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by Sarah Wilson, Answer Center America - May 24, 2010

Avoiding Customer Service Catastrophes in the Call Center by Sarah Wilson, Answer Center America

Ever had a terrible customer service experience with a company which ultimately led you to hold a life-long grudge? You had a bad conversation with a customer service representative from your favorite company, you vow never to purchase their product again, and you demand that all of your friends do the same. As your anger boils to the brim, you quickly tweet, text and Facebook your dislike of this company. Not the ideal scenario.

This situation may be a bit extreme, but it’s safe to say everyone has had a personal experience or knows someone with a personal experience similar to the one above. Having just one negative experience with even the best company, can result in detrimental damage to the reputation of the company.

Here are a few tips to making sure your call center agents are avoiding scenarios like the ones above:

• The customer is always right – Although most companies will admit that this isn’t always the case, a good customer service professional will know how to respond to a customer properly without further upsetting the individual.

• Honesty goes a long way – Not overpromising customers can make a lasting impact in your sales and customer service. Setting reasonable expectations for your product and service and sticking to these promises can help avoid problems before they arise.

• One call resolution – Individuals don’t want to jump through hoops with your call center agents to get their problem resolved. So make it a point to provide them with resolution on their first call. Some argue that first call resolution is the call center metric that matter most.

• Consistent training – Proper training is vital to the health of your call center. An inconsistent customer service experience can result in angry customers.

• Effective listening – Although obvious, not all call center agents understand the art of effective listening. Knowing how to read customers and deciphering exactly what their need are will provide a rewarding customer experience. Effective listening skills are a must.

Bio: Sarah Wilson is a Marketing Communication Specialist for Answer Center America, a leading provider of inbound and outbound call solutions.