How Big Is the Call Center Industry?

The call center industry is growing rapidly. With more and more people using smartphones, it's not hard to see why. There are many different types of call centers; some specialize in customer service while others focus on sales or technical support. No matter what the company does, they all have one thing in common - their employees work from a central location where they answer phone calls from customers. The sheer volume of calls these days means that companies need an efficient way to handle them all without wasting time or money, so a call center is a perfect solution.

And it's a big industry, too. Call centers employ thousands and thousands of people all over the world. It is hard to say exactly how many call center employees there are since they work in so many different settings, but estimates put the number at around 3 million people in the U.S. alone. That's a lot of people working behind phone lines!

Who are these people?

Well, they're not just anyone. You have to have a special set of skills to work in a call center. Not only do you need good communication skills, but you must be able to handle high-pressure situations and remain calm while talking with frustrated customers all day long. If you can think on your feet, have good computer skills, and perform well under pressure, you might make a great call center agent!

What kind of jobs are available?

You can work at just about any type of company doing just about anything. Whether you're interested in health care or retail, customer service, or technical support, there is bound to be a job for you. Check out this list of some of the most common call center jobs:

Telemarketing Representative: Spends their day talking to customers and potential customers about products and services, answering questions, and getting feedback on new ideas. They also confirm orders, take applications over the phone and help keep records up to date.

Customer Service Representative: Supports customers by providing product or service information; resolves problems; investigates complaints; evaluates customer satisfaction.

Technical Support Representative: Provides support to end-users, typically on computer software applications and hardware products. They provide help desk support to clients to troubleshoot technical issues with software programs, networks, systems, and other hardware. Many also respond directly to IT or application development project requests via email, phone, or other communication methods.

Computer Systems Analyst: Provides application support and administers systems to meet an organization's needs.

Network Administrator: Installs network equipment and configures computers for use on the network, both in the office and out of the office (remotely).

Network Analyst: Designs and implements network solutions for organizations that support complex networking applications.

Network Engineer: Provides coordination and planning of infrastructure and advanced systems, and supports and maintains local area networks (LANs). Computer Network Specialist: Supports all network-related issues across a business – not just those at the LAN level – with an emphasis on network security.

How does the Call Center industry affect people's lives?

Call center employees work in a fast-paced environment and typically perform their duties seated in front of a computer terminal.

Regulatory and law enforcement agencies use call centers to handle emergency communications, such as reports of crimes in progress or the theft of credit card information.

Call centers also provide support for help desks, corporate mobile voice and data networks, and other internal operations involving real-time electronic communications.

There are 1.24 million Call Center employees in the United States who generate $180 billion for this industry.

The call center industry is experiencing growth because it provides many individuals with employment opportunities where they can advance their careers quickly; however, some question whether these jobs provide a sufficient income to live above the poverty level.

According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, "call center jobs have pay that is slightly higher than those in many other entry-level service occupations... But call centers are typically located in areas where prices for basic goods and housing are relatively high.

In addition, most workers employed in call centers are non-unionized, which limits their bargaining power to obtain better wages and benefits."

The future of the Call Center Industry

More and more companies are beginning to replace live agents with automated technology solutions, which may eliminate some of these positions.

However, there is an ever-increasing demand for workers who can assist customers via telephone. Since most people do not like to place orders or register complaints on websites, many companies are now using these individuals as their first line of defense against unhappy customers.

Studies have shown that customer service employees who speak clearly and respond with empathy tend to be more effective than those without such interpersonal skills.

As a result, training programs for call center employees will likely continue to flourish.

While companies may not be hiring as many people as they were a decade ago, those that are willing to work in the field will find there is a high demand for their services.

The number of call center employees has stabilized at around 3.4 million since 2010 and it is estimated there will be similar numbers through 2021. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts employment to grow by six percent through 2024, slower than average but still adding roughly 212,000 new jobs.

A study conducted by the research firm Markets and Markets projects revenues for call center businesses worldwide to amount to $134 billion in 2015. The organization's report also contains an outlook that anticipates similar growth over the next five years, when combined revenues are believed to reach $244 billion.

Conclusion

The call center industry is massive and continues to grow as more people want customer service. There are many different types of call centers, such as those that offer technical support or help with order fulfillment for e-commerce sites. The demand for these services will only continue to increase in the future due to new trends like on-demand everything (Uber), grocery delivery (Instacart), and instant chat messaging apps (Snapchat). With this information, it’s no wonder why so many businesses are looking into incorporating a call center strategy into their digital marketing plan. If you need help figuring out how your company can get ahead of these latest trends without breaking the bank, let us know! We would love to partner with you on this journey.