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Emilie Coene

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Voicebots in debt collection: From automation to personalization
Voicebots in debt collection: From automation to personalization 958 539 Emilie Coene

Debt collection poses a constant challenge for businesses, requiring a delicate balance between maintaining financial health and preserving positive customer relationships. However, this process is often perceived as time-consuming, complex, and sometimes delicate on a relational level. This is where technologies like voicebots come into play, offering a modern and efficient solution to automate and simplify the processes of managing overdue payments.


Voicebots: A strategic asset

Debt collection, traditionally associated with complex and time-consuming processes, is undergoing a significant transformation with the advent of voicebots. These voice assistants leverage artificial intelligence, text-to-speech solutions, and speech-to-text recognition to bring a new dimension to overdue payment management, providing increased efficiency while maintaining a crucial balance with the human aspect.


Enhanced efficiency through advanced features

Our debt collection voicebots come equipped with features to automate and simplify processes:

Call initiation and reception:

Voicebots not only initiate calls but are also capable of answering them, providing greater versatility in interactions;

Debtor authentication:

Voicebots integrate advanced authentication technologies to ensure the security and confidentiality of exchanges;

Customized Scripts:

Each interaction is based on customized scripts, allowing the dialogue to be adapted based on the specific situation of each debtor;

Payment reminder automation:

Voicebots can systematically send payment reminders and follow-ups at defined intervals, ensuring a consistent and comprehensive approach. This automated follow-up maximizes collection chances, reduces the risk of defaults, and helps lower operational costs;

Gathering debtors' intentions:

Voicebots can gather debtor intentions, providing valuable information to guide the debt collection process;

Identification of critical moments:

Voicebots are designed to identify moments where human intervention is necessary, allowing team members to intervene at the opportune time;

Statistics and Recordings:

Through a secure platform, you have access to key statistics and detailed recordings for in-depth analysis and strategic adjustments;

Interconnectable Interface:

Seamless integration with financial management and CRM systems, ensuring effective collection of debt-related data.


The harmony between technology and human strategy

Despite the undeniable advantages of voicebots, the human element remains relevant, especially in the more complex stages of the debt collection process. Situations requiring a more personalized approach, a nuanced understanding of the context, and delicate negotiation are best handled by experienced professionals.

The key to success lies in finding the balance between the automation provided by voicebots and human intervention where it truly adds value. The judicious use of this technology optimizes the debt collection process, freeing up time for employees to focus on more strategic and relational aspects.


Stefania, our Project Manager, tells you all about it:

In conclusion, integrating a voicebot into the debt collection process can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and provide a smoother customer experience. However, it is crucial to strike the right balance between automation and human interactions to ensure that customers are properly supported while optimizing debt collection operations. With the right strategy in place, voice robots can become a valuable asset for any business looking to improve its debt collection practices.

At iKanbi, we go beyond the standard offering by providing personalized support, ranging from custom voicebot development to deploying advisors specialized in debt collection. We are here to support your business at every step of the process, ensuring effective financial management and optimal customer relations.

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Toy drive: a success story driven by solidarity
Toy drive: a success story driven by solidarity 1280 1920 Emilie Coene

At iKanbi, this season holds a special meaning, tinted with solidarity and sharing. This year, our toy drive has been more than just an event. It was a brilliant demonstration of generosity and support for a cause close to our hearts.

The donation call was launched in mid-November, and the response surpassed our wildest expectations. This time, we had the opportunity to collaborate with the ‘Assistance à l’Enfance‘ Association.

Together, our goal was clear: to target children in the greatest need. It was a wonderful opportunity to spread a little magic and comfort among the most vulnerable children.

A meaningful collaboration with Assistance à l’Enfance

The association’s mission is to provide children in need with all forms of assistance, whether it’s material, moral, psychological, legal, or social support. This winter, they organized their 39th toy collection, an event supported by schools and businesses. It has led to the distribution of over 3900 toys to 1030 children.

The heart-wrenching reality of child poverty

The reality of child poverty in Belgium is heartbreaking, affecting more than one in ten children in the country. These figures reflect a worrying situation where many children are growing up in difficult economic conditions, facing daily challenges to meet their basic needs.

