It has been said in the marketing space that customer experience is the next competitive battleground. Where business is going to either be won or lost. This means that prioritising customer experience over price and product is crucial as it will determine your company’s future growth. 

According to a 2021 survey by HubSpot, 72% of customers feel that valuing their time is the most important aspect of a good customer experience on a call, and 41% of customers said that the time spent waiting to speak to an agent is the most frustrating part of calling a company.

Another 2021 study by NICE inContact found that 53% of customers said they would be willing to pay more for a product or service if they knew they could get better customer service. A 2021 study by CallMiner found that 88% of customers are more likely to stay with a company that provides a positive customer experience, and 39% of customers said that they would never do business with a company again after a negative experience.

For businesses running call centres, customer experience is dependent on reduction of call wait times as well as avoiding a laborious or annoying process to get in touch with whoever they need to. Consider the following customers ways you can improve your call handling processes:

Skills-based call routing systems

Utilising skills-based call routing systems can help customers reach the most appropriate customer experience (CX) agent faster, which can result in shorter call waiting times and improved interaction quality. To implement a reliable skills-based routing system, the structure of the interactive voice response (IVR) processes should be focused on. An IVR system consists of telephony software technology that provides a series of automated menus for customers to self-serve or transfer the call to the most qualified agent or a queue. The system can be designed to guide customers to the correct agent based on various factors such as the nature of their call, language, or accessibility requirements. Using a skills-based IVR can decrease call-wait times, reduce the need for transferring calls, and expedite the handling of customer queries, leading to better customer experiences.

Quality training programs

One effective way for a call centre to enhance customer experience is to invest in quality training programs for agents. By providing comprehensive training on customer service skills and effective communication techniques, agents can better understand and address the needs of callers. Additionally, training programs can help agents develop better conflict resolution skills and better manage difficult customers, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction. Investing in agent training can result in more positive interactions, improved call handling times, and an overall boost to the customer experience.

Multiple channel approach  

A multi-channel approach is a centralised communication platform that provides a balance of communication options such as email, text, SMS, and live chat, which can integrate all customer journeys in one platform. This approach can help reduce lengthy calls, waiting times, and frustration for customers. Implementing an omnichannel approach can help businesses provide communication options that align with the personal preferences of customers and eliminate unwanted engagement outside of their preferred channels. Even if the majority of customer communication is handled through phone calls, an omnichannel approach can improve customer experience by providing a more flexible communication platform.

Euphoria’s contact centre solution delivers greater agent productivity and flexible call centre management. By understanding your customers’ preferred communication channels, your agents can prioritise phone calls for those who actually want to speak over the phone, reducing the risk of annoying or frustrating customers and enhancing the efficiency of the call centre.

Through the effective implementation of these systems, your agents can elevate their customer service game and enhance the satisfaction levels of your customers. A content and satisfied customer base can act as a secret ingredient for the growth of your business.

To discover more about how Euphoria is empowering contact centre teams to achieve success, contact our team today!