Managing a call center can be challenging. There are various problems that you may face along the way related to the agents, customers, and your process. And if you want to keep the business going, you need to handle them properly. There are common concerns that call centers face, and understanding more about them will help you avoid or manage them better if they happen to your company. We listed some of them below, as well as their possible solutions.
Customers are unable to connect to an agent
It’s standard on outbound call center services for customers to be unable to reach an agent, especially during peak hours and seasons. There could also be a staffing shortage, leading to unanswered calls. Customers would feel frustrated to be in the queue for a long time and not get through an agent right away. Hence, it is recommended to have an efficient IVR system that would let clients do simple tasks or get the information they need — where they also don’t have to wait to be connected to an agent.
High employee turnover rates
Another problem that many call centers face is the high turnover rate of employees. People quitting means not having enough staff, which could affect the overall operation of the business. So, improve employee retention by making your hiring process better and getting only the best employees who are more likely to stay on the job. Moreover, provide them with adequate support and training so they feel confident in performing their tasks. Create a positive working environment by ensuring work-life balance, offering career development assistance, and rewarding good performance.
Difficulties chasing leads
Call centers making outbound calls for marketing and sales may face trouble contacting leads. The calls may lead to voicemail, and others could be disconnected due to potential clients hanging up or not being interested in the call. It can be a waste of time, especially since agents have to dial these numbers one by one. An effective auto dialer can resolve this issue. It would automatically dial the numbers on the list, and successfully connected calls would be assigned to available agents. There are also other settings you could use depending on your business needs. For example, it could give agents a few seconds or a specific time to read customer details before connecting to the call. You may also set it up to dial once the agents are ready. It’s helpful for those who need to check the details and history of the call thoroughly.
Low customer satisfaction
You want your customers to be satisfied to keep them doing business with you, which is why a low customer satisfaction rating can be a huge problem. Continue training your agents to ensure they are appropriately equipped to handle their concerns efficiently. Give out surveys to get customer feedback, know their sentiments, and do something to improve the process. Perform quality checks on calls and have one-on-one coaching with agents to determine their areas of improvement and take actionable steps to improve their performance.
These are just some of the common issues call centers face that you can learn from. Continue improving your process to serve your customers better and keep your agents happy too.
