, but is it better? The truth is, we've traded warmth for workflow. And yet I've observed companies of all sizes prove that we don't have to make that choice. When brilliant people are backed by smart technology, businesses can not only ensure their personal service thrives but also raise the bar of service standards. Let's be clear: I do not believe frontline staff are to blame. In fact, many are doing their best, sometimes while overworked, undersupported and/or juggling outdated systems that make good service difficult. At the root of the problem is a mindset that sees people as cost centers and treats automation as a fix-all. But automation without empathy is just efficiency without impact. That's where things start to break down. Take a recent example: Someone showed me an email from a manager at a large, well-known business after a service failure. It essentially read, 'I understand your frustration, and I truly regret any inconvenience this has caused. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist with.' There is something, actually: Resolve the problem. This type of message is polite but ultimately unhelpful. Customers don't want sympathy—they want empathy, ownership, resolution and accountability. They want to know someone will see it through. There's a growing divide between how large corporations and smaller businesses approach service. Bigger firms with complex layers of process and policy often struggle to deliver consistent care. Smaller businesses, by contrast, are often closer to their customers—but many lack the tools to scale their service as they grow. Based on my experience working with businesses of all sizes, here are four steps you can take to keep the personal touch alive and well within your company: 1. Keep names and people at the forefront. When an employee introduces themself to a customer by name, it can be an effective way to send the message, 'I'm here to help, and I'm proud of the work I do.' Remove that, and the interaction can become faceless and forgettable. Names create accountability and foster connection. Sadly, many systems today aren't designed to reward care—they're designed to try and avoid customer complaints. But I've found that when you prioritize satisfaction over speed and nuance over numbers, treating both your employees and your customers like individuals, you not only give clients a human connection but also promote accountability among your people. 2. Take ownership—and make it visible. Don't let service issues disappear into a black hole of departments. Assign clear responsibility, and give your team the authority to follow a problem through to resolution. Introduce named case handlers for escalated issues, and give customers proactive check-ins so they don't have to chase down updates; I've found that this can dramatically reduce frustration and increase effectiveness. Set up a simple internal policy that establishes who owns the issue and ensures each person involved checks that the item has been successfully handed off to someone else until it's been resolved. This can help close the loop and prevent customer issues from being lost or mishandled. 2. Empower people through technology. In the rush to automate, some businesses have sidelined their people. But AI doesn't replace great service—instead, it should enhance it. When used well, technology can give your people the insights, tools and time they need to truly shine. Rather than hiding behind technology, use it to amplify your service standards. That's when the magic happens. For example, AI tools can surface real-time insights—from customer preferences to past interactions—so that your team has everything they need at their fingertips the moment a call or message comes in or a customer is in front of them. In my experience, this can lead to faster resolutions, more personalized responses, and more confident, empowered people who can focus on connection, not admin tasks. 4. Grow without losing the human touch. As a business scales, there's a risk that the connection to customers will begin to thin out. Invest early in tools and processes that will help preserve your company's personality and consistency. Whether you employ personalized communications and proactive follow-ups or simply prioritize remembering customers' preferences, small touches help build big loyalty. Take a hotel I stayed in recently: They have their actual concierge send guests a pre-arrival message, including the weather forecast and local recommendations. This took mere minutes but left a lasting impression on me as a customer. Service—real service—is about what turns a hotel stay into a memory, a delay into a story, a problem into a resolution. It is about understanding what customers really want in today's world: to be seen, valued and helped quickly and kindly. Whether you're a corner shop or a multinational organization, delivering on those expectations can set you apart and create preference for your business. So, let's not treat the personal touch as a luxury or a relic. Let's recognize it for what it is: a competitive advantage, a growth enabler and a powerful differentiator in a crowded, often cold, marketplace. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
