When you run a call center, the key to your success is customer engagement.
Your customer service representatives must appreciate the value of engaging with customers and serving their needs. Here are some of our top tips to improve customer engagement at your call center.
1. Provide Thorough & Ongoing Training
If you want your agents to provide exemplary customer service, it’s essential that they know exactly what you expect from them. Train agents so they are well versed with every aspect of customer interaction.
Use interactive training methods such as simulated calls. Don’t only train new employees but provide ongoing training to reinforce the material.
2. Offer Support on Multiple Channels
When you offer support by phone, email, and live chat, you give customers a choice so they can use the mode they prefer. Perhaps some customers would also prefer to contact you via Facebook or Twitter. Providing alternatives lightens the load for your phone reps as well.
Make sure customers know they can contact you in different ways.
3. Use Efficient Technology to Ensure Great Customer Service
Your customer service reps play a crucial role but they can only work with the technology you provide. If customers experience long wait times, they’ll get frustrated and leave with a poor impression of your customer support. Use quality call center technology with features such as call-back functionality.
4. Publish Informative Content on Your Website
The more information your website provides, the fewer calls your reps need to deal with. A lighter call load improves service for people who do call.
Make sure your website is easy to navigate with a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions. Update this list as you gain more data for better customer service.
5. Reduce Scripted Responses & Emphasize Personalization
Customers quickly tire of hearing call center reps reading from scripts. No matter how upbeat or helpful the script sounds, it feels manipulative. Encourage your agents to talk to people in a way that acknowledges their individuality. One aspect of this is to train reps to listen carefully to customers’ concerns before responding.
6. Balance Speed & Effectiveness
Busy call centers must pay attention to speed and do whatever they can to reduce call times. On the other hand, you want to provide the best possible service and maximize customer satisfaction. When training your agents, it’s best to emphasize a balance.
Efficiency is crucial, so reps should strive to identify and solve problems as quickly as possible. At the same time, some issues are complex and require more time. Ideally, reps will develop their instincts on how to keep calls both short and productive.
7. Solicit Input from Agents
Call center agents who interact with customers all day acquire all kinds of valuable knowledge. Too often, this isn’t passed along to management due to a communication gap. Hold meetings or interviews where agents reveal what they’ve learned. They are often in a good position to offer suggestions based on their direct interaction with customers. This helps you make improvements in areas that you might otherwise overlook. For example, you may learn about problems with a certain product that customers find frustrating.
8. Provide Agents with Frequent Assessments
Call centers are fast-paced environments. It’s important to frequently meet with reps and give them detailed feedback regarding their performance. Detailed call reviews are useful for pointing out mistakes and praising great service.
Encourage reps to strive for constant improvement.
9. Request Customer Feedback
You always want to know how your customers feel about the kind of support they’re receiving. Customer surveys sent by email are one option. Another is to give customers a chance to rate their support directly after the call.
10. Constantly Track Results & Make Improvements
Don’t fall into a rut with your call center policies. Based on analytics and customer surveys, reassess your approach frequently and test different methods. Measure crucial call center KPI such as call abandon rate and time to answer and always seek ways to improve.
