This post was originally published on lessonly.com.
The quality of support that customers and clients receive is directly proportional to the call center training methods that your employees have access to for their professional development.
So, it’s important to not drop the ball. No pressure, right?
That’s why it’s important to offer call center training solutions that focus on great organizational skills that can come in handy when agents have to deal with customer requests, complaints, and other issues.
What is call center training?
Call center training is any course, seminar, video, coaching session, or other activity that teaches the skills and behaviors needed for success in a call center.
Most people think of training as a one-time event or program but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, training to use the phones and customer management systems is important, but agents also have to learn and practice ‘soft skills’ like empathy and active listening on the regular.
How training can create a successful team
More often than not, a customer’s impression of a company is based on interactions with support agents. Customers rarely interact directly with businesses outside of support calls—especially if the company is based online. This is why your call center agents need a call center training program and tools to handle those calls and interactions in a way that makes the customer feel heard and appreciated.
The reality is when it comes to customer service, every detail counts, and support calls are no exception. Utilizing a call center training guide to teach agents the nuances of running a helpful, friendly conversation with customers is always a smart business move. You’ll help agents build the skills and tools they need to make every support interaction positive — and ultimately increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
How to ensure your agents can deliver a positive + helpful customer experience
So when it comes to designing and delivering your customer service training program, there are pretty important do’s and don’ts to consider in order for it to be as effective as possible. Let’s take a closer look at five things to keep in mind for your call center training efforts.
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Don’t: Make call center reps use line-by-line call center scripts.
Do: Give them script best practices, but empower them to have personal, engaging conversations.
Because: People want to talk to people, not to a robot. If agents aren’t allowed to stray from a script at all, they may miss out on opportunities to build rapport with customers by answering in an honest, conversational way. When properly trained on call center script best practices, active listening is simply easier and more effective rather than reading a script verbatim.
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Don’t: Deliver reactive training.
Do: Create a call center training program outline that gives a rundown of need and deliver it proactively.
Because: Teaching your agents how to perform tasks is not just enough for the effective running of business activities. When your agents practice their skills, they can test their competencies and evaluate themselves on free call center training material. This also helps your company identify areas that may need improvement and will lead to continued development, which goes a long way in improving the skills and outcome.
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Don’t: Make training a one-time thing.
Do: Create a training program that equips and empowers both new and seasoned reps over time.
Because: Ongoing and continuous training is beneficial for your company as it helps you run your activities smoothly. Activities don’t have to stop due to internal factors for your organization. This also is a chance for personal and interpersonal development, which is beneficial for company growth.
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Don’t: Pull reps off the floor for day-long training sessions.
Do: Deliver training with call center training software that allows them to access and reinforce training when it’s a good time for them.
Because: Call center certification programs online offer great organizational skills that can keep track of customer requests, complaints, and other issues. Your organization will be knowledgeable on how to leverage the resources to meet the needs of your clients. Well-trained call center agents reduce the costs due to increased speed as they can take more calls per hour while meeting the needs of the customers.
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Don’t: Put new reps on the floor their first day.
Do: Give reps the chance to practice and hone skills in a safe practice environment.
Because: Because nobody wants to be thrown into the wolves, that’s why. Allow your people to take advantage of peer learning and to shadow a top-performer. And/or hold small group training sessions that give call center training manual examples, which are another super useful way to teach new processes or refresh guidance with employees.
Customer service and call center teams use our training and coaching software to learn, practice, and grow. Empower, elevate, and expand your support team. Learn more here.
