Virtual call center agents need to get involved in the conversation. They need to use social platforms like Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter to engage not only existing customers, but the sea of prospects utilizing these platforms on a daily basis. Ready to step up your social game? If so, then you should be ready to answer the question of when it’s appropriate to address a customer’s issue. The answer (only when they ask for help) should seem obvious, but it may not be to everyone.

Consider Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert). By searching through Twitter mentions, it’s easy for a virtual Call Center agent to notice all of the times that its company is mentioned. Having said that, there could be a temptation for an agent to be proactive and reach out to the consumer; however, this would be ill-advised. Studies show that 40 percent of consumers under 55-years old and 54 percent of consumers over 55 would both agree that “companies that listen online are intruding on customers.” This adds up to almost 95 percent of consumers of all ages.

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