Invest in Your Call Center Staff to Best Serve Your Patients
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD
Call center agents are often the first contact someone has with your organization. If they conduct themselves well, this establishes a positive first step for a long-term successful relationship. But if they fall short, it may be your last interaction with the caller.
Given this, it’s essential to emphasize agent training to help best serve your callers, be it patients or prospects.
Communicate Expectations
Training begins with letting agents know what you want them to accomplish. Don’t assume that they know. Don’t assume that they comprehend how to treat callers well or provide excellent customer service. Though they may, it’s more likely they do not.
Therefore, clearly communicate your expectations as part of agent training. Tell them this at the beginning, remind them along the way, and retell them at the end. Make sure that they don’t lose sight of their fundamental objective as a call center agent at your organization.
Reinforce Fundamentals
Though some people are born communicators, most are not. They need to learn the fundamentals. And they need to be reminded of what they’ve learned.
This starts with not being in a hurry when they answer the phone. Whenever a caller questions the name of the company they reached or who they’re talking to, it signals a shortcoming on the part of the agent.
Listening is key. Agents should never presume a solution until they’ve heard everything the caller has to say. Yes, this may take a bit more time. But it also may save time overall.
Saying “please” and “thank you” is critical. These are common courtesies. So too is apologizing when it’s appropriate. Sincerely saying “I’m sorry” covers many a miscommunication.
Following through on what an agent promised the caller or what needs to be done, helps ensure first call resolution (FCR) and minimizes unneeded callbacks.
End each call with a memorable conclusion. Don’t just hang up. The last thing an agent says is likely what the caller will remember. Make it a positive memory.
Teach Advanced Skills
Having let agents know what you expect and equipping them with fundamental communication skills, now is the time to delve into advanced customer service practices.
These include problem solving techniques, diffusing tension, and communicating empathy.
Each of these can be a separate class, even a series of classes. Introduce these advanced communication skills in your initial agent training but periodically build upon them to keep them in the forefront of your agent’s day-to-day work.
Agent Training Conclusion
To produce successful call center outcomes, it’s essential to train and develop your agents. Communicate your expectations, reinforce the fundamentals, and give them instruction in advanced customer service skills.
Successful agent training will result in happier agents and happier callers.
Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.