Mango’s Travel Guide to Bangor, Northern Ireland 

If you’re considering discovering more of Northern Ireland, then our hometown Bangor is a must-see! 

Recently awarded city status and located just 20 minutes from Belfast, Bangor has grown in popularity as an ideal destination with lots to see and do for those both near and far.  

With our head office based in Bangor, Northern Ireland – it’s no surprise that we have several favourite spots to give a special shout-out to! 

In this blog, we’ll provide the ultimate travel guide to make sure you make the most of your next visit to Bangor. 

For Food & Drink in Bangor

You can’t beat a good meal out! And fortunately, Bangor is full of fantastic restaurants, cafes and bars to get a taste of. While we wish we could list them all – here’s a few that we always find ourselves coming back to! 

collage of images of restaurants in bangor northern ireland - jamaica inn, donegan's, jenny watts, the ava, tuk tuk and the bokhara

Restaurants & Bars 

Whether it be dinner or just drinks, Bangor offers locals and visitors so much choice. From team nights out to client meetings, below are some staples for you to try out and enjoy: 

The Ava: Situated at the gateway of Bangor city (right next to the train station), The Ava offers something for everyone – including a public bar, wine bar, cocktail lounge and highly rated restaurant serving a mix of traditional mains and tapas-style dishes (we recommend the lobster and crayfish macaroni, or the mushroom and spinach piccata pasta for veggies!). 

The Jamaica Inn: With stunning sea views in a snug yet stylish inn, Jamaica Inn is a firm favourite for many, especially on a clear day! It also offers an extensive, eclectic menu of both modern and classic dishes, with their steaks being hard to beat! We love coming down here for their quiz nights and live music, too! 

Donegan’s: Located on High Street, Donegan’s offers one of Bangor’s best quizzes and beer gardens, making it a regular haunt for our staff! Its family feel, cosy surroundings and exceptional pub grub make it a great place to settle for an evening with friends or family.  

Jenny Watts: Best known as Bangor’s oldest public house (est. 1780), Jenny Watts is revered for its warm, welcoming atmosphere and being a go-to spot for watching sports. Its traditional menu is perfect for all personal preferences, and the sizeable portions won’t leave you hungry!  

Tuk Tuk Asian Bistro: Expect quirky decor and a delectable menu featuring dishes from across Southeast Asia at Tuk Tuk. A great place for those who love Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian cuisine and want to be transported from Bangor’s quiet seafront to an authentic bustling bistro. 

Bokhara: If you’re in the mood for Indian, Bokhara boasts informal dining in a decorative restaurant with live singers during the weekends. From chef specials to traditional tandoor dishes – there’s something for everyone’s spice tolerance! 

Of course, there’s plenty more where that came from…we might need to do a 2.0 version of this guide to fit them all in! 

collage of images of things to do in bangor ni - eddie irvine sports, music in the park, pickie fun park, open house festival, the court house

For Activities in Bangor 

From family days out to spending the weekend with friends, Bangor has plenty going on to keep you entertained! 

Open House Presents: A not-for-profit, year-round cultural festival that hosts events in venues throughout Bangor and Belfast. From outdoor concerts in local parks to comedy nights at the newly restored Court House (the heart of Bangor’s music and arts scene) – the Open House team always have a jam-packed schedule filled with lots of new things to do in and around the city.  

Eddie Irvine Sports: Owned by Formula One ace Eddie Irvine, Eddie Irvine Sports is one of Northern Ireland’s premier indoor sporting venues. Boasting Ireland’s best indoor karting tracks, as well as additional amenities and activities including six indoor football pitches, virtual reality racing simulators, golf simulator, roller disco, laser combat, pickleball, padel tennis and snooker tables – there really is something for everyone! 

Pickie Fun Park: Popular among families, Pickie Fun Park has been a staple attraction since Pickie Pool was built in 1937. Pickie Fun Park closed in early 2011 to be refurbished and modernised, now offering activities such as mini golf, the Pickie Puffer train, play and water parks, as well as the famous Pickie swans, which are a hit among all ages! 

images of nature sports in bangor ni - ward park, north down coastal path, eisenhower pier, the walled garden

For Nature in Bangor

We’re super lucky to be situated in a city with lots of stunning nature spots. Right by the sea, but also a stone’s throw away from parks and greenery – Bangor really has it all! Here’s a few of our top favourites:

Walled Garden: The Walled Garden is an idyllic brick-walled garden which can be accessed via Castle Park. Landscaped in the 1840s, the garden is open between April-November. It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet, with varieties of flowers, plants, fruit and vegetables mixed with sculptures and a unique fountain. 

North Down Coastal Path: The North Down Coastal Path is a 25.5km (16 miles) linear signposted trail, extending from the esplanade in Holywood, Co. Down, through coastal habitats and country parks to reach the rocky Orlock Point, situated between Groomsport and Donaghadee. The section from Holywood to Bangor stretches 10 miles along rocky shores, fine sandy beaches, quiet coves, country parkland and busy promenades (a favourite among the Mango team – which we have completed twice as part of sponsored walks for local charities!). 

