Call Center Etiquette

By Roberto Bacasong
Company Writer
Call Center in the Philippines
Unique Interaction

The outsourcing industry is kicking and alive in the Philippines. There are so many reasons why this industry continues to gain reputation in which the Filipino excellent in customer service is a plus factor.

If you talk on the phone, the first thing you need to observe is your etiquette. If you defined this word from the dictionary refers to the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life. No matter what we do we need to show respect to people we encounter every day. We need to show dignity to our family, friends, coworkers, and acquainted individuals.

Good breeding in talking to customers especially in the voice account (or call center) is the reason why outsourcing industry is famous in the Philippines. The industry rapidly grown and the number of employment reach to thousands of opportunities to every Filipino. Perhaps, a call center in the Philippines cannot survive without partnership with the customers. The smooth relationship between the agents and the customers will bring success and development to every contact centers operating in any parts of the world.

If you own a contact center, you need to make sure that you are monitoring the way your agents deal your customers over the phone. A simple expression of happiness when your agent is talking to your customers is a way that he or she deals accordingly with their clients. Establishing rapport to your customers can express in so many ways like saying: "Thank you for calling...", "You have a great day..." "May I put you on hold for a quick sec..." and many other rapport your agents build.

Saying these simple lines when talking to customer is paying great respect, and how important are they in your business. The tone of your agents' voice should be calm and well balance when they start receiving calls from the customers. Call center managers, team leaders, and quality analysts see to it that they monitor the calls coming in everyday. Customers are usually upset because they'd been on the phone for 30 minutes and worst to one-hour of waiting. Sometimes we can't avoid that we will be receiving volume of calls in just a day including number of call waiting. As much as possible, imposed the policy of call handling time which is minimum to 10 minutes per customer.

Customers who are showing expression of irate on the phone is not a good indication from start talking to the customer up to the end. This is a stressful situation especially to a new agent. However, in due time your agent will going to learn effective way of giving solution to every customer they encounter. We oftentimes received negative comment from the customers that the agents did not help them because of language or accent problem. Clarity on the phone is also a plus factor. The agents should speak clearly, as they could to avoid negative remarks from the customers.

If your agent cannot handle the situation, better call the attention of the supervisor to let the call handle properly. Showing sensitive care like empathy and putting yourself on their shoes will lessen the tension between you and the customer. Customers like to be pleased because they are frustrated with the product or they discovered overcharged in their billing. They need explanation and solution to the problem they have. Attention and better approach will cause fantastic resolution to the conflict.

Treating your customers above the rest will always put your business up and running. Proper etiquette will build trust to your customers that your customer service people are the best in the world. Valuing your career in contact centers is very important. An ideal contact center is a model in solving the communication barrier between your skilled people and your customers.

Teach your people to smile all the time whenever they are on the phone. Encourage them to avoid slacking off on the floor, instead make them useful and effective at the end of the day.*