5 Top Tips for Working in a Contact Centre 

Starting a new job is a super exciting time. In the build-up to your first day, you’ll be wondering lots of things like what you’ll be doing, who you’ll be working with, and everything in between! 

If you’re going to be working in a Contact Centre, you may be coming from a similar background, or starting totally afresh. Whether you’re one or the other, it helps to know what to expect so you can eagerly anticipate what’s to come. 

As you might have gathered from our first blog, we do things a little differently here at Mango Direct Marketing. We’re a friendly, empathetic bunch that you can trust to give you a warm welcome! 

Still, it can’t hurt to be prepared. That’s why we’ve rounded up our top five tips for working in a Contact Centre below: 

Working in a Contact Centre: Mango’s Top Tips 

Working in a Contact Centre means you get to have conversations with people from all over the world. You’ll be responsible for being the go-to person when people need help, so to make sure you’re ready and able to be the best you can be, Mango has the perfect recipe of tips and tricks – check them out below! 

Mango’s top tips for working in a contact centre.

Just be Yourself 

It’s normal to feel a little nervous, but it’s important to remember that you’ve gotten this far because of your skills and awesome personality! 

So, now’s the time to relax, be yourself, let everything fall into place and come naturally to you. This is because the less pressure you put on yourself, the easier it’ll be to process everything and take these new changes in your stride. 

Here at Mango, our culture promotes a ‘family feel’ vibe, which you will notice during your recruitment process. As a result, you can expect to feel right at home from the day and hour you start, helping you be comfortable and confident in your role! 

Be Patient With Yourself and Others 

Adjusting to a new role will take time, so be patient with yourself while you learn and grow your skill set. Remember: everyone works at different paces, and progression is not a race!  

In Mango, we nurture our staff from day one, so they feel supported at each stage in their career journey. We work with you so you can realise your full potential – and when opportunities arise – we always promote talent from within. 

Being patient with others is another great way to feel good in your Contact Centre job. Whether you’re dealing with new team members or customers of different ages – being patient and understanding really will go a long way! 

Our advice: take your time, be present, and learning will be so much easier!

There’s No Pressure to Remember Everything 

With every new job, there’s a lot of new information to process in the first couple of days. At Mango, you don’t have to worry about frantically taking notes, or feeling like you need to remember every single detail. 

You can trust that your training will be engaging and thorough. So we’ll make sure we’ve got you covered! We always train on the key topics, such as Mango protocols, the different sectors we work in, and the campaign you’ll be involved with. 

What’s more, is that our advanced technology systems mean you don’t have to take millions of notes to keep you right. We have automatic scripts and prompts so that when you take your first call, you’ll have everything on screen that you need to support you! 

One thing we strongly advocate is documenting your achievements. If you have a good call, spread the word by telling your Team Leader or posting it on our inhouse communication tool MChat! Like we said, the whole call floor is like its own community, so everyone will be keen to see your wins and give you a virtual pat on the back! 

If You Need Help, Just Ask 

Asking for help is never something to be embarrassed about. In fact, it shows that you care about your work and are keen to improve your skills and knowledge. 

At Mango, we have an exceptional management team that you can rely on, no matter the situation. Their passion is aiding you to feel and be the best you can be, so lending a helping hand is something they are always more than happy to do.  

Not only this, but the whole call floor is also a support network – so we guarantee you’ll never be stuck!  

A snippet of Mango’s culture…

Get Involved 

There’s always something going on here at Mango, which makes socialising super easy!  

Whether it be a bake-off day, a team night out, dressing up, fundraising, or even running a marathon – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get involved. On breaks, we love nothing more than talking about what’s new on Netflix over a cup of tea or a friendly game of pool in the kitchen area! 

Mango Direct Marketing makes this easy for you in other ways, too. For example, we offer you the chance to take part in our hilarious TikTok videos where you can get to know others, have a laugh and maybe even become TikTok famous! 