Ward Park: Ward Park is Bangor’s most well-known park, boasting 37-acres, a children’s playground, hockey pitches, cricket pitch, bowling greens, putting green, tennis courts, a duck pond and a selection of wildfowl housed in breeding pens. There’s also a large war memorial and located nearby is the main gun from the German U-19 U-boat built for the Imperial German Navy. 

While Ward Park already has lots to see and do, the popular annual ‘Picnic in the Park’ event, run by the Open House Festival, hosts free live music played from the bandstand every Sunday in July and August! Not only that, but there’s also Bangor’s public library and regular fitness classes which take place throughout the park. 

Eisenhower Pier & The Long Hole: The Eisenhower Pier is named after General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who visited Bangor in 1944 to prepare troops in the lead up to D-Day. The end of the pier, which overlooks Belfast Lough, features intricate mosaic artwork depicting scenes from Bangor’s past, with one of the panels commemorating the US Navy and the fleet of ships that departed in 1944. 
 
Under the pier hosts a colony of black guillemots, nicknamed the ‘Bangor Penguins’. 

The pier is also a popular fishing spot and provides great views over Bangor Marina and out over the Lough. Next to the pier is the original harbour, locally known as ‘The Long Hole’, that is still untouched over the years and provides a peaceful, scenic walkway for those who visit. 


We hope you enjoy your future visit to Bangor! There’s definitely plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned for our travel guide to Bangor 2.0…

What Is an IVR + Do You Need It? 

If you’ve ever called a company, you will probably recall being presented with a recorded voice outlining your options, a bit like… 

To speak to Department A, please press ‘1’; to discuss options with Department B, please press ‘2’” etc. 

That’s what’s known as a trusty IVR – a longstanding customer service tool that’s been used to provide more efficient telephone support for decades. 

Read on to learn more about this tech, including what it is, how it works and why it’s an essential part of creating better customer experiences! 

So, What is an IVR? 

IVR stands for ‘interactive voice response’. It is a clever, automated phone system tool that answers incoming calls and offers options for next steps via a menu.  

It uses these responses to route callers to the correct agent/department, and can provide recorded responses to frequently asked questions. 

A caller can dictate what help they need either by keypad or – as technology has evolved – voice. This is done through natural language processing capabilities that uses advanced voice recognition technology so callers can speak, and the system recognises the query. 

IVR serves several different functions, but there’s no denying that it’s every call centre’s secret weapon for improving operational efficiency and resolution speed. Below is an overview of the purposes of an IVR: 

The Benefits of Having an IVR System

Research shows that 75% of customers expect clear signposting when seeking assistance with their queries. So having an IVR in place not only satisfies callers, but it also offers universal benefits to the company and its staff. 

We have already touched on a few of the benefits, but there’s more where that came from!  

#1 Boosts First Contact Resolution 

First contact resolution is when a customer’s query is settled within the first contact they make with a company. 

Acting as a triage, IVR helps by routing calls to the appropriate agent and department right off the bat. This ensures that callers don’t have to jump though lots of hoops to get the answer they need, especially considering 68% of customers say they get annoyed when their call transfers between different departments.  

Instead, callers are connected to knowledgeable agents who are best suited to resolve their query. 

Plus, this technology can provide answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) e.g. opening times etc., which can further first contact resolution. 

#2 Saves Time and Money 

IVR is designed to assist calls by way of saving time and aiding the customer experience.  

IVRs don’t just save time for your callers – they save staff time, too. By categorising callers based on their query, this function helps to streamline call volume, giving agents more time to do what they do best. This is particularly beneficial for call centres like us, and also our clients! 

With less time devoted to triaging queries, IVR undoubtedly saves money. Research even shows that having this effective solution can reduce customer service costs by up to 30%

#3 Offers 24/7 Support 

Round-the-clock support is key when providing high-quality customer service, and an IVR can be one way to help organisations achieve this. 

For example, much like Mango, an IVR also operates 24/7/365. Regardless of the time or day, an  IVR can be put in place to funnel queries and provide useful information e.g. place in the queue and estimated wait times (if applicable). This can come in handy especially during seasonal holidays, emergencies, peak hours and new product launches for example. 

By implementing this technology, you can make sure your customers are always answered and informed. For more on our 24/7/365 services, check out our blog: 4 Benefits of a 24/7 Contact Centre. 

#4 Improves Call Volume 

Thanks to an IVR system, agents don’t have to use their valuable time transferring calls back and forth during busy times. Instead, influxes in call volume are far more streamlined and manageable. 

If the situation means callers must be placed on hold for a short time, the IVR will allocate them into a specific group relating to their query. This therefore makes the queue much quicker and easier to work through – making IVR a key ingredient when servicing customers and supporting staff. 


