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What are Response Handling Services? + 3 Benefits

Posted on 15 November 20235 January 2024 by Mango

‘Response Handling’ is a term that spans across so many sectors, it can often be difficult to find the exact information and services you’re looking for!

At Mango, response handling is one of our core offerings, taking the weight off organisations who want to save time, money and resources.

In this blog, we dive deep into the world of response handling, uncovering what it is, the process behind it, and a few benefits thrown in for good measure, too!

What is Response Handling?

In our industry, response handling is a standalone service that relates to managing, processing and delivering returns from fulfilment mailers and surveys to your customer base.

In our 15 years of offering response handling as a service, Mango has provided solutions to both charity and corporate markets. Examples include appeal mailing, catalogue coupons, raffle returns or market research surveys (to name a few).

One of our most popular services, response handling provides our clients with a reliable secure, flexible service, offering great peace of mind all while being a speedy, cost-effective and compliant solution!

hands organising orange filing system - response handling

Response Handling: The Process

Regardless of how a campaign works – whether it be via phone, email, live chat or letters – being able to process audience responses effectively is imperative.

Accepting mailer returns is a complex, careful operation, requiring several steps that need to be mastered to ensure a totally seamless service. As such, here is a *brief* insight into our process here at Mango…

Our response handling process includes:

Opening and batching: Our dedicated team opens, sorts and batches large volumes of mail quickly and efficiently into smaller, manageable ‘piles’ that make the next steps faster and more accurate;
Data entering and validation: To ensure the highest quality service, we update, clean and validate data in compliance with ISO 9001 standards, all while having as many automated procedures in place to support the process;
Scanning: We scan, upload and store data on a secure site (either chosen by the client or provided by Mango) that is credentials protected;
Banking: We link into your credit card processor to take payment as well as manage cheques and postal orders, alleviating administrative tasks for our clients’ inhouse teams;
Returning and reporting: We return data transfers to the client in a secure format, complete with bespoke income reporting and copy scans for transparency and future checks.

With this tried and tested process, we assure that no stone is left unturned and that clients can rest easy knowing that we are managing their response handling with the utmost care and attention.

3 Benefits of Response Handling Services

While we’ve already touched on some of the benefits you can expect from response handling services – here’s a few of our favourites…

Reduces Inhouse Admin

With response handling, it can sometimes be difficult to predict volume. If managing inhouse, it can be gamble because depending on the success of a campaign, resources can easily become overstretched and there may not be enough support to handle responses swiftly or efficiently.

With it being an intricate, admin-heavy operation – outsourcing response handling to an experienced, specialist company means the load can be shifted to a team that already work daily with a fully implemented, streamlined process that feels like second nature.

As a result, a client’s inhouse team can continue to thrive in their day-to-day roles and focus on optimising other areas of the organisation instead!

It’s Fast, Accurate and Secure

Response handling services provide long-term satisfaction to our clients because it ticks so many boxes from an operational and cost-saving standpoint, such as:

Fine-tuned processes and state-of-the-art technologies mean responses can be processed faster and more accurately, so both data and income can be received sooner
With an IT team of over 100 years combined experience, we provide robust systems and the highest levels of security, with a secure response handling room which is access controlled with CCTV as well as being fully PCI compliant

Having a professional team to take care of the above can reap so many rewards – especially considering studies have found that customers’ expectations for speed and responsiveness escalate every year without fail, and that data security and privacy issues are a concern for 79% of people!

A Flexible and Scalable Service

With any campaign, it can be difficult to know exactly what the outcomes will be. That’s why it’s so beneficial to have a team that can easily flex up and down to suit spikes and lulls.

With an outsourced response handling company like Mango, we can offer resources to expertly manage this variable, often time-sensitive work. Plus, as a support to our response handling service, we can also take inbound calls, live payments, send thank you letters via post or email, make outbound calls to responders and lots more!

Not only this, but we can also manage response handling as a full-time service, or at peak times like Christmas.

Mango’s Response Handling Services

At Mango, we understand that proactive response handling increases income, insights and positive experience for both our clients and their customers/supporters.

That’s why we provide tailor-made, end-to-end response handling solutions to support all sectors, including charities and corporates.

Here’s what you can expect from our response handling services:

A bespoke service to suit your campaign aims
Dedicated, skilled and experienced team assigned specifically for you
A team with a passion for campaign optimisation; productively offering ideas and solutions
An experienced IT team that are situated inhouse; always on call to provide technical assistance and security

Whether you want to fully outsource your campaign on a large scale, or perhaps you need a helping hand with ad-hoc support, we would love to chat more about how Mango Direct Marketing can help!

The Benefits of an Inhouse IT Team

Posted on 2 November 20232 November 2023 by Mango

When people think of inhouse IT teams, the phrase “Have you tried turning it off and on again?” usually springs to mind. As a full-service Contact Centre with our own internal IT team, we can assure you that they’re nothing like the ‘IT Crowd’ you might be thinking about!

In fact, having an outsourced Contact Centre with its very own IT department comes with some superior benefits. From rapid internal systems support to end-to-end campaign builds and report production, right through to new tech deployment and 24-hour cover – they really are campaign life savers.

Read on to find out how our inhouse IT team are so imperative to us, and our clients!

*We promise you won’t hear this line from our guys! Source: People Management*

Experienced and Open-Minded Team

Having been in the telemarketing industry for over 15 years at Mango, the department is further backed up by another 35 years within the industry cumulatively – and many years across other sectors such as finance, software houses and manufacturing.

We match our expertise with fresh ideas, and love to hire up-and-coming IT talent who bring outside-the-box perspectives to an ever-changing environment.

We also pride ourselves on our strong links to SERC, our local college, and each year welcome students for 12-week work placements, helping to build their skills and advance the existing team’s knowledge, too!

