Call center operations are hugely dependent on the quality and competencies of the agents. Agents are the life and blood of a call center as they directly interact with customers. If they leave a positive impact on the people calling in, the chances are your customers will always stay on your side. If you are choosing a call center outsourcing company , it is important to select a vendor that has competent employees with the following qualities.
Important Competencies of Agents in a Call Center Process
Below are some important characteristics and competencies of call center agents:
Thorough process knowledge and focused mindset
Over a period of time, a call center agent may have to handle different call center processes. So, he should have the flexibility to change his mindset according to the process. The process trainings are not very long, so it is the responsibility of the trainers to imbibe the agents with the necessary skills. But it is only possible if the agents have the desire to learn and excel at the process. At Vcall Global, we make sure that every agent we hire has the dedication and focus to excel at the tasks he/she is put in charge of.
Rapport building skills
Apart from the process knowledge, an agent has to display good communication skills. As part of those skills, rapport building can be considered as the most important as it allows your call center to achieve higher CSAT scores. Agents who show empathy and actively listen to what the customers have to say are the best at building rapport.
Communication without interruption
Another important quality of an agent is to communicate without interruption. Agents who frequently put customers on hold and mute often end up enraging them. The best customer care reps recruited by the top call center outsourcing vendors are specifically trained on maintaining the flow of communication.
Information capturing
Not only an agent has to talk with customers and resolve their issues, but he/she also has to capture information. At every step of the way, the agent should jot down the important details shared by customers in the CRM. This information can later be used for business analytics.
Authentication of customers as per DPA
Modern-day agents need to be very careful about performing authentication of everyone who calls in as per the Data Protection Act (DPA). No account information should be shared before a customer answers all the relevant security questions.
Whether you are looking for outbound/inbound call center outsourcing or international/domestic call center outsourcing, the role of agent is the most important and they should be hired after proper screening.