Category: Call Centers

The decision to use a call center is an important milestone in the life of a growing business. As the use of remote telemarketing services grows, so does the quality of services available to companies.

A call center is a powerful tool for businesses that are ready to scale. With today’s technology, call centers deliver professional, reliable support that keeps operations running smoothly and enhances customer satisfaction. If any of the signs below sound familiar, it may be the right time to explore how a call center can help your business grow.

1. Business Is Growing, and So Are Your Call Volumes

Growth often means more calls from your customers. This could mean a sudden spike in placing orders, help with new product support, patients booking or rescheduling appointments, or members with questions about services and benefits. If those calls are overwhelming your in-house staff, response times drop and customer frustration rises. A call center gives you trained agents ready to handle the increase, ensuring every caller gets the attention they need without overloading your team.

2. You’re Unable to Handle Queries During Peak Hours

Perhaps you have sufficient staff members to field calls 80% of the time. That remaining 20% shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly in industries such as healthcare and technology where fast response times are critical.

High abandonment rates usually mean patients miss appointments, customers can’t complete orders, or members don’t get the support they need. A call center can step in to manage those peak times, reduce hold times, and make sure every caller gets timely assistance without overloading your staff.

3. To Improve Customer Service with Live Agents

We’ve said it before: people like to hear a human voice on the other end of the line. One study found that over half of callers want a human being to handle certain types of questions, according to Business Wire. Some information can be found easily using automated technologies, while sensitive or more nuanced subjects require a live agent to address them.

What’s more notable is only 17% of people polled said they prefer to interact with virtual assistants. Since you don’t always know which category a caller will fall into, it’s better to be prepared for complex situations when they arise.

4. To Free Up Your Attention and Resources

It’s not AI versus agents but the quality of service that matters. When you outsource to an expert, that frees up labor, money and resources to concentrate on what your company does best. The reason U.S.-based call centers are so effective is because they are focused entirely on one thing: delivering the best customer service the industry has to offer.

Companies juggling countless other tasks are often too distracted to train their agents sufficiently and support them with the tools they need to do their jobs. The fact is, outsourced call centers that continuously educate their agents might be better equipped to address the complex questions and requests of your clientele.

5. To Streamline Disjointed Communication Systems

One advantage of using a call center is the ability to streamline outdated communication systems. Agents at top call centers can be trained to handle a wide variety of calls:

• Inbound and outbound calls
• Customer surveys
• IT and technical support
• Billing & payment processing
• Appointment scheduling and reminders

When each department has its own way of handling calls, that fragmented approach often leads to longer handling times and duplicated effort. If your system hasn’t been modernized, it may be time to partner with a contact center that offers updated technology and support. AWS by Amazon Connect, which produces customized reports supported by metrics at the client’s request, is just one innovation that helps Lighthouse Enterprises offer premium call center solutions.

Let Lighthouse Enterprises Handle Your Call Center Needs

Are you wondering whether your business needs a call center? Talk to Lighthouse Enterprises to find out how our customized services can support your needs. We regularly look for new ways to do things better.

Our new telephony system also has automated features that support agents and supervisors by flagging issues during calls. It does this by detecting certain voice details and alerting agents so issues can be caught early. For more detail on what we do, read about our recent case studies and learn how we work with different clients to ensure their success.

Call (312) 447-3259 to speak to a team member today or contact us online with any questions. Our team will help you identify the areas where our contact center can help improve your customer service.

Not all call centers are alike. As our clients have discovered, the call center agents at Lighthouse Enterprises are equipped to handle a wide range of services and tasks, tailored to each client’s unique needs. Our agents deliver support that extends beyond what many traditional providers or AI platforms can offer.

You can see this approach in action through the case studies on our website. Each one highlights how we customized our services to meet specific client goals and the results, detailing why each action we took helped them succeed.

Three Case Studies Highlighting Our Premium Services

At the heart of it, we’re a team of problem solvers. Since there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to contact center outsourcing, we began posting case studies to showcase the diversity of assistance we provide and how it contributes to the goals and achievements of our clients.

Each one demonstrates our flexibility in integrating client communication processes with our own to meet their needs efficiently and effectively, serving clients with diverse goals.

1. Our White Glove Service

Some contracts expand and evolve once the client observes our dedication to addressing varying needs successfully. That was the case with Advocate Health Care, an ongoing relationship that began with a pilot project years ago.

