One of the most effective ways to improve your telephony channel is to simply think about the main reason your customers are calling. If you record data on incoming calls, you can often see patterns emerge regarding when customers are calling and why. Even if you don’t record data, it’s worth talking to your call agents as they’re the ones on the front line and will have the most accurate idea of what people are saying when they get through.
With the data to hand, all you need to do is ensure that the caller can get through to the right department to resolve their query quickly and simply. Repeat: quickly and simply. Let’s explore that a little:
Quickly
As modern people, we all value our time above anything else, so being able to get things done quickly and effectively always makes us feel good and leaves us feeling energised. It’s true that you may have extremely high call volumes, so waiting for a little while may be inevitable. This is generally accepted and easily forgiven, provided that the caller feels they’re being treated fairly, and they are well looked after once they get through, at the first time of asking.
Simply
It’s important to remember that your callers don’t work for your company, so any slang words to do with your brand or industry should be avoided at all costs, as they’re only likely to confuse. Callers want to easily identify what button to press so they can get through to the right place with no hiccups. And if a large bulk of your callers want the same things, it’s best to ensure the option comes sooner rather than later.
If you have a whole host of options, ask yourself if they all need to be there. Can any of them be condensed? Does pressing 2 actually take them to a different department than if they press 3? If not, why not just drop them straight through to the agent?
Stats Don’t Lie
If your customers are often agitated about the same things, take a moment to ask how you can put this right. Often, the fixes are pretty simple when you take the time to look at the choke points in your journey and consider alternatives.
As a company who prides itself in viewing your business through your customers’ eyes, it’s possible we may see ways of simplifying your caller journey that don’t occur to you because you’re simply too close to it. If that’s the case, get in touch and let us find ways to humanise your telephony channel, helping win customer loyalty.
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