Delivering quality customer service is vital these days. Even though the goal of businesses and organizations is to get new customers, keeping existing customers is a must. Moreover, it is easier! The way to ensure exceptional customer service and happy clients is to concentrate on helping clients who purchase and use your items and taking care of their issues.
Here is a list of dos and don'ts to help contact centers achieve their desired goals:
Build a Connection.
It is time to review your call center talk script. Customers don't like agents whose only interest is selling. And customers will appreciate if your agents treat them in a friendly manner.
- Train your agents in the ways of building a connection.
- Add animations or videos about the importance of emotional and friendly talk.
- Let your agents ask questions and give examples.
- Don't rush towards ending the call.
- Encourage agents to ask clients if they have any other questions.
- Never forget the proper greetings to start and end every call.
Respond Quickly.
According to Donald Porter, a vice president at British Airways, customers don't expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong."
Clients are usually looking for an instant solution to their problems. If your call center representatives can respond quickly and solve their problems, it is unlikely that you will lose clients. In case you need to get back to customers, try to call them within the time limit you've told them.
- Don't let customers think that you are ignoring them by not getting back to them quickly.
- Try to fix the problem on the first call.
- Implement a system that makes responding quick and efficient for your agents.
- If your call center representatives promise to contact clients within 24 hours, the commitment must be met.
- Have a call recording or tracking system enabled in the call center so that if any of the contact details are missed agents can still contact clients.
Be Honest and Respect Your Competitors.
Ask your agents to remain fair and honest with clients. Quality customer service brings along happy customers, and this is never by chance. Let your agents know there is no room for cheating customers in your call center. When discussing the price of products or services, they must tell the truth. This is same when talking about competitors; don't bad-mouth them.
- Honesty is the best policy. Never forget this, and don't let your call center agents forget it either.
- Don't make false promises. They don't work, and they leave negative impressions on your clients.
- Expect agents to share the truth about product features and specifications so customers only get the products or services they want or need.
- Don't disrespect your competitors; it shows your insecurity. If you do so, expect the same from them.
Customer Feedback Must Not Be Ignored
Call center scripts can result in shutting down calls. A mutual conversation between customers and agents is always preferred.
- Ask agents to practice conversation instead of delivering a lecture.
- You may need to modify the sales script.
- Make the conversation friendly instead of filling it with technical details.
- Encourage agents to take customer feedback.
- Pinpoint the areas to improve services.
No matter how hard you try, there are certain dos and don'ts in customer service that must never be ignored. If you don't want to worry about your call center operations, train your agents properly. Don't overlook customer service and prepare a plan for call center growth.
Abdul Rehman is chief marketing officer at Coztel, a contact center software company.