In this context, initiatives like toy redistribution hold crucial importance. These toys offer much more than entertainment; they bring hope and a sense of normalcy to these children, often deprived of simple childhood experiences.

A positive environmental impact

By giving toys a second life, it can have a positive and significant environmental impact. The reuse and recycling of toys help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, which is essential to preserve our environment.

A Warm Thank You to Our Committed Collaborators

We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to our collaborators whose active participation has been the key to this successful collection. Their generosity and dedication have been essential pillars in spreading this wave of solidarity.

Every smile we’ve brought about is a victory, a step toward a world where compassion and solidarity are fundamental values.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this toy collection a success.

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Multilingual customer service is not a luxury; it’s a necessity
Multilingual customer service is not a luxury; it’s a necessity 1640 924 Emilie Coene

This conversation with the CEO of the iKanbi group, Daniel Coene, highlights the importance of providing customer service in the customer’s language. Daniel Coene also shares how iKanbi, with its strategically positioned contact centers in Belgium, Morocco, and Albania, as well as multilingual technologies, distinguishes itself among customer relationship outsourcers.

Daniel, to start, why is it so essential for a company to offer customer service in their customers’ language?

Communication lies at the heart of any business relationship. When you interact with your customers, providing them with a seamless experience that respects their culture and native language is essential. This creates a bond of trust and openness and forms the basis of a strong relationship. Moreover, it makes a huge difference to the customer experience.

Daniel Coene, CEO and Founder of iKanbi

How does this affect customer satisfaction and loyalty?

Customer satisfaction is closely tied to the quality of the experience provided. By addressing your customers’ requests in their native language, you show that you understand them and take their needs into consideration. This has a positive and direct impact on their satisfaction, which in turn strengthens loyalty. Customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that values them.

Can you tell us about iKanbi’s language strength?

At iKanbi, we’ve made multilingual customer service our specialty. Our customer advisor teams consist of experienced native speakers who can communicate fluently and understandingly in over 15 languages.

Our contact centers are strategically located in key areas in Europe and North Africa. In Belgium, our operational centers are in Berchem and Liège. In Morocco, you’ll find us in Tanger and Casablanca, and in Albania, in Tirana. This international presence allows us to cover a wide range of languages and cultures, ensuring our clients can offer smooth and personalized customer service to their international customers.

How does iKanbi use technology to support multilingual customer relationship management?

The iKanbi group has its own IT subsidiary, iKanbi Technologies, dedicated to developing technological solutions. Our teams develop custom tools such as intelligent Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, chatbots, and voicebots capable of interacting in users’ preferred languages.

Our technologies are designed to optimize costs, enhance the customer experience, and strengthen satisfaction, regardless of the target audience.

How does iKanbi adapt to the specific needs of each company?

Every company is unique, with its own needs and expectations. We work closely with our clients to offer them customized services in terms of guidance, technology, or outsourcing their customer relationship. Flexibility and adaptability are integral to our DNA.

In conclusion, what message would you like to convey to companies looking to improve their customer service?

Multilingual customer service is not a luxury; it’s a necessity

It is the bridge between your company and your customers worldwide.

At iKanbi, we understand the importance of human relationships and respecting cultural diversity. We are committed to providing a quality experience to every consumer, regardless of their language, thus strengthening the relationship between brands and their customers.

To achieve this, the iKanbi group relies on a combination of human expertise and advanced technology to deliver high-value multilingual customer service.

Contact us to discover how iKanbi can enhance your customers' satisfaction and your position in the international market.
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Outsourcing your customer service to a contact centre
Outsourcing your customer service to a contact centre 1920 1536 Emilie Coene

Whatever your company’s size, sector or customer service maturity, managing interactions with your customers and prospective customers can often be difficult, costly and time-consuming. That’s why many companies outsource the management of their customer service to a call centre, benefiting from a range of advantages as a result.


Solutions to meet your needs

iKanbi Solutions

Boasting significant experience, a call centre can offer you  bespoke solutions in line with your customer service maturity level, from providing support and advice when it comes to implementing or optimising your processes to the partial or total outsourcing of your company’s customer service.

