June 16, 2015
There’s no doubt that working in a call center is a stressful job, but a new study shows that much of that stress may be self-inflicted.
According to research by Mattersight Corp.—a company that uses a suite of innovative, personality-based software applications to analyze and predict customer behavior based on the language exchanged during service and sales interactions—customers tend to be already frustrated by the time they call a contact center. As such, it takes a certain personality to “calm them down” and help resolve their issues without further antagonizing them. But the problem does not lie entirely with the call center.
“What they found is that today’s consumer is hyper-connected and more informed than ever, and many try to solve their problem without the help of a call center representative,” Mattersight said of its research. “By the time a call is placed, the problem is urgent and frustration has been building, creating an immediate atmosphere of tension and negativity.”
According to the survey data, it was found that of the more than 70 million people in the U.S. who call customer service call centers every year, nearly two-thirds are frustrated before they even begin speaking with a customer service representative. “Alarmingly, 75 percent of consumers surveyed reported still feeling frustrated at the end of a customer service call, even if their problem was successfully resolved,” Mattersight said. Such ongoing negativity presents an obvious challenge to customer service executives.
“Call centers are stuck in a cycle of customer frustration,” noted Kelly Conway, president and CEO of Mattersight. “Rather than defusing the situation and providing each customer with personalized service, most businesses still measure success by getting callers off the phone as quickly as possible—doing little to improve the customer experience.”
Not surprisingly, the survey showed that the key to creating a positive customer experience is connecting callers with agents who are most likely to have a natural rapport.
Furthermore, the study found:
- More than half of the respondents said they want call center agents to acknowledge that their problem is important.
- Consumers prefer to speak with call center agents who are dedicated and conscientious, or logical and specific.
- More millennials would prefer to speak with warm and caring call center agents than consumers aged 35 and older.
“Ninety-five percent of consumers surveyed said that positive experiences are what keep them coming back to call center experts when they need help,” Conway concluded. “The consumers” needs and desires came through loud and clear in this survey.”