Instant Support Onsite

With developers, analysts and systems all onsite, instant support gives a distinct advantage. No waiting on a third party, making numerous phone calls, waiting in queues (the list goes on) – our reaction times to the situation are instant.

The team are not just on-hand for Mango, but our clients as well, and are usually an extension of the client’s own IT team, helping where we can to bridge any shortfall in resources.

Having a team that are not only highly trained and skilled – but also exceptionally talented – means they are natural problem solvers that can ensure a speedy, robust solution for our clients, and a smooth day-to-day operation for our staff.

Full Understanding of Your Operations, Systems and Networks

With telemarketing, technology solutions must be all-encompassing. That’s because there is so much to consider and cover in order to provide the best service possible, such as:

Telephony management (DDIs/NGNs)
Hardware
Software
Security (internally and externally)
Campaign reporting and analysis
Script building and management
Application development and integration

With so many critical elements to manage, comes the need for intricate knowledge of internal operations, systems and networks – something that would take years for a third-party IT solution to grasp.

As our Technology Director has over 25 years of experience working in IT and has been the main overseer of every IT project in Mango for the last 15 years – it’s safe to say the team know a thing or two about how to facilitate a successful campaign!

Inhouse, we can manage a campaign from start to finish. From your first idea to a phone call or text from a customer or supporter through to your team looking at management reports – Mango IT are involved at every step.

Close Relationship with Other Departments

A campaign has lots of moving parts, with a range of departments working in tandem to help it seamlessly grow from strength to strength.

With multiple clients and campaigns running at once – our Contact Centre Operations, Client Management and IT teams like to meet daily to discuss new tasks, brainstorm new solutions and allocate assignments.

Plus, with all teams in the one office building, staff are only a short walk or flight of stairs away! This means that actions can be taken instantly, projects can be worked on collaboratively, and everything is a team effort with no delays or roadblocks.

Inhouse IT Teams Have More Room to Innovate

Having an internal IT team means they can spot areas for improvement and create new, innovative solutions for both major and monotonous operations.

One of the most impressive and invaluable solutions our IT team has designed, built and deployed is ‘MHub’; our very own internal platform which houses a range of innovative web applications. MHub is accessed company-wide, allowing each staff member to login to manage their own admin where applicable.

Some of the applications within MHub include:

MPlayer: Our own fully integrated, PCI compliant call recording system, used by both managers and clients to access calls and monitor quality scores.
Holidays: Allows staff to request holidays, change shifts and log sickness. The app also sends automated alerts to the relevant managers to review requests, as well as notifies employees to inform them of request responses.
MChat: Our internal chat platform for staff to communicate across all levels of the business.
Campaign Schedule: Enables our Resourcing team to determine where campaigns can be placed to best suit the client and our internal teams.
Agent Journey: Enabling Managers to add information about their teams to inform strengths and areas of improvement e.g. Team Leaders can add results, a Client Manager can add client feedback, Training Managers can log call monitoring etc.
Campaign Analytics: Where data from any campaign can be reviewed to identify patterns/trends, which we use to ensure client campaigns are as optimised as possible.
‘Mouse’s Wheel of Fortune’: An application that gives staff the chance to win prizes e.g. vouchers, experiences and retail goods based on their performance.

While every application within MHub is purpose-built and meets specific needs, they each exist to ultimately improve processes within Mango and optimise client campaigns.

For example: our call recording and listening application, MPlayer, helps both our teams and clients monitor performance and quality. Our staff can use these calls for training and benchmarking purposes, and clients can use these to keep track of their campaigns and fuel calibration sessions with the Mango team to continuously collaborate and boost success.

All-In-One Inhouse Solution

There are plenty more reasons why having an inhouse IT team is beneficial, but we really could go on forever!

Having an outsourced full-service Contact Centre solution means your campaign is good hands at every stage, with experts there when you need them to problem solve and optimise across all areas.

At Mango, we are a team of innovative, ethical professionals with a wealth of telemarketing experience in all its aspects. There’s not a lot we can’t answer, so if you are seeking an all-in-one Contact Centre solution, please talk to Mango today!

Mango’s Tips on How to Start Your Sustainable Business Journey

Posted on 18 October 202313 November 2023 by Mango

Nowadays, being a sustainable business is a benchmark for success.

No matter your industry, environmental friendliness taps into all aspects. For example, many customers prefer products made with sustainable materials, employees will favour companies with ethical stances, and clients are more likely to choose suppliers that support eco-friendly initiatives.

Not only this – but being a sustainable business comes with many benefits that go beyond ticking a box. It reduces costs, saves money, creates greater employee satisfaction, and most importantly – saves the planet!

How to Start Being a Sustainable Business Today

With so many good reasons to act sustainably, you may be wondering: ‘Where do I even start?!’

Here’s a few tips from our team on how we started our journey as a sustainable business, and how we maintain it to this day:

Start With Your Office

It may feel like a big move initially, but making your office space greener is the best, most critical place to start!

When you think about what it means to be an eco-friendly business, your first thoughts go to being:

More energy efficient
Reducing waste generation
Recycling what you use
Reducing pollution

Here’s how we suggest you get started…

Establishing new policies and practices will help you make positive changes more quickly. This doesn’t have to be a daunting task – a couple of easy first steps can include introducing recycling bins and educating your employees on what can/can’t be recycled through informative posters and emails. There’s lots of fantastic resources available online from leading organisations such as WWF, Our Planet and STEM – but you could go a step further and invite local environmental specialists and consultants to do training sessions with your team.

Make efforts to go paperless where you can. You can start by reducing the amount of paper your office uses by implementing a ‘only print if necessary’ rule, allocating a certain amount of printing credits per person and only placing orders for recycled paper.

