Why Are Call Centers The Front Line Of Customer Service?

Some call centers struggle to have an excellent reputation, but it does not have to be that way. Contact center agents are a vital part of the first line of contact to help clients when they have questions or problems, and as such, they have the power to strengthen (or weaken) the relationship with the client.

So how can you ensure that customers who call a customer service receive the help they need and leave the call feeling positive about the interaction and the organization? There are several aspects to consider.

A survey of the sector made to call center professionals reported that almost a third (32%) indicated that customers had to talk to more than one agent during the course of their call. In addition, 21% of contact centers make customers repeat their history when they are transferred to another agent or department. In the world focused on today’s customer service, that number must be zero or close to it. There are many technologies that facilitate the tracking of all the interactions that a client has with a company in a client registry that is easy to access, read and understand for an agent.

There are several lessons that can be learned from these figures. First, transferring the call must be a last resort. While it is true that some clients may need to be “escalated” to a supervisor who has a deeper understanding of the problem, all call center agents must be fully trained and prepared and should be able to help and guide the caller to get a solution.

And when a call is transferred, the customer’s information must be available for the second agent or, if applicable, the supervisor to see. Who is not familiar with the fact of having to repeat the same story several times, to several people, losing hope in each step that someone can help? As we mentioned earlier, the answer is technology. No matter how good the agents are in handling the questions and complaints of their clients. If they are not given the tools to offer a satisfactory experience, the client will not always have the best experience.

Customer service agents must have information about the customer; they should be able to see the full image, including the customer profile, purchase history, problems and all their history. A good system must be able to unite everything: it is essential to have access to this information, since it is the basis to offer a good experience to the client.

What Options Are Offered To Customers To Communicate With Companies?

Customers want to be able to connect with organizations in the way that is most convenient for them. Some want to use the phone, but others can participate in the chat, through text messages, through email or even with self-service options. Any system used to administer customer service must consolidate all user information, regardless of the channel the customer uses. It should appear without problems.

Another finding of the survey of the sector shows that only 5% of the people interviewed consider the monitoring of social network channels as a main method to obtain customer feedback. This is one of the easiest ways to get real feedback and respond to customers. Through social networks, customer service centers have the opportunity to turn criticism into positive public relations results by public resolution of a customer’s complaint. It is equally important to be grateful to happy customers who leave positive comments.

The contact centers must create a culture in which each employee focuses on customer service. However, it is undeniable that those who are on the front line, including the representatives of the call center, have a great responsibility. To facilitate the work of the agents, the following points must be taken into account:

• Use of technology: today there are many options to facilitate communication with customers and for agents to solve their problems quickly and efficiently.
• Train employees thoroughly: customer service representatives answering calls from users should have the knowledge they need to answer customer questions. Transferring the call to another agent must be a last resort.
• Share customer history: if a call must be transferred, the caller will not repeat his story. The information must be available for the second agent to see. Once again, technology makes this possible.
• Make good use of social networks: monitor social channels and know what customers say about the company, be it good or bad. Some customer problems can be resolved in a public forum for all to see.

The customer service is a great differentiator. With each client, each interaction, from the sale to the later service and everything else, represents an opportunity. An opportunity to let the customers know they have made the right decision when choosing a certain company.