Many customers still view phone calls as the best way to get in touch with a company. People prefer talking to an actual human being instead of typing away at an AI chat. There are also instances when customers are forced to pick up the phone and call your business because it’s the only way to do something – this is often the case for security reasons. No matter what, you need to ensure that each customer has a five-star experience when they call you, and that doesn’t always happen.
Customers often complain about how bad phone call services are nowadays, but you can solve a lot of problems by following these three simple steps:
Step 1: Implement A Self-Service Function
When someone calls your business, the worst-case scenario is that they’re immediately thrust into a queue. Then, after waiting for 20 minutes, they speak to someone and are put on hold while that person forwards the call to the right department. You couldn’t get off to a worse start, which is why a total rethink of the call process is required.
Begin with the first interaction a customer has when they dial your number: instead of putting them straight into a queue, use interactive voice response software to provide a self-service function. Effectively, the customer hears a pre-recorded voice line that instructs them on what to do to find the right line. It can say stuff like “Press 1 if you’re an existing customer, Press 2 if you’re a new customer,” and so on.
You basically let the customer navigate different menus, so they’re automatically sent to the right department and spend less time waiting around or talking to someone who can’t actually help them.
Step 2: Train Your Staff To Talk Like Humans
Customers hate it when they call a company and end up talking to someone who drones on in a robotic voice as they’re reading from a script. Do away with scripts – they’re archaic and never help. Train your customer service team to show empathy and talk like humans so it feels like a natural conversation.
The customer will prefer this, and it often leads to better solutions anyway. Customer service teams that read from scripts will never think outside the box or use logic to solve problems – if it’s not on the script, they don’t do it, and that’s what leads to dissatisfaction.
Step 3: Invest In Quality Call Technology
Is there much worse than being on the phone with someone and barely being able to hear them? Businesses are guilty of stuff like this all the time, so invest in quality call technology. Use VoIP software for crystal clear calls – and make sure you have good sound-cancellation features in place. It’s annoying for customers when they can’t hear what the other person is saying because someone else is yabbering in the background.
Honestly, these three steps will transform your phone call system and help your business get ahead. You start delivering a way better customer experience, which increases satisfaction and can be the difference between someone leaving a one or five-star review.
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