You can also invest in energy efficient office equipment and remind your staff to power down and turn all the lights off at the end of the day.

The less waste you produce, the more you alleviate pressure on landfills and greenhouse gas emissions. Giving reusables to your employees is a great way to achieve this. Whether it be reuseable water bottles or coffee cups – these items make a huge difference to the environment. Plus, you can get them branded which help with advertising your business, fostering a positive work culture, boosting employee morale, and creating a strong sense of belonging within your company! It may be an investment, but it really is a win-win.

orange mango mugs - sustainable reusables — *Branded reusables are a great way to promote your business and achieve sustainability goals.*

Engage Employees in Sustainable Initiatives

Being a sustainable business is a collaborative process. Everyone has a role to play in being more environmentally conscious, and so having support from employees across all levels will help you make a greater impact.

As such, employees need to be engaged so they not only understand the importance of being sustainable – but they also believe in the cause and feel passionate about making changes to help the planet.

Aside from notifying staff on what they can do – it’s worth involving them in the bigger picture, too. Whether it be taking part in a suggestions box, a small focus group, or a company-wide update meeting every quarter – your employees will feel more invested in your sustainability mission if they play a role in the process, no matter how big or small.

You can also create incentives around sustainability, such as offering rewards for employees who cycle to work. You can even turn sustainability into challenges, such as zero-waste days or bring-your-own-lunch days.

mango van outside storehouse north down - man giving trolley full of food to foodbank - sustainable initiative — *Last Christmas, the Mango team donated food and gifts to local foodbank Storehouse North Down.*

Give Back to Charity

You might already be donating to charity, but there’s ways you can place sustainability at the forefront of your charitable efforts.

For example, when you donate items to the community such as clothing and food, you prevent them from going to landfill. At certain times of the year when waste and poverty is at its highest, supporting local foodbanks will mean you’re helping both social and environmental causes.

Monetary donations or team volunteering opportunities can also be part of your sustainability mission. Your company might work with non-profit organisations that support environmental conservation. It could even be part of your business model. For example, many companies opt for planting trees to aid reforestation.

At Mango, we have planted 250 trees via Treeapp, one for every employee that works at the company.

woman in background planting trees - white text stating 'we have planted 250 trees via treapp' — *Treeapp is an easy way to increase and track your company’s positive environmental impact.*

(Find out more ideas on how businesses can support charities over on our blog!)

Obtain a Credible Sustainability Certification

Certifications are an excellent way to benchmark and score your sustainability practices.

Meeting all the requirements to earn a credential lets you know your business is doing things right. It also helps you identify any blind spots you can improve upon, and shows customers and clients that you are committed to being environmental and ethical in your practices.

Not only this, but because many certifications include a provision for continual improvement, it means you’ll always be kept right in how you approach sustainable practices and informed of new ways you can make waves with saving the planet.

We recommend ISO 14001, an internationally agreed and recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems which supports organisations in identifying, managing, monitoring and controlling environmental processes and requires them to assess environmental issues relevant to their operations e.g. waste management, resource use and efficiency.

This type of certification is suitable for organisations of all types and sizes and includes many benefits, such as:

Demonstrating green credentials
Reducing costs, overheads and wastage
Focusing on proactive management
Impressing existing clients
Better employee engagement
Improving your reputation
Ensuring legislative awareness and compliance
Winning more business

At Mango, we have been working towards both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and will be accredited by the end of 2023 – we are so excited!

Becoming a Sustainable Business is a Journey

Becoming a sustainable business can be slow, steady journey – but it’s certainly a worthwhile one if it means preserving our planet for the years to come.

If you have any other questions or advice on how to get started – please feel free to get in touch with the team today or leave a comment below!

The 4 Benefits of Office Working

Posted on 3 October 20233 October 2023 by Mango

There’s no denying that since 2020, the way we work has completely changed. Almost every industry had to alter their day-to-day routines: with in-person office chats turning into Slack group channels, and boardroom meetings being swapped for screen sharing.

While these digital tools played a vital role in keeping us connected throughout erratic lockdowns, we always felt that there was something missing. Office working almost seemed like a ‘days gone by’ thing – something which we weren’t ready to let go of here at Mango!

The Benefits of Office Working

Now that we’ve returned to better days, the entire Mango team is (thankfully) back to being fully office-based – or, what we like to call – ‘back to normal’! To show our appreciation, we thought it would be fitting to run through the four top things we love about office working. So here they are…

Increased Collaboration

The famous quote “alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” springs to mind when talking about collaboration. It’s so true though – working solo can only get you so far, whereas working in a team can help broaden potential in so many ways.

At Mango, we firmly believe that joining forces with others is what sparks creativity and strengthens work ethic. When you share a space with other like-minded people, it is far easier to voice ideas and stimulate productivity.

Whether it be in a training group, or in a brainstorming meeting – a positive energy and working atmosphere cannot be replicated remotely or through video calls, and it is 100% essential for the success of any team!

Builds Better Relationships

It’s rare that people make time for a proper chat with one another during a purposely scheduled Zoom meeting. Whether it be a spontaneous chat by the water cooler or in the communal kitchen – it’s these little moments that cement familiarity and develop relationships.

It doesn’t matter if it’s about a work-related topic or a personal problem, this social cohesion is what generates a company culture that gives people a sense of confidence and belonging.

At Mango, we strive to continuously nurture our culture by initiating regular in-office competitions, activities and events. We love it because not only does it create a social buzz, but it boosts team spirit and turns professional relationships into personal ones. You’ve maybe seen from our social media channels just how close the Mango family is!

Boosts Faster Learning

Being based in an office, especially if you’re just starting a new job, leads to speedier progress. Why? Because people experience a wide range of situations which they can learn from – something that is vital when it comes to professional development.

