Encourage Customer Loyalty With Your Call Center

call center team

Keeping customers happy and coming back is more important than ever.

Today’s competitive business environment means companies need to make sure they are meeting their customers where they are. It makes sense to think about what matters to customers when managing a call center.

It’s been said that what unhappy customers want most is to be heard. This is where a call center can be most effective.

Many call centers are designed to follow a system, a pattern with the goal of ending the situation in a way that is best for the company. And, ultimately speaking, that makes sense. The question becomes, what is the best way to get to a good conclusion.

There are three aspects to an effective call center that build and encourage customer loyalty.

Problem Solve

The best scenario occurs when the customer’s problem is resolved. This requires keen listening skills.

Call center staff need to be sure they are really hearing what the customer is saying. Most people are reasonable and understand what is possible. When call center staff members start from a desire to problem solve, they are more inclined to really listen to what the customer is saying.

They can then respond to the concern in a way that provides the customer with the belief that they are cared for.

Customers stay with a company when they believe their needs have been met and the company cares about their experience. Most problems can be solved quickly and without a huge investment. Empowering call center staff with the ability to solve those problems goes a long way to encourage customer loyalty with their clients.

Relationship Building

Another aspect of customer care is building relationships with those customers. The call center staff is uniquely positioned to aid in this process. When someone calls a company with a complaint or concern, the person on the other end of the call can become their best friend or their worst enemy.

When call center employees approach customers with a relationship building mindset, they project a real interest in making sure the customer is cared for. The customer feels valued beyond the transaction. It really matters to customers and yields long term results.

Relax the Script

There is real value in having a process for dealing with customer issues. However, often times the script can get in the way of customers feeling like they are being heard.

The best way to ensure call center employees adopt a policy of problem solving and relationship building is to encourage them to relax the scripting they are provided. When they can think on their feet and communicate beyond the script they connect more effectively with customers.

Customers want to feel valued and heard. Call centers have a unique place in that process.

When someone calls a company with a concern, they are presenting the company with an opportunity to prove how much they value an ongoing relationship with that customer. Relaxing the script in order to problem solve and therefore build relationships with customers goes a long way to encouraging customer loyalty.

Call Center Team Photo via Shutterstock

This article, “Encourage Customer Loyalty With Your Call Center” was first published on Small Business Trends