January 16, 2015
For customers, calling most contact centers is seen as something akin to going to the dentist: You really don’t want well, but sometimes you just have to.
Surveys show that customers can always tell when the operator is reading from a script, and they are right to resent it. After all, they called for a specific reason and feel that no scripted response can adequately address their concern. They’re not far from being right.
So it makes sense to give your call center staff the freedom to deviate from the script when necessary, to ensure a positive customer service experience and make the customer feel valued.
In a recent blog post, Gavin Gustafson, Communications Manager at inContact, addressed this very issue.
“Let’s face it: When it comes to customer support, no one likes to feel like they’re talking to a robot,” Gustafson noted. “Most often, customers call to resolve issues or concerns that couldn’t be addressed through other channels (such as social media or email), and they want their questions answered immediately.”
So what should be done? “One solution is for agents to leave the ‘robot talk’ at the door and do their best to sound like a real person,” he said. Gustafson then went on to outline some suggestions on how call center agents can better engage customers.
Customize: Historically, companies have relied on static scripts to resolve customer issues, Gustafson said, citing a Smart Customer Service article on call scripting. “However, as indicated in the article, research from shows that the majority (69 percent) of survey respondents say their customer service experience improves dramatically when agents don’t sound like they’re reading from a script,” he said.
Empathize: “One of the best ways for agents to build a connection with customers is to show that they truly care about their concerns and are committed to resolving them,” Gustafson said. “Another way to think about this is for agents to put themselves in their customers’ shoes: What really matters to them? What do they want? What are their pain points, and how can they best be addressed?”
Be Flexible: Forcing customer service agents to follow the company’s script can prevent them from responding flexibly to individual customer complaints and resolving issues. “In other words, focusing on the script can hinder the agent’s ability to effectively listen to the customer’s concerns,” Gustafson said.
In short, while scripting does have a place in the call center environment, industry experts believe that “taking individual customer needs into account can have a huge impact on the overall customer experience.” And after all, isn’t that what you should be aiming for?
