With our modern need for quick and efficient customer service, call scripts are essential tools for contact center agents. They can enrich customer service interactions and help them progress faster by offering agents detailed answers and communication tips to better satisfy customers. However, as service cases vary in nature and customers continue to seek a human touch, agents must remain spontaneous and be able to adapt the use of call scripts to each individual situation. Here are seven mistakes to avoid with call scripts in order to provide excellent customer service.
A courteous introduction is always important, but that’s where the long monologues should stop. Call scripts should be designed so that customers have a chance to engage in the dialogue and ask questions when they need to. This means that standard agent responses such as “I can help you with that” or “Thank you for the information” should remain succinct to keep the conversation flowing naturally.
Customers don’t want to repeat information to multiple agents, and the less information you request they share, the better. A CRM database is therefore ideal for quick access to customer information and purchase history, enabling agents to make real-time updates as needed. In addition, routing customers to the most qualified agents with optimized IVR menus may ensure that customers are not transferred unless absolutely necessary.
Agents should be involved in both the creation and revision of call scripts. As they interact with customers day after day, they have important insights to offer regarding best practices. Your brand should therefore solicit their feedback when writing call scripts and help them add a touch of their own personality to parts like the introduction.
Contact centers may have different call scripts for different situations, but complex cases sometimes demand spontaneity and adaptability. Following a script can be harmful in such situations, as frustrated customers who seek specific answers may not appreciate agents who cannot deliver detailed support. In addition to making various scripts easily accessible to agents, your brand may consider routing customers with simple inquiries to agents with basic training while routing complex cases to more skilled agents.
With all the technologies available these days, customers still want a humanized and personalized experience. Following a script word for word deprives customers of the reassurance and empathy that they may seek in speaking to an actual person. Agents need to be spontaneous in order to deliver a human touch and adapt to difficult situations when they arise.
Agents may need to look for different scripts as customers ask more specific questions. To prevent customers from waiting, scripts should be organized clearly by topic or keyword. In addition, agents should have easy access to commonly asked questions and those questions that are trending most frequently at that particular time.
Testing the efficiency of call scripts is essential. Your brand may use A/B testing to monitor the efficiency of service interactions, while speech and text analytics can assist further during the revision process.Call scripts are vital tools for communicating efficiently with customers. However, using them strategically while adding a human touch is a sure way to engage customers on an emotional level for true satisfaction.
