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Q: Is it just me, or are customers getting more irate and belligerent? How about some pointers for my agents on how to handle troublesome callers?

A: In the 17 years I’ve been in the call center industry, dealing with upset customers has simply come with the territory. But you’re right. Customers seem to be getting more aggressive with agents, primarily on the inbound side. “Your tech support department is useless,” or “I refuse to pay this *&^@%# bill”— and an often innocent agent has to bear the brunt of the customer’s outburst.

That doesn’t mean an agent is defenseless, however. On the contrary, agents are the ones in control, and they need to be able to show it. Here are some guidelines for agents and supervisors who have been around as long as call centers have, and they still work.

1. Keep cool, and don’t take the situation personally. I know, easier said than done, especially when a customer is screaming at you about a problem you had no part in creating. But as a call center consultant once told me, “Agents who control their emotions deal from a position of strength.” More than that, agents who get defensive and elevate confrontations with customers don’t just lose business, they lose their job.

2. Listen closely. Let the customer air their complaint without interrupting, and take written notes if necessary to better understand why the person is upset. In most cases, once an irate customer knows someone is listening and is actually sympathetic, they calm down and are more inclined to listen themselves.

3. Gather the facts and assess the problem in full. As the saying goes, the customer is always right. Yet customers can also be wrong. Either way, listen attentively to get the person’s point of view, ask questions and reiterate that you can appreciate why they’re upset. This helps lower the person’s defenses and gives you a better chance of proposing a resolution. Also, above all else, if you or your company made a mistake, admit it.
Conversely, if a customer’s account record or trouble ticket proves they’ve misunderstood the situation, clearly explain that their frustration is understandable and then convey the facts from your end. Doing so allows you to question their complaint in a respectful manner, and move toward this next step.

4. Provide an equitable solution. There’s nothing more important than keeping a customer happy while doing what’s best for the business that employs you. Whether replacing a defective product or offering a billing adjustment (including certain times when the customer isn’t right), issue a proclamation of “Here’s what we’ll do,” and then do it to the person’s satisfaction. If it takes $500 to retain a customer who spends $5,000 with your company every year, consider it money well spent.

Agents are frontline ambassadors, so things like continuous training, on-demand coaching, call recording and scoring, scripted “solutions” and post-call customer surveys prepare them to deal with irate customers more effectively than ever. Emerging technologies such as emotion analyzers that sense when a caller is becoming irritated will further aid agents in the near future.

The bottom line is that customer service is a people business, and the best skills any agent or supervisor can possess for diffusing an irate customer is to just be human — to listen, take a genuine interest in that customer and be a voice of reason. Those are called people skills, and in a call center they’re invaluable.

Agents, Tell Us Your Stories Fortunately, not every customer an agent has to deal with is upset about something. Oftentimes, an interaction is actually funny or a little unusual, and we’d like to hear about them. The Interactive Intelligence “Outrageous Interactions” promotion invites agents and managers alike to submit stories of your most memorable customer phone call, voice mail, e-mail, letter, or Web chat. If our panel of judges selects your story as the most outrageous, you’ll win a five-day/four-night trip to Hawaii. Seriously. (Or win $500 if you submit the winning “referral” story of another agent or manager.)

For entry information and official rules, visit www.outrageousinteractions.com. Enter through June 30, 2008; the winning entrant will be announced on or about September 1. Some of the stories may even be published in this space in the coming months, so happy writing! CiS

Tim Passios is Director of Product Marketing for Interactive Intelligence Inc. and has more than 16 years experience in the contact center industry. Interactive Intelligence is a leading provider of IP business communications software and services for the contact center and the enterprise, with more than 2,500 installations in nearly 70 countries. For more information, contact Interactive Intelligence at [email protected] or (317) 872-3000.

 

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