As with our other clients, the extent of our hands-on support is what made our premium treatment stand out to them. This feature was necessary to prevent any interruptions in medical services for thousands of patients.

• Attention to detail at high call volumes: Lighthouse was able to adapt promptly to spikes in call volume, even when one of our client’s programs rapidly expanded by 25,000 participants. During this period, individual agents made hundreds of calls each day. While tracking key employee data, this dedication to performance ensured that every employee would be informed about the program.
• Seamless system integration: We routinely assimilate to clients’ systems and preferred technologies. In this case, it was a recordkeeping platform our agents used to provide real-time, accurate support, handling everything from identity verification to technical troubleshooting.

Read the Advocate Healthcare case study here.

2. Our Call Center Agents’ Response to Rapid Growth

We’ve maneuvered from the ground up on numerous projects, requiring us to pivot and adapt quickly as our biggest clients requested increasingly complex services. For example, we provide reliable bilingual support, which proved essential in our work with UI Health, a major medical organization. In this case, we found a way to adopt aspects of their communication systems and made sure callers were able to navigate complex programs with ease.

• Rapid growth and integration: What began with support for just two clinics has expanded to over 85.
• Our comprehensive assistance with callers. Lighthouse now handles scheduling, registration, and patient inquiries across the hospital system, streamlining operations and freeing up staff for direct patient care.
• End-to-end patient coordination: We handle the full lifecycle of patient interactions, from scheduling and insurance verification to registration and follow-up messaging. By streamlining clinic workflows, we allow healthcare staff to focus on patient care.

Read the UI Health case study here.

3. Shared Missions: Our Social Impact

Our clients benefit from more than just our high-quality, scalable services. They also flourish by partnering with a mission-driven contact center that adapts to their changing demands while supporting inclusive employment goals. Our continuing work with the Illinois Tollway Authority (ITA) is the perfect demonstration of how we combine operational strength with social impact.

• Mission-aligned accessibility: In close collaboration with ITA and their different platforms, we ensured that our agents who are blind and visually impaired can work effectively within new customer management systems. By being proactive, we advance operational goals while taking the necessary steps to maintain an inclusive environment.
• Rapid, adjustable staffing response: For this client, we quickly adjusted staffing and hours during unexpected call surges, such as a phishing scam that doubled daily volume. Our flexibility meant the ITA would be able to provide uninterrupted service, helping us deliver a high degree of customer satisfaction.

Read the ITA case study here.

Call Lighthouse Enterprises for Help with Your Customer Service

What does each case study above have in common? With us, you get a partner that has been trusted and tested by some of the region’s biggest organizations.

Call Lighthouse Enterprises at (312) 447-3259 to discuss customer service solutions for your organization, or contact our team online today.

This month, in honor of Independence Day, companies in the U.S. are tuning into ways they can celebrate veterans who have fought to protect this country. In addition to spotlighting veteran business owners and raising awareness, there’s another action you can take: supporting mission-driven services like outsourced call centers that explicitly focus on veterans.

Veterans Find Job Opportunities at Lighthouse Enterprises

Based in Chicago, Lighthouse Enterprises has a long record of hiring veterans. We began as a social enterprise to support blind people, including by teaching them employable skills. As our client base grew, so did our mission. As we expanded to include veterans organizations, we began training veterans for call center roles.

Our clients in healthcare and other industries have discovered they benefit in more ways than one when they use our call centers. They are supporting an important cause by employing veterans and people who face disadvantages finding work. In doing so, our clientele also receives exceptional customer service by uniquely dedicated, passionate and well-trained call center agents.

Read more about how Chicago area businesses benefit from using local call centers.

Supporting Veterans Near You

Americans want companies to support veterans, yet often think they’re not doing enough. Filling full-time positions isn’t always an option, particularly for smaller companies.

Using remote services through an organization that hires veterans is one way to recognize all they have done to protect the freedoms celebrated on July 4th. By utilizing mission-driven organizations such as The Chicago Lighthouse, which partners with the Veterans Administration, you are honoring the enduring values of service, sacrifice and resilience that veteran workers represent.

Why Hire Veteran Call Center Agents?

Veterans aren’t alone in needing support, but research from Ipsos shows they often face greater challenges than non-veterans when it comes to accessing employment and education. Lighthouse assists in both of these areas. We provide ongoing training and education to our employees so they have a full range of skills to address each call that comes in. This keeps our turnover at a fraction of the industry average.