At Mango, our inhouse IT team offer expert IVR design and implementation. For more information on how we can help, please feel free to talk to Mango

Call Centre Quality Monitoring Best Practices 

In a Call Centre, ensuring the highest standard of service is paramount. 

Investing in quality creates a full-circle effect; not only does it positively impact on caller experiences, but also employee morale and client satisfaction levels.  

As such, quality monitoring is an absolute must in helping all departments maintain excellence and harmony. 

As a leading Call Centre, it’s safe to say we have a trick or two up our sleeve when it comes to overseeing and optimising performance… 

In this blog, we uncover our top four best practices for monitoring quality and promoting development on an ongoing basis.  

#1 Record All Calls 

These days, when contacting any business via telephone, it is very common to hear the phrase “this call is being recorded for training and quality purposes”. 

This is because recording calls is vital in the quality assurance process; allowing companies to evaluate according to business needs, mainly to ensure they are delivering the best service possible. 

At Mango, we record 100% of calls to make sure our quality is in tip-top shape. By doing this, it means we can: 

  • Identify training needs for more effective coaching
  • Spot new customer needs to inform clients and optimise systems/scripting 
  • Ensure accuracy and compliance with the law 
  • Build confidence in agents by letting them hear their progress over time 
  • Offer secure access to our clients so they can listen to the calls we make on their behalf, allowing a transparent and collaborative relationship 

#2 Make Call Listening Daily 

Using our own PCI-compliant, purpose-built inhouse call recording system, M-Player, we are able to capture and assess calls regularly. 

Call listening happens daily here at Mango, completed by management across the Call Centre, Client Services and Training teams, so continuous improvement is always at the forefront.  

While it may sound like a lot – we do this day-to-day so agents are also receiving the best level of attention and care. With daily monitoring, we can spot knowledge gaps, carry out tailored coaching, and ask agents for feedback so they can feel heard and ask questions if they need to. 

Our clients love this proactive approach, too! With the Call Centre being a ‘live’ environment, it means we can quickly resolve any issues that arise and move forward with greater clarity and confidence.  

#3 Use Agent Self-Scoring 

Another effective quality monitoring method is getting agents actively involved in the process. This could be listening to and scoring their own calls or other agents’ calls as a benchmarking exercise. 

We truly see the benefit of facilitating agent-led coaching sessions here at Mango, some of which include: 

  • Encouraging ownership and promoting reflective practice  
  • Developing self-directed learning 
  • Goal setting and instilling drive to achieve 
  • Increasing motivation e.g. appraisals, staff spotlights, prizes 
  • Helping agents identify their strengths, weaknesses, learning needs and aims for improvement 
  • Learning new, transferrable skills 

By collaborating with agents, we have found that this not only increases commitment to their roles, but it also helps them become more engaged with clients and our company culture

#4 Schedule Ongoing Training 

Quality can only be guaranteed with continued emphasis on learning and development. 

Ongoing training provides employees with the ability to do superb work today, tomorrow, and many years down the line! It’s important because it reduces skills gaps, provides structure for development plans, and boosts staff productivity and morale.  

While staff may see the work they do as second nature over time, there are certain topics that require regular review to ensure quality through compliance and care (e.g. when handling calls from people in vulnerable circumstances). 

With that in mind, we make it a priority to regularly train staff to continually: 

  • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding 
  • Comply with the law 
  • Provide the greatest level of customer care 
  • Align with our clients’ goals 

Through recording and listening to calls daily and carrying out regular coaching, this also helps create ongoing training plans to strengthen our quality output.  

Making Quality Monitoring a Priority 

The secret to making quality monitoring a priority is to introduce the above four practices into a daily routine. In our own experience, doing this has helped us: 

  • Increases transparency 
  • Maintain a low attrition rate 
  • Improve customer experiences and feedback 
  • Strengthen relationships between clients 

As you can imagine, there’s plenty more we could say on the subject of quality! For more, check out our other blogs: 4 Call Centre Management Best Practices and Tracking Call Quality: Our Top Hints and Hacks 

Euros 2024: Using Worldwide Events to Engage Your Employees 

Euros-2024-Using-Worldwide-Events-to-Engage-Your-Employees-3

And just like that, the UEFA Euros 2024 Championships are here! 

With 24 nations taking part in games across Germany until the final on 14th July, excitement is well and truly underway after a long four-year wait. 

In our eyes, a special worldwide occasion like this is worth celebrating – even in the workplace!  

Why? Not only is it a fantastic opportunity to engage staff, but it’s also a great way to boost motivation, performance and camaraderie across the company. 

Want to know more? Here’s some insight into the steps we take to make the most of world events like the Euros: 

Step #1 – Strategise 

It all starts with an idea – and ideas are only brought to life with the help of collaboration and brainstorming sessions! 

To make sure we’re always ahead, we host a monthly Employee Engagement meeting to discuss upcoming events and new activities that will interest staff. We also use this time to bring forward staff suggestions, so everyone plays a part in shaping our strategy. 

