5 Keys to Customer Satisfaction in the Contact Centre
Increase customer satisfaction with these five expert tips.
If you’ve been keeping up-to-date with our blog, or just the concept of excellent customer service in general, you know the range of advice and techniques out there that are spouted by everyone with a mind toward delivering the best customer experience: ‘Track you metrics and use automation!’ says one. ‘Coach your agents and boost their morale!’ hollers another. Still more are suggesting call-back options and a better FAQ.
The truth is, all of these practices, various as they may seem, have the same ultimate goal: increasing customer satisfaction. Yes, service is completely customer-centric in the 21st century because businesses have realized that this is the single most effective way to maintain customer loyalty, attract new consumers, and perhaps most importantly, keep your customers smiling.
We’ve all heard the old adage originally penned by English playwright William Congreve: “Hell hath no fury like a dissatisfied customer.” At least, if he had been born about 400 years later, we’re pretty sure that’s what he would have written. After all, according to an infographic by NewVoiceMedia, 93 percent of customers take some form of action following poor service, either by spreading the word to friends, family and colleagues, sharing their experience on social media or writing a negative review online.
When holding onto existing customers is key to a successful business, you literally can’t afford to leave your customers dissatisfied. Here are five key tips for customer satisfaction:
1. Focus on Customer Engagement
While average handle time (AHT) was once all the rage in contact centres, experts are now shifting their focus away from ‘surface metrics’ like AHT and toward the more abstract goal of customer engagement.
Businesses have increasingly found that when agents are taught to focus on surface level metrics, the customer can sense their distraction and feel as if their needs aren’t truly being heard. By focusing instead on customer engagement, a connection can be formed during which customers are much more likely to have their needs addressed. While AHT may not be as low as possible, customer engagement will more than pay for itself in customer satisfaction, and may even increase rates of first contact resolution (FCR).
2. Deliver a Multi-Channel Experience
Today, consumers are more likely than ever to engage with your business through multiple channels. A customer might initially place an inquiry to your company’s social media presence. This could direct them to self-service or live chat assistance. If this proves inadequate for their needs, they can be phoned directly by an agent at the contact centre.
The goal of every cross-channel experience should be seamless integration. This means that each time your customer crosses channels, their acquired information should go with them. Consequently, each agent they interact with on any channel should have immediate access to their needs, progress and background, making for an easier customer experience.
3. Improve Self-Service
The Real Self-Service Economy Report states that 40 percent of consumers in a global survey would prefer self-service to human contact in future interactions with companies, and 70 percent expect a company’s website to include a self-service application. When simple or repeat inquiries can easily be managed by self-service rather than a live agent, why not save both you and your customer some time?
4. Coach Agents for Soft Skills
With all the talk of revenues and metrics, it can be easy for agents to forget that the very basis for customer service is founded in the capacity for soft skills. Agents should be regularly coached on soft skills that may be helpful in engaging and relating to customers, such as repeating a customer’s concern to show that you understand and signify that you’re listening, as well as being receptive to customer frustration.
5. Make It Effortless
Many industry experts are beginning to think that minimizing customer effort is the most effective strategy for achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. Customer Effort Score (CES) refers to the amount of effort that a customer personally puts forth in order to have their request or concern handled. Although CES is subjective and will inevitably be higher for more involved inquiries than for basic tasks like making a payment, conceptualizing the customer-business interaction in this way can help agents bring forward their best efforts to keep CES low.
In short, focusing on more abstract measurements of satisfaction, such as Customer Effort Score and customer engagement, can help agents deliver a superior customer experience. Remember to employ soft skills when handling customers and integrate all channels for seamless customer transfers. Finally, self-service can help your customer as well as your contact centre, keeping overflow to a minimum.
Interested in learning even more about how to increase customer satisfaction rates? Check out our free white paper.