Once hired, veterans are shown to be productive, long-term employees. According to one veteran employment study, qualities they tend to bring such as perseverance and leadership skills make them especially qualified. Nearly 60% of employers said that veterans out-performed non-veterans and they viewed these employees as highly beneficial to their companies.

The Value Veterans Bring to Customer Service at Lighthouse

• Team-centered environment: Veterans are used to working as a team to accomplish a shared mission. That mindset translates directly to call center settings, where collaboration and mutual support are key.
• Appreciation for helping others: Many veterans value the emotional reward that comes from helping people. They find purpose in service, which aligns naturally with customer support roles.
• Real-life compassion: Veterans have often shown compassion in the most extreme circumstances. One veteran shared their experience in a medevac unit, not only caring for fellow soldiers but also treating enemy soldiers with the same level of care. That kind of empathy shapes how they interact with customers.
• Empathy shaped by experience: One of our veteran call center agents, Johnny McCraw Jr., who has spent eight years with us, reflected on his time in Iraq: “We gained an appreciation for our country’s ethos. Yes, we are fighting, but at the same time we are all human beings. They have families just like we do.” That perspective helps veterans treat callers as people first, no matter how challenging the call is.
• De-escalation through understanding: “Just like in combat, where the enemy might be shooting at you, you learn not to take it personally,” McCraw said. “People are angry because of the situation they’re in, and I’ve learned to take a step back and respond with understanding, even if that means handing out an MRE to someone who was just trying to harm you.” Veterans are often skilled at pausing, recognizing the emotion behind someone’s frustration, and responding with calm and empathy.
• Routine and flexibility: Military life involves routines, but it also demands constant adaptation. McCraw described it as, “You maintain your personal sense of calm, do your duty, and adapt.” That blend of structure and flexibility serves vets well in dynamic call center roles.
• Adaptability: Veterans are used to adjusting quickly due to transitions, moving between roles, organizing gear, and the classic “hurry up and wait” culture. They often carry the ability to adapt to different circumstances.
• Conflict resolution and communication: Veterans are trained in effective communication and know how to resolve conflicts diplomatically, respectfully, and efficiently.

Lighthouse Helps Local Military Families in Chicago

Our team supports veterans who are transitioning to civilian life by helping them navigate employment benefits and possible work opportunities. This includes a hotline that we use to guide military personnel and their family members through benefits processes, deployment information, and other resources when they need them.

Support Vets Through Telemarketing Services at Lighthouse

Local communities want to support veterans not just in July – when patriotism is especially visible – but throughout the year. In doing that, Lighthouse Enterprises takes a highly customized approach so that all types of organizations can access call center services at scale, only paying for what they need, when they need it.

Call Lighthouse Enterprises today to discuss how our mission-driven services can serve your organization’s customer service needs.

Chicago is known for more than its deep-dish pizza. We’re also a hub of innovation with nearly 100,000 licensed businesses that rely on quality, reliable customer service to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. While many companies are small enough to handle their calls in house, Chicago also has its share of Fortune 500s and big names in transportation, healthcare, finance, hospitality and other industries.

Chicago maintains a vibrant business climate to keep them here, and having excellent communication services nearby is a key contributor to that environment.

Outsourcing Needs to a Chicago-Based Call Center

What these companies have in common is the close proximity to excellent call center services that can take on all of their inbound and outbound call needs. We blogged recently about the benefits of using U.S-based customer service. There are still other advantages when you hire those close to home.

• Alignment with Our Local Midwestern Culture: Shared language, time zone, and regional traits to improve communication
• Trust and Accountability: A warm customer experience that makes it easier to build relationships and resolve issues
• Faster Response Times: A proximity that allows for quick support and adjustments, as well as close collaboration when needed
• Regulatory Confidence: An understanding of and compliance with local laws and standards
• Scalability and Flexibility: Easier to scale services up or down based on local market demands

Investing in Your Local & Regional Economy

There has been a growing desire among Americans to support their local economy. Shoppers even say they are willing to pay more if it means spending their dollars on businesses in their town or state. However, while customer service is a multi-billion dollar industry, much of that money goes overseas.