From this, we realised that promoting the Euros on a company-wide scale is achievable through blending innovation and teamwork. As such, we sought support from all departments, and came up with the below plan: 

  1. Each Team Leader’s team represents a country competing in the Euros, with agents acting as ‘players’ and back office staff acting as ‘coaches’ to keep motivation high and join in on the fun! 
  2. With the help of our inhouse IT team, and our existing custom-built incentives app, we created a points-based system relating to performance, with data presented on a real-time league board to show which ‘country’ is in the lead 
  3. On 14th July, the winning team will be entered into a big prize draw! 

Step #2 – Action 

With a solid plan in place, the next step is assigning roles and actioning tasks to make the idea come to life! 

From purchasing decorations to designing promotional material, building IT algorithms to briefing wider teams – there’s a lot to consider! And it’s important not to miss a beat when using a worldwide event like the Euros to engage your employees as these deadlines are immovable! 

As such, it’s important everyone understands the role they play, and necessary deadlines so plans run as smoothly as possible. We normally take a ‘divide and conquer’ approach, with all departments involved being briefed together via Teams, and everyone being made aware of one another’s tasks, so everyone is in the know of timescales and progress etc. 

Step #3 – Decorate! 

We love a bunting…or 50! 

A Friday decorating session is a great way to raise awareness, spread team spirit across different departments, and get everyone in a feel-good mood! We gave each team decorations (to reflect their competing country) – so the team enjoyed decking out their desks and building anticipation together. 

We also adorned the kitchen with football buntings, ceiling decorations, country flags, banners and a game tracking chart, as well as ensuring the games are always available to watch in the staff areas! This is to ensure the atmosphere of the Euros feels closer to home, without the travel to Germany! 

Step #4 – Communicate 

To create a buzz and keep up momentum – consistent communication really is key. To ensure this, our Marketing and HR departments come together to lay out a comprehensive communication plan from launch to finish.  

To get the message across and build hype when hosting something company-wide, we do this in several ways: 

  • Utilising our inhouse messaging channel, MChat, to create group chats for each country’s team so managers, coaches and players can spur each other on and chat about matches etc. 
  • Pinning posters up around the building and leaving flyers in the communal kitchen 
  • Sending email newsletters internally 
  • Briefing teams via internal meetings/catch-ups 

Step #5 – Award Accordingly 

With the Euros revolving around football, celebrating this world event at work will naturally stir up friendly competition. That’s why it’s important to recognise and reward staff who show commitment to their work and team. 

As such, we have implemented a ‘Player of the Week’ award, given to a staff member for special effort over the previous week. Not only does this spotlight give staff a ‘job well done’ for their great work, helping them feel valued and celebrated, but it also creates a higher sense of drive and determination across the company – especially when there’s a trophy and surprise prizes at stake! 

To keep up with our Euros 2024 shenanigans, make sure to follow us on social media via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and LinkedIn

General Election 2024: Why Your Party Needs Telephone Support 

telephone canvassing general election feature image

The General Election 2024 is fast approaching, and the competition for political parties across the United Kingdom to get their message and values heard is at its peak. 

As 4th July approaches, we understand time really is of the essence! With campaigning in full swing, parties need efficient, effective communications to secure support from volunteers and voters alike.  

To make sure you don’t miss any opportunities, we’re here to lend a helping hand as a seamless extension of your political party. 

Ways to Spread the Word 

There’s lots of ways political parties can promote their views to the public.  

For example, there are traditional methods such as advertising displays, newspaper ads, billboards, street signs, brochures, articles, flyers, letters, radio/TV interviews and door-to-door knocking. 

Parties can also make use of modern features via social media and online advertising. 

However, the most direct and impactful option is undoubtedly via telephone support. Here’s why… 

How Political Parties Use Telephone Support

Telephone support is the simple act of connecting with potential and existing voters over the phone to have meaningful conversations about what matters to them, and how your party can help. 

It involves outbound calling to a range of individuals for different purposes. For a political party, these could be: 

  • Volunteers e.g.: 
    • Recruiting new volunteers to increase circulation of the party’s mission 
    • Managing existing volunteer schedules to ensure attendance at events 
  • Voters e.g.: 
    • Gauging support for the party (survey calling to assist with campaign strategy) 
    • Discussing party and candidate stances and values 
    • Persuading people to register to vote and cast their vote on election day 

Regardless of the reason for calling, telephone support enables you to reach more people using fewer resources – and the benefits don’t stop there… 

The Benefits of Telephone Support During a General Election 

Through telephone, you can: 

  • Reach a larger portion of the electorate faster than door-to-door canvassing e.g. a volunteer can knock on an average of 20 doors per hour, dialling can ring 50+ numbers every hour  
  • Save time on canvassing efforts by using assigned contact lists 
  • Build relationships with the public through highly experienced and specially trained representatives 
  • Generate more proactive outcomes and positive results with pre-written scripts and objection handling techniques easily accessible on screen 
  • Understand the level of support a potential voter may have for you or your party 
  • Discuss your political policies and share your messaging with the electorate 
  • Answer and alleviate people’s concerns through tailored training and ready-made FAQ responses 
  • Generate a pledge-to-vote list to help your GOTV (get out the vote) strategy 
  • Further party promotion and public interactions with complementary services including Social Media, Live Chat, Email Management and SMS Responses 

With telephone support proving its worth, the next step is finding an agency who can execute the above (and then some!) on behalf of your political party… 

Why choose Mango for Telephone Support? 

