Customer Service Tips That Compliment Your Call Center Software
Chief Marketing Officer
Call center agents that handle customer service inquiries can be daunted with so many ways to improve performance. The stakes have never been higher for agents, take a look at these modern call center KPI expectations and you’ll quickly see that consumer expectations for a positive customer experience are ever-growing.
No matter how amazing your product is, your customers are most likely to remember what their interaction with your business was like, not just at physical stores or online, but through your call center too. Call center agents already have to juggle things like ongoing training geared to honing specific skills and managing channel communication expectations to name a few.
A great call center software can make things easier for agents to do their job, but it cannot replace the customer service tips or skills they will need to be successful at their job. And some skills are not always apparent at first glance.
Today, let’s break down some customer service tips call centers agents need to be great.
Customer Service Tips for the Modern Call Center Agent
When agents are given the confidence they deserve, only then will a company see how beneficial a raving review is.
These tips are not necessarily new or revolutionary but can act as building blocks to better agent training and creating the best customer experiences.
1. Don’t be afraid to use mute and hold
Far too often I have heard agents reading back notes and scrolling through various screens trying to get a clear understanding and context of the call or case, you can almost hear them thinking.
Using mute or hold is not something that will work for every situation but when properly used it can help an agent focus on investigating a caller’s situation without giving a play-by-play over the phone. It also can reduce some agent stress and anxiety.
As previously mentioned, there is a time to use it mute and hold, and a time not to. Agents can use best practices and judgment to determine when a caller doesn’t want to be put on mute or hold based on situational circumstances.
If used appropriately, both experienced and inexperienced agents can enhance the customer experience and expectation.
2. Take notes
One of the easiest ways to build stronger relationships between your company and a customer is by taking notes and being detail-oriented in your interactions. Follow-up calls and communications in the future will be more meaningful for both call center agents and customers when there is context.
Besides call resolutions and actions taken, call center managers need to have a process in place for agents to add details and other notes to each call.
3. Show empathy and be patient
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. A key trait of any call center agent. This must translate from both verbal and written communication when attempting to understand a customer situation.
Call center agents can make or break a relationship for the better or worse. Give your customers a reason to stay through mutual respect and patience.
4. Speak naturally and as they do
In the age of Google Duplex, automated phone systems, and virtual assistants it is sometimes nice to have a human to talk to. This goes for all of your customers too. Training agents to adapt to conversations, tone, and voice will show how customer-centric and real you are as a brand.
5. Practice clear communication and listen
To hear the problem, you must understand the problem. Ensure that each customer is aware that you are listening and are understanding their needs. Using their name often, allow the customer to talk freely without interruption and remember to reflect back on the main points of the conversation often.
6. Help understand and give credibility to customer complaints
This last one encapsulates the above-mentioned tips all into one. No matter how big the complaint is, giving credibility to the customer will win them over, time and time again.
Check out this blog for more on inbound call center agent soft skills.
With consistent training, you can empower your agents to take control of situations that require them to be more human. It teaches them to grow and prepare for future opportunities.
Finding a Call Center Software that Compliments Your Agents
The overall goal of these tips is to provide better customer experiences, brand awareness of the company, and inject an overall positive attitude into both call center agents and callers.
Agents with the right attitude and soft skills can achieve so much more regardless of the pressure a call center throws at them.
Call center managers should not only look at their call center software but how their agents can communicate better with customers by using that software. Customer service is more than a means to an end and should play a vital part in what your organization stands for.
Start today. Get a demo and start improving your customer experiences with TCN.