Understand Call Recording and Logging

About call recording and logging

What is call recording? - Call recording is a system that allows companies to monitor, listen, and record telephone calls. It is also known as call monitoring as it is possible to listen to 'live' calls without recording them... [Read More]

What is call logging? - Call logging is a system that essentially produces reports from phone usage. It enables organisations to generate and analyse key information such as where a call is made or from, duration of the call, region or country it was made to or... [Read More]

The future of call logging and recording - Call logging and recording technology are often confused because of the terminology and because of peoples' perception but both systems are very much separate and they are distinctly different applications. As a result, people often... [Read More]

Why call logging and recording? - There are many reasons to deploy call recording and logging technology, but the primary one is to increase efficiencies. If more calls are made (whether it is people making outbound telesales calls, handling complaints or solving customer... [Read More]

Legal issues - One of the reasons why companies log and record calls is to comply with the following legislation or codes of conduct. It is also important to take into account... [Read More]

Benefits of call logging and recording - Organisations can gain many benefits by implementing a call logging and recording system but these will depend on the requirements, the situation, and the type of organisation... [Read More]

Potential pitfalls of call recording and monitoring - 'Big Brother' – monitoring and recording can be seen to be interference by senior management and the general perception amongst employees might be that the management don't trust their personnel... [Read More]

What can I expect to gain by implementing call logging and recording? - It is difficult to give a typical figure that you should expect as a Return on Investment (RoI) because there are a number of factors that influence this calculation... [Read More]

Download ebook

Buying and installing call recording and logging

Six steps to successfully buying a call logging and/or recording system - Identify the needs of your organisation and the users... [Read More]

Points to remember when installing a call logging or monitoring system - It is extremely unlikely that you will install a logging and monitoring system yourself but by knowing the following steps you will be aware of what the process is, in order to achieve a fully functioning and compliant system... [Read More]

Call recording and logging case studies

Coming soon.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between call recording or monitoring and call logging? - Recording or monitoring are systems that can actually keep a record of all or some telephone calls made or taken by employees. Monitoring these calls can for example generate data such as who needs to be trained or how well they dealt with a complaint... [Read More]

Do I need both and if not can I buy the systems separately? - You won't necessarily need both as they are completely different and are used for different purposes. That said, it is likely in the next few years that will change it appears that the systems will be provided as a single solution... [Read More]

What are the legal issues that I need to consider? - One of the reasons why companies log and record calls is to comply with the certain legislation or codes of conduct. It is also important to take into account what can potentially be in breach of people's human rights or in contravention of... [Read More]

< Read more questions and answers about call recording and logging.

In summary about call recording and logging

There are many types of logging and monitoring systems available but it is important to have a very clear rationale as to why your organisation needs them and who needs to be monitored. You need to make absolutely clear that you comply with all the rules and legislation governing the recording and monitoring of telephone calls.

Call logging and recording can be incredibly effective at increasing efficiencies within a company and improving sales, all thereby improving profitability. Any system that maximises your customer data provides a better customer experience and ensures customer loyalty can only be regarded in a positive way.

Do remember that logging and recording systems are two separate systems or applications and as a result resolve two separate set of issues. Logging generates reports and allows for detailed analysis and recording captures information that can be used for a variety of uses, for example, whether to improve sales performance and hence increase revenues or for compliance reasons. Ultimately both are very effective methods of engaging technology to control costs and improve efficiency and should be considered regardless of size or type of company.

The adage that 'we are too small to need this technology' is no longer relevant because of the benefits that can be gained.

Glossary

Call Centre – A call centre is a department of an organisation that provides specialist services via the phone. This can be anything from answering technical queries and offering support for both business and consumer products to answering and dealing issues for financial institutions. Call centres can have a focus on taking 'in bound' calls, such as those described where people phone a call centre to ask questions or 'out bound' where personnel are employed to make sales or find out other information via the phone.

AHT – Average Handle Time. AHT is a measurement or analysis (report) used by organisations, often within a call centre environment, whereby the time spent by personnel on the phone is recorded and measured and an average of that time is taken across all staff and individuals. It can be useful to compare against how long on other similar companies employees spend on the phone as ultimately the faster a person can resolve an issue the more calls they can take or make. This fits in with the adage 'time is money'!

Yield Management – Yield Management is a report similar to AHT whereby the details of telephone calls are recorded and analysed to find out for example who is making calls, to which regions and how many in a given period in order to analyse how productive they might be. It can be useful to compare people's performance as it may be that some staff are making many call but few sales and someone else is making fewer calls but more sales. So ultimately it is relative to the needs of the organisation and their business objectives.