Customer service expectations have risen significantly over the last few years. According to a recent study from Salesforce, 88% of customers surveyed say that the customer service experience is just as important as products or services when making a buying decision—up from 80% in 2020. And almost everyone surveyed (94%) stated that a positive customer service experience makes them more likely to purchase a product again.
To enhance your contact center’s performance, it is essential to train and develop knowledgeable, empathetic, and efficient customer service agents. The following customer service tips for call centers can help reinforce existing training or serve as a foundation for a strong enablement program that helps your agents confidently address customer concerns, provide accurate information, and deliver a personalized customer experience.
Working in a call center means interacting with customers all day long Your ability to communicate effectively and provide excellent customer service is critical Follow these 10 tips to master speaking with customers during calls.
1. Keep the Conversation Positive
Maintain a positive, upbeat tone when conversing with customers Smile as you talk to project a friendly demeanor, even if the customer can’t see you Avoid sounding bored, impatient, or upset. Displaying positivity creates a pleasant experience.
Phrases like “I’m happy to help you with that today” or “It’s great to hear from you” promote an optimistic mood. Friendly small talk about the weather or their day can further lighten the tone. Avoid negative words and focus on constructive language.
2. Listen, Listen, Listen
Active listening is vital for providing good customer service over the phone. Give the customer your full attention. Don’t interrupt or talk over them. Allow them to fully explain the reason for their call before responding.
Ask clarifying questions if you don’t fully understand an issue. Paraphrase their statements to confirm you comprehend the situation. Taking the time to listen attentively makes customers feel valued.
3. Be Patient
Caller patience wears thin when issues take long to resolve or communication is unclear. Make an effort to remain patient, even with frustrated customers. Keep your tone calm and even. Slow down the pace if needed. Displaying patience eases tensions and models courteous behavior.
If delays occur, apologize for the wait time and thank the customer for their patience. Offer empathetic responses like “I understand this is upsetting” to show the customer is heard. Patience pays off with more constructive conversations.
4. Acknowledge the Customer’s Issue
Validation goes a long way when providing phone support. Let the customer explain their problem or complaint without interrupting. Once they finish, acknowledge the issue respectfully.
Responses like “I understand why you’re upset about this situation” demonstrate you comprehend their perspective. Validating concerns opens the door to finding solutions.
5. Respect Your Customers’ Time
Callers want efficient service. Keep calls moving productively by sticking to relevant topics and minimizing hold times. Ask focused questions to gather only needed information.
If delays occur, apologize for the wait and offer progress updates. For example, “Thanks for holding, I needed to consult with our specialist about this unique issue. We appreciate your patience today.”
Respecting customers’ time constraints results in a more positive experience.
6. Communicate Hold Times
Inevitably, some calls require placing customers on hold. Always ask if it’s okay to place them on hold before doing so. Estimate the expected hold time and offer to call them back if it will exceed one minute.
Check in at regular intervals on lengthy holds. Communicate your progress such as “I’m just waiting for the order status to pull up. I appreciate you holding.”
Keeping customers informed about hold times sets proper expectations and shows respect.
7. Loosen Up
Conversational call interactions feel more natural with some laid-back informality mixed in. Avoid robotically rattling off corporate speak and provide information conversationally instead.
Use casual language like “No problem” and “Sounds good.” Ask casual questions about their day. Laughter and humor lighten the mood when appropriate. A touch of friendly informality makes you relatable.
8. Admit Mistakes
Occasional mistakes are inevitable when managing high call volumes. Admit errors openly and apologize sincerely when they occur. “I apologize for the miscommunication here. Let’s start over so I can get this right for you.”
Taking ownership of mistakes diffuses frustration and frames the situation as a shared problem to solve. Honesty fosters trust and goodwill.
9. Find Common Ground
Establishing common ground with customers creates rapport. Ask what drew them to your company or product. Mention shared interests that arise. “As a runner myself, I can appreciate how useful our fitness trackers are for your training.”
Shared perspectives bring a human connection to the interaction. The customer feels like more than just a generic caller when you find commonalities.
10. Express Appreciation
A little gratitude goes a long way. Thank the customer for taking the time to call and for their business. Words like “I appreciate you bringing this issue to my attention” convey gratitude for their effort.
At the end of the call, thank them for their patience and understanding. Leave them with a pleasant final impression. Customers want to feel valued, not just processed.
By incorporating these tips into your daily customer interactions, you can provide excellent service over the phone. Strong communication skills ensure customers have a positive experience and develop a favorable view of your company. With practice, speaking with customers in a call center becomes more natural and even enjoyable.
When done right, it’s a rewarding way to make a difference in someone’s day!
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1 Take detailed call notes and create an after-call summary.
Taking detailed call notes and providing an after-call summary is essential for excellent call center customer service. It can be difficult since agents typically need to quickly move on to their next call and increase their speed-of-answer rate. But, it’s important to take the extra step to accurately summarize the interaction in the customer’s call notes so that agents can save the customer from any frustration if they call again about the same issue.
You don’t need to do this process manually anymore. AI-powered tools, such as automatic summary from Talkdesk, use the same LLM powering ChatGPT to create after-call summaries instantly, reducing the amount of after-call work for agents.
Key takeaways for providing exceptional contact center customer service.
To improve call center customer service, it is crucial to take the following actions:
- Empower your team. Invest in the professional development of your call center team to equip them with effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving skills.
- Implement practical techniques. Utilize strategies like active listening, demonstrating understanding, and maintaining courteous communication.
- Be proactive and clear. Engage proactively to meet customer needs, leverage advanced tools like AI for efficiency, and provide clear and honest information about products or services to enhance the customer experience.
Following these key takeaways to improve your call center’s customer service and deliver exceptional experiences to your customers.
Talkdesk drives exceptional business outcomes with an AI-powered cloud contact center platform built for your industry that is trusted, flexible, and innovative. Request a demo today to see how Talkdesk empowers modern customer service, your way.
36 English Phrases For Professional Customer Service (FREE PDF Guide)
What are the best customer service tips for contact centers?
14 customer service tips for contact centers. The following customer service tips are deeply rooted in the principles of effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving and can dramatically improve your customer interactions. 1. Engage in active listening.
How do you speak with customers while working at a call center?
Here are some best practices you can use when speaking with customers while working at a call center: Many call centers have complex phone menus and may have long waits to get through to an agent. When a customer reaches that point, they typically want to begin a conversation immediately.
How can a call center help your business?
Most call centers exist to help customers with various issues or resolve any complaints. Being empathetic toward customers’ challenges can help you better understand them and solve their issues. If you’re struggling to get the right tone while answering calls, try smiling while you speak.
What are the DOs & DON’Ts of a call center?
Some dos and don’ts of speaking with a customer in a call center are: Do remain polite and professional throughout the call. Don’t take customers’ anger personally. Do your best to resolve the caller’s issues, even if it requires spending extra time with them. Don’t rush a customer off the phone to meet performance metrics.
