Call Center Survival Tips: How to get Customer Satisfaction Surveys

HOW TO GET A PROMOTER SCORE / CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY IN A CALL CENTER

Working as a Call Center Agent is not really that tough.  It can actually be fun especially if you are a people person – that is, IF you love connecting with people. You will also find joy in working in a call center in the Philippines if you possess what they call a ‘servant’s heart.’  That is, a heart that delights in serving others and finds fulfillment in helping solve someone else’s problem.  

This is why, working as a Call Center Agent in the Philippines can truly be a fulfilling career for people who love to connect with other people at the same time, help solve their problems or address their concerns.  As a Call Center Agent, you get to talk to different kinds of people.  That is why, if you are someone who enjoys talking on the phone with people in general, this truly is a suitable job for you.  

Basically, think of being a call center agent is where you get paid to talk — but of course, this is not the kind of talk where you laugh and tell stories.  This is more of a professional nature.  As a Call Center Agent, your aim is to get positive customer surveys or what we call a "promoter score".  You want your customer to say good things about the company you are working for, thus attracting more customers.

There is a saying -  "A satisfied customer may tell a friend or two about how good your product is but a dissatisfied customer will use every chance he/she gets to tell everyone how bad his/her experience was in an effort to let off steam".  That is why you must do your best to satisfy your customer so he/she will be a promoter.  

So what do I need to do to get a good customer survey in a call center?

As a Call Center Agent, the most basic step you need to do is to listen carefully to what your caller is saying and make sure you understand your caller’s concern.  As a general rule, part of the script is to repeat what the customer said by saying something like:  If I understood you correctly, you are calling because…. then go ahead and restate your caller’s concern. This is called "paraphrasing" which is an important skill for any call center agent.  

Be sure to ask the right questions to verify some information that will help you address your caller’s concern/s.  The next step is to assure your caller that help is on the way and that you are trained to handle this sort of problem. The goal is make sure that the customer feels at ease, and confident that you know what you are doing.  

Then proceed to inform your caller that you will be putting him/her on hold while you address his/her concern.  Make sure that you get back to your caller every now and then to provide an update on what you are doing and how close you are to solving his/her problem. 

In instances where you are not sure what to do or how to address your caller’s concern, you can ask the help of your supervisor or escalate the concern but make sure to inform the caller before transferring him/her to your supervisor.

Basically, as a Call Center Agent, you are the ‘face’ of the company to its clients.  As such, make sure you put up a very good and impressive face  Remember that your clients are the lifeblood of your company.  You need them as much as they need you.  Success in any endeavor does not only require that you possess the right brain — it is also important that you possess the right heart.  Therefore, make sure that you love what you are doing.  Also, maintain a professional attitude.  

A rule of call center survival is understanding that --  you have a job to do, so make sure that you do it right. That way, you help your company to thrive.  Generally speaking, some callers are nice and friendly – therefore, a delight to talk to.  However, there are also callers who have an ax to grind.  You just have to deal with them as part of your job.  

How to get a customer satisfaction survey from an irate caller?

Irate callers can, at times, be rude and nasty – so the idea is to be nice anyway, and never take their grievances personally. Handling irate customers as a call center agent is a skill.  Normally, you just have to respond with the script your company provided you with – something like:  “I understand your frustration.  I am trained to do this and I can definitely help you.  So, please tell me your concern.”  

Make sure you listen very well and that you fully understand the caller’s concern.  Some companies allow their agents to use the notepad on the computer to jot down important facts about the caller’s concern.  Clarify any gray area/s by asking the right questions.  

When call center agents re-state the concern by saying something like:  If I understood you correctly, you are calling about (re-state the caller’s concern).  Then assure the caller that you were trained to handle this type of concern. That assurance and being able to state correctly and completely the caller’s concern somehow has a calming effect.  At times, this earns the caller’s trust making him eager to work things out with you.  

Inform the caller that you will be putting him/her on hold while you do your job to resolve his problem.  Make sure you get back to your caller every few minutes to give an update about what you are doing and what you have accomplished so far. This somehow has a calming effect since it assures your caller of your sincerity to help and your ability to address his/her concern.  

Always remember that as a call center agent, establishing trust is very important in keeping your customers and also receiving good feedback about your company.  That is why you should always make sure that you rightfully address your caller’s concern.  

Once you have resolved the caller’s concern on your end, verify with the customer if the problem was resolved on his/her end.  Once the customer agrees that it has been resolved, ask the customer to please answer a survey regarding his/her encounter with you. Make sure you have a positive and nice tone so that the customer will be at ease.  

What do you gain from customer satisfaction surveys/promoter scores in a call center?

Remember that for a call center agent's survival, positive customer surveys, or promoters’ scores assure you of your tenure with the organization. By being a top agent in a call center, you will also receive some perks and even help you climb up the corporate ladder. Those who have a track record of happy customers in call centers are usually rewarded with perks and favors.  

The last thing you must realize is that you will not have a positive customer survey at all times. Just make sure that you always give your best in everything you do and always strive to do better the next time.