Improving your customer experience

Call centres specialise in fast, efficient and multi-channel management of customer interactions in a wide range of sectors. Consequently, they have significant expertise and experience and can provide efficient and high-quality customer service.

Customer Advisors are specialists who are trained in handling different types of requests, helping to resolve customers’ issues and providing a high-quality customer experience. By outsourcing its customer service, a company can benefit from the expertise and skills of these Customer Advisors, which will lead to high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty and an improved customer experience.


Availability and flexibility

Many contact centres can provide services outside your opening hours. Some even offer services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a continuous customer service experience. This is particularly important for companies with customers in different time zones or who need support outside traditional working hours.

In addition, call centres can provide a flexible service by adapting to demand in terms of interaction volumes and workflows. This flexibility ensures that your customers are served quickly and efficiently, even during periods of increased activity or seasonal changes.

Cost optimisation

Outsourcing your customer service certainly helps to reduce the costs of in-house management. After all, you won’t need to invest in the recruitment, training, technology and infrastructure required to provide in-house customer service.

In addition to reducing your costs, a contact centre can help you to implement processes to obtain a better return on your investment: boosting customer loyalty, generating additional income, reducing churn, increasing the average basket, etc.


Multi-channel access

By opting for a multi-channel approach, a company can respond to its customers’ preferences and communication needs and provide a more customised, flexible and convenient customer experience. Of course, the chosen channels must be appropriate and be made available at the right time during the customer journey.

Inevitably, this multi-channel approach leads to greater complexity in customer service management. A contact centre can provide centralised management for all communication channels, including telephone, email, chat, social media and instant messaging. This means that an interaction which begins on one channel can be easily transferred to another channel, if necessary, while safeguarding the conversation’s history and continuity.

Going back to basics to focus on your core business

Outsourcing your customer service to a call centre allows you to focus more on your core business. You can devote more time and resources to developing your products and/or services, sales strategy, innovation, etc.

In short, any public or private company or organisation of any size can work with a contact centre to provide high-quality multi-channel customer service, manage customer interactions effectively and improve the customer experience. Choosing to outsource your customer service means benefiting from specialist customer relations expertise and resources while being able to focus on the essentials: your company’s core business.

Enhance your Customer Experience

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At iKanbi, October will be pink
At iKanbi, October will be pink 1640 924 Emilie Coene

October brings many things: the changing of seasons, pumpkins, and Halloween decorations… But it is also marked by an extremely important cause, the fight against breast cancer. That’s why, throughout this October, we will be conducting awareness, information, and fundraising campaigns within iKanbi to support the Think Pink Association.


Pink ribbons for hope

One of the most recognizable symbols in the fight against breast cancer is the pink ribbon. These small ribbons carry great hope and have become the universal symbol of solidarity with those affected, near and far, by this disease. Throughout the month of October, we will be selling pink ribbons in support of the Think Pink Association. The proceeds from these sales will be fully donated to the Association to support their programs for prevention, early detection, and patient support.

Buying a pink ribbon is more than just a symbolic gesture. It is a concrete way to contribute to the fight against breast cancer and to help those affected by it navigate this challenge with courage and dignity.

Breast cancer screening awareness

Awareness is a key element of our commitment to the fight against breast cancer. We want all our female employees to be informed and aware of the importance of early detection. To this end, awareness campaigns are being organized throughout the month of October to help them better understand the risks and methods of breast cancer screening.

Early detection can save lives, and we want all our female employees to be proactive in terms of their health.

Join us in this crucial fight

The fight against breast cancer is a cause that is close to our hearts, and we believe in the power of collective action. We invite you to join us throughout the month of October by purchasing a pink ribbon, participating in our awareness campaigns, sharing information about breast screening, or simply expressing your solidarity with those fighting this disease.

