Beep beep….. The inquisitive query of a customer may turn into anger when he/she has to wait for a longer time before the call center agent picks up a call. This may result in bad customer experience and dissatisfaction among customers causing irateness and even mood swings of switching to another business ultimately leading to the loss of business in a direct way. Call center wait time is one of the strong indicators of customer experience meaning how the customer feels about the service the business provides.
Among the multifold responsibilities of call center agents or customer service representatives, 80/20 used to be the traditional target that customer service representatives must achieve. 80/20 means 80% of the calls need to be answered within 20 seconds but this target is not suitable for every kind of business. Bringing down the waiting time is important to both companies and customer service representatives to upgrade customer satisfaction and maintain the organizational reputation. Word of mouth is one of the fastest means of communication. When one customer becomes dissatisfied with the service rendered, he/she may share irate responses to other friends colleagues, and relatives that may negatively impact the business' fame.
No customer wants to cool their heels for a long time before a final conversation with the customer service agent. But customers do have to wait for longer times due to various reasons such as:
i) High call volumes during peak seasons
ii) Low number of customer service representatives
iii) Various technical issues
iv) Unavailability of concerned staff at the department
v) Excessive call volumes and others
Call center average wait time (AWT) also termed Average Hold Time (AHT) is the approximate time that customers spend while waiting for the interaction for the live agent. Average wait time (AWT) be calculated as:
AWT = Total waiting time in the measurement period/ total customers served in that time
Lost calls, long wait times, and traditional technology usage are the reasons that businesses lose even their loyal customers. The customers of today demand personalized and fast service. If the businesses are unable to provide these services, it's obvious that customers may switch to other organizations as well.
When customers get hindered by clogged telephone lines, a sense of frustration may develop as they dial the number of contact centers to express their queries, grievances, or complaints. They feel tortured additionally when they can not get connected to the customer service agents. Here are some of the strategies for efficient call handling. Let's bump in.
1. Invest in the emerging trends of contact center technology
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and self-service channels/options have transformed call center operations. Customers can easily resolve their queries/inquiries with self-service tools like FAQ tools, virtual assistants, kiosks, etc. They don't need to have to wait for direct agents or human interaction which significantly contributes to minimizing the unnecessary call volumes. Click here to check the Technology and trends in call center management. These AI-powered tools improve call handling efficiently, optimize call routing, and many more.
2. Hiring of the required staff along with potent training
If customers have to wait for a longer time, one of the obvious causes of longer customer wait times is the lack of staffing problems. Upgrading traditional 24x7 human interaction should be accompanied by self-service tools but if hiring staff causes less costs than software installation, then so be it. Hiring more staff means more flexibility in managing the calls but they should be given training in active listening, quick identification of customers, and use of AI-powered tools in case of requirement.
3. Call Queuing system configuration and appointment scheduling
Along with hiring staff in case of requirement, IVR systems and queuing systems should be installed where calls are answered by distributing the calls to the available customer service representatives. These systems provide real-time information to the customer service agents regarding the number of waiting customers, the wait duration of customers, and the nature of customers’ queries. This helps to reduce customer wait times minimizing customer dissatisfaction.
This method facilitates customers to schedule advanced appointments that assure the customers that customer service representatives are available to handle their queries on time. This allows the customers to ensure that their inquiries will be resolved quickly. In this way, the workload of handling inbound customer calls is also distributed evenly among the customer service representatives.
4. Monitor the call center metrics and KPIs
The call center metrics help to identify the areas of improvement at contact centers. If the call center metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) are tracked, it is determined in which areas call center agents need the training and support. This helps to examine if the resources are used effectively in the right way. The key performance indicators include:
i) Average Hold Time
ii) Average Handle Time
iii) First call resolution rate
iv) Average Resolution time
v) Customer satisfaction score
vi) First Response time and others
5. Investment in customer service tools
Along with the installation of updated tech and software, qualified manpower, training, and development, organizations should invest in various cutting-edge tools so that staff along with customers can coordinate in a very quick and easy way. To gain a competitive edge in this ever-growing competitive service market, Research and analysis along with Investment is a must.
These are some of the tips to reduce customer wait times. According to the organizational size and policies, the right tips should be chosen and new choices should be developed. The ultimate reason for all these tips is improving customer satisfaction and boosting employees’ productivity.