By: CJ Silva
In a call center, your agents are the first line of contact
for your customers. They are the
starting point, and often, the finish line, of whether or not your customer is
satisfied and remains a customer. There
are many ways that communication can be improved in a call center or a contact
center, and many begin with the agent themselves.
Hire for Empathy
Empathy is not a skill that can be taught. They either have it or they don’t. An empathetic representative will listen to a
customer's concerns and express to the customer that they, too, are concerned
about their issue. If a customer feels
as though the agent they are speaking with understands and identifies with
their concern, they are often more likely to be satisfied with the
solution. Allow the agents time to
be empathetic and to listen to, and assess, the customer's needs. Scripts and metrics that measure performance
based on how quickly a call is resolved can be counter-productive.
Offer Multiple Platforms for Service
The days of telephone customer service aren't ending. Reaching an agent by phone is still the
easiest and most widely used method of communication. However, in the age of social media, many
companies are installing live chat, email, and video chat formats for contacting customer care centers. It is important to offer cross-platform
methods of communication in an age where internet, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs
drive customer opinion. Hiring agents
who are proficient in both verbal and written communication is paramount to
success.
Use Positive Language
Language is very important in how effectively you
communicate with your customer. It can
mean the difference between a customer who is satisfied with your service and a
customer who feels unsatisfied. Take,
for example, the difference between these two statements, posed after the
customer has asked about the availability of an item that is currently
unavailable: “That product is unavailable at this time and cannot be shipped to
you but it will be available next month” and the following statement: “That
product is currently unavailable, but I can go ahead and place the order to
ensure it is shipped next month as soon as it arrives in our warehouse.” While the first statement isn't untruthful,
nor is it negative, the second statement's tone conveys care for the
customer. Instead of focusing on what
cannot be done, focus on what can be done.
Provide and Offer Opportunities for Feedback
An unhappy customer will tell anyone who will listen about
why they are dissatisfied. In the age of
Facebook and Twitter, these two outlets alone allow them an audience that can
easily reach a multitude of people.
Allowing your customer a way to tell you directly why they are
dissatisfied can make your customer feel empowered. In a different aspect, providing feedback to
your agents by monitoring and discussing calls can lead to positive changes
that can promote future customer satisfaction.
This also allows a manager to see an agent's strengths and weaknesses
and focus on what they are doing right and how they can do things better.
Promote Effective Listening Skills
When an agent actively listens to a customer, it allows the
customer to feel as though their concerns are being addressed. It encourages the caller to be more
forthcoming with information that can identify the issue they are having and to
find the most effective solution for all involved. It will reduce misunderstandings and gaps in
communication. Allowing the agent time
to listen to, and ask questions to better understand the customer's needs are
imperative to promoting overall customer satisfaction. Having listening skills metrics included in
agent reviews will help to identify where agents excel and where they can
improve in this very important skill.
These are just a few ways to improve communication between
your front line agents and customers.
Enacting any or all of these tips can promote more customer satisfaction
and help earn and retain your customer base.
CJ Silva is VP of Operations at KOVA Corporation.
