What Do Customers Want From a Call Centre?

Five9 delves deeper into customer expectations and the best practices to provide an optimal call centre experience.

Contact centres are commonly viewed as cost centres, but did you know you can turn yours into a profit centre just by enhancing the call centre experience?

Research shows that companies that excel in customer experience have doubled their revenue growth compared to their competitors since 2016.

But here’s the thing – how can you excel in customer experience if you don’t know what your customers want? What’s the secret sauce to keeping them satisfied when they call your centre?

Well, it’s pretty straightforward – your customers need solutions!

When people reach out to a call centre, they’re looking for answers to their problems. They want these solutions to be quick, clear, consistent, and effective.

But behind this simple idea lies a deeper truth: understanding what customers need is key. By listening to them and meeting their expectations, you’re not just fixing their issues, you’re also making them feel valued and keeping them loyal to your brand.

Customer Expectations From a Contact Centre

Understanding your customers’ expectations is the initial step toward delivering an exceptional contact centre customer experience.

It’s essential to invest time in comprehending your customers, assessing whether their expectations are being fulfilled, and identifying areas for improvement to enhance their experience.

Let’s begin by exploring what your customers expect when they contact you.

First Contact Resolution

The first and foremost thing a customer wants is a quick resolution. Nobody likes being put on hold or passed around from one agent to another, right?

It’s frustrating and wastes a lot of time. And you know what? It can cost your company money too, having to deal with all those extra questions and issues from customers.

First Contact Resolution is all about getting it right the first time. That means providing the answers or solutions your customers need during that very first call. It’s not just good for your company’s wallet – it also makes customers trust you more and makes them want to come back for more.

24/7 Support

Yes, your customers expect round-the-clock support. Especially in industries like banking, travel, and hospitality, where it’s essential rather than optional.

Whether they’re checking a bank balance overseas, booking a last-minute flight, or addressing a hotel issue, these sectors understand the significance of being available 24/7 to cater to diverse customer needs, regardless of time zone or location.

Offering such support not only boosts customer satisfaction but also distinguishes your business from competitors.

Multiple Communication Channels

Today’s consumers expect accessibility across a wide range of channels, sometimes up to 10, depending on their inquiry.

Additionally, over 85% of customers anticipate seamless, real-time transitions between channels during interactions with customer service representatives, so they don’t have to repeat themselves.

This is where omnichannel contact centres come in handy. They help agents give consistent and personalized support across all these channels. With omnichannel, agents can quickly access important information and provide a more personal touch to each interaction.

Depending on how tricky the question is, customers might prefer self-service options for simple stuff or talking to a real person on chat or phone for more complicated issues. So, it’s all about being available wherever your customers are, whenever they need you.

Knowledgeable, Helpful Agents

Do you know what’s worse than waiting on hold? Getting the wrong answers from your customer service agent.

That’s why having knowledgeable and helpful agents is super-important for a good contact centre customer experience.

But sometimes, agents give the wrong info, even though no company wants that to happen. So, agents must have easy access to info and be able to explain it in simple terms.

The best agents understand their job, the products or services they’re dealing with, and the company’s rules. And if they’re not sure about something, they know where to find the right answer.

When customers feel like they’re talking to someone who knows their stuff, it builds trust and makes them trust the company.

Best Practices to Provide the Optimal Call Centre Experience

Now that we’ve discussed customer expectations, let’s explore the call centre customer experience best practices. Implementing these could mean the difference between thriving and merely surviving in today’s competitive landscape.

Invest in Technology

Modernizing your call centre technology can streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall contact centre customer experience.

Consider investing in advanced tools such as CRM systems, call routing software, and AI-powered chatbots to optimize operations and provide seamless support.

Track Call Centre Metrics

Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential for assessing the effectiveness of your call centre operations.

Track metrics like average call handling time, first call resolution rate, customer satisfaction scores, and agent productivity to identify areas for improvement and ensure alignment with customer expectations.

Invest in Training New Call Centre Agents

Proper training is crucial for equipping new call centre agents with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver exceptional service.

Provide comprehensive training programs that cover product knowledge, communication skills, problem-solving techniques, and customer service best practices to empower agents to handle customer inquiries effectively.

Ask for Feedback

Regularly soliciting feedback from customers can provide valuable insights into their experience with your call centre.

Implement post-call surveys, conduct focus groups, or leverage social media channels to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement. Use this feedback to make data-driven decisions and continuously enhance the customer experience.

This blog post has been re-published by kind permission of Five9 – View the Original Article

For more information about Five9 - visit the Five9 Website

About Five9

Five9 provides end-to-end solutions with omnichannel routing, analytics, WFO, and AI to increase agent productivity and deliver tangible business results.

Find out more about Five9

Call Centre Helper is not responsible for the content of these guest blog posts. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of Call Centre Helper.

Author: Five9
Reviewed by: Megan Jones