What do you think the future holds for customer service?

Speaking from a Call Center perspective – a growing Customer Care Strategy is the move away from viewing the Call Center as a “Cost Center” - where Average Speed of Answer (ASA), Average Handle Time (AHT) and Maximizing Calls per Agent per Hour are emphasized as the Key Performance Indicators – and evolving to operate the Call Center as a “Profit Center” - where the Key Performance Indicators are Customer Satisfaction and First Call Resolution (FCR).

There is a growing need for “Super Agents” - Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) who are better able to serve and communicate with your customers. Customers want their questions/issues resolved by a CSR who acts professionally – is easily understood - who is not a ‘script reader’ - and who is empowered to make this a “one call & done” experience.

It’s all about the quality of the ‘Humanware’ you deploy in your Contact Center to begin with.

A tightly-scripted Call Center environment is typically found where the primary focus is on Cost Containment. In order to maximize Average Speed of Answer (ASA) and minimize Average Handle Time (AHT) Agents are usually required to rigorously follow a script. A tightly-scripted Call Center environment is also sometimes determined by an Industry Sector: such as Financial Services/Insurance/Healthcare - or by a Client’s Service Level Agreement (SLA) for an Outsourcer.

An unscripted Call Center environment is typically found (and should be encouraged) where your Key Performance Indicators are Customer Satisfaction and First Call Resolution (FCR) – and where you operate your Call Center as a “Profit Center”. That’s not to say that an unscripted Call Center environment shouldn’t employ training aids/general ideas/key phrases. Ideally these should form a framework of points upon which an Agent drapes their own personality and phraseology.

Scripted and unscripted call handling are discrete and different pursuits - requiring separate Personality/Job-Fit/Temperament Factors. Someone with the Intellect & ‘Verbal Artistry’ to serve a caller in an unscripted fashion as a “Super Agent” is rarely a good fit for a tightly-scripted Call Center environment. Equally – it is rare for someone who performs well in a tightly-scripted Call Center to successfully make the transition to unscripted “Super Agent” caller interactions. Few people possess the ability to work successfully long-term in both a scripted and unscripted Call Center.

Top performing Call Centers drive their Revenue & Performance through superior hiring tactics. We help employers gain better insight & more accurate predictions as to which applicants from a pool of Candidates would perform up to, or beyond their established standards. You can find out about a Free Trial of SPAS Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Screening Software at http://www.telesoftsystems.ca/64201.html