Plus, having managers present in the room makes all the difference to someone’s performance and growth. No need to bombard anyone with instant messages or phone calls! Instead, if there is a reliable presence nearby that you can lean on to ask for advice or share ideas with, this resolves problems quickly and ultimately benefits everyone!

Improved Wellbeing

Believe it or not, a huge 41% of people felt more anxious and isolated than ever due to lockdown!

That’s one of the reasons why we believe office working is so important. It’s the greetings of ‘good morning’, the in-office jokes and the farewells of ‘see you tomorrow’ that are so simple yet so effective in making someone feel valued.

Of course, wellbeing depends on a lot more than that, but it’s the small things as well as the big things that keep people feeling happy and healthy in their workplace.

Also, while balancing home and work life can keep us on our toes at the best of times – the good thing about office working is that the office provides a clear place of work. A place where people can physically leave at the end of each day and mentally switch off from until they return. This sets healthy boundaries, reduces stress, and promotes a better lifestyle overall.

At Mango, we know we deliver more from the heart of our office. So much so, that we’ve invested in purchasing the building next door so we can give our staff the space they need to be the best that they can be.

Of course, there’s plenty more where that came from – check out our video for more benefits of office working – or as we like to call it – #MangoWorking!

Getting Ready for Christmas: Your Essential Telemarketing Checklist

Posted on 22 August 202322 August 2023 by Mango

We may still have a few weeks of summer left, but it won’t be long until the most wonderful, busiest time of the year kicks in!

Yep, that’s right…we’re talking about getting ready for Christmas.

We can almost smell the mulled wine, taste the mince pies…and feel the chaotic buzz that comes with trying to prepare as much as possible before the big day comes.

While Christmas is always a manic time, last year total retail sales reached over 82 billion in the UK, making it the largest spending country compared with others in Europe. Plus, in 2022, half of people were more inclined to give to charities at Christmas, despite the current cost of living crisis.

While this is great for corporates and charities alike – this demand means they must not only carefully plan their marketing and supply – but also their customer and supporter service provision.

With this in mind, it helps to be ready to jingle bell rock! As a Contact Centre, we are well-versed in the hectic run-up to Christmas, so let’s run through everything you need to sleigh this upcoming season…

Your Full Christmas Checklist for Telemarketing

They do say the best way to be organised is to make a list! Albeit a different type of Christmas list…

If you know your business or organisation will be affected by the festive rush, then it’s worth reviewing the key points in this checklist to make sure you’re as ready for Christmas as you can be…

1. Understand Your Goals

It may seem simple to determine that at Christmas, the main goal of organisations is to generate as much income as possible compared to the previous year.

But with this overarching goal, comes a lot of objectives to make sure your target audience experience is seamless and enjoyable. By putting the people who are the key to your success first – then you can be sure that you’re starting things off on a positive track.

The first few questions to ask yourself are:

‘How can my target audience reach me?’
‘If my target audience need to get in touch, can my inhouse team manage the influx?’
‘What is my contingency plan if my resources become limited?’

These may feel like pretty big questions to ask – but they are essential so you can properly prepare, and ensure you are building loyalty, generating a good reputation and increasing demand.

2. Forecast Volumes

Data is your best friend when it comes to predicting call volumes.

For example, you can use existing data to generate reports showing how your organisation performed during the holiday season last year. From here, you can use this as a benchmark to estimate what to expect this year in terms of resource management.

Another area to consider is your audience and employee feedback. Their experiences can provide you with valuable insights into how you can improve services from last year.

We also recommend looking at peaks within the peak season (e.g. Black Friday, flash discounts, postal Christmas appeals etc.) and assessing whether short-term outsourced support would help better manage this.

3. Scale Up Your Resources

Once you have a greater understanding of your goals and have estimated your contact volume, the next step is scaling up your resources to cater to those who need to reach you.

With demand suddenly skyrocketing during the Christmas season, it’s no surprise that some companies and charities alike struggle to keep up. Not only that, but it’s also the time of the year when patience is at its thinnest, as people try to get everything done ahead of the Christmas cut-offs and New Year closures.

As such, it’s only natural that your team will experience high levels of stress during peak periods. The best solution to this problem is hiring a specialist telemarketing agency to help ease the workload.

Hiring a Contact Centre during the Christmas holidays comes with many benefits, as it can help all organisations with:

Mitigating risks
Leveraging extensive experience
Saving time
Motivating staff
Meeting demand
Reducing costs
Boosting loyalty
Increasing sales and satisfaction
Generating leads
Improving efficiency
Being available 24/7/365 when you can’t be

The best part? All of this comes with no disruption to existing operations, it really is a win, win!

Not only this, but by outsourcing to a Contact Centre, you are investing in building relationships and bonds with your audience. Being professional communicators and listeners is just some of the many skills our advisors possess – but it’s what ensures retention and a good reputation.

4. Consider Omnichannel Support

We understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how people communicate with organisations.

While being available via phone remains most favoured, offering alternative options is a must-have for satisfying and retaining your audience. And during an extremely busy Christmas period, omnichannel support may turn out to be your saviour!

Some ways you can ease up your call queues is by directing people to other channels, such as email, live chat or social media. These are great options to have as they fit into people’s busy lifestyles, can be managed on-the-go, and people can get instant access to a real person to help with their question(s).

Are You Ready for Christmas? Let Mango Help!

While we know summer isn’t over yet, now is the time to get ready for the craziness that is Christmas!

We all know being prepared has its inevitable perks; the less stress you’re under, the more you can look forward to Christmas and enjoy the festivities with your team!

Having been in the telemarketing industry 15 years now, Mango has well and truly mastered the art of managing telecommunications and support services on behalf of organisations of all sizes and sectors during the busiest time of the year. Our video below says it all…

Let us take the stress off so you can enjoy the Christmas season! Talk to Mango today.

