As it is popularly known, learning how to properly take calls in a call centre is truly a delicate art. The way you answer your customer support calls can be a direct indicator of whether your caller’s customer service experience is positive or negative.
Great customer service really does pay off. According to tcn.com, 85% of people say that they will take some sort of action if they are dissatisfied with their customer experience. Of those respondents, 49% responded that they would stop doing business with the brand or organization entirely and head to social media or a digital community platform to complain about it. Most customers have their first contact with the company the moment they pick up the phone to get connected with it, making customer support representatives or the CX talent play a key role in crafting personalized and expectation-exceeding customer experiences.
So how can representatives with CX jobs navigate through a complex customer-centric marketplace? In today’s hyper-competitive business environment, it is imperative to know the benefits of an efficient customer support interaction and the consequences of a poor customer support encounter. Here are a few fundamental and enlightening statistics that stress the importance of customer support agents and why they are the true heroes when it comes to handling customer support calls.
Here are what positive customer support interactions lead to:
- AE reports that 70% of customers say they have already made a choice to support a company that delivers great customer service.
- AE reports that 68% of customers believe that the key to exceptional customer service is a polite customer support representative.
- According to Microsoft, about one in three customers (30%) say that the most important part of their customer service is interacting with a friendly and knowledgeable agent.
- Harris Interactive reported that friendly customer service agents or support representatives are what make contribute towards making a memorable experience that causes customers to stick with a brand for 73% of customers.
- According to Accenture, 48% of consumers expect specialised treatment for being a good customer.
Here’s what negative customer support experiences lead to:
Most customer service representatives that can convert customers into long term loyalists are most likely those who
- Demonstrate confidence in speech and actions
- Approachable, interested and friendly
- Knowledgeable of the products and services he or she is dealing with
- Have a strong and direct customer service approach
- Are endowed with excellent telephone etiquette and manners.
Listed below are some dos that can elevate and enhance the experience for both customers and call takers.
Do:
- Answer calls with a professional tone
Set the tone of the entire conversation by answering the phone in a welcoming and inviting manner. Introducing yourself and the company is important but keep it brief. Make sure to ask your caller how you can be of assistance to them. This demonstrates your eagerness and joy to assist them in this interaction. This ensures that your phone conversation starts off on the right foot. Throughout the course of the conversation keep your tone professional and your conversation friendly and personal, as your customers will then be able to keep up with all the information you are providing them with.
- Start and end the call with politeness and enthusiasm
Find ways to enjoy every conversation you are having with the customer. Customers will sense this and it will also make customers feel more comfortable with explaining their issues with precision and confidence, making your job of understanding it so much easier. It is of the essence to exude positivity as it helps in maintaining a productive conversation and helps you in keeping your cool even while dealing with difficult customers and being bombarded with queries and complaints.
- Clarify customer concerns and issues
Ambiguity is the antonym of great customer service. While having a conversation over the phone with your customer, you will need to make sure you have understood them thoroughly and cleared up any possible misunderstandings by enunciating or repeating important details that they may have mentioned. Doing so in moderation lets the customer know that you are paying attention. If the topic seems a little too much to understand, ask your customers to explain it in detail. For the most part, pay as much attention as you can to the customer all the while confirming and clarifying what they are saying, as it will give you a better perspective of what you need to do in the situation.
- Make good use of all the resources available to you
Make sure to get acquainted with using your company’s phone system, which will enable you to smoothly transfer a customer if needed or seamlessly put the caller on hold. Befriend the mute and hold buttons. While working remotely at VOIZ our agents utilise the mute button to eliminate the background chatter and noise; all the while paying attention to what the customer is saying. Make sure to use these buttons as sparingly as possible. Let customers know before you put them on hold or when the call is going to be escalated or transferred. Better yet, ask them for their permission and provide them with the name of the person they’ll be speaking with next.
Some additionals dos’ include:
- When you answer the phone, always remember to greet the customer warmly. Make sure to mention your name at the end of your greeting as you will have an upward inflexion on your name which will also register in the mind of the caller.
- Always identify yourself and the brand you are representing.
- Smile when you answer your calls. Although your callers won’t be able to see it, they are most likely to recognize the smile in your voice making your caller so much more relaxed and engaged in the conversation.
- Speak with precision and clarity. When you say something, the person on the other end must be able to understand and listen to it. Nobody wants to repeat themselves during a conversation. Therefore, speak in a clear fashion against a noiseless background for an efficient customer service experience.
- Practise being eager, courteous and considerate. It will help in building a relationship with the customer.
- Listen to your customer. Customers will feel better about the interaction when you understand the reason for their call by listening attentively and responding accordingly.
- Keep your callers appropriately informed and updated. Make sure to outline a proper plan of action for your callers and relay the right information to them. Let them know what steps and measures you will be taking and how long it will take to make it happen. Let your customers know what they need to do, what you need to do and the process for doing it as clearly and concisely as possible.
- Be aware to position your speaker’s mouthpiece in a way that causes no distraction or disturbance to you or the caller.
- Express gratitude to the customer for calling you and trusting you with their issue.
If you’ve got a good idea of all that you need to do while speaking to your caller or customer and want to implement your learnings practically, then sign up with VOIZ and get started with a project ASAP!