Customer Service Through Call Centres

MicroSaves' Briefing Note 130 discusses the role played by call centers in reaching out to customers targeted through financial inclusion (FI) initiatives. It also analyzes considerations and challenges of setting up and managing these call centers.The note states that call centers in agent based banking provide information to callers, respond to their complaints, and initiate service requests. Agents also use call centers for complaint redressal or to seek information on issues like commission structure and product features. Banks and other financial institutions that want to set up a call center have to decide whether to keep it in-house or outsource it. They also have to make decisions about human resource management, training, and monitoring. Challenges in managing call centers include catering to regional customers, cost considerations, and handling call flow at peak hours. Conclusions include:

• Call centers supporting FI initiatives in India are either in-house establishments or outsourced based on business considerations;
• Call centers will become key differentiators as FI initiatives mature and competition increases;
• Quality call centers will help to build trust in emerging electronic and mobile banking systems.