Services - Mango

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.

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!

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 customer/supporter retention and a good reputation.

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!

The Benefits of a Live Chat Service

Posted on 30 May 20239 June 2023 by Mango

In this fast-paced world, real-time engagement is highly attractive to customers across the globe.

There’s nothing better than visiting a company’s website and seeing that they are 24/7; you know you can get help straightaway, instead of having to press pause on your query to wait for ‘normal’ opening hours to resume.

Whether customers prefer to jump on a call, or would rather send a quick message – offering live chat as an additional service means you can help more people.

Over the years, we’ve encountered lots of great benefits that come with a live chat service. So let’s take a closer look at what these are, and how you can get started…

live chat service, live chat room, green banner, online message on black phone

Having a Live Chat Service: Top 4 Benefits

With everyone living such busy lifestyles, the above scenario can be incredibly frustrating. Yet, as you can see, it can be very easily avoided!

Believe it or not, the benefits of live chat stretch far beyond just giving your customers a convenient way to get in touch with you. It improves the support experience, boosts productivity, helps you get to know your customers better, and informs your product decisions.

Here’s the full rundown of advantages you can expect:

It Meets the Needs of Your Customers

In today’s fast-paced world, live chat is beneficial because of its immediacy and convenience.

According to LiveChat.com, customers now expect live chat to be available on a website. With 42% of businesses reporting consumers prefer phone support (kayako), live chat makes the perfect addition to your available support channels.

For those who like to use live chat to reach you at the exact moment they have a problem that they can’t solve, this is a much better option than sending an email, as often they are usually met with a bounce back that says ‘please allow up to 48 hours for a response’.

It’s no wonder why customer satisfaction ratings are so high for live chat!

person smiling at phone holding coffee cup, live chat message bubbles, speech bubbles, live chat service

It Gives You a Competitive Edge

Everyone wants to be the best in the business. To do that, you need to position yourself as the go-to over your rivals.

For example, if other companies like yours don’t offer live chat (or provide low-quality chat support), then this gives you the chance to do it right.

Imagine providing your customers with robust, reliable support services across a range of methods – you would be miles ahead of the rest! And, with people being more vocal about their experiences online, having a multichannel approach to customer services is vital in this digital world!

It Builds Stronger Brand-Customer Bonds

As we already know, different people prefer different contact methods. By presenting a wider range of options, customers will feel that you’re more responsive, more available and generally more interested in what they want. This can make huge waves in building trust with customers of all kinds, no matter their preference.

With a live chat service, you can also offer longer service hours (If you aren’t already 24/7), covering evenings and weekends. Again proving that you’re invested in fitting your customer service around your customers’ lives.

Mango Direct Marketing employee sitting at desk in front of computer smiling, blonde hair, orange lanyard, live chat service

It Reduces Escalations

Majority of the time, issues that escalate, could have been easily resolved in the early stages. Live chat offers a fantastic way to get to the bottom of things quickly and effectively.

There’ll always be interactions that are best handled over the phone, but many simple queries can be resolved quickly by live chat, leaving other agents free to deal with the large, complex support tickets.

How Can I Get Started With Live Chat?

Live chat allows you to interact with your customers with the right dose of automation and technology, so you can provide a solution fast. It may sound complex – but trust us – it really isn’t!

We can help you get started with optimising your contact services by giving you access to…

Our expert IT team, who can create personalised interactions with customers based on their query
Our 24/7, 365 days approach, so customers can start conversations with you at any time
The option to have live chat as a standalone service, or as part of a wider campaign that offers a multichannel service

Whatever support you need with starting up a live chat service, we are more than happy to chat more about how Mango Direct Marketing can help! So go on, say hi!

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

Posted on 28 October 20215 September 2023 by Mango

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!

Category: Services