Together, we can make a difference and contribute to a future where breast cancer is a thing of the past. Join us in this crucial fight for women’s health and for a world without breast cancer.

peaks in customer service activities
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How to effectively manage peaks in customer service activities ?
How to effectively manage peaks in customer service activities ? 1640 924 Emilie Coene

Customer service plays a crucial role in a company’s success. It is the preferred point of contact between the company and its customers, and the quality of this service can have a direct impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, it often happens that companies are confronted with  both foreseeable and unforeseeable peaks in activity that strain their ability to effectively respond to customer demands. In this article, we are going to examine the sources of these  interactions peaks , the consequences of poorly managed peaks, and finally, some potential solutions for dealing with them.

The main causes of activity peaks in customer service

Regardless of business sector, at one time or another, every company is faced with interaction volume variabilities. The causes of these increases and decreases in activity can mostly be explained by seasonality, as well as by factors both inside and outside the company:

causes of activity peaks in customer service

Adverse consequences for customer services and the company:

Failing to effectively manage peaks in activity within your customer service department will have negative impacts on your customers and their satisfaction levels, and your staff, as well as on your company’s brand image:

  • Customer dissatisfaction: Spikes in calls, tickets or emails can lead to significant degradation in handling times and wait times as well as in the quality of the responses given, which causes customer dissatisfaction as they feel neglected or poorly dealt with. With the risk that the customer leaves for the competition.
  • Deterioration of the brand’s image: A bad experience with customer service is one of the main reasons why customer’s leave a brand, and a large number of them share their experiences on social networks or with their friends and family. As with the other channels, comments on social media must receive quick responses due to the risk of damaging the company’s reputation and discouraging potential new customers.
  • Staff turnover and absenteeism: Poorly anticipating peaks in activity will disorganise the structure of your customer service and undeniably lead to a team that is under pressure, understaffed and unable to absorb the workload in the proper conditions. Absenteeism and staff turnover will increase.
  • Increased costs: To deal with the increase in absenteeism and staff turnover, extra expenses will be involved to cover the costs of recruitment and training, administrative costs, software licensing fees, etc.

Key steps to better managing peaks in customer service activities

It is important to always bear in mind the impacts that inadequate preparation for peaks in activity can have within your customer service department. The keys to avoiding them are anticipation as well as communication, based on 6 tips that cannot be overlooked:

  1. Leverage the data from previous years: We can never repeat it enough, but reports are indispensable. These will allow you to analyse interaction records across all communication channels by period, by event, and so on… These analyses will allow you to highlight the seasonality of your activities and create a forecast.
  2. Equip yourself with a predictability tool: Based on interaction records, a forecasting tool will enable you to arrange the necessary resources according to volumes, schedules and skill sets. This type of tool is vital for good management of your customer service as it enables you to interpret the realities internal and external to the company and their impacts on customer service.
  3. Call upon a contact centre (BPO or outsourcer): Entrusting your customer services either in part or in full to an external service provider will bring you many advantages: cost savings, advice and expertise, etc. A contact centre will be able to assist you in managing peaks in activity by helping you to create forecasts and promptly increase resources.
    Discover all the advantages of outsourcing your customer services by reading our article: “Outsourcing your customer service to a Contact Center “
  4. Support your customers in becoming more autonomous: Digital is a precious ally during busy periods as it allows you to implement self-service tools in your customer service, which reduces the number of incoming requests along with wait times. You have to identify the most simple tasks with the least added value that don’t require intervention from a Customer Adviser. These tasks could be handled by an FAQ, a chatbot, a voicebot, and so on…
  5. Offer your teams proximity coaching: The training and support given to your Customer Advisers are vital to maintaining the motivation and quality of your teams when the workload is more substantial.
  6. Opt for transparent communication: Inform customers of wait times or any potential technical issues. Also ensure that your Customer Advisers adapt their communications to apologise for the wait, for example. More communication will help reduce frustrations and appease dissatisfied customers.

In conclusion, effective management of peaks in customer service activities is essential to ensuring customer satisfaction, maintaining good service quality, preserving the company’s reputation and optimising costs. By planning for and anticipating these peaks, using appropriate technological solutions and providing proximity support to their teams, companies can offer exceptional customer experience, even during busier periods.

