The help desk staff is an essential link between the customer and the company.
It is through efficient and helpful customer service provided by this staff that the company gains and retains loyal customers.
Successful problem solving and customer satisfaction are at the core of a well functioning help desk.
In order to provide consistent, quality help desk service, management must assure they are well trained both initially and in a continuing fashion. Excellent training allows the staff to be confident and efficient when dealing with the challenges of their job.
This improves service and reduces turnover. An essential tool in ongoing training and quality assurance is recording calls and reviewing results with the staff on a weekly basis.
The goals should be continuous improvement of service, targeted problem solving solutions, and increased knowledge sharing. Open and positive communication between management and staff facilitates this process.
The ultimate goal remains the satisfaction of the customer, and all analyses of the help desk should revolve around this.
Scripts are an important aspect of consistent service. Develop scripts using past calls, determining what problems have been encountered and the best solutions found.
Training help desk staff in the use of the scripts should stress the importance of consistently using the script verbatim yet having the ability to smoothly transition to continued quality help when unexpected developments occur during the call.
Even when using a script, staff should remember they are communicating with people and people appreciate friendliness, courtesy, and caring. A smile can be heard by the customer and can go a long way in keeping the tone of the conversation productive.
Management should be aware of how help desks function at other businesses within the same industry. Comparisons can be helpful when planning for continuous improvement of the help desk.
Many help desk software solutions exist for assisting in integrating the functions of the call center. Pick software that fits the volume of calls anticipated and the type of business using the software.
Effectively serving customers through efficient and productive call center service depends on training, integrated teamwork, selecting and implementing appropriate technology, consistency, and efficient problem solving.