At Mango, we have extensive experience working with a diverse range of political parties to boost their connections with the public. 

Here’s how we can help you make a real difference this General Election: 

✅ Our services are extensive, covering not just telephone, but also volunteer recruitment/management, survey calling and added value services including Live Chat, Email, SMS and more! 
 
💰 We are extremely cost-effective compared to competitors, without compromising on quality. 
 
👍 We can be ready to make your calls within 24 hours. Being experts in the Call Centre industry, we promise a quick yet efficient turnaround time, and can get the ball rolling as soon as you like. 
 
🕐 We operate 24/7/365 – so you can sleep easy knowing that your party’s message is being spread by a highly trained team on your behalf, regardless of the time of day (or night!). 
 
📞 We offer a wide range of costing models as well as flat rates depending on volume – working with you to tailor a solution that suits your party’s exact needs. 

Telephone is a vital tool in securing support, but at the same time, it is about building relationships with the masses. By having a good script, efficient software, and expert representatives, you can create strong grassroots support for your campaign. 

If you would like to have a chat about what Mango can do for you, please email josephine@talktomango.com 

What is On Hold Marketing? & How it Can Boost Your Business

what is on hold marketing featured image - smiling blonde girl with headset, orange and purple background with microphone and music icons

We know what you’re thinking – no one wants to be put on hold!

But during this rare pause, your callers are at peak engagement, giving you the perfect chance to tell them more about you! 

Known as on hold marketing, this phenomenon is proving popular with organisations of all sizes. 

Let’s find out why exactly… 

So, What is On Hold Marketing? 

On hold marketing offers a fantastic window of opportunity to provide information about a product, service or event to callers who are queueing, holding or transferring via the phone.  

The situation is so unique in that you’re in direct contact with a captive audience that’s already actively listening out for a call to action. So why not use this moment to showcase your brand and tell them something they don’t know about?  

Whether you’re a retailer wanting to offer an exclusive deal, or a charity wanting to educate callers on the amazing work you’re doing – you really can’t go wrong with leveraging the power of on hold marketing. 

Some ‘On Hold’ Stats… 

They say the proof is in the pudding! Here’s some interesting facts we’ve learned about the increased popularity of on hold marketing… 

  • 60% of callers hang up if there’s no message or music; 
  • 73% of consumers want to hear something other than beeps or silence while on hold; 
  • 90% of callers hang up after 40 seconds if they’re not engaged by a voice; 
  • 30% of customers who hear an on hold marketing message make a purchase of that product or service! 

That last statistic really does speak volumes. A single pre-recorded message has the potential to yield 30% extra conversion. Yet there’s so many organisations that haven’t tapped into this additional, lucrative revenue stream!  

The Benefits 

As the stats above show – having a professional, personalised on hold marketing message can open a lot of possibilities – but below are a few core reasons why on hold marketing is so useful for boosting businesses:   

Reduces Hang-Ups 

As we’ve discovered, 60% of callers hang up if there’s no message or music, so it’s vital to acknowledge and hook callers from the get-go to keep them engaged. 

With on hold marketing, you are heightening the caller’s customer experience, making it more likely for them to stay around and take action. If a caller must be placed on hold, here’s a few ideas on how you can fill the silence: 

  • Telling the caller interesting facts about your business 
  • Describing loyalty programmes, current promotions and events 
  • Inviting callers to follow your social media channels and browse your website 

TOP TIP: Regularly change your recorded messages so returning customers don’t get fed up with hearing the same thing repeatedly. 

Plus, on hold marketing has been proven to lower a company’s complaints rate by giving customers reassurance that their call is still connected and reminding them of the reasons that they should choose you compared to competitors.  

Increases Sales 

On hold marketing means you can effortlessly offer your callers better value for money and drive sales through upsell and cross-sell promotions. 

Through pre-recorded on hold marketing messages, you can more easily tell your callers about exclusive discounts, which will encourage repeat sales and strengthen customer loyalty. 

For charities, you could use on hold marketing messages to boost donations and even generate leads e.g. enticing callers to sign-up to give a donation to receive a free t-shirt, badge or tote bag for example.  

Low-Cost Solution 

The cost of on hold marketing is significantly lower compared to other marketing methods, yet is much more effective at getting your customer through the sales process. 

For example, most on hold marketing packages are paid monthly, which is the perfect solution for small businesses. At Mango, included in your package, we offer all the below free of charge: 

  • Telephone audio marketing 
  • Licensed on-hold music 
  • Voiceovers to suit your branding 

All produced in our in-house recording studio! 