Thanks to our strategic location, there’s no reason not to keep your call center resources right here in the Windy City. The people local businesses hire spend their money on nearby restaurants, housing, and everything else that keeps a local economy healthy and thriving. According to Forbes, those smaller companies also contribute 250% more to area nonprofits and causes than large corporations.

Stimulating Business Growth & Creating Jobs at Home

When companies look for ways to save money, they should consider that a healthy regional and local economy in turn stimulates business growth – a win-win for everyone.

Lighthouse Enterprises, which partners with large organizations in both the public and private sectors, has served the Chicago community for over a century. The mission-based call center has employed thousands of people since 1906, boosting the career opportunities of local communities who face barriers to employment.

Helping Veterans & Disabled Populations

Consumers appreciate receiving customer care from a real person over the phone. They statistically have better experiences when there aren’t language or technical barriers to overcome. Hubspot research indicates that over 90% of customers are loyal to brands that they think provide excellent customer service.

Since Lighthouse Enterprises hires a large number of agents who are blind, visually impaired, disabled, and Veterans, clients are further supporting those communities while receiving top-notch customer service. By expanding into new sectors in recent years, Lighthouse has been able to ensure over 28% of the workforce are mission-driven employees.

More Customers Supporting Your Brand

Businesses that actively support good causes can include that information as part of their overall mission. Not only does Lighthouse support a universally impactful cause in its hiring practices, but it’s also been a pioneer in vision care innovation. Forbes reported that people are four to six times more likely to support a brand if it is purpose-driven. In fact, many surveys point to the same findings: Americans support causes not just by giving to charities, but by buying from brands whose values align with their own.

Lighthouse Enterprises Helps Strengthen Businesses in Chicago, Illinois

Based in Chicago, Lighthouse Enterprises is an example of why corporate social responsibility also supports organizations’ bottom lines. We offer clients personalized support that incorporates their internal operations and ensures a seamless integration of their processes.

Our location makes it easy to meet with Chicago-based companies in person to discuss how to foster trust and the right alignment with your brand. Contact Lighthouse Enterprises to discuss your customer service needs today.

When outsourcing call center services, companies have an important choice to make: maintain their services in the U.S. or outsource to an international location. For years, it seemed that many businesses preferred the latter. This often entailed transferring customer service operations to a third-party provider located overseas to countries like India or the Philippines, where labor costs are lower.

However, this trend has recently reversed in healthcare as well as other industries. What more companies are discovering is that there are benefits to keeping call center services stateside, even if some jobs are outsourced to another location. Recouping dollars lost to low-quality service is just one of those benefits.

U.S.-Based Call Centers Help Retain Customers and Boost Profits

A customer orders a product that arrives with a crack in it. Confused by the online instructions, she calls the customer support line. After navigating the automated prompts and waiting on hold, she is connected to an overseas agent who is difficult to understand due to poor audio quality, language barriers, and a noisy background. The caller explains herself several times, unsure if the person on the other end grasps the problem.

It’s a common scenario that can quickly erase the financial savings that come with cheap labor. Forbes reported on this reversal in the use of off-shore centers, noting that customers prefer to communicate with agents who are based locally. After experimenting with both approaches, more brands are reaching the same conclusion: better customer service ultimately helps retain customers and protect their financial wellbeing.

What Happens When Calls Are Handled Outside the U.S.?

Having certain tasks handled by service workers outside the U.S. still occurs, of course, particularly in areas such as IT and accounting. The process generally involves contracting with a foreign company that hires and trains its own staff to handle customer interactions. As any caller can tell, the workers often rely heavily on scripts and service protocols provided by the business.

Compared to remote customer service within the U.S., offshore outsourcing can also introduce a range of challenges including:

• Time zone misalignments
• Language & communication barriers
• Misunderstandings due to cultural differences
• Reduced control over quality assurance
• Integration challenges with platforms
• Longer resolution times
• Data security & compliance risks

Even with dedicated professionals, certain barriers to high-quality customer service will remain due to factors beyond the workers’ control.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Call Centers Domestically

Meanwhile, domestic outsourcing tends to offer a closer alignment with customer expectations, easier communication, and faster resolutions with operational issues due to proximity and shared cultural context. How does this play out?

Operations That Are Easier to Monitor

When an important process changes, you want to convey that information to all the key players as quickly as possible. The fact is, it’s easier to monitor call center agents within the U.S. because domestic operations avoid challenges associated with international outsourcing – particularly time zone differences and physical distance.

