{"id":19508,"date":"2021-07-08T10:21:31","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T09:21:31","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=19508"},"modified":"2023-01-16T12:30:04","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T12:30:04","slug":"10-customer-courtesy-tips-for-your-call-centre-agents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/10-customer-courtesy-tips-for-your-call-centre-agents\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Customer Courtesy Tips For Your Call Centre Agents"},"content":{"rendered":"

No businesses want to start off on the wrong foot with their customers. Call centre agents being the first touchpoint, play an indispensable role in developing a positive, long-term business relationship with customers. Companies that underline customer experience<\/a> outperform other competitors by a staggering <\/span>80%<\/span><\/a> in the rest of their industries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As customers are becoming more demanding these days, call centre agents must approach them with appropriate call centre etiquette, so those customers feel supported and cared for. These ten customer courtesy tips will help your call centre agents deliver outstanding customer service and help grow brand loyalty simultaneously.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: <\/span>Unsplash<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

1. Be polite<\/span><\/h2>\n

Expressing politeness is the fundamental rule for every call centre agent to follow. A friendly attitude can positively impact customers no matter which channel you use to assist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Start with a warm greeting, then ask for their name. Remember always to pronounce their name correctly and address them consistently throughout the whole support session. And don\u2019t forget to include a please or thank you at the end when you request customers to perform any action.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though you are providing services via phone, always speak with an upbeat and calm tone. This way, you are sending customers a confident impression while alleviating their anxiety over the problems they are facing at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Demonstrate professionalism<\/span><\/h2>\n

Call centre agents should always maintain a level of professionalism throughout the whole conversation. Professionalism includes being knowledgeable about products and services customers are enquiring about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It also includes understanding your customer profile. Customers get frustrated when a representative does not have immediate access to account information. With <\/span>customer relationship management (CRM) software<\/span><\/a>, contact centre<\/a> agents can provide personalised customer service where they see fit, which further intensifies customer satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

People are <\/span>40%<\/span><\/a> more likely to spend more than planned when they identify the shopping experience to be highly personalised. Consumers are also <\/span>40%<\/span><\/a> more likely to view items that are recommended based on information they’ve shared with the brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another way to exhibit professionalism is by keeping a list of available resources, such as an online knowledge base. In fact, the majority of customers said they would use an online knowledge base if available and tailored to their needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from solving customers\u2019 problems on the spot, they can also mention where to find additional information for specific questions to minimise customers\u2019 angst and negative emotions further.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Be respectful<\/span><\/h2>\n

All customers should be treated with respect. This includes understanding your customer\u2019s needs, addressing their issues with compassion, and displaying patience towards their questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: <\/span>Unsplash<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

When you are faced with a bad tempered customer, always start by saying, \u201cOh! How awful, you have the right to be upset.\u201d or \u201cI understand your frustration,\u201d so they know that the company cares about their customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It would be best to also respect your customer\u2019s valuable time by providing solutions in the shortest period. <\/span>51%<\/span><\/a> of consumers expect a response from a call centre agent in under five minutes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, once you identify the cause of your customer\u2019s problem, you might provide available resources like videos or FAQs for quick fixes. Do not express any negative tone or irritation when customers are demanding more questions. Call centre agents should always avoid getting into a verbal argument with customers because that could paint a terrible brand image.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Be honest about the unknown<\/span><\/h2>\n

Call centre agents should always be honest about what they know and don\u2019t know. It\u2019s unprofessional when an agent lies or makes up an answer to a question that they have zero ideas of.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have the correct answer, politely explain to your customers that you will seek another colleague or manager who can better attend to their needs. Hold times are unavoidable in some situations. And while you put customers on hold, always make sure you check in with them every one or two minutes, so they know you\u2019re proactively seeking help for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are various polite ways to communicate hold times with customers. You can say, \u201cSorry to keep you waiting; I\u2019m still looking up your information but will get back to you with an answer quickly.\u201d Or \u201cI apologise for your inconvenience. I will have an answer for you in just a moment.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many consumers have experienced being transferred from agent to agent without any resolution of their problem. To avoid this awkward situation, the customer service department should run employee training programmes regularly and keep every call centre agent updated about the right person to turn to if a particular question can\u2019t be solved on their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Be trustworthy<\/span><\/h2>\n

Building trust with your customers is a lengthy but necessary process for all businesses. By establishing a trustworthy brand impression through your call centre agents, you are indirectly increasing positive brand awareness and customer loyalty at the same time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Loyal customers are more likely to repeatedly purchase from a company they trust and become an advocate for the brand. During a customer support session, call centre agents should try to explain everything in plain language to the customer and walk them through a step-by-step troubleshooting process if necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Agents should also highlight both pros and cons when proposing various options to their customers. It\u2019s essential to empower customers with thorough information to help them make informed decisions. When you involve customers in the problem-solving process, you are handing the power over to them under circumstances where they\u2019re aware of all the possible alternatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One advantage of laying out all the customer\u2019s options is to help minimise confusion for later purchases. When customers know they are making educated and informed decisions, it helps increase customer satisfaction for businesses.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

6. Exhibit confidence<\/span><\/h2>\n

Confidence is the key to productive and successful communication. As a call centre manager, you can offer training courses that teach your staff how to <\/span>respond to stressful situations<\/span><\/a> such as being lashed out at by an angry customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Call centre agents can also grow their confidence by using professional vocabularies or communicating with a positive attitude. However, it would be best if you avoid technical or product-specific jargon as these might confuse customers even more. A confident call centre agent is able to handle challenging or pressured situations with a calm mindset and effective solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be clear on the action you wish your customers to take and explain the reason behind it so customers can develop a sense of expertise with you. Most customers expect their issues to be resolved swiftly. Troubleshooting efficiency is oftentimes the number one factor of a great customer experience. <\/span>27%<\/span><\/a> of Americans report \u201clack of effectiveness\u201d as their number one frustration with customer service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s vital that call centre agents meet their customers\u2019 expectations while offering practical advice or suggestions without losing their calm. A customer service manager can provide regular <\/span>stress management<\/span><\/a> tips or courses to create a better working environment and happy employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: <\/span>Unsplash<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

7. Go the extra mile<\/span><\/h2>\n

Customers appreciate when the brand prioritises their needs. Call centre agents willing to <\/span>put in extra effort for customers<\/span><\/a> win over more customers at the end of the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional measures that contact centre agents can employ include offering a discount or coupon voucher, rectifying a billing error, modifying the quantity of an order, expediting shipping delivery time, and more. It could also mean predicting other customer questions and providing comprehensive information to help them make better decisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, suppose you are resolving a technical issue for your remote customer by utilising a <\/span>remote access tool<\/span><\/a>. In that case, you will troubleshoot the problem without wasting the customer\u2019s time through technical steps that could further irritate the customer. In addition, you can take a holistic look at other potential malfunctioning risks and make sure everything is working correctly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A well-trained call centre agent plays a vital role in predicting needs and identifying customer pain points competently. By taking the initiative to offer extra care to your customers, they will feel valued and appreciated. In the long term, customers can associate your brand with exceptional customer service, which can serve as a competitive advantage for your business. <\/span>73% of companies<\/span><\/a> with above-average customer experience perform better financially than their competitors.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: <\/span>FinancesOnline<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

8. Engage in active listening<\/span><\/h2>\n

Be an active listener to your customers. A call centre agent\u2019s work can be monotonous as one needs to respond to phone calls and (mostly) customer complaints all day long. Nevertheless, you can make a positive twist out of it by taking genuine interest in your caller\u2019s enquiry. Active and effective listening also includes:<\/span><\/p>\n