Mango’s On Hold Marketing Solution 

Making a great first impression over the phone can make a significant difference to your sales figures, customer loyalty and their experience.  

Maximise your business opportunities with Mango’s on hold marketing services. We also offer high-quality phone answering and message taking services as part of an overall package, so you don’t ever have to miss a call again! 

To find out more, talk to Mango today. 

How Mango Help the Housing Association Sector 

Housing Association Sector blog featured image - purple overlay of image of houses, white text over the top with blog title

The housing association sector has become one of Mango’s specialities over the last 15 years.  

Housing associations provide an essential service; offering shelter and support to their residents, which may be across thousands of different properties up and down the country! 

But how exactly do we help housing associations? From 24/7/365 out of hours support to overflow cover – there’s not much we can’t do! 

In this blog, we take a closer look at the housing association sector as a whole, and how we can aid the important work these organisations do. 

Housing Associations: What’s Involved? 

The housing association sector exists to provide their residents with guidance and assistance with a wide range of queries and requests. Whether they be simple or complex, housing associations have a big responsibility over the welfare of their residents, and so must focus on accessibility to ensure nothing’s ever missed. 

There are lots of reasons why residents might want to contact their housing association, some of which include, but are not limited to: 

  • To report damages or faults so the housing association can quickly repair and maintain the property in accordance with the law 
  • To obtain information about a property e.g. whether rent has been paid yet or to update personal details. 
  • To inform of an emergency in relation to the property e.g. a gas leak or fire 

From working as the first point-of-contact for several housing associations across the UK, we know how important this responsibility is and that when residents get in contact, they deserve a reliable, speedy response. 

On Mango’s side, we exist to help housing associations ensure that no query goes unacknowledged. Oftentimes, we see housing associations struggle with the following: 

  • Resource restraints e.g. not having the inhouse capacity to manage peaks in calls or offer out of hours support 
  • Managing expectations e.g. residents not knowing what services they are and are not entitled to 
  • Keeping up with technology advancements e.g. missing multi and omnichannel opportunities to reduce high call volumes and boost first contact resolution via Live Chat, email, social media messaging, video conferencing/WhatsApp 

How Do We Help the Housing Association Sector?

Covering Manchester to Cornwall (and beyond!) – we are experienced in offering first-class tenant support services. Our housing association contact centre services are extensive, covering the below (and then some!): 

  • Emergency Lines 
  • Day Time Cover 
  • Out of Hours (24/7/365) 
  • Overflow 
  • Incident Reporting 
  • Outbound 
  • Lone Worker Checks 
  • Escalation Services 
  • Payment Lines 
  • Decanting Services 

Our expertise in the above means we can offer these services on a round-the-clock basis, giving clients and their tenants peace of mind that whenever support is needed, there’s always someone there to answer the call. 

What are the Benefits? 

Through a combination of industry knowledge and proven proficiency, the Mango team offer many benefits to housing associations, including: 

Increased accessibility: By offering and managing several channels of communication such as phone, Live Chat, social media and email – we enable tenants with any and all preferences to reach out to have their queries resolved. 

Greater flexibility: We understand that call volumes for housing associations can be unpredictable, making it difficult to organise internal resources. We act as an easy, scalable solution, with our out of hours and overflow services providing a reassuring fix to this common problem. 

Bespoke reporting: We provide tailored result reporting, so all essential data is included for clients’ records, allowing performance to be accurately tracked and actively optimised. 

Faster resolution times: With more queries being handled with our help through various channels, we ensure issues are addressed and resolved more quickly, which is critical to improving tenant satisfaction, meeting regulatory measures and first-time resolution, helping to reduce repeat calling and overall call volumes. 

Regardless of the size of the housing association, we understand the importance of being resident-centred and always available. If you have any questions about our housing association services, please feel free to talk to Mango today! 

Why is Omnichannel Customer Service so Important?

In 2024, customer expectations are higher than ever before. 

Nowadays, it’s not about the customer conforming to restrictions, like waiting for business opening hours to ask questions and receive answers. Instead, the tables have well and truly turned, and now customer preferences prevail! 

With this shift in mind, more businesses are adopting omnichannel customer service solutions to appeal to the masses. But what does this mean? And how is it beneficial to be open-minded about omnichannel approaches? Let’s take a closer look… 

What Does Omnichannel Mean? 

Omnichannel is best described as a business strategy that aims to provide a totally seamless customer journey experience across all channels including in-store, over the phone and online. 

As an omnichannel Contact Centre which supports new movements in the industry – no matter which methods your customers prefer to use, or how an interaction shifts between channels – we make it our mission to facilitate and integrate!  

