One of the biggest keys to running a successful business is having an incredible customer service team.
They are the face of the company. Often, they are the ones that are working directly with customers and will be the lasting impression they have.
Many businesses have a customer service call center to assist, answer questions, or field complaints 24 hours a day. It is a fast-paced, stressful and rewarding field to be in.
But many people have preconceived notions about what a call center is. So we have rounded up five unknown facts about customer service call centers that you probably never knew about.
1. There are customer service agencies
Not all businesses have an in-house customer service team. Many engage with agencies that specialize in providing customer service—including call center teams—to various industries. This includes everything from subscription box companies to huge retail powerhouses like Amazon. These agencies can often provide the best customer service talent to these companies and reduce overhead costs. All businesses have to do is offer their primary messaging and the correct information for the agency team members to convey and then have the comfort of knowing their customer service sector is sorted.
2. Call centers aren’t always in an actual center
Many people envision call centers as rows of cubicles with staff donning their headsets and sitting behind computer screens. But in reality, the transition to companies being able to go virtual has allowed call centers to have their teams scattered throughout the world. By doing this, businesses can save on operational costs by not having to pay for an office. Instead, they can have people available at any hour of the day and empowering them to be wherever they want.
3. Call center customer service teams are tough
Those who are on customer service call center teams are some of the most challenging people around. Often, they are dealing with highly emotional customers who are frustrated, irritated, and impatient. To have the skillset to handle these types of calls professionally is something that the average person does not fully appreciate. These teams deserve more credit than they are ever given! So the next time you are patiently waiting and are getting irritated, remember that the people you are talking to are people as well and deserve to be treated with respect.
4. There are reasons for wait times
Customer service call centers don’t want you to have to wait for hours on end. They want you to be able to get the assistance you need and move on with your day. But sometimes, calls take longer to deal with than expected. The team members dealing with these calls need to both handle emotions, ensure they stick to the script, and provide honest information and may even need to get manager approvals to amend certain scenarios. So if you have to wait for thirty or so minutes, remember that the person taking your call has just gotten off another call with what is likely a frustrating and challenging conversation.
5. Live chats are made to support call centers and customers alike
The majority of customer service call teams’ calls could be quickly answered by looking at the company website and be solved if the customer knew where to look. So to help filter these more straightforward requests, live chat features can help direct people to certain parts of the website based on their questions. If the live chat cannot answer the question or refer the customer to the correct website page with relevant information, they will then help transfer through to a natural person on the customer service team.
Customer service call teams are an essential part of any business. They can help represent the companies through their interactions with customers, convey key messages and be problem solvers. The people who are part of these teams are some of the best in the business—whether in-house or an agency.
No matter what type of business you have, it is worthwhile to establish the best customer service call center possible. It will help keep customers happy, win over more potential customers and represent your brand proudly. From subscription box businesses to small start-up companies and even well-established global brands, customer service call centers are there to save the day and convert more sales every single time.
