A well-crafted conversation script is an invaluable tool to have at your call center’s disposal.
A well-crafted conversation script is an invaluable tool to have at your call center’s disposal. With such a document handy for consultation, agents are well situated to ensure consistently positive client experiences will set your company apart from the pack. Whether your focus is solely based in customer service or more sales-/marketing-oriented, here are some vital considerations to keep in mind when drafting up a new script.
- Giving Plenty of Guidance
Your representative’s comfort and confidence will engender the customer’s own. Conversely, if an agent feels inadequately prepared by the script they’re working with, it’s sure to leave a bad taste in the mouth of clients and employees alike. Your scripts should therefore serve as concise but comprehensive direction for the entire duration of any call and provide the protocol for necessities like…
- Introducing oneself and establishing a friendly, ready-to-help tone
- Responding to a wide range of anticipatable issues and client needs
- Being prepared to handle customer agitation
- Integrating additional service offerings
- Closing conversations and assessing client satisfaction
- Starting Off Strong
A rocky start can be tough to recover from in any customer service interaction—not to mention a sales pitch. Conversely, a smooth start can create the momentum that keeps a call going smoothly. Your scripts should illustrate how best to start the conversation, leaving nothing on this front to chance—or an agent’s knack for improvisation. It’s always wise to cover such ground as…
- Greeting the client and introducing oneself
- Best practices of address throughout a call
- Which words or phrases to avoid (-for example, those like “Maybe” or “I don’t know” that can undercut customer confidence)
- Finding the Right Tone
No one enjoys being consciously aware of being read to from a fixed script. It comes across as perfunctory and impersonal, risking the customer’s immediate alienation and unreceptive. Nonetheless, as a means of bolstering efficiency and maintaining informational consistency, these scripts do serve a vital function at your inbound call center. Thus, to avoid the negative outcomes mentioned above, each call center script should be written to sound as unscripted as possible. As for ways to accomplish this feat…
- Keep it simple; avoid jargon and unnecessarily flowery language
- When possible, allow the agent some flexibility to personalize their delivery
- Maintain a tonal balance—friendly but not patronizing, professional but not stiff/stilted, etc.
Customer Service Is Person Service
The more natural and organic a script reads, the more it will seem to your client like having a normal conversation; remember, the best customer service is grounded in subtly making sure this “customer” feels recognized as a person. Your inbound call center stands to make great gains to that end simply by incorporating these guidelines into your script-drafting process.
Contact TeleRep Today!
If you are ready to install a call center service for your business, TeleRep is here to help. If you still have more questions, our trained professionals are ready to answer them. We know how important customer feedback is to you and your business, so let them know that you care with an answering service. To learn how TeleRep can help you today, visit us online or give us a call at 1-800-638-2000. To keep up with our work and to see what we have been up to, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.