We believe omnichannel customer service solutions offer a truly unified communication experience for your audience. Not only this, but we know having a Contact Centre to manage all the moving parts ensures greater visibility over customer interactions across every channel they use, helping you understand them even more

In our opinion, the best hybrid customer service solutions include email, SMS, social media (Facebook, Instagram etc.), Live Chat and voice

While this may sound like a lot of maintenance, there are many benefits to offering a broad range of channels… 

The Top 3 Benefits of Omnichannel Customer Service 

It’s no surprise that companies that provide omnichannel support perform better across key customer experience metrics, such as faster response times and higher customer satisfaction scores. It’s simple: the more you’re there for your customers, the more rewards you reap! 

Here’s a few benefits we have seen become a reality for our own clients: 

Meets the Needs of More Customers 

The more options you offer, the more you are tailoring your customer service experience to people with different preferences. One customer may prefer to have a conversation over the phone, whereas another may choose instant messaging via Live Chat. Either way, having plenty of alternatives and avenues available with the latest technology at the fore is sure create a seamless, more personalised customer experience. 

Improves Resolution Rates 

Long gone are the days where customers must wait until 9am to get in touch. By having a 24/7/365 omnichannel solution, this reduces any backlog that would have otherwise built-up overnight several years ago! Plus, the more questions that are answered promptly, the greater relationship you are building between you and your audience. 

Creates Greater Loyalty 

By investing in offering multiple channels and lines of communication, this demonstrates a real commitment to your customers. In turn, customers will appreciate and praise your business more if they know you’re there for them regardless of the time or day. This plays a huge a part in cementing loyalty, boosting reputation, and ultimately, helping your business grow. 

Key Omnichannel Statistics and Takeaways

We like to keep on top of the trends, so here’s a few key statistics we think really emphasise the prevalence of omnichannel customer service in today’s world: 

  • The customer retention rate of companies with omnichannel customer service solutions is about 89%
  • Retailers that do not adopt omnichannel in their businesses lose between 10-30% on sales. 
  • Businesses with omnichannel customer support will have 23 times higher customer satisfaction rates than those that don’t. 
  • Customers want more convenient customer service. In fact, 87% of them want brands to put in extra effort to provide a more seamless experience for them. 
  • 64% of consumers agree that the best feature of omnichannel contact methods is that availability is round the clock with no waiting involved

Fascinating, right? With these stats in mind, if you want to gain plenty of new customers, you need to be available for them across different platforms.   

At Mango Direct Marketing, we offer extensive Contact Centre services, helping our clients fulfil and exceed their omnichannel customer service strategies.  

We know there’s a lot to consider and operate when it comes to omnichannel customer service – that’s why we’re here – to make it all easier for you! 

If you want to learn more about both our hybrid and standalone Contact Centre services, please feel free to talk to Mango today and we’ll get straight back to you. Alternatively, if you want to keep up with what’s going on at Mango – you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok!

4 Call Centre Management Best Practices 

If you’re curious about the call centre industry, you’ve come to the right place! 

It’s not just picking up the phone and having a chat – there’s so much more to the world of call centres to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. 

What Does Call Centre Management Involve?

From strategy to scripting, call centre management is a group of methods, approaches, actions and determinations that are used by a widely skilled team to manage daily operations and upgrade efficiency. 

As a full-service telemarketing agency that’s been operating for over 15 years – it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about running a call centre. Below, we uncover our top four best practices, so you have an idea of what high standards to expect. 

1. Internal Communication is Everything 

Regardless of what role you play in a call centre, no two days are ever the same. With its fast-paced, unpredictable yet exciting environment – you are always kept on your toes – and teamwork really does make the dream work in this setting. 

Whether you are a Team Leader, Client Manager or IT Developer – internal communication is paramount to ensure success.  

We know all too well that campaigns are never static – they are ever-evolving to truly maximise potential. Only through each department collaborating together is this end result possible.  

Ensuring strong internal communication is imperative. When we are talking about employee satisfaction, there is no better way to discover it than through internal communication. 

For example, agents should feel valued and appreciated, and this can be achieved through regular one-to-one sessions, company-wide shout-outs and ‘thank you’ prizes for a job well done. By making this practice a staple part of our day-to-day, our staff feel motivated and engaged to do well, helping the call centre perform highly as a result. 

2. Prioritise Employee Engagement 

An engaged, happy, valued team makes for seamless operations and excellent services.  

The more an agent is invested in their role, the more productive they will be, and this needs to be nurtured consistently. As such, we make it our mission to prioritise employee engagement activities to maximise overall output – and because we have lots of fun doing it! 

We implement a monthly engagement calendar, with feedback from staff members at the forefront of our plans. From in-office activities to outdoor challenges, we like to make sure our work culture is both stimulating and exciting for all.  

By doing this, it helps improve efficiency, provide better service, make callers happy and cement a positive brand image. We also love giving back to the community – another goal we can achieve while bonding as a wider team! Anyone want to help us plant trees or be part of our next beach clean? 

3. Stay Up to Date with Legislation 

The call centre industry is a constant work in progress, moving at a fast pace to keep callers and their data safe and secure in line with legislation and best practice. 