Better Real-Time Coordination

Countries like India and the Philippines are at least 9 to 12 hours ahead of the U.S., making real-time supervision and coordination difficult. In contrast, U.S.-based agents can be remote and cost-effective but still available when you need them. This distinction gives you better oversight, faster communication, and greater control over the quality and compliance of those services.

Lighthouse Offers Trust-Based Customer Support Without the Overhead

Based in Illinois, Lighthouse Enterprises offers customizable call center services to clients in various industries throughout the country. Our team brings a domestic, culturally aligned alternative to offshore outsourcing. Here’s what we offer our clients:

• White Glove Service: Personalized, high-quality service tailored to each client’s internal processes.
• Process Adoption: The call center manager trains staff to learn and follow the client’s specific workflows and systems.
• Fully Managed Staffing: You don’t have to worry about hiring, training, or attendance – that’s our job.
• Trust and Comfort: Being U.S.-based builds trust and offers a cultural fit that’s increasingly appreciated.
• Flexible and Hands-On: Our services range from basic tasks like call logging to handling high call volumes and integrating with your platform and IT processes.
• Ongoing Emphasis on Quality: Throughout it all, our focus is on delivering measurable, high-quality service defined by your standards, with clear metrics and results you can trust.

Reach out to Lighthouse Enterprises to discuss how we can improve your customer service results today.

Due to the large volume of urgent calls at hospitals and medical companies, live call center agents continue to play a crucial role in the healthcare industry. Whether onsite or offsite, agents must be available to address patient needs throughout the day. This reduces the risk of abandoned calls that can cost you business.

While advanced technology is increasingly integrated into healthcare processes, there are still many situations in which customer service workers are the only way to provide the best patient experience possible.

Assistance with Appointment Scheduling and Management

A medical practice may receive dozens of calls each day per physician, whereas calls to hospitals often reach the thousands. In both settings, a service with live agents on standby can be customized to handle overflow calls at any time of day. This is the most cost-effective way to retain loyal customers while improving outcomes for patients.

Healthcare organizations need someone who can manage a variety of requests, such as:

• Scheduling, moving or canceling appointments
• Sending messages to physicians
• Fielding questions
• Managing waitlists
• Directing patients to the appropriate office or facility

Patients often have specific requests or need flexibility when making medical appointments, which a human being can address better than an automated system.

Agents Can Address Common Inbound Customer Service Challenges

Improving communications systems is one of the most urgent customer service priorities that the healthcare industry faces today. However, addressing the root causes of these problems can be complicated.

Many aspects of an organization can lead to inconsistent customer care, such as:

• Outdated customer access programs
• Inflated customer care costs
• Fragmented systems
• Financial clearance delays
• Dissatisfied patients and clients

Companies are right to want to ditch outdated aspects of their operations that aren’t paying off. The last thing you want is to “modernize” a system by replacing things that customers like, costing you loyalty and money. A call center with live, remote agents is sometimes the perfect way to address that balance. It just needs flexibility to scale with you, without requiring you to invest in unnecessary services or personnel.

Remote Call Centers Benefit Hospitals, Healthcare Providers, and Private Practices

A big benefit of human beings is they can resolve complex or unclear situations in a way that reduces the chance of mistakes caused by automated processes. For example, a person might better understand nuances in a patient’s insurance policy or medical condition. Having a person available who relates to the caller can improve their satisfaction with your brand. Patients are more likely to have a positive experience when they feel heard and understood.

How else do medical organizations benefit?

1. Handling complex scenarios: Lighthouse Enterprises trains its agents to handle cases that are too complicated for bots or AI to manage. If a patient has multiple health conditions or a complex insurance issue, a live agent can help navigate these challenges more effectively.
2. Quality control and feedback: A live agent can serve as a feedback loop to identify areas where patients are facing difficulties. This can be crucial for quality improvement efforts and for maintaining strong patient relationships.
3. Adhering to regulations and compliance: Offsite agents can still ensure that sensitive matters are handled in accordance with privacy laws such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

Other Industries Also Benefit from Real Call Center Agents

Healthcare isn’t the only area that continues to benefit from live agents. Finance, technology, hospitality, and other industries are also turning to remote call centers to handle their inbound and outbound calls. All you need is a partner who demonstrates they are equipped to resolve problems in real time. As you look for solutions, ask about the call center’s retention rates and client track record to determine whether they will bring the level of success you need.