How to Best Use Email for Customer Service

Posted on 8 August 202322 August 2023 by Mango

There’s a very good reason why we call ourselves a ‘Contact Centre’.

It’s because in today’s ever-evolving world, we are now spoilt for choice when it comes to communicating! From phone calls to emails, live chat to social media – getting in touch is literally just a few taps away.

Using email as a contact method has long been a firm-favourite among customers, staff and companies alike. Not only are they convenient, they’re super easy to track and they save time.

But using email for customer service is a very different game compared to other methods, and is only truly effective with the right tips and tricks. As we have been a professional email management service provider for the last 15 years, you can be sure we have a few up our sleeve!

In this blog, we reveal how we ensure great results using email for customer service…

How to Ensure Effective Emails for Customer Service

While anyone can write an email, believe it or not, there is a knack to being a pro when using it for customer interactions. So long as you tick the boxes below – you’ll be on a roll – trust us!

Set Up Automatic Email Acknowledgements

When a customer sends an email, it’s common courtesy these days to set up an automatic response that they’ll receive instantly.

It might not contain the exact answer they’re looking for – but it’s a great way to put a customer’s mind at ease. How? Well…

It lets them know that their query has been delivered
It gives you a chance to thank them for their time and get the communication off to a positive start
It allows you to set expectations, e.g. inform them when they can expect a response from a customer service agent
You can direct them to helpful resources that you have available, e.g. an FAQ page, social media channels etc.

In short: customers value companies that deliver prompt responses, rather than ones that have them feeling left in a limbo. Automation is an easy, effective way to meet this need.

Remember Your ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You’s

While it is common sense to have good manners in customer service, it’s worth reiterating how it makes a world of difference in any and every situation.

For example, not remembering general niceties can be enough to lose a customer. People have high expectations these days, and missing out on showing consideration is very difficult to recover from – especially with emails being trackable!

Having templates ready-made for yourself or your colleagues is a super effective way to ensure manners are never put on the backburner. Plus, it saves lots of typing time!

Some phrases we recommend using are:

‘I hope you are well today’
‘Thank you for getting in touch with us’
‘Please can I ask for more information regarding XYZ’
‘I look forward to hearing from you’
‘Many thanks again for your query’

Respond With Either an Explanation and/or a Solution

Once your autoreply has been sent, it’s vital to investigate the customer’s query as soon as you can.

If you have a timeframe to work to (e.g. 24/48 hours), responding to them within or well before the deadline is ideal. Every scenario is different, but for more complex queries, don’t try to rush yourself. It’s important that you take your time so you can be thorough, and find solid answers to the questions asked to limit escalations.

Even if you don’t have a full explanation, remember to keep the customer up-to-date regularly with progress reports, just to keep them in the loop.

Of course, there will be other queries that you can resolve quickly and easily. Just make sure you educate the customer so they are gaining more value than just the answer they were looking for. This could be the case if they ask your opening times, for example. You can give them the answer, then highlight where this information is available on your website/social media channels.

Going back to the customer with an explanation and a solution will provide them with a sense of relief, knowing that their situation is in good hands.

Remember to Follow-Up

Whether it be an order confirmation, a ‘thank you’ after a donation, or a summary of next steps when dealing with a more complicated query – sending a follow-up email puts the customer at the forefront – no matter how big or small their initial reason for getting in touch was.

Being a Contact Centre, we know a thing or two about how important keeping in touch is – that’s why we use email services in conjunction with our telephony.

We find sending email responses at the end of calls, depending on the outcome, request, or individual requirement, makes for a great ‘switched-on’ approach to servicing customers.

Depending on the need, we do this either manually, or through automation. Either way, it provides added value in a world where customers expect more from companies and organisations.

Email Management Services at Mango

If your customer service emails are getting on top of you – fear not! That’s what Mango’s here for.

As an expert email management company, we will dedicate ourselves to learn all about your business, so that we can answer queries with confidence in the tone of your brand.

Whether it be a permanent fix, or a matter of lending a helping hand during a seasonal spike in volume; by outsourcing your email management to Mango, we help free up your internal resources, saving you precious time at a cost effective price.

Want to get started? Or have any other questions? Let’s chat! You can talk to Mango by phoning 028 9147 5200, emailing info@talktomango.com, or dropping us a message here!

For more top tips and insights, check out the rest of our blog.

Tracking Call Quality: Our Top Hints and Hacks

Posted on 25 July 202325 July 2023 by Mango

Call quality impacts everything in a Contact Centre; from operational efficiency to client satisfaction.

In an ideal world, it would be nice to assume that everything is always hunky-dory – but tracking progress is an essential procedure to ensure service is continuously optimised.

At Mango, we have honed the art of nurturing, tracking and improving call quality – in several ways in fact!

In this blog, we provide a full rundown of hints and hacks that we use to ensure call quality is in tip-top shape. But before that, let’s look at why it’s important to do in the first place…

The Importance of Call Quality Checks

Whether a person is calling to make a donation, purchase an item, or ask for assistance – they will likely encounter the brief message: “This call may be monitored for training and quality purposes.”

While this is a common occurrence in this day and age and may go unnoticed by most – this plays a huge part in how Contact Centres like ourselves measure how well a query is being handled.

This is vital because, according to 123 Form Builder’s 2023 customer service statistics, how we manage interactions and provide experiences is now more important (and demanding) than ever before:

Customer support requests are up to 14% from last year;
81% of people claim that receiving good customer service makes them more likely to return;
70% of the conversion experience is based on how the customer is treated;
More than 60% of customers now expect companies to meet all their needs;
64% of businesses say they can notice sales growth due to good customer service.