With legislation covering all areas from health and safety to data protection and GDPR – call centres big and small can’t afford to miss out on any major or minor changes.  

It is call centre management’s responsibility to know and understand all laws associated with the company, and a perfect reputation in this area is essential to ensure future success. 

That’s why we recommend involving as many management staff as possible in trade memberships, so you know you’re always being kept right on all things legislative.  

4. Invest in Technology 

Every year, new technologies appear! From updated systems to advanced features, call centre solutions are being continuously refined to make interactions easier for agents, callers, and management too. 

From IVRs to intelligent routing, we really would be lost without investing time. Effort and financially into these innovations. Just imagine trying to sift through a customer base manually without search or filter functions – what takes a system seconds would take us hours! 

To ensure we’re always on top of the tech world, our very own Technology Director leads our IT team in new developments across systems, telephony, development, reporting and data analysis.  

As a result, we have robust and reliable third-party software integration, internally designed, purpose-built call monitoring functions and real-time dashboards – to name just a few! 

Just like in every industry, it takes years of trying and testing to get it right – as well as staying in the know to keep operations as smooth as possible! 

If you’re looking for a call centre management team that has its best practices pinned down – talk to Mango

How You Can be Always Available with Call Answering Services

When you’re at your busiest, that always seems to be the prime time for your phone to ring off the hook!

You then make a split-second decision to answer as it could be a potential lead, losing your train of thought on your current task.  

Or when you’re in meetings all day, how often do you return to your desk to find 20+ missed calls to catch-up on, to find that only a handful are genuine compared to spam after you’ve already taken the time to call them all back? 

We understand all too well that as much as you probably wish you could – you can’t be in two places at once! But thankfully there’s always a solution, and it’s known as call answering services

Call Answering Services: What Exactly Are They? 

Well, they are pretty much exactly what it says on the tin – professional phone answering completed on your behalf for when you can’t be there to answer.  

For example, if somebody calls you and you’re unavailable, this will be answered by a highly skilled agent who is trained on your operations and seen as an extension of your team. From taking messages to appointment setting – they help manage your opportunities while you’re focusing on other important areas of your business. 

And even when you’re not focusing on your business – if you’re benefitting from this service – you can enjoy having your calls taken during the night, the weekend, and bank holidays! 

Why Use Call Answering Services? 

There’s lots of reasons why companies big and small may use call answering services. For example: 

  • Better customer experiences – reducing long wait times and frustrations 
  • Drives extra business that could otherwise be missed 
  • Employing a full-time receptionist salary can be costly 
  • Getting existing staff to step in when needed and taking them away from their day-to-day tasks can be counterproductive 
  • Call answering services provide peace of mind – especially when it stops the distraction of what feels like endless phone ringing! 
  • It’s a flexible service, which can be started/stopped as and when needed, with a quick and easy setup process 
  • It doesn’t have to stop at phone answering and message taking – you can combine this service with other helpful inbound solutions such as Live Chat messaging and social media monitoring for example 

Call answering services are there for companies of all sizes and all call volumes. Whether they want to cut overheads or boost internal efficiencies – there is a phone answering option for all! 

What to Expect from Outsourced Phone Answering Services 

We understand that handing your calls and associated messages over is a big decision, but it can be as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4…really! 

Here’s what you can expect from Mango’s call answering service at its most basic level: 

  1. A call comes through to your business line 
  2. One of our agents (who belong to a fully trained, dedicated team for your account) answers, confirming your business name and following your approved script  
  3. Using a friendly, welcoming tone, they explain that you’re unavailable and ask if they can take a message to pass over to you  
  4. The caller’s details and message are taken and delivered to your inbox instantly for you to review (this can either be done via email notification or SMS messaging

    This service can be setup for you in as soon as 24 hours. Not only this, but you can expect this new-found convenience at a low-cost flat fee, so you know what you’re spending each month. 

    See? It really is that simple!

    What are the Next Steps? 

    If you’re contemplating a call answering service for your business, our best advice would be to take one week where you monitor call volume and how this impacts your workload. 

    Use this checklist to help give you an idea: 

    • How many calls do you receive each week? 
    • What methods are you relying on to handle them currently? 
    • How are these calls effecting your day-to-day operations? E.g. roughly how long are you spending managing these calls yourself? 
    • How many calls are genuine vs spam? 
    • Is there a special circumstance that may increase your calls during a certain period where you will require help e.g. flyer drops, the launch of an exclusive deal, post-networking event, social media advertising – or will you need help on an ongoing basis 

    If you find answering calls disrupts workflow by taking you/your staff away from what they do best, or that you are losing business and getting customer complaints – then introducing a call answering service may be the answer. Whether it be for a short trial period or on a rolling basis – at Mango – we can give you a speedy, tailored solution to suit your exact needs  

    From a dedicated team to bespoke reporting – we ensure your account is maximised at a low cost, giving you and your team the freedom to take your business to the next level! 

    If you have a question or are ready to get started – talk to the Mango team now!