What do you do when you are short on trained agents to man your helpdesk, but neglecting calls can lead to customers and prospects jumping ship and giving you a bad rep?
What do you do when you don’t want to give the appearance that there is no one behind the counter?
Who needs a call back system
Think of a typical customer service scenario. A customer calls your helpdesk to ask about something. The waiting times are long because it’s peak hour and your helpdesk is swamped, with agents overwhelmed by the volume of calls they are handling.
On the other end of the line, the caller is slowly getting more and more annoyed as she hears the same “Your call is important for us” message played back over and over again to the tune of elevator music.
Eventually, something will snap and it will get ugly. How do you solve a situation like this?
Enter the call back system.
This system works by collecting callers’ phone numbers and designating a specific time when they will be called back. Depending on the complexity of the query, it can usually be solved during that call back, without additional conversations or transfers.
This will bump up the FCR rate and increase customer satisfaction.
Benefits of a call back system
Actually, if you can improve in those two areas you will be doing yourself an immense favor. According to the 2012 US Contact Center Decision Makers Guide which surveyed 210 contact center managers and directors, customer satisfaction rating was the most important metric with 59% respondents saying this was more important than two years ago. FCR rate was the second most, with 47% respondents considering it to be more important.
But apart from these metrics consider a few scenarios where call back system can benefit you in the short to medium term.
Using a call back solution can give you another way to reach your customers. People will almost always read their texts, and SMS marketing has been demonstrated to yield the kind of returns that other forms of marketing can only dream about. Play this right, take the necessary permissions, don’t spam or act greedy and you can take advantage of this very direct channel to your customers’ attention, advertising right to their cell phone.
Call backs, while costly in the short term in terms of telephone bills, are actually cheaper in the long run. Here’s why: a frustrated customer waiting on the line for 15 minus will likely answer with a sentiment of “WHAT the %&^$ is wrong with you people and why can’t you pick up the goddamned phone ?” Taking contact information instead and calling back at a convenient time, however, is more likely to elicit this response: “Wow, thanks for calling back so soon!”
This response means business can be conducted in a much more congenial environment. Agents would be less stressed, and over the long run that leads to lower attrition rates, lower training and other associated costs and higher profits.
Best practices for implementing and managing a callback system
A callback system is a valuable tool for businesses to enhance customer service by addressing queries and resolving issues efficiently. Here are the best practices for implementing and managing a callback system:
1. Offer Callbacks at the Right Time
- Peak Times: Use callback systems to manage high call volumes during peak hours, reducing wait times for customers.
- Customer Option: Always allow the customer to choose whether they want to wait on hold or receive a callback.
2. Provide Accurate Wait-Time Estimates
- Use advanced algorithms to calculate expected wait times and communicate this clearly to customers.
- Ensure the estimates are realistic to build trust.
3. Make It Easy to Request Callbacks
- One-Click Options: Implement simple prompts in IVR systems or web-based tools for callback requests.
- Multi-Channel Accessibility: Allow customers to request callbacks via phone, mobile apps, websites, or even chat platforms.
4. Prioritize Callback Requests
- Fair Queuing: Serve callbacks in the order they were received, unless there’s an emergency or VIP queue system in place.
- Integration with CRM: Use customer data to prioritize callbacks for high-value or repeat customers.
5. Train Agents for Callback Scenarios
- Preparedness: Provide agents with customer information before the callback to personalize the interaction.
- Empathy Training: Teach agents to acknowledge the customer’s time and reduce any frustration caused by delays.
6. Confirm Callbacks
- Notifications: Send a confirmation via SMS or email to the customer, specifying the scheduled time.
- Reminder Alerts: Notify the customer shortly before the callback to ensure availability.
7. Use Intelligent Scheduling
- Offer specific time slots for callbacks, allowing customers to choose a convenient time.
- Account for agent availability and customer preferences.
8. Monitor and Optimize System Performance
- Track Metrics: Measure callback success rates, customer satisfaction scores (CSAT), and abandoned callback rates.
- Feedback Loop: Regularly collect customer feedback to improve the system.
9. Ensure Technical Reliability
- Invest in robust software and backup systems to prevent outages or delays.
- Regularly test the system for scalability during high demand.
10. Communicate Clearly
- Inform customers about callback policies and timelines during their initial interaction.
- If there’s a delay, proactively update customers about the new callback time.
11. Personalize the Experience
- Use CRM data to tailor the interaction based on previous conversations, purchases, or inquiries.
- Greet customers by name and reference their specific issue for a seamless experience.
12. Integrate with Omnichannel Support
- Ensure the callback system is integrated with your omnichannel customer service strategy so that customers can continue the conversation across multiple touchpoints.
Trending Now
Handling missed calls professionally is key to creating good impressions in business. Understand the caller’s intent, especially if they leave a voicemail. Use tools like VoIP apps for cost-effective call-backs, and set up voicemail or custom auto-responses to maintain communication. Autoresponders let callers leave messages, ensuring you don’t miss important information. Visual voicemail adds convenience by letting you view and prioritize messages, with some services even transcribing voicemails into text for easier management. These steps help manage missed calls effectively and maintain professionalism.
Conclusion
You can’t extensively depend on a call back system for your customer service, but you can mix and match it with other systems like live chat and inbound phone lines to provide an optimum level of service without investing massively in human resources.