If done right, these benchmarks for success can reap many rewards across the board. For example:

Positive interactions provide an enjoyable experience for both the caller and the agent;
Consistently good experiences can nurture client-customer relationships and boost reputation;
Agents will enjoy praise, recognition and a boost in morale.

How We Track Call Quality at Mango

We understand that every agent will have different skills. So, to ensure the above outcomes, we track call quality in different ways to help identify gaps and set new goals as a result…

Call Recording and Listening

Call recording and listening is a classic quality monitoring method. It gives a first-hand, detailed insight into how calls flow, how the agent solves problems, how rapport is built, and so much more!

Using our very own PCI-compliant call recording app, designed inhouse by our expert IT team, our Contact Centre management and client services teams can securely listen to calls to spot areas for improvement from both an agent and process perspective.

These calls are then used to aid agent training and client calibration sessions…

Call Calibration

Call calibration sessions are regular meetings held between our client services team and clients to discuss and rate calls.

Not only do we understand that every agent is different, but we also know that each client has different expectations and requirements. Call calibration is the key to unlocking what these are, so we can work with transparency and partnership at the forefront.

At Mango, we believe this strategy helps to:

Define best practices
Determine preferred call flows and formats
Optimise scripts
Set new objectives
Revisit how areas have been improved

We then use this information to map out feedback sessions with agents, or examine new processes and approaches that will enhance efficiency, productivity and quality.

Feedback Sessions

At Mango, we host regular ‘1-2-1’ meetings between Team Leaders and Contact Centre agents. They are used primarily to give agents feedback, but are also used to check-in with how they’re doing/feeling, and help them grow in their roles.

Having dedicated feedback sessions with agents gives them the perfect opportunity to reflect, learn and adapt – therefore optimising their performance over time. This is where the call recordings come in handy – allowing them to listen to their skills in action (as well as other agents’ high-quality calls), independently score themselves and identify focus points for the future.

Having the Right Tools

High-quality service is delivered in several ways. While the agent will be responsible for the spoken interaction, they still need additional tools to provide a totally seamless experience.

Our Contact Centre management and client services teams are always brainstorming and strategising new ways we can make processes sleeker and better than they were before.

Enter: our fabulous IT team to make the dream a reality!

With thanks to them, we have been able to create bespoke systems, tools and apps to ensure campaigns are fully catered for. Not only this, but they have also developed many internal solutions which help with tracking quality, such as:

Agent journey app – a record of agent progress
Staff training app – a record of what training they have completed/are yet to complete
Agent notes app – a space for agents to securely store training notes
MChat – our internal-only chat platform for staff to communicate updates across all levels of the business

Ensuring Consistent Call Quality

Quality monitoring is a continual process that forms an integral part of business operations, no matter what industry you’re in!

By implementing the above hacks into our daily processes, we have spotted huge opportunities for both our clients and staff, as they have allowed us to consistently evaluate and improve performance.

If you are looking for a high-quality Contact Centre solution – talk to Mango today!

Customer Service Tips – Hear it From the Experts!

Posted on 11 July 202311 July 2023 by Mango

No matter what industry you work in, it helps to know how to give someone a great experience.

Being a pro in customer service goes a long way in making a memorable impression. We’ve seen it first-hand – from our internal client service teams right through to our HR department – building a rapport is key in setting yourself apart from the rest!

So, if you’re on the lookout for some customer service tips and suggestions – the experts at Mango have you covered.

The Best Piece of Customer Service Advice We Can Give You…

While there are many ‘quick wins’ that achieve good customer service, it is best to have a solid understanding of what makes a real difference.

We live by what is known as “the three ‘Ps’” – AKA the most important qualities of customer service. That being said – in true Mango fashion – we’ve added a fourth element to the mix that we think is just as imperative.

These three qualities centre around:

Professionalism
Patience
Having a ‘People-first’ attitude
And, our fourth addition: being Proactive

Although it varies from customer to customer, as long as you’re following these guidelines, you’ll always be on the right track!

Here’s a few more top tips that are also fail-safe:

Be as Accessible as Possible

These days, customers want instant responses and resolutions. So, the more accessible you are, the more easily you can meet the needs of more people.

There’s a lot of things you can do to tick this box, such as:

Being open 24/7
Being available across multiple channels, including calls, email, live chat, social media, SMS and more
Making sure whatever methods you can be contacted on are obvious via your website’s homepage, contact page and social media channels

By doing this, you are proving that you are customer-focused, and that you’re invested in helping them with whatever query they may have, at whatever point in the day suits them.

Use the Right Tools

If you want to deliver the best possible support, then it benefits to have the right platforms and tools in place.

For us – whether it be answering calls or emails – we would be nowhere without our inhouse IT team. These guys are there to make sure we have all the essential components for great customer service – from data, equipment, software and scripts as and when we need. Thanks to this, we can effortlessly handle whatever is thrown at us, as everything is programmed to automatically guide us through each step of the way!

Helpful resources can be anything and everything – from handy cheat sheets, project-dedicated chat channels, to even industry-specific newsletters. These all add up in optimising your customer service, plus they make your life a lot easier, too!

Always Thank the Customer, No Matter What

Customer appreciation is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it can help make customers happy. And a happy customer is more likely to not only come back, but also spread the good word about your excellent service.

Everyone likes to feel valued, and customers are no different. That’s why it’s vital to say thank you and go above and beyond in any and every situation.

You can find more specific tips about rapport building techniques to boost your call quality over on our blog page.

Use Positive Language

Positive language is a great way to avoid accidental conflicts sprung from miscommunication. While it happens to the best of us, being proactive works wonders in changing a conversation around.

For example, a customer wishes to buy a product, but it is back-ordered for a month. Consider the following responses:

Negative language: “I can’t get you that product until next month. It is back-ordered and unavailable at this time.”
Positive language: “What a great purchase. That product will be available next month. I can place the order for you right now and make sure that it is sent to you the minute its available!”

