6 Tips to Become a Better Contact Center Representative

Customer service representatives at any company are at the forefront of communications with customers. It won’t be wrong to call customer service the voice and personality of a company. With such a massive responsibility on the shoulder of CSRs (customer service representatives), it is crucial for them to keep learning and understanding how to offer the best customer experience.

From the first purchase to seeking help with features of a product, customers contact the company. Take cable for example and notice how customers connect with the Optimum Customer Service number, or that of their provider when they have any questions. The same applies across industries. Consider the following to help you become a better customer service representative:

Master Empathy

Empathy is one of the most important qualities of good customer service representatives. Agents who can put themselves into the customer’s shoes have a higher chance of resolving the problems and satisfying their customers. Often it is part of an agent’s training to be empathetic in their customer interactions.

It all starts with careful listening to a customer’s concern without interruption. Repeat their concern after them so they know you have heard them. The benefit of doing so is that you can ensure that you don’t miss out on any crucial piece of information. Also, it displays your willingness to resolve the customer’s issue.

Keep Your Composure

One of the key challenges for many people in customer service roles is to keep their composure at all times. There are instances when dissatisfied customers could be cussing, swearing, and throwing all types of insults at you. In such situations, it is important to stay calm and not retaliate under any circumstance. If it keeps escalating, you can warn the customers that you will have to disconnect the call and do so if it doesn’t help.

Many people in customer service roles are told in the training that customers are not particularly with them but with the company. So, do not let such behaviors get to your head and ruin your day. Plus, it is advisable to develop thick skin. Contact centers usually let you rant or take a short walk to calm your mind after the distasteful experience. You can clear your head with such activities.

Develop Adaptability

All customers are different and so are their needs. So, you have to be quick to adapt to every customer’s needs. Sense the customer’s mood, tone, and urgency to understand them and then quickly adapt for the best responses.

People who have the innate ability to adjust to all types of people have a natural edge in customer-facing roles. However, it is something you can learn with experience and training too.

Communicate Clearly

To show the customers that you understand their problems or queries, the key is to be as clear with your communication. The clearer the communication, the lower your chances of being misunderstood, which no agent would ever want. Avoid industry lingo and anything that your customers may have a hard time understanding.

Being good at communication requires you to be a good listener. But if you miss any important information or didn’t comprehend something, politely ask the customer to repeat it for you. Also, be honest with the customers. If you need to look into the matter for a possible solution, let the customer know what you are doing. Not all problems can be resolved instantly. Give your customers a realistic timeline for resolutions in such cases.

Acquire Knowledge

Customers expect contact center agents to be knowledgeable. More knowledgeable agents can even answer complex customer queries. So, your goal should be to learn different aspects of your products or services to provide satisfactory answers.

It is unrealistic to assume that an agent will know every question a customer may ask. When asked such questions, you should know who in your team will be able to help. It is better to ask a subject matter expert and then answer the customer’s question than redirect calls. Redirects often annoy customers so avoid them. But do pick up chunks of knowledge from instances when you had to reach an expert agent for an answer.

Humanize Your Interactions

In the time of smart chatbots and AI in contact centers, one of the major reasons why businesses still hire people is because of the human factor. You can understand a customer’s emotions and create the best response naturally. Avoid robotic responses and sound more human. Not only will it satisfy more customers but also develop and strengthen the bond between them and the brand.

Talking about the day or weather is often a good addition to customer interactions. By working on these 6 tips, you can become a contact center representative.