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How to Deal Appropriately with Problem Calls

TMCnews Featured Article


March 10, 2015

How to Deal Appropriately with Problem Calls

By Mae Kowalke, TMCnet Contributor


Most of the time, the interaction between contact center agents and customers is a smooth one; the vast majority of calls are unremarkable and everything goes according to script.

Unfortunately, not all calls go to script.

The problem could be a miscommunication. Or it could be an expectation that is too high, a common failing of human nature. An agent could have an “off” day, or bring his emotional issues to the job. Or the customer just could be cranky.


Stuff happens and some calls are confrontational and negative. That’s just the reality of the contact center.

How businesses deal with these problem conversations can make a huge difference, however.

First, proper agent training goes a long way. While training agents on a campaign is important, as are the technical details of working the phones, one of the most important skills that must be imparted is conflict resolution and keeping cool when the customer is not.

But training is only part of the solution. Technology also can help.

One technology that can make a huge difference during tough conversations with customers is call-monitoring. Good call-monitoring functionality, usually built into the contact center software (Spitfire’s Enterprise Predictive Dialer software is a good example of built-in call-monitoring), can ensure that when problems arise, they don’t get out of hand.

That’s because with call-monitoring, experienced managers can step in to save agents who are in trouble or need assistance. This can come in the form of taking over for an agent, but it also can come from managers coming up to agents with solutions during a call to defuse and fix the situation.

The second technology that can help during these tough calls is call recording.

Despite the best attempts of agents and managers, sometimes calls get out of hand. When they do, it can be nice to have a record of the call both for liability reasons and for improvement next time.

Call recording enables both. With a recording of the problem call, agents and managers can learn from mistakes and incorporate these lessons into future training. Call recording also can cover a contact center when a customer is irate and understanding a conversation to be different than it actually is in reality. While no contact center wants a negative interaction to reach this level of trouble, having a recording of the interaction can at least clarify the situation and protect the business against litigation in many cases.

Bad customer interactions happen. The question is what the contact center does about the problem.










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