What a difference it makes telling your customers what you can do for them instead of what you can’t! Redirecting the conversation from negative to positive places focus on the solution, rather than the problem. When the outcome takes centre stage, it eases the situation and distracts from potential backlash.

There’s lots more customer service tips that we could give you, but we’ll save these for another blog, and leave you with another great piece of advice from Douglas Adams: “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity”.

Stay tuned to our blog page for more helpful tips and tricks every other week. Or, if you want to have a chat sooner rather than later, get in touch today!

Contact Centre Outsourcing: Why We’re Better Than Offshore

Posted on 27 June 202310 July 2023 by Mango

Contact Centres are an invaluable asset, and have been for over three decades! Our team have been there from the start, so we’ve seen first-hand how much the industry has grown and advanced.

With the rise of social media and technology innovations; it’s safe to say that Contact Centres are ever-evolving, and more appealing than ever to companies and charities that want to better cater for their growing audiences.

If you’re considering outsourcing to a Contact Centre, then it helps to do some research and know what’s available to you. One big decision is choosing between Contact Centres closer to home, or those further afield.

In this blog, we’ll dive deep into the differences between opting for an outsourcer like Mango, versus an offshore alternative. So, let’s get into it!

Why Outsource to a Contact Centre?

Contact Centre outsourcing means partnering with a third-party who will handle some or all of your telemarketing operations.

But it doesn’t just stop at telephony. The key reason we call ourselves a ‘Contact Centre’ over a ‘Call Centre’ is because it better reflects the vast range of services we offer, such as email management, live chat, fulfilment and more.

Hiring a Contact Centre comes with many benefits, as it can help both corporates and charities with:

Mitigating risks
Leveraging extensive experience
Saving time
Meeting demand
Reducing costs
Boosting loyalty
Increasing sales and satisfaction
Generating leads
Improving efficiency

All with no disruption to existing operations, it really is a win, win!

With all these reasons in mind, the next step is finding a Contact Centre that’s right for you. But first, a little background on what we mean by ‘offshore’…

What is Offshore Outsourcing?

Offshore outsourcing is when an organisation transfers its calls overseas.

In the 1990s, this was a big trend because it was always associated with cheaper costs. Locations in India, the Philippines and South Africa marketed themselves as go-to offshore Call Centre destinations.

While offshore Contact Centres were a mainstream option in the earlier days – there has since been a steady stream of organisations returning their operations to the UK.

Why? Because going offshore comes with inevitable and extensive challenges.

With today’s world having more channels to voice their experiences and opinions, we have seen common issues arise when it comes to offshore solutions, with the main ones being: difficulties with language barriers, time zone differences, lack of trust and transparency.

While an offshore Contact Centre might be tempting – be rest assured that you can avoid all these concerns and get all the perks of a Contact Centre based in the UK/Ireland (and then some!) at a truly competitive price.

contact centre outsourcing - group of people in a meeting in boardroom

The Benefits of Outsourcing to Mango vs Offshore

At Mango, we have uniquely positioned ourselves as pioneers in full-service telemarketing across the UK, Ireland and internationally.

We might have used a bold statement to say we are better than offshore, but here’s all the reasons why we firmly believe this is true…

We Are Cost-Effective

We know offshore Call Centre pricing has been a big hook in encouraging UK/Ireland organisations to make the move. The truth is, you can enjoy high quality services without breaking the bank!

At Mango, we pride ourselves on our fantastic service level achievements. We want this to be accessible to businesses and organisations of all sizes, and have worked with every kind from small to big over the years.

As such, our costing model is unique in that you can surpass your goals at an affordable price.

We Are 24/7/365

No need to seek help from Contact Centres based in different time zones. No matter what time you open/close, we are always on-hand to help.

Being 24/7/365, we can extend operations on your behalf so you can remain connected to your audience and never miss an opportunity again. Our out of hours call handling service is also scalable, so we can be flexible to meet demand and your goals.

Plus, every Mango client has a dedicated Account Manager who is easily accessible to you as and when you need them to ensure a truly seamless campaign.

Mango contact centre - staff smiling looking at computer - IT team

We’re Only a Stone’s Throw Away

Based in the beautiful seafront city of Bangor, Northern Ireland, we are only a 20-minute drive from Belfast City Airport, and 30 minutes from Belfast City Centre.

To be honest – with only being an hour plane journey from London – you would be quicker getting to us than if you were driving from one end of London to the other!

Perfectly situated, we cater to many clients in Ireland, Mainland UK and beyond.

Fancy a visit? Just let us know and we’ll be more than happy to welcome you!

We Provide End-to-End Telemarketing Solutions

As we alluded to earlier in this blog, we are a full-service telemarketing bureau.

Whether you’re looking for a standalone service or a mix, we can create bespoke packages so you can be as accessible as possible to your audience.

Whether you need help with other services such as email management, live chat, fulfilment, SMS/PSMS or social media – we do it all!

mango direct marketing boardroom, orange mugs and notebooks, bottles of water, contact centre outsourcing meeting

We Are Experienced

As Mango approaches its 15^th anniversary, it’s safe to say we are highly experienced, with our senior management team having 100+ years combined experience in the telemarketing industry!

This experience spans beyond management. The beating heart of our Contact Centre is our advisors, so investing in them and their development is our tip top priority.

We ensure from the moment staff start at Mango that they are excellently trained and that this is maintained. We understand that everyone learns in different ways, so we tailor our approach to meet the needs of everyone who joins the Mango family.

It’s thanks to this, that we have been able to boast fantastic attrition rates, especially compared to offshore Contact Centres. We’ve also been able to rapidly expand, with a brand-new building and state-of-the-art training suite underway and coming VERY soon! Watch this space!

