Logo

How to Prevent Customers From Hanging Up on Your Brand

If customers are calling your brand for support, chances are they aren’t very happy. And what’s the best way to make them feel worse? Make it impossible for them to reach you. Some customers call because they are most comfortable with the voice channel. But many others pick up the phone because they need in-depth, human support—what digital channels cannot always offer. If your call abandonment rates are too high, consider these tips for making sure customers don’t hang up on your brand.

Have an efficient call routing system in place

The faster customers connect with your brand, the less likely they are to hang up. An efficient call routing system ensures that customers can get the answers they need with minimal effort. An IVR system can help customers find the right menu options effortlessly and direct them to the most qualified agents when needed. In addition, such a system helps customers skip unnecessary steps quickly and let them speak to an agent immediately if desired. Visual IVR also enables them to touch their way through a visual interface to save time.

Plan for peak periods

Depending on your business, there may be times when your company experiences higher than average call volumes. For example, this may happen during the holiday season for retail brands, or perhaps your brand is having an issue with one of its products. Whatever the reason, be prepared. Rather than risk losing customers, hire additional agents or expand current agents’ roles so that those who have lighter workloads are able to help out when needed.

Give customers options

Sometimes, your agents might not be able to help customers right away. If putting customers on hold is inevitable, find a way to appease them. First of all, be sure to indicate the estimated waiting time, so that those who are willing to wait are better informed. To empower your customers further, give them a callback option. When placing them on hold, remember that complete silence is never pleasant (they may think you have hung up on them!). Instead, play some gentle music or provide bits of valuable brand information (for example, interesting new website features, promotional events) to keep customers from boredom and frustration.

Expand service hours

If possible, make your service hours 24/7. At the very least, consider expanding hours to be there for customers when they need to speak to you. Many companies find outsourcing to be an efficient way to meet this need. Allowing agents to work remotely from home is another excellent way to meet demand while helping employees work hours that best suit their schedules. If your company is easy to reach, why should a customer hang up on you?Call abandonment rates can be greatly reduced by planning ahead. As with any other aspect of customer service, anticipate your customers’ needs in advance to give them the best experience possible. 

Interested in our solutions?

+33 (0)1 55 37 30 50

Get in touch for more information