There’s also our very own purpose-built incentives app called ‘Mouse’s Wheel of Fortune’ – something you definitely don’t want to miss out on! How does it work? It’s simple – you earn points for your hard work, which you can put towards prize draws every month! There’s always a great buzz of excitement in the air every time we do a prize draw – we even have a spinning wheel up on the TV on each floor so everyone can celebrate the winner! Prizes in the past have included vouchers, experiences and goods such as a 50” TV and a NINJA Foodi air fryer. You have to be in it to win it after all! 

For more top tips, keep an eye on our blog page. Here, we’ll be covering everything from industry insights to staff profiles, company updates to handy hacks.  

If you just can’t wait – fear not! Get in touch and we’ll be happy to have a chat with you. 

Welcome to Mango Direct Marketing’s Brand-New Blog! 

Welcome to Mango Direct Marketing’s brand-spanking-new blog. We hope you’re as excited as we are! 

We know you may have a few questions that sound a bit like: ‘who are Mango?’, ‘what are they going to post?’, ‘when are they going to post?’ – don’t worry! In this blog, we’ll answer all of those, and then some.  

But first, it wouldn’t be a debut blog post without a formal introduction…so, let’s get to know each other!

Who are Mango Direct Marketing?

To put it simply: Mango Direct Marketing is a fun-loving Contact Centre based in the newly-named city of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland.  

‘What is a Contact Centre?’ we hear you ask. A Contact Centre consists of experienced specialists who cover a wide range of communications services. At Mango, we offer everything including inbound/outbound calls, support services, live chat, SMS, email management, social media monitoring and much, much more! 

But one thing’s for sure – Mango is not your average Contact Centre. With an ethical approach at the heart of what we do, things are done differently here to achieve excellent results. Not just for our clients – but our team too. 

To put it into perspective, here’s a 30-second snapshot of how we do things here at Mango: 

Where It All Began 

So, how did it all start out? Mango Direct Marketing was founded in 2008 as a telemarketing bureau by Susan and Stuart Lally. To this day, the company is still family owned and managed with this close-knit feel at the heart of Mango’s operations. 

Fast-forward to many business wins and building extensions…we have now rapidly grown to employ over 200 staff members, becoming Northern Ireland’s largest independently owned Contact Centre!  

What You Can Expect From Mango 

Without boasting – you can expect only good things from us. We are people-focused, meaning our staff and customers are always our tip top priority. It may be a big statement, but here’s the proof: 

Incredible Work Culture 

We pride ourselves on our unparalleled company culture and good ole Northern Irish craic!  

This is reflected in everything we do. From the attitude of our staff, the facilities we offer and the events we put on – we want to make sure everyone who visits, whether it be short-term or long-term, feels welcome and like they’re part of the Mango family.  

And what’s more – we throw a LEGENDARY staff party! The photos on Facebook say it all… 

Check out the rest of our social channels, we’re always showing off what we’re up to – whether we’re simply playing a game of pool, or hosting a company-wide talent show! 

Just a couple of ways the Mango team love to have fun! 

Extensive Services 

At Mango Direct Marketing, we offer ‘the full works’. Whether you’re interested in working with us, or for us, you’ll be sure to have plenty of choice. 

Here’s just a handful of the many, many services we specialise in: 

  • Sales
  • Customer services
  • Supporter services
  • Fundraising
  • Response handling
  • Email management
  • Live chat
  • Fulfilment
  • SMS/PSMS
  • Social media
  • Telephony management 

While this may look like a lot for one company to manage – we can assure you that at Mango, each of these are our passions. Our teams are always engaged, with this mindset spanning across all the sectors we work in. 

CEO Stuart Lally, Managing Director Gavin Martin and the office dog, Mouse! 

Ethical Approach 

How are we ethical? Well, our managerial leaders exist to inspire, motivate and nurture their teams, rather than the opposite. We understand that a happy team means a happy workplace – and it’s what we base our core principles on. See – it’s in our official company name for a reason! 

We’re extremely proud to be able to say that most managerial promotions have been awarded from within. Our progression route is not only accessible with hard work, but also eagerly encouraged and supported by everyone on all levels. 

We believe that being ethically minded works in a positive cycle. If your team is valued, then the work they do speaks volumes. Higher morale leads to greater productivity. Our clients recognise this and definitely reap many rewards because of it! 

