An agent in the call center is there to guide any caller to a rapid resolution of the reason they called, whether it be tech support or seeking knowledge about a product or service. In other words, they are there to “coach” that caller to a win.
In this article, so that we have a full understanding of what we are going after, let’s redefine a call center agent.
Redefining
Current definition: someone who answers the phone in a call center, perhaps armed with a list of answers to frequently asked questions, or a list of tech support symptoms and their solutions. They may even be operating from a script (which is a topic we will be taking up more in-depth in another blog in this series).
They usually do not know the product or service very well and are doing their best to try and answer caller queries within their narrow frame of reference. They may or may not have any kind of goal to make the caller happy or satisfy them, and for that reason, they often don’t.
Redefinition: A call center agent should be a coach who guides a prospect through the process to purchase a product or service that they have already decided to buy. They also might be required to guide a customer through an answer to a question, or through the steps of tech support on a product.
No matter which, their purpose is to become a guide to make sure the prospect or customer gets what they truly need and want.
The idea is to convert a call center agent in the traditional sense to a coaching agent who genuinely cares for prospects and customers. It is a conversion to a customer service point of view, from a “sign up the customer at all costs” point of view. It is a totally different mindset.
First: Listen
This is taught very thoroughly in our sales training, but it must also be taught to call center agents—as it is something most call center agents fail to do. And that is, listen. When the agent connects with the caller, the caller must pay attention. Take notes if needed. But in any case, the agent must take the time to thoroughly understand the issue the caller is presenting or the question that they have.
Then: Help
Then, because the agent has been trained and founded in a thorough understanding of their company’s products and services, they can guide the caller to the precise resolution the caller is looking for, whether it is the purchase of a product or service that the caller has decided to buy, answers to questions the caller had, or the solution to a tech support problem.
Turning call centers into coaching centers is an entirely new approach in today’s rather impersonal, technical business world. It also means a whole new level of success for companies with call centers.
