Since the core funding for the CALL Centre comes from the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED), most of our work, particularly with regard to assessments and loans, is concentrated in Scotland. Other organisations, particularly the ACE Centre, ACCESS Centres and Communication Aids Centres perform a similar role in England and Wales.Nevertheless, we will endeavour to respond on a limited scale to general enquiries and questions on CALL Centre research from throughout the United Kingdom, and overseas.
A call center is a physical place where customer and other telephone calls are handled by an organization, usually with some amount of computer automation. Typically, a call center has the ability to handle a considerable volume of calls at the same time, to screen calls and forward them to someone qualified to handle them, and to log calls. Call centers are used by mail-order catalog organizations, telemarketing companies, computer product help desks, and any large organization that uses the telephone to sell or service products and services.
Two related terms are virtual call center and contact center. Core funding is provided by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). Additional funding has come from the Scottish Executive Health Department, Community Care Division, and from service level agreements with local authorities and schools in Scotland ( CALL has nine small scale assessment and training service contracts) and with the University of Edinburgh Disability Office.
Research and development project work over the years has been enhanced by funding support from a number of agencies, including the European Union, Nuffield Foundation, Department of Employment, Gatsby Charitable Trust and others.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
.AIMS AND BACKGROUND
The CALL Centre is a small unit within the Department of Educational Studies, in the Faculty of Education, The University of Edinburgh. The Centre is co-located with the Scottish Sensory Centre, offering a rich one-stop resource. CALL is both a Service and a Research Unit. Service activity is limited by the amount of staff time available, but is open to anyone in Scotland concerned with communication difficulties, particularly in a learning context.
New technology has much to offer people with physical, communication or sensory difficulties. Computers and computer-based aids have become smaller, cheaper and more practical and can be readily adapted to provide disabled people with access to communication, education, recreation and employment.
Communication systems with synthesised or digitised voice offer a means of communication for those who cannot speak; switches and other devices can be used by people with physical disabilities as an alternative to a standard computer keyboard; enlarged displays or voice feedback offer computer access to those with visual impairments; specialised software helps people with writing or spelling difficulties. `Low-technology´ systems such as picture or symbol books can be valuable too.However, the wide range of possibilities means that choosing and using these technologies with particular individuals can be complex and sometimes daunting. The CALL Centre addresses these problems and works to help people with disabilities (and their carers and professional helpers) get the most from this new technology
New technology has much to offer people with physical, communication or sensory difficulties. Computers and computer-based aids have become smaller, cheaper and more practical and can be readily adapted to provide disabled people with access to communication, education, recreation and employment.
Communication systems with synthesised or digitised voice offer a means of communication for those who cannot speak; switches and other devices can be used by people with physical disabilities as an alternative to a standard computer keyboard; enlarged displays or voice feedback offer computer access to those with visual impairments; specialised software helps people with writing or spelling difficulties. `Low-technology´ systems such as picture or symbol books can be valuable too.However, the wide range of possibilities means that choosing and using these technologies with particular individuals can be complex and sometimes daunting. The CALL Centre addresses these problems and works to help people with disabilities (and their carers and professional helpers) get the most from this new technology
CALL CENTER
A call center is an office where a company's inbound calls are received, or outbound calls are made. Call centers are increasingly popular in today's society, where many companized have centralized customer service and support functions. Call centers employ many staff in customer service, sales and support functions.
Call centers are often large offices staffed with representatives who either make or receive phone calls. Depending on the size of the call center, a single office could have anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of telephone staff. Depending on the needs of the company, call centers can make either incoming or outgoing calls. Some call centers focus on answering inbound calls, such as a bank that gives out a toll-free number for customers needing assistance. In that case, call center representatives can give account balances and take loan applications over the phone. Other call centers focus on outbound calls, such as a survey company. In that case, survey representatives make outbound calls to ask people to answer survey questions over the phone.
Call centers provide a number of advantages to companies. By centralizing telephone-based service and support in one location, companies can easily adjust staffing to match call volume. Call centers can be located almost anywhere, allowing companies to take advantage of time zones and cheaper labor rates in different states and countries. Call centers also centralize the technology needs of companies, allowing major telecommunications setups to be installed in a small handful of call centers instead of a number of smaller offices, making upgrades and training easier to complete.
Many call centers use a number of different technologies to help improve performance and customer experience. Inbound call centers often use automatic call distribution, in which incoming calls are assigned to representatives on the order they are received. Other call centers utilize call monitoring, in which customer calls are randomly monitored by quality assurance staff to ensure that phone representatives meet customer needs. Call center technology evolves constantly, helping call center staff assist customers more efficiently and effectively.
Call centers have been increasingly popular as outsourcing increases. With outsourcing, companies contract out some functions to other companies. As it can be expensive to maintain call center equipment and staff, some companies choose to outsourcetheir telephone functions to an external call center. In this case, external call center staff can be trained to answer phone calls from a number of different companies
Call centers are often large offices staffed with representatives who either make or receive phone calls. Depending on the size of the call center, a single office could have anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of telephone staff. Depending on the needs of the company, call centers can make either incoming or outgoing calls. Some call centers focus on answering inbound calls, such as a bank that gives out a toll-free number for customers needing assistance. In that case, call center representatives can give account balances and take loan applications over the phone. Other call centers focus on outbound calls, such as a survey company. In that case, survey representatives make outbound calls to ask people to answer survey questions over the phone.
Call centers provide a number of advantages to companies. By centralizing telephone-based service and support in one location, companies can easily adjust staffing to match call volume. Call centers can be located almost anywhere, allowing companies to take advantage of time zones and cheaper labor rates in different states and countries. Call centers also centralize the technology needs of companies, allowing major telecommunications setups to be installed in a small handful of call centers instead of a number of smaller offices, making upgrades and training easier to complete.
Many call centers use a number of different technologies to help improve performance and customer experience. Inbound call centers often use automatic call distribution, in which incoming calls are assigned to representatives on the order they are received. Other call centers utilize call monitoring, in which customer calls are randomly monitored by quality assurance staff to ensure that phone representatives meet customer needs. Call center technology evolves constantly, helping call center staff assist customers more efficiently and effectively.
Call centers have been increasingly popular as outsourcing increases. With outsourcing, companies contract out some functions to other companies. As it can be expensive to maintain call center equipment and staff, some companies choose to outsourcetheir telephone functions to an external call center. In this case, external call center staff can be trained to answer phone calls from a number of different companies
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