subject: Quality Customer Care in a Call Center [print this page] Quality the ability to satisfy a customer's needs and wants
Here are some relevant data on why customers quit:
1 % dies
3 % move elsewhere
5 % make other choices
9 % go for lower prices
14 % go for better quality
68 % because of poor service
As can be noted, two out of every three customers leave because of poor service. Truthfully, a lot can still be said about customer satisfaction.
The basic service provided by call-centers is quite simply communication with customers through the telephone. This is one of three modern major ways of communication, the other two being face-to-face and in writing.
Message is transmitted through one or a combination of the following: body language = 55 %, voice tone and volume = 38 %, through words = 7 %. Amazingly, a call-center agent has at his disposal a very potent combination of voice and words to be able to persuade clients, establish rapport, and bring goodwill to the company.
Service quality is measured by these factors:
Understanding Security
CommunicationTangibility
Competence Accessibility
Courtesy Reliability
Credibility Responsiveness
Rules in handling customer complaints
Keep calm.
Listen.
Put self in his shoes.
Apologize.
Take action.
Procedure in handling an irate customer call
let the customer have his say
acknowledge and apologize for the problem
listen attentively
get all the information by effective probing questions
do not impose own solution
check that customer understand and agree
The Art of Questioning
Questioning becomes an art if the skill is masterfully done. In order to master the skill, an agent needs to understand the various categories under which every question is classified and sub-classified: He may then utilize what will provide the best results.
Open-ended questions those that need descriptive answers.
Close-ended questions those that need definitive answers
Alternative choice uses the preposition "or"
"did you reboot the computer or not"
Single outcome answerable by either "yes" or "no"
"was the power cord plugged-in"
Transferring a call to another department (suggested script):
"I will be transferring you to a sales specialist right now. Please stay on the line. (Customer must acknowledge.) Thank you."
(At this point, the agent will be talking, muted to the customer, to the person in the other department, giving him all the vital information to serve the client, after which he will come back to him and say :)
"Thank you for patiently waiting. I have on the other end of the line (name and department of the other person) and he will be assisting you from hereon. Have a nice day."
Putting a customer on hold (suggested script)
"May I put you on hold for a couple of minutes as I check on the answer to your inquiry? (Customer must acknowledge.) Thank you."
(After getting the needed information, the agent must hasten back to the caller and say :)
"Thank you for patiently waiting. I now have the information you need".