Need help managing your customer interactions? Contact us
Collaboration iKanbi Smart2Circle
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iKanbi is committed to a more sustainable future
iKanbi is committed to a more sustainable future 1640 924 Emilie Coene

Collaboration iKanbi Smart2Circle

At iKanbi, we believe in a more sustainable and responsible future for our planet. That’s why we are thrilled to announce our new collaboration with Smart2Circle as part of our commitment to sustainable development and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Sustainable development is at the heart of our vision at iKanbi. We are convinced that every company has an essential role to play in preserving our planet and improving the quality of life for future generations. That’s why we have decided to take a new step to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance our social impact.

In this effort, we have chosen to work with Smart2Circle, a company specialized in assisting businesses in building a sustainable and circular strategy. Together, we will establish a comprehensive carbon footprint of our activities to identify sources of greenhouse gas emissions and areas where we can reduce our environmental impact.

But that’s not all! We will also develop a robust CSR strategy that will integrate our values, goals, and concrete actions in terms of social responsibility. This strategy will help us strengthen our commitment to our employees, clients, partners, and society as a whole.

We are determined to make this collaboration with Smart2Circle a success and transform iKanbi into an even more sustainable and socially responsible company. We will keep you informed of our progress throughout this journey towards a greener and more ethical future.

Together, we can make a difference. Thank you for joining us on this wonderful adventure towards a better world!

>>> Sustainable development is not new at iKanbi, discover our Ecovadis results <<<

Collecte
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iKanbi’s commitment to underprivileged children
iKanbi’s commitment to underprivileged children 800 1131 Emilie Coene

Since its inception, the iKanbi group has always been dedicated to playing a positive role in society by actively engaging in social and environmental causes. This year is no exception, and we are delighted to share our latest initiative with you, which brought smiles and hope to numerous underprivileged children through a collection of school supplies.

“The iKanbi group is aware of its responsibilities to the community, and as such, we have decided to implement a concrete action to make a difference in the lives of children facing economic and social challenges. With immense joy, we organized a collection of school supplies, aiming to provide children with the necessary tools to pursue their education peacefully,” stated Emilie Coene, Head of Marketing and Communication.

Mensenzorg vzwArc-En-Ciel AsblIn collaboration with the associations Arc-en-Ciel and Mensenzorg, we were able to distribute these supplies to children in greatest need. This successful collaboration has reinforced our belief that when businesses and organizations join community efforts, positive and lasting changes can be achieved.

This project not only resulted in the distribution of school supplies but also created moments of joy and solidarity within our teams. We are proud of our colleagues who demonstrated genuine commitment to this cause.

“At iKanbi, we view this action as a step forward toward a better and more inclusive future. We firmly believe that every gesture, no matter how small, can have a significant impact on the lives of those in need. That’s why we will continue to explore new ways to positively contribute to society and the environment,” added Emilie Coene.

We extend warm thanks to all who supported this initiative. Together, we prove that it is possible to create a better world by working hand in hand for the well-being of all!

Collecte

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Using a call centre to make sales appointments
Using a call centre to make sales appointments 1920 944 Emilie Coene

Although telephone prospecting is facing new challenges in an increasingly digital world, it still plays an important role and outsourcing it to an experienced call centre can be an effective strategy to boost your sales team’s appointment-making.

Telephone prospecting: a tool for differentiation

Digital prospecting offers a number of advantages, including automation, wider reach and potentially lower costs. However, it will never offer the same flexibility and potential for personalisation as telephone prospecting.

Through telephone prospecting, you can stand out from your competitors by:

  • Adopting a personalised approach: with telephone prospecting, you can establish direct, personalised contact with your prospective customers. You can adapt your approach to the specific needs of each prospective customer, ask relevant questions and offer tailor-made solutions.

89% of customer relationship managers say that personalisation is a key factor in competitive differentiation.