Here is a link to the industry page on the Lighthouse Enterprises website, where you can find out how we serve the needs of companies in a range of industries.

Outsource Your Call Center Needs to Lighthouse Enterprises

The team at Lighthouse Enterprises helps each client ensure its patients receive timely, accurate, and compassionate care. In an increasingly digital world, our highly trained agents are indispensable in delivering high-quality, patient-centered services.

Reach out to Lighthouse Enterprises to discuss what we can do for your business today!

In today’s competitive market, businesses are always looking for ways to cut costs without compromising quality. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by outsourcing your call center operations. If you’re aiming to expand your customer service support while streamlining your operations, outsourcing your call center to Lighthouse Enterprises can help you save money without sacrificing quality of service.

Here’s how partnering with Lighthouse Enterprises for your call center needs can benefit you.

Why Outsourcing Saves You Money

Outsourcing your call center operations offers several financial advantages. According to Global Response, businesses can significantly reduce costs by leveraging third-party call center services that specialize in white-glove service. Below are four benefits for you to consider:

1. Lower Labor Costs: Hiring and training an in-house team can be expensive and time consuming. By outsourcing to us, you will gain access to a team of trained professionals who are ready to provide exceptional customer service to your clients. This helps eliminate expenses and saves you time associated with onboarding new staff.

2. Reduced Overhead Costs: Maintaining an in-house call center requires investment in technology, space, and staffing. This comes with a high overhead cost. By outsourcing, you eliminate those expenses and free up resources that you can allocate to other areas of your business.

3. Flexibility and Scalability: With an in-house call center, you’re required to have fixed costs, regardless of your call volume and its natural fluctuations. Outsourcing offers the flexibility to scale your operations up or down based on demand. Whether you’re looking for additional support during peak seasons, or need fewer agents during the slower months, Lighthouse Enterprises can provide adjusted support, ensuring you only pay for the services you use.

4. Improved Performance and Efficiency: We employ skilled professionals who specialize in delivering quality customer service. Our team undergoes regular training so that they are familiar with handling various call types and customer interactions, reducing call times and improving efficiency.

Choose Lighthouse Enterprises for White-Glove Services

At Lighthouse Enterprises, we take pride in our white-glove call center services. Simply provide us with your brand standards, intake process, and requirements, and we’ll handle the rest. You will be assigned a dedicated account manager who will oversee your contact center department, including staffing and training. Our customer representatives are 100% U.S.-based, and we consistently see high employee retention rates, especially amongst our mission-driven agents. With a consistent, well-trained team and experienced account managers, we’re confident you’ll be more than satisfied with our services.

Start Saving with Lighthouse Enterprises

If your business is ready to improve in efficiency, save money, and enhance your customer services, Lighthouse Enterprises is the right fit for you. We offer scalable, flexible, call center solutions that are tailored to your business needs, ensuring you get the most out of investing in our services. Contact us at (312) 447-3259.

The more that organizations rely on communication to conduct business, the more vital it becomes to track the progress of their customer service. The country’s – and the world’s – reliance on call centers is only increasing. But the fact is that some customer service operations function better than others, for reasons ranging from disparate internal systems to the high costs of running them.

For better results, companies can partner with call centers that measure their results, showing how they will save you money by reducing your operational inefficiencies.

Upgrading Your Systems and Processes for Better Call Resolution

Upgrading your processes is probably the best way to create a more seamless customer experience. And in spite of all the focus on AI currently, technology still falls short when it comes to resolving problems in customer service departments. Businesses that implement chatbots to answer questions are only addressing part of the problem. They may save money in the short term but will lose clients in the long run due to poor customer experiences that haven’t gone away.

If overhauling your internal communications department seems overwhelming, a better approach might be to outsource your customer service to a center that is equipped to handle all of your organization’s needs. A more efficient system such as an overflow call center service can save money while achieving multiple goals for organizations in healthcare as well as other industries. Whether you’re comparing to your former performance or that of a competitor, benchmarks to look for include:

• Faster scheduling times
• More pre-registrations
• Boost in client and patient verifications before appointments
• Increased scheduling overall

How Lighthouse Measures Results to Retain Talent

Retaining talent is one of those challenges that never seems to go away in this industry. Except when it comes to outliers such as Lighthouse Enterprises. It is a nonprofit that staffs its call centers primarily with people with disabilities, and then invests in ongoing training and education. The result is highly committed call center agents who wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.

