Quality Customer Care In A Call Center
Quality is the ability to satisfy a customer's needs and wants. Empathy is responding appropriately to these 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:
UnderstandingSecurity
CommunicationTangibility
CompetenceAccessibility
CourtesyReliability
CredibilityResponsiveness
Rules in handling customer complaints
1.Keep calm.
2.Listen.
3.Put self in his shoes.
4.Apologize.
5.Take action.
Procedure in handling an irate customer call
1.let the customer have his say
2.acknowledge and apologize for the problem
3.listen attentively
4.get all the information by effective probing questions
5.do not impose own solution
6.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.
Broad-scope open-ended, examples:
"tell me", "share with me", "describe to me"
Narrow-scope open-ended, examples:
"what", "when", "where", "who", "which", "why", "how"
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. Again, my name is (original agent). 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".
Mentioning the name of the customer
It is considered civil to address the client as "sir" or ma'm" throughout the call, never by the nickname unless it is specifically requested by him. Moreover, quality control protocol requires that, at least once during the conversation, the surname or family name be mentioned along with "Mr.", "Ms." or the proper professional address.
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:
UnderstandingSecurity
CommunicationTangibility
CompetenceAccessibility
CourtesyReliability
CredibilityResponsiveness
Rules in handling customer complaints
1.Keep calm.
2.Listen.
3.Put self in his shoes.
4.Apologize.
5.Take action.
Procedure in handling an irate customer call
1.let the customer have his say
2.acknowledge and apologize for the problem
3.listen attentively
4.get all the information by effective probing questions
5.do not impose own solution
6.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.
Broad-scope open-ended, examples:
"tell me", "share with me", "describe to me"
Narrow-scope open-ended, examples:
"what", "when", "where", "who", "which", "why", "how"
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. Again, my name is (original agent). 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".
Mentioning the name of the customer
It is considered civil to address the client as "sir" or ma'm" throughout the call, never by the nickname unless it is specifically requested by him. Moreover, quality control protocol requires that, at least once during the conversation, the surname or family name be mentioned along with "Mr.", "Ms." or the proper professional address.