What We’ll Cover 

Our blog will be updated every other week, covering everything from industry insights to staff profiles, company updates to top tips. Each time we will post on social media to announce when the blog is up so you’ll never miss out! 

So that’s a bit about us, let’s hear from you! Get in touch and we’ll be happy to have a chat. We do talk for a living after all! 

To learn more about Mango Direct Marketing, check out the rest of our website

Inbound and Outbound Calls: What’s the Difference and Do You Need Both? 

Nowadays, there are endless ways you can communicate with others, whether it be organisations, people, or the whole world if you fancy! 

Regardless of whether your audience needs to get in touch with you, or vice versa, telephone will always be paramount for businesses

Why? Because it gives you an instant, direct and more personal connection with one another – something that can’t be emulated through other means such as email or social media. 

In the Contact Centre industry, we differentiate our phone calls as inbound and outbound. But what exactly does this mean and involve? And how do you know if you need them? 

Let’s dive into the differences between the two, and why you may benefit from them. 

Inbound Vs Outbound: What is The Difference? 

While they may sound similar, inbound and outbound calls are worlds apart in how organisations and audiences contact one another. 

At Mango Direct Marketing, inbound and outbound call handling is one of the largest services we offer. From small to large scale campaigns covering fundraising, teleshopping and more, it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about what separates them both – and what makes them successful! 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these as a standalone service: 

Inbound Calls 

Simply put, inbound calls are those that people make to actively get in touch with organisations.  

Inbound calls can be made for many reasons. It could be for a customer service query, or to make a donation. More than likely, people will be calling to get an answer to a question, or they need a solution to a problem.  

At Mango Direct Marketing, we are proud to have an expert team of inbound call handlers. From the moment a caller gets in touch with us, they will be greeted with the warmth and knowledge you’d expect from someone who feels like an extension of your team. 

Outbound Calls 

On the flip side, outbound calls are those that are made by our team to connect with your audience

Outbound calls are made for lots of reasons, depending on the industry.  

For example, in the corporate industry, outbound calls are mainly associated with customer service and sales calls, for example: web drops/abandoned cart items, club memberships etc. However, they can also be used for appointment setting and market research. 

For the charity industry, the list is a little longer. Depending on your needs, you can utilise outbound calls for everything from thanking your supporters to upgrading donations, converting cash given to regular givers or reactivating donations. 

Of course, we know no two campaigns are ever the same! So, depending on your organisation and what you want to achieve when it comes to improving the communication between you and your audience – the need for either inbound, outbound (or both!) will always vary. 

It’s More Than Just a Call 

Whether it’s an incoming or outgoing call, being readily available and keeping in touch with your audience reaps so many rewards. 

For example: it’s what keeps brand loyalty and awareness alive, maintains good relationships and reputation, and creates new opportunities to generate leads. You really can’t go wrong with some good old-fashioned human interaction, especially if there’s some good craic thrown in for good measure, too! 

Even with newer contact methods available like live chat, email and social media – these ultimately act as a support to phone calls, which remain prevalent as the more trusted and sought-after option.  

In fact, research shows that telephone is the preferred support contact method for 70% of consumers of all ages. Plus, the demand for businesses to implement phone support services has continued to increase over the past five years!  

Do You Need Both Inbound and Outbound Calls? 

Our honest opinion? Both are extremely powerful tools in growing an organisation and creating a loyal audience.  

If you’re in a competitive sector, then there are massive benefits that come with blended Contact Centre solutions. For example, you can cover all bases of support with one campaign focusing on inbound (e.g. taking sales or donations calls), and another focusing on outbound (e.g. strengthening loyalty through making follow-up customer service calls or thanking supporters). 

At Mango Direct Marketing, we understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to telephone support. One thing’s for sure: you can trust us to hand-pick the best call handling team, and tailor our services to help you achieve your targets.  

Whether you choose inbound or outbound calls (or both!) – it is our aim to provide you with innovative solutions to give your audience an excellent, memorable experience. 

If you want to get started – get in touch with us today!