The key here is that Lighthouse wouldn’t know how much of a difference its call center agents were making for its clients without measuring their results in a variety of ways. One way the remote call center reviewed its advantage for workforces was by tracking its retention rate. It found that its contact center attrition rate was just 7.2% – in stark contrast with a 45% industry average. Another crucial measurement: nearly all of the clients’ calls are resolved on the spot, without requiring any further actions on the part of the callers.

Efficiency Stems from Call Center Management

Effective call center management also relies heavily on continuous monitoring and coaching. Regularly reviewing performance data and conducting one-on-one coaching sessions with agents helps identify strengths and areas for development. Providing agents with constructive feedback, as well as recognition for good performance, can boost morale and help maintain consistent service quality. Additionally, real-time monitoring and call shadowing allow supervisors to intervene when necessary, ensuring that service levels are consistently met and customers receive timely, effective solutions.

There are other ways to measure your progress as a means of improving your call center performance:

• Implementing surveys
• Total calls resolved
• Call resolution times
• Number of calls per request
• Social media monitoring

Any steps you take to gather insights from customers can reveal pain points and areas where the service may be falling short. By acting on this feedback – whether it involves outsourcing certain roles or refining training programs – companies can stay agile and responsive to customer needs, ultimately exceeding their call center goals.

How Remote Customer Service Can Help You Meet Your Goals

Maybe it’s time for a partner that will work with its own internal team to continually improve results. Lighthouse Enterprises’ inbound call center services are highly scalable to meet each client’s scheduling needs. Our customer-centric approach ensures that service excellence is non-negotiable.

Reach out to Lighthouse Enterprises for a partner that will up your customer service game this year!

It’s been decades since October was declared National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but the messages are more relevant than ever. It’s a reminder that we need to recognize the many accomplishments of workers with disabilities. They play a vital role in maintaining a strong economy and contributing their talent, innovation and hard work across industries.

Some fast facts about this growing community, according to the Center for American Progress:

• Roughly 1.45 million Americans between 16 and 65 have a disability.
• At just over 7%, the unemployment rate for these folks is at an all time low.
• Employment rates are still twice as high among non-disabled as disabled people.

While making changes internally should be considered for businesses that are lagging, there is another, quicker way to make progress: use remote communications services at organizations that hire predominantly disabled workers.

Why Should You Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

Society benefits when people who want to work are able to contribute to society. Still, disabled people face challenges finding work opportunities, which is why businesses need to continue looking for ways to improve accommodations so that skilled workers are able to fill more of the jobs that are available. As Forbes notes, accommodating people with disabilities is just good business. It:

1. Improves employee retention
2. Boosts job productivity
3. Creates safer work environments for everyone
4. Is good for morale

While a strong market and remote work options have helped more people with disabilities get jobs in recent years, more gains could be made in this area. One of the most efficient ways to support disabled communities is to outsource to places like Lighthouse Enterprises, which already has specialized processes built into its operations, enabling them to hire some of the most loyal and dedicated call center agents around.

How Businesses Have Improved Conditions for People with Disabilities

When disabled people make gains, the world is a better place for everyone. Yet sometimes it’s hard to see into the future to anticipate the changes that are needed to accommodate folks. Businesses can look for more ways to accommodate workers who either are or become disabled, and make changes to their workplace in anticipation of future needs.

Consider some advances that have been made in the past that we take for granted today. Prior to the American DIsabilities Act of 1990, wheelchair accessibility was far less common, and discrimination in hiring was prevalent in workplaces. Today, companies are encouraged to also ensure that the job application process and employee benefits reflect the needs of the disabled, in addition to their physical work environment.

Outsourcing Call Center Services Helps Workers with Disabilities – and Supports Research for the Visually Impaired

Another approach you could take is to focus your expertise on a specific disability that requires more intensive accommodations. For example, if your workplace doesn’t fully accommodate the visually impaired, outsourcing to Lighthouse gives you access to a call center with low-vision expertise that already has all the necessary assistive technology in place, and also supports community programming for optometric care.

Ongoing research is also crucial to gains in this area. Lighthouse has served as the testing center for the trial of the world’s first wireless intracortical visual prosthesis (ICVP), groundbreaking technology that has shown promise in enabling a form of artificial vision in the participants using it. By partnering with us, you will also be supporting research that could potentially help countless future workers.

