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[C31]Call Center How To

by Zuske Sagara, Zus

The issue of productivity is crucial in determining the future of call center companies. When call center managers and supervisors don't know anything but to depend on Information Technology (IT) in measuring the performance of their staff, it will only provide numerical statistics of each call representative and each phone call received. Productivity is always measured in seconds and minutes of talk-time, idle-time, wrap-up, etc., leaving the customer behind and turning the call center into a business that produces only statistically-measured and time-marked completed phone calls.
In this set up, notoriously called Galley Slave Syndrome, a certain minimum standard of productivity is pegged at, say 20, with a threat of getting fired if it falls below 18.5. Surely, the staff will keep productivity from hitting the bottom but low morale makes them retaliate by ensuring that productivity never really goes beyond 22. In the long run, the company suffers due to a productivity that has been locked in a stationary band that never improves, resulting in high staff turn-over, with customer service and satisfaction becoming sacrificial lambs.
It is important to have some traffic measures to facilitate staffing & rostering. But that doesn't make these operational figures the product of the call center, unless you're a call-producing factory, in which case, the best way to handle the productivity issue is to instruct the reps to hang up on any call duration over 45 seconds. Or maybe even better, have the ACD (Automatic Call Distributor) to do it for you, automatically.
In a Galley Slave call center, there is a constant pressure to answer more calls with less work force to handle the calls, allowing vendors to convince desperate call center managers to implement IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems or that CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) software which can reduce call-lengths by 2 seconds on average, adding up to a productivity gain of 15% yearly, based on brain dead projections of current call figures.
In 1995, a well-known company forbid their directory inquiry reps to say 'good morning' & 'good bye' and instead used 'hi' & 'bye' to achieve productivity gains that would amount to $22 million a year. The fact that senior management bought into this brain dead projection simply underlines how far removed the call center is from the mainstream business.

Currently the worst Galley Slave call centers are: Airline reservations, Credit Card Customer Service & Telecoms. Mind you, all aren't that bad, but most are driven by call traffic numbers instead of call outcomes.
Another approach to productivity is to capitalize on the huge potential of the work force and developing these potentials to encourage growth that can produce a work index potential of 40 instead of 22. Known as the Human Potential Development Model, managers and supervisors should be equipped with the skills of managing people and measuring productivity in terms of revenue and costs, not the meaningless seconds and minutes. And the best way to start motivating your staff is measuring their performance in quality of added value to customer interaction.
The work force or the reps who actually talk to the customers are the real potential for productivity in a call center. Motivating these people is to give them a reason to do better and by bringing out the best in them. When they enjoy their job, they become more interested and fulfilled, bringing 40% of their potential instead of 20%. That's 100% productivity increase which cost the company no monetary investment. It may incur management time and effort, but it sets an environment where everybody from the manager to the newest representative is actively working to improve communication, relationship & sales skills to achieve better call outcomes.
By measuring the improved value of customer interaction with the organization and establishing call center benchmarks to measure call outcomes, a call center can effectively keep itself from falling into the trap of becoming a Galley Slave call center which is only product-focused.

Working in a call center environment can be hurled with so much stress. Call center agents worldwide especially in the Philippines mostly complain this manic behavior which they encounter from their customers. If you ever worked in any call center, stress is always on top of their concerns on how to handle it on a daily basis. Customers, especially the Americans are very hard to deal with. They often display their rudeness to the agents, and unfortunately, racism is typically high.

According to the web, stress is defined as: constraining force or influence: as a: a force exerted when one body or body part presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body or body part; especially : the intensity of this mutual force commonly expressed in pounds per square inch b: the deformation caused in a body by such a force c: a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation d: a state resulting from a stress; especially : one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium .

In another simple definition, stress is the emotional and physical strain caused by our response to pressure from the outside world. Common stress reactions include tension, irritability, inability to concentrate, and a variety of physical symptoms that include headache and a fast heartbeat.

