#OCCTips #customerexperience #customerservice
Difficult customers and dramas come with the job when you’re a call center representative. It is your responsibility to manage these moments and conversations to get the best possible outcomes. Here are five (5) communication blunders you must avoid to guarantee positive customer experiences and interactions, on most occasions;
- Getting Off on the Wrong Foot
Like any interaction, the first impression matters when taking calls from customers. If possible, one of your first three words should be the name of the caller. Not only will this help you get their attention, but it will also help keep the conversation going on the right foot.
- Bad Listening/Poor Questions
Two ears and one mouth —that’s what you’ve got.
The best call center representatives should possess excellent listening skills. By listening attentively, it’s always easier to figure out relevant and important questions to ask. Not only will this help keep the convo moving forward, but it will also make the complainant feel heard and understood.
- Careless Choice of Words
Choosing your words carefully is important for any call center agent. For aggrieved customers, your words should heal, rather than hurt. And for those making inquiries, the conversation should be as informative as possible.
Not only will customers take this as a reflection of your attitude and personality, but it can also impact their perception of the company’s culture and service.
- Not Focusing on the Caller
Call center agents should always focus the conversation on the other person (customers on the phone). For example, to analyze the importance or benefit of a particular service or action, you should highlight the particular feeling being received.
- Wrong Tone of Voice
There’s a common saying that 10% of conflict is due to a difference in opinion while the other 90% is due to the wrong tone of voice. Speaking in the right tones can help convey empathy during conversations.
The pitch of one’s voice as well as the volume and rate, among other things, can help express feelings through statements. This is why knowing what to say is not just an important thing because how you say it also matters.
Bottom Line
The impacts of call center services on customer experience cannot be overstated.
And as it turns out, the words we use as call center professionals could be a turn-on or turn-off, as the case may be. While no agent will intentionally try to ruin the experience for their customers, a lot of problems can be avoided when you know what to avoid, in the first place.