We Are Engaging and Empathetic

Rapport building is at the core of our practice. Our advisors not only hear what the caller is saying, but they feel it too.

We like to provide experiences as well as services, and this can only be achieved through encouraging personalities to shine and natural conversations to flow.

With offshore, there’s no guarantee that your audience will feel engaged or receive first-class treatment on every call. With Mango, we believe excellence should be what you expect, not what you pay extra for.

Talk To Mango

We understand that moving your operations to a telemarketing agency is a big decision, with lots to consider.

At Mango, we are a team of innovative, ethical professionals with a wealth of telemarketing experience in all its aspects. There’s not a lot we can’t answer, so if you would like to discuss Contact Centre outsourcing with us, please feel free to get in touch today!

Rapport Building Techniques That Will Boost Your Call Quality

Posted on 13 June 202313 June 2023 by Mango

At Mango, we believe in quality over quantity when it comes to call handling. While other contact centres may prefer speed over substance, we give you the chance to make real connections and conversations with people from across the globe.

How do we successfully achieve this? Our secret ingredient is rapport building.

The way we look at it: building rapport on calls is what takes an experience from ordinary to extraordinary. You just need to know the right tips and tricks to achieve it…

This week, we’ll give you full insight into our top rapport building techniques that are guaranteed to boost your call quality, create lasting impressions, and help you have fun in the process!

Why is Rapport Building Important on Calls?

Whether it be to place an order, donate to charity or make an enquiry – when someone calls a business or organisation – they will be looking to you for help. They could be feeling a range of emotions, but what will always maximise their experience is clear, empathetic, friendly communication.

Fostering good rapport with the person on your call will bring an array of benefits to everyone involved. It works almost like a knock-on effect, think about it: it helps the conversation run smoothly, which makes it more enjoyable, and generates better results!

Not only that, but adopting a positive, proactive approach to call handling can also lead to improved work wellbeing.

We LOVE this quote from Call Centre Helper:

“Good rapport isn’t about making best friends with the caller. It means creating a comfortable state where all parties converse freely and comfortably. The extra benefit is that it makes the time spent with the caller more enjoyable for the advisor.”

We could keep talking about the many benefits of rapport building – but that would probably need a blog of its own! Instead, let’s dig into how you can accomplish all the above and more with some good rapport…

Our Top Tips to Build Rapport

With some tweaks to your call structure and further training, you’ll see a world of difference in your call quality – and here they are…

Ask The Caller How They Are

In today’s digital-first world, don’t lose that all-important human connection. Spark a down-to-earth conversation by asking the caller a simple question that’s not related to their query. In our experience, you can never go wrong with “How are you today?” or “What are your plans for the rest of the day?” to instil a person-centred approach and help them feel instantly connected.

We recommend that before you start that separate conversation, wait until you determine their name and the reason for their call, so you have a clear understanding of what you need to do to help them. From here, when you can find a natural gap, ask away!

At Mango, we like to take conversations one step further. For example, after asking the caller how they are, reply to their answer with a positive response, such as: “I’m glad you’re having a good day”, as this shows that you’re engaged and personable.

Make a Point of Using Their Name

Using a person’s name in conversation creates a culture of respect, acknowledgement and consideration for the discussion. It makes the caller feel special, and establishes a positive tone for the rest of the conversation.

This all ties in with being an active listener. By being fully present and mentally engaged from the get-go, you will be providing the caller a tailored service that they won’t forget.

Our training focuses specifically on call courtesies – so if you’re new (or thinking of joining us!) – don’t worry, as we’ll cover everything you need to know to make your calls stand out.

Show You Are Listening

Listening is a BIG part of the job, but it can be easy to forget to let the caller know you’re listening. Doing this can really boost call quality and user experience, and all it takes is a little fine-tuning…

As the caller can’t see your facial expression or body language cues, remember to use your verbal nods e.g. responding with soft sounds to express agreement or signal acknowledgment.
Lay out clearly and concisely how you plan to help them. For example, if a caller has multiple requests, break these down and repeat them back, telling them what you will help them with first.
Allow the speaker to finish what they are saying, avoiding interjection as best you can. No matter how many techniques you are taught to use on the phone, common courtesy will always be essential!

Top tip: at Mango, we also encourage our advisors to repeat key points back to the caller as another way to show active listening.

Think From Their Point of View

No matter the situation, it always helps to put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

If it was you calling, how would you like the call to be handled? This is a great benchmark to use when setting an authentic tone for each and every call. If you approach the call in a manner that would work for you, then you’re already winning!

Our Managers play a key part in helping advisors out with this. Whether it be through doing role playing scenarios, giving them calls to independently score, or arranging feedback sessions – we understand that everyone learns this skill in different ways.

Ask to Call Listen

It’s better to hear what makes a good call than guess what makes a good call.

Prior to your training and upskilling sessions, ask your Team Leader to find some example calls from across the contact centre. You can then score these yourself and compare to your own.

Alternatively, ask to call listen live with an experienced advisor so you can pick up new tips and ask them questions after the call.

While we believe in tailored training, we also firmly believe that call listening is one of the best ways to enhance call performance and quality. Not only does it identify new areas for improvement, but it gives you something to aim for and track as you progress in your role.

Every Interaction is Important at Mango

At Mango, we encourage our advisors to engage with callers on both an emotional and personal level, giving them space and time to listen attentively, show empathy and – most importantly – be themselves.

By implementing all the above, we promise you’ll see a huge difference in work wellbeing, caller satisfaction and call quality, to name just a few!

If you have any other techniques and tips on rapport building, please let us know in the comments below!

You can also visit our blog page for more handy hacks on other hot contact centre topics.