  • Creating a sense of trust: telephone prospecting allows you to establish a closer relationship with prospective customers. Frequent interaction, provided that these calls are timely and respectful, will help to create an understanding of prospective customers’ specific needs, build trust in your brand and develop long-lasting relationships.
  • Eliciting an instant response: telephone prospecting provides an instant response about prospective customers’ interest. This can be particularly useful for products or services which require a quick decision or for prospective customers who prefer direct communication rather than waiting for a response by email or chat.
  • Generating qualified leads: telephone prospecting is an effective way of qualifying and updating a database or CRM; it can also be used to identify the most interested prospective customers and schedule an appointment. What’s more, these telephone conversations can provide key information for your sales departments, including consumer needs, interests, etc.

Outsourcing appointment booking

Organising and managing a team of sales representatives or telemarketers is a time-consuming task that requires hands-on management and a wide range of tools including telecommunications, a CRM, scripts and reporting. That’s why many companies of all sizes choose to outsource sales appointment campaigns to a call centre.

A call centre can help you to optimise your sales processes and improve your conversion rate:

  • Save time and resources: by outsourcing your sales appointment campaigns, you can free up your sales teams to concentrate on tasks with more added value. In this way, you can optimise the use of your resources and spend more time on sales and signing contracts; You won’t need to manage recruitment or deal with any absences;
  • Greater flexibility and scalability: call centres are designed to be flexible and scalable to meet your needs. As such, you can adjust the number of appointments you wish to make and benefit from higher call-handling capacity in response to your growth or seasonal changes.
  • Expertise in communication and sales: Sales Advisors who work in call centres are trained and specialise in sales appointment campaigns. They’re trained to communicate effectively with prospective customers, identify sales opportunities and convince prospective customers. Their expertise in communication and sales can increase your chances of successfully generating qualified appointments.
  • Compliance with rules and regulations: When organising a telephone prospecting campaign, you must be aware of all the regulations governing telephone prospecting, such as the GDPR, the DNCM (Do Not Call Me) and so on. Call centres have expert knowledge of these regulations and can help you to develop a compliant and targeted telephone prospecting policy;
  • Personalised monitoring and reporting: Your call centre partner will provide detailed reports on calls made, appointments made, results obtained, etc. This data enables you to monitor performance, analyse trends and adapt your appointment-making strategy.
  • Access to IT tools and developers: Call centres have access to a wide range of technological tools which are required to manage sales appointments effectively: VOIP telephony, call recording and analysis, automatic call dialling, etc. They can also create links between your CRM and their tools to simplify data exchange.

Whether or not you choose to outsource, telephone prospecting is and will always be a way to differentiate your prospecting efforts. However, it must be carried out in a respectful and targeted way, complying with applicable regulations. You also need to train your teams, set clear objectives and provide the necessary resources.

Contact us for your prospection

EcoVadis Medal
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The iKanbi group is awarded the EcoVadis bronze medal
The iKanbi group is awarded the EcoVadis bronze medal 1667 1667 Emilie Coene

iKanbi is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a bronze medal by EcoVadis for the group’s CSR efforts.

EcoVadis Medal

Conscious of the environmental, social and ethical challenges of sustainable development, the iKanbi group has spent several months developing a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) approach with the objective of formulating and implementing a strategy and an action plan, focused on environmental responsibility, social responsibility and corporate governance.

To ensure that our efforts and our progress are visible to our customers, suppliers and employees and, as part of a proactive approach to the continuous improvement of our CSR policy, we decided to request an EcoVadis audit. As a result of this audit, we were awarded a prestigious bronze medal.

“Our bronze certification is a reflection of our group’s strong culture and values. It is also confirmation of the sustainable development efforts and initiatives we’ve implemented over the years. Of course, we will continue to implement continuous improvements in all these areas and we’d like to achieve silver certification by next year,” explains Alain Marbehant, Vice President of iKanbi.

What is EcoVadis certification?

Ecovadis is a platform which provides CSR ratings and helps companies of all sizes and in all industries to benchmark and improve their sustainability performance with an online platform, a universal scorecard and performance improvement tools.  The EcoVadis rating assesses the quality of the company’s CSR management system, based on 21 sustainability criteria and 4 themes:

  • The environment;
  • Labour and human rights;
  • Ethics;
  • Sustainable procurement.

You’ll find a new CSR section on our website soon.

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