In almost every company, there are employees responsible for handling incoming and outgoing calls. If there are several specialists performing this function as part of a department, it can be called a call center. Essentially, the service largely depends on the work of its employees, which directly affects customer loyalty and sales levels. Let’s talk about the mistakes that employees may make and how to correct them.
Why Call Centers Are Needed
It’s not hard to guess from the name: answering calls, making them, and handling communication with the company’s clients. In small organizations, this functionality may be performed by individual managers. However, as the company grows, more specialists are needed who can answer callers’ questions, help them solve problems, and process orders.
For example, you’ve opened an online store. Initially, sales are conducted through social media accounts and messengers. The brand becomes popular. Over time, you decide to create a website as the number of inquiries and customers increases. Then you realize you’re ready to develop your own application. The larger the company, the more customers, platforms, potential problems, and tasks there are. For example, some consumers may have difficulties with delivery, some may find it difficult to place an order, others may not understand why payment was deducted but the item wasn’t shipped. Handling such inquiries can be taken on by call center employees.
In general, depending on the company’s structure, such a department is capable of performing a range of tasks:
- Technical customer support: Anything related to the operation of the application, website, software glitches, difficulties in placing orders.
- Problem-solving assistance: For example, difficulties with delivery, delayed purchases, receiving the wrong item, size mix-ups, poor service at offline offices.
- Consultation: For example, assistance in product selection, answering questions, addressing objections.
- Sales: In large companies, call center employees may make calls to customers with personalized offers.
- Collecting customer data, which allows for analyzing the company’s activity, identifying weaknesses, and working on them. All of this is possible through call monitoring, studying common questions and objections.
You can either create an in-house call center or outsource its services. In the latter case, a specific task is usually delegated. For example, calling customers and offering a service. Your own department can handle the entire spectrum of tasks, which is much more convenient in terms of management, task assignment, and efficiency.
What errors in call center work negatively affect customer service?
Since the department’s task is to provide high-quality service, help solve problems, answer questions, its activities are strongly related to the level of sales. Even if employees are not directly involved in this. Typical errors that reduce the level of service also affect revenue in the long term. These include:
- Long customer hold times: Keeping customers on hold for a long time while the operator searches for an answer or a suitable specialist can directly impact customers’ perception of the company.
- Frequent call redirection: Constantly redirecting calls to different specialists, especially if it does not lead to problem resolution, can cause frustration and decrease customers’ trust in the company.
- Extended waiting and unresolved issues: Prolonged waiting times and unresolved issues diminish customers’ desire to continue working with the company. This includes unfulfilled promises of callbacks.
- Template responses: While scripts can be convenient, they do not always address the customer’s specific problem. A willingness to engage with the situation and genuinely help increases customer loyalty.
- Disputes with customers: Engaging in disputes, using an unhappy tone, or displaying overly emotional reactions are unacceptable. The call center’s task is to provide information and help solve problems, not argue with customers.
What will improve the work of the call center
- Identifying weaknesses: First and foremost, it’s essential to identify weaknesses in the operation and address their root causes. This can be achieved through call monitoring, error analysis, finding optimal solutions, and providing regular training to employees. Such an approach helps assess employees’ competence in their respective roles, their level of engagement, problem-solving abilities, handling objections, and more.
- Automation: Automating processes can reduce the workload on operators and simplify customers’ experiences. Sometimes customers only need to clarify simple questions, such as order status, payment deadlines, or document readiness. A “voice assistant” can help customers navigate to the appropriate category of inquiry and provide the necessary information. Additionally, integrating a CRM system allows operators to access customer profiles during calls, saving time on data retrieval.
- Routing calls effectively: Directing incoming calls to the appropriate specialists ensures that customers do not wait unnecessarily to be redirected or for operators to gather necessary information. This way, customers are directed to the right department or agent promptly, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
- Direct interaction with call center employees: Engaging directly with call center employees and soliciting feedback about their activities and the main issues customers encounter is crucial. For example, understanding the most frequently asked questions and identifying actions the company can take to minimize such inquiries. This approach not only helps solve problems but also increases employee engagement by showing that their opinions matter.
- Employee well-being: Taking care of call center employees is essential because their work can be quite demanding. Providing comfortable working conditions, including ergonomic workstations and performance-based incentives, can boost their engagement and productivity.
