When your customers have concerns, your business is responsible for opening adequate channels so they can conveniently reach out to you.
One of the most effective channels is inbound phone call channels, where you can provide immediate customer support.
This article will discuss the best practices in handling inbound calls and the strategies needed to provide exceptional customer service.
What is inbound calling?
Inbound calling is when customers call your business line for assistance. Since the customer initiates the call, customer service representatives must prepare for whatever the caller requests.
Most companies will operate a call center to accommodate customer service requests and complaints. Call center companies to assign calls to customer service representatives on their support teams.
Difference between inbound and outbound calling
Unlike inbound call centers, outbound call centers make the calls. That’s why they tend to finish more calls compared to inbound calls. Outbound calling focuses on reaching out to potential customers to generate sales.
Customer service representatives in outbound call centers usually acquire a list of their current customers and potential buyers. They contact their clients and initiate sales and cold calls.
Since the methods of inbound and outbound calling differ, the objectives of the two call centers also differ. Inbound call centers answer customer concerns and queries to increase customer satisfaction and retention. Outbound call centers, on the other note, actively seek potential buyers.
Foolproof practices in handling inbound calls
As stated above, inbound call centers aim to improve customer satisfaction and retention. To put this in life, you have to unlearn unnecessary behaviors and implement new processes.
To be more specific, here are some of the best practices in handling inbound calls that you may find worth reviewing:
Generate a call flow
An inbound call is all about providing definite answers to customers’ inquiries. But often, customer service representatives can’t take their eyes off their computer screens, hindering them from listening attentively to their caller.
To avoid this, generate a call flow or call process to have your potential answers prepared. Call center companies usually compile frequently asked questions (FAQs) from their callers so that they’d be prepared to respond concisely.
Use simple statements and questions
The moment you pick up the phone, make sure you have a calm and welcoming tone no matter your customer’s emotion.
Neither body language nor facial expressions are visible on a phone call, making the whole conversation subjective on both ends -this makes the tone of your voice crucial on the call.
Address your customer the way they prefer it
At the very onset of the call, kindly ask your caller how they want to be addressed. Addressing them appropriately throughout the conversation makes them feel valued. It also helps to pronounce their names correctly.
To do this, say their name and confirm if you said it right. Then, listen to how the caller says their name. It demonstrates how genuine the representative is in making things sincere and comfortable for them.
Construct informative product descriptions
Having significant knowledge about your product and services has far-reaching advantages. When representatives are well-cultivated about your business product information and services, they can adequately answer customers’ inquiries increasing brand loyalty and trust.
You can do this by conducting training and by practicing how you describe your products and services. If representatives trust their knowledge, it will reflect on their confidence and will increase their competency.
Control conversations
To achieve your average handle time or AHT, representatives need to control the conversation. It doesn’t mean they should not let the customers talk. But, they should drive the conversation into achieving a resolution.
They can chronologically provide instructions to the caller regarding their concern and make sure all the questions were answered and clearly understood by the caller.
Let your customers decide at their own pace
Sometimes inbound call center agents try to insert a sales pitch to a customer at any part of the conversation. It might turn off the caller because it might feel like you’re pressuring them to decide promptly.
To avoid this, agents should adjust to the pace of the customer and give them allowance for the buying process.
Inbound call center services: Way to go
Every business has its own dynamics on how it could operate the best way possible. If you want to suit these practices, you have to identify your weaknesses and determine which approaches work best for your business as a whole.
But feel free to apply these best practices. Several call center companies handling inbound calls employ them in their operations.
Trust us. Even the slightest tweaks can create a massive impact on your customers’ satisfaction.