Many of us are suffering from stress. This can be triggered with a lot of factors in which our job related activity is one of the many causes of this psychological behavior. Call center agents both inbound and outbound services will encounter a lot of insulting comments from their customers. The agents are also berated and questioned their incapacity to give technical solutions demanded by the irate clients. Not contented, the foreign customers will say: "You Filipinos fu**!!", or, "You Filipinos suck!" This is the reality in the call center and beyond. Though call center employees in the Philippines are receiving attractive benefits, they are bombarded with heavy psychological problems especially stress.

The greater number of unhappy customers that the agents may receive in their 8-hour working period is considered stressful to them. Why? The agents may get tired of taking calls of thinking that the next customer might also have the same scenario with their previous customers.

Interestingly, stress can be given immediate attention in order not to make the situation worst. Many call center companies offer various solution to relieve their agents from stress caused by their angry customers. Facilities like fitness clinic, yoga, sporting room, entertainment room, and massages can help agents overcome stress.

In addition, there are certain reminders to the customer service people to fight stress in order not to affect their job. Handling stress properly can bring progress and change in the landscape of the outsourcing industry in the Philippines. The following tips can help you avoid stress:

* Smile and be happy.
* Don't take the bad comments personal.
* Don't involve in an argument.
* Try to fix the problem of the customers.
* Understand the root of the issue

Smile and be happy

Though you can't see the expression of your customers because of the basis of telephoning system, giving your best smile and happy with the job you have can help you make a difference. Call centers agents are trained to practice their good values and proper phone etiquette especially when talking to the customers. Greet them politely, and listen attentively to their concerns.

Don't take the bad comments personal

Although customers may sometime attack you too much, remember that they are disappointed to the products and not with you. The customers may need someone to fix the problem because they don't have the chance to speak in a face-to-face conversation. Most of them have been waiting on the line for almost 30 minutes to one hour which pissed them off. They may throw unnecessary words on you, but as soon as you help them, the situation will change from rough conversation to friendly approach. Being a call center agent, always have the patient in understanding the characteristics of each of the customers they encounter.

Don't involve in an argument

Never enter in an argument with your customer. Avoid giving your personal opinion telling your customers that they've done wrong many times. This will not help solve the customers' problem; instead this may be the start of having a bad argument which might affect the credentials of the agents. The customers may feel that they are ignorant because of the inappropriate and unfriendly approach. Always think of better response when talking to the customers all the time.

Try to fix the problem of the customers

It is better that when the agents listen to the problem of the customers. The agents must always ready to troubleshoot any inquiry that the customers ask. However, if the agents have a hard time in fixing the problem, they can ask their team leaders or their supervisors for the solution. But before doing that, the agents should ask permission to put them on hold for quick seconds. We are not perfect; we may have the skills in oral communication which needed in call center industry but lack of technical experience in other approaches. Many contact centers set up a separate department that specializes in troubleshooting. When the agents told the customers to call them back make sure that they need to do it in order to avoid disappointment from the customers.

Understand the root of the issue

Understanding the root of the issue will answer the problem of the customers. Don't be over reacted when the customers expressed their rudeness to the agents. Again, they are not directly mad at the agents but to the product itself. Let the customers talk and relay all the problems to the agents. In return, the agents should listen to it and take down some of the vital points related to the issue. The agent may politely say: "I empathize with you Sir. Don't worry 'coz I can help you fixing the problem..." Giving the hope that the problem will be fixed right away can avoid difficulty in arising the stressful situation.

These are few of the friendly tips that may help call center agents overcoming stress in their job. Call center is a unique industry giving a promising career to people worldwide.*

Article Source : Pg. 5

About Author

Both Zuske Sagara & Roberto L. Bacasong are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Zuske Sagara has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Car Accidents and Depression Cure. is an award winning call center that provides live 24x7 and 365 days call center outsourcing services for companies of all sizes and industries.. Zuske Sagara's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.

Roberto L. Bacasong has sinced written about articles on various topics from The Internet. Roberto L. Bacasong, 27, works as company writer for Unique Interaction. Roberto L. Bacasong's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.