Hello everyone

In a Collections based call centre (ideally). Has anybody done any testing/MI to compare the different customer response rates to manually left outbound answer machine messages v's played messages via the dialler. Our 'played message' does not specify the custome name - e.g. 'please call us on xxx between xx'.

It is a general assumption that by leaving a manual message (allowing the dialler to pass answer machines to the agent) then you can address to the actual customer by name - therefore you wil get a better response. What I need to know is whether a) you do actually get a better response and b) assuming you do - do the extra gains outweigh the loss of agent productivity by having to deal with more answer machines?

Your thoughts are appreciated

Andy

Being on the receiving end of many collections calls, I can offer you my own insight. I hope you haven't been calling me, because I should not want to aid the enemy!

Automated messages are very likely to be ignored, for several reasons. First, most of the auto-messages I receive are not correctly triggered to wait for the beep. What I get is "8967. Please call us back and reference that case number." Makes returning the call pretty much impossible. Issue two: the impersonal and unemotional message is very easy to dismiss, as it does not convey any sense of urgency.

On the other hand, personal messages may swing the other way. Aggressive and or rude messages from collectors can result in legal issues or accounts being remove from your care. I have had to file complaints regarding, to put it politley, over-zealous agents.

To summerize: you may get better response from personal messgaes, but the automated ones probably won't get you in trouble.

Do customers ignore auto left messages? Remember auto left messages can act as a first touch for customers especially for those new into collections. It saves the customer the embarrassment having to discuss their finances with a live agent, and can act as a gentle reminder to pop a down to the bank and make a payment. (Providing your company name is part of the left massage) People don’t always understand that customer service element.

For those that do ignore the auto left message, then a spot of prime time dialling wouldn’t go a miss…… try Saturday or Sunday night that should do it!

; )

Hi,

I once ran a recoveries business with this same challenge for a large global heavily involved in Six Sigma.

A green belt project was conducted on electronic message vs agent personal message. ultimatley cutting out all of the steps the increase in a debtor returning your call from a electroni message was 35% less than a agent leaving their contact details NO NAMES OR ACCOUNT NUMBERS as this stops debtors who dont wish to call about outstanding monies.
From those who called back from this standard agent message this was then calculated to understand how many PTP's actually converted showed an increase in 16% in revenue from those account which were inactive prior to the agent message.

If you calcultae this in DPU defects per Unit

Total no of defects (electronic mails)
--------------------------------------
total no of accounts in the campaign

This will give you the calcultaion on what your missing out on from the electonic vs Agent VM (do the calculation on Agent VM)

I say this because you dialler shouldnt be leaving the electronic mail until you have exhausted your number of phone calls in a day and then on the final call of the day you should either leave the EM or AVM which ever you choose this also has a huge impact on your penetartion levels - which also impact your promise to pay results.

Hope this helps

Thanks Richard

can you tell me what the actual response rates were to both played and manually left messages?