Every call center needs a management solution that provides agents with the utmost skills and tools required to create successful customer experiences and solve issues that may arise. However, before an agent even gets to the point of the actual problem solving, they must identify the problem first, and for some reason that seems to be the biggest issue: lack of communication skills.   

WINTHECUSTOMER!, an online magazine dedicated to the customer service sector, just published an article titled, “Can Good Customer Service Happen In 30 Seconds?” that identifies the top tips agents can follow to create the utmost experience for their customers while also being able to narrow down a specific problem.

Control the customer service experience.

The call center and its agents have complete control over the experience that their customers will have, so it is up to them to create a comfortable and engaging environment. An organization needs to define good customer service and then create a plan for putting that definition into action when working with customers. With this tactic, organizations will be able to develop a customized experience for each customer based on their individual needs and personalities.

Organizations can also send agents to training seminars and courses offered by companies like RCCSP, a professional education alliance for the call center, has developed a variety of courses that include a certification exam, in-house training and seminar courses for those a part of the call center industry.

Welcome the customer to customer service.

According to WINTHECUSTOMER!, a true greeting to the customer is not just the company’s name and agent ID, but rather the manner in which they are welcomed. It is important for agents to treat customers like they are their friends, “By acknowledging their presence, they will feel important and will see that you are friendly and helpful.”

The same process applies to the digital customer service experience, as a company website is where customers go first.  Users should be able to quickly locate the help center or customer service messaging system so that any problems they are having on the company website can be resolved.

Good customer service is a resource to customers.

After a customer is properly greeted, the call center needs to establish that they have all the answers and is the customer’s “resource” so they feel comfortable sharing any problem they may have. However, smothering them is not the correct way to go about this – rather, an employee should just open the reins for communication so that in the future the customer can contact them without hesitation.

Even if the customer is not ready for your help at the present time, it is important that you let them know you are available for questions and assistance when they are ready. If your customer feels like the agent is overcrowding them, they will likely want a few minutes to look around before they feel comfortable enough to allow you to help them.

Listen to deliver better customer service.

“Listening to the customer will make them feel comfortable talking with you and ultimately, buying from you,” states WINTHECUSTOMER!. “They will feel understood and appreciated from your personalized service, and they will remember the experience.”

Paying attention and listening to your customer’s needs is the key - with the right skill sets to identify the problem and the root cause, resolving the issue is simple.