Lighthouse Enterprises Provides Flexible Customer Service Solution

Organizations like Lighthouse that invest in training, technology and accommodations for their workers have been a big part of the solution. Partnering with Lighthouse Enterprises means you are supporting the employment and empowerment of the blind and visually impaired, as well as veterans and other disabled groups, all of which contributes to a more inclusive society.

Contact Lighthouse Enterprises to find out more about how our exceptional call center services can help you improve efficiency and create more satisfied customers at your organization!

This month, National Disability Independence Day (July 26) will mark the 34th anniversary of the day the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was first enacted in 1990. Businesses have many reasons to commemorate this occasion. You could start by recognizing the value of hiring talented workers who may have disabilities but aren’t defined by them.

For example, if you have a high call volume, you could save money by partnering with an off-site specialty call center that hires disabled workers. But there are many ways companies can recognize National Disability Independence Day:

1. Assess your company’s accessibility standards
2. Partner with organizations tied to disabled communities
3. Use remote customer support handled by disabled professionals
4. Educate yourself on skills that disabled groups bring
5. Find out how other businesses are becoming more accessible

Businesses Save Money By Acknowledging the Value of Workers with Disabilities

Partnering with a service provider that specializes in hiring and supporting disabled workers is also a good way to get great service, improve your efficiency, and demonstrate support for a highly trained community.

When paired with the right training and environment – such as the remote call center at Lighthouse Enterprises – callers are assisted by some of the most productive and passionate customer reps a business will find. Lighthouse is an established call center service provider that hires blind, veterans, and otherwise disabled workers. Thanks to their dedication and ongoing education, the staff has succeeded in improving the quality of customer service for countless clients over the years.

Disabled Workers Provide Excellent Call Center Services – and Why That Matters

First, a bit about the importance of excellent customer service care. Whether the calls are inbound or outbound, whether they arrive in the dozens or hundreds, organizations need to address callers’ needs as quickly and accurately as possible. The same holds true no matter where your call center agents are located. What’s important is that they provide excellent services to the customers and patients who contact them.

Why is it crucial to elevate the level of customer support you provide? Consider these recent findings:

1. Roughly nine out of ten customers say they will base future purchasing decisions on the quality of customer service they receive.
2. Profits increase exponentially based on just a small boost in customer retention.
3. Four out of five consumers say only one negative experience is enough to lead them to a competitor – but they will forgive a bad experience if they were treated well.
4. Outsourcing customer service can reduce scheduling delays by 40%.
5. Tasks such as pre-registration and pre-service verification can also improve with outsourced call services.

Consider Customer Support Skills of the Blind, Veterans, and Other Disabled Groups

A customer support organization that ensures ongoing training and accessibility can often provide superior services than what an in-house team is able to produce. That’s why more companies are partnering with fully accessible off-site contact centers such as Lighthouse. Not all companies have the resources to assemble the most talented workers for all of their inbound and outbound communications needs.

Using an off-site contact center that specializes in disabled workers for your spillover calls is a great way to bridge the gap in your services.

Take Advantage of the Latest Assistive Devices – and Partners That Use Them

Some visually impaired agents at Lighthouse Enterprises use the latest assistive devices so they can perform tasks and address callers’ needs as quickly and efficiently as possible. This includes adapted materials that were created specifically for workers with disabilities. Companies should also ensure that professionals with mobility limitations have what they need to manage day-to-day tasks.

Why Celebrating Disability Independence Makes Good Business Sense

Not every business has the resources of an organization that specializes entirely in supporting the requirements of a specific disabled group. When you outsource to Lighthouse, you’re getting customized solutions while supporting an enterprise that invests in research to continue enabling blind and visually impaired workers to do their jobs as well as possible. This extends to experimental devices that use visual technology to transmit key information to workers in real time.

Lighthouse Produces the Best Customer Service Outcomes for Its Clients

At Lighthouse, our access to cutting edge technology is one of the reasons our support center has a much stronger ability to hold onto good workers than other support providers. Not only is worker retention a major struggle in this industry, but it translates to lost dollars for businesses. What we do has the opposite effect – help clients streamline their customer support for better business outcomes.

Contact Lighthouse Enterprises to support disabled workers and get better customer service solutions today.