For example, “brief hold” means different wait times to different people.
Having website issues is never fun. It’s even more stressful when you’re in the middle of a marketing campaign that directs clients to pages on your website that aren’t running accurately. And worse yet, it’s aggravating when the service agents trying to help you don’t understand what your issue is, causing you even more delays.
Real world story:
29 MINUTES: I made a call to my hosting company. I described the problem to the agent who said he would put me on a “brief” hold, and 11 minutes later he came back and said he needed to transfer me to someone else. When that person got on the phone, he summarized my problem. But it was NOT the problem I had described to the first agent. After re-iterating my problem, he also put me on hold so he could research my account. When he returned, he said he put in a “ticket” and I would get an email confirming the fix. This call lasted 29 minutes.
14 MINUTES: Several hours later I receive an email that described the company’s resolution, which was NOT about the problem I called about. The email instructed me to perform very technical tasks, and it used all sorts of computer jargon that I did not understand. I replied to the email, expressing my discontent with the response. The response I then received was shorter, but it was again full of computer jargon. Naturally, I had to call the hosting company again to figure out what exactly I needed to do to resolve my problem. The new agent was very kind and explained the complex email I had received and assisted me with the instructions. This call lasted 14 minutes.
15 MINUTES: However, my website was still not functioning correctly. Now I had to call my internet service provider, which is responsible for my website’s firewall. I explained the situation. The agent was extremely patient and knowledgeable. He seemed to understand how to fix the problem, walked me through several steps, and said he would follow up to make sure the changes occurred. This call lasted 15 minutes.
20 MINUTES: Unfortunately, the changes did not occur, and I had to call my internet service company again. This new agent seemed to know what to do and actually did it on his end. He even gave me suggestions for other parts of my website to make it run more efficiently. This call lasted 20 minutes.
Oh, my goodness—78 minutes total on the phone to fix what ended up being a fairly simple problem! Could my problem have been avoided or handled differently?
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Recap. Before you begin to solve a problem, recap the issue with your customer to make sure you have an accurate understanding of the issue. When a customer agrees with your recap of the problem, then you can begin to work on a solution. If the customer does not agree, then you know you and the customer are not on the same page, and you must again listen to what the customer is saying.
- Transfer. When you must transfer a caller to another department, always ensure to correctly inform the next agent of the customer’s problem. Customers should not have to repeat the problem again and again, especially during the same phone call.
- Track. Make sure to record all pertinent information from all points of contact with a customer, so other departments can communicate with the customer effectively, preventing the customer from having to repeat the issue again and again. All departments should have access to the same tracking system.
- Language. Be careful of terminology and jargon when speaking with customers. Some words and phrases are ambiguous and can cause uncertainty and miscommunication with your customers. For example, “brief hold” means different wait times to different people. Instead, say “Your hold may be as long as 5 minutes while I research your account.” Jargon can also be a problem, so don’t assume your customers are experts. Keep technical words as simple, yet professional, as possible. The rule of thumb is to take the lead from your customers, so listen to them to determine their degree of expertise or lack thereof and speak accordingly.
Remember: Most people who contact customer service usually have a problem that needs to be resolved. And many of these people are probably not in the best state of mind. Be patient with all your customers, explain things calmly and clearly, and take responsibility of the problem. This can save your customers and you valuable time and aggravation.
How do YOU create a great contact center experience for your customers?