How Call Center Management Can Fix Broken Customer Relationships

The broken customer relationship is something that no company wants to experience. Notification that a break has occurred should be viewed as an opportunity to apply a fix. Those in call center management deal with this on a daily basis, but it can be a drain on time. If agents are trained to fix the broken relationship, management could focus on the bigger picture.

Agents trained to focus on relationship preservation are good for the bottom line. The key to making the most of this type of environment is implementing the right steps to make it happen. This starts with setting the example. If a customer is unhappy and calls to tell you why, take a moment to accept responsibility for the situation and then start the steps to make amends.

This concept was highlighted in a recent Business2Community report by Anneke Steenkamp. She pointed to the problem when companies try to shift the blame – it indicates that the company or the agent may not be honest or willing to search for a solution. Admitting the mistake is the first step towards repairing the relationship. To do so, your agents have to be trained in the importance of accepting responsibility, but now owning it personally.

Once that step is complete, call center management needs to demonstrate the importance of taking quick action. It’s one thing to accept responsibility and go on your way, but that’s not what customers really want. They want to see that you’re making things right and doing so quickly. In the process, they need to provide the customer with a few solutions that will fix the problem and prevent future flare-ups.

While the accepting the blame step should have included an apology, it’s important to add it again in the process. When the customer sees that you’re taking action, apologize again so they understand that it’s important to communicate that concept. At that point, you can then ask the customer for their advice on how to solve the situation or avoid it in the future. Customers often have great insight to share on their experiences, which is priceless data for call center management.

The important point here is not who is at fault, but that the customer relationship is broken and must be mended. The customer may still leave and go to the competition, even after you try to salvage the relationship. But a good-faith effort is more important than saving face. You never know, the competition may get something wrong and the customer is back to try you again. You’ll be glad you took the high road.

Edited by Stefania Viscusi