5 Qualities of Great Customer Service Agents

5 Qualities of Great Customer Service Agents

Success in the contact center begins with the hiring process. When you bring in customer service agents who naturally have these five qualities, your customers are more likely to have positive experiences that strengthen brand reputation, engagement, and loyalty. Hiring managers can use specific techniques to gauge a candidate’s emotional intelligence skills while ongoing training programs help call center employees further fine-tune their competencies.

Detail-Oriented

Accurately documenting any issue ensures that customer service agents are able to resolve issues and that companies have the necessary information to fix common problems. Detail-oriented is one of those key buzzwords that all jobseekers insert into their resumes. Scrutinize application packages for typos to determine if they actually ‌pay attention to the details. You can also assess a candidate’s abilities by asking them to describe a situation where their attention to detail was critical to a project’s success.

Compassion and Empathy

A customer service agent’s willingness to emotionally connect with each customer determines how effective they will be at their job. Customers want to know that they are speaking to someone who really cares about their issues and who has a sincere desire to address their needs. When agents add this personal touch to the conversation, they create moments for meaningful interactions, which is the foundation for building trust.

Customers are then happier with the results even if the outcomes are not what they were hoping for. To discover if you are talking to a real “people person,” ask open-ended questions like “Who do you admire and why?” or “What traits do you value in coworkers?” Listen carefully for attributes that inspire and encourage others and for their ability to relate to others.

Effective Communicator

Customers should always connect with someone who is polite and positive. They want to talk with someone who speaks clearly and isn’t rushed. Effective communicators also ask questions to clarify points or gain more information. When interviewing potential employees, pay attention to their follow-up questions. This inquisitiveness shows their ability to be fully present in the conversation and ask smart, probing questions that reveal the actual issues. Contact center training programs should also concentrate on helping customer service agents strengthen their questioning techniques. Asking “How did this start?” and “Is there anything else that I can do to help?” demonstrates to customers that they are important.

Active Listener

Great customer service agents that excel at gathering information drive productive call centers. They only achieved true resolution when agents tap into the underlying issue that prompted the call. Proactively look for warning signs during the interview. Such as candidates who monopolize the conversation, and constantly interrupt, or guess what you are trying to say. They will do the same thing to customers, which not only intensifies frustrations but also leads to wrong conclusions. Build an active listening exercise into the interview process to assess the potential employee’s skills by pulling out key points, taking in emotional cues, and concentrating on what the customer is actually saying.

Patience

Customers typically reach out to the contact center to resolve an issue they are frustrated about. They may be rushed, rude, or agitated. It is the job of contact center agents to diffuse tense situations by remaining calm, courteous, and objective in the face of conflict. You can test a candidate’s patience and tolerance for pressure in several ways. These include interrupting them, asking obvious questions, or giving them a timed task. Hiring managers should also look at the length of employment history. They can also ask candidates to share a story about a frustrating situation that had a positive outcome.

Now you know 5 qualities of a great customer service agent. At Ansafone Contact Centers, we provide thorough training and ensure our team has those qualities to provide top-standard service to our customers. 

How Ansafone Contact Centers Can Help Your Business

Ansafone Contact Centers is an award-winning BPO provider with 50 years of world-class customer experience and brand care. We are a national call center with omnichannel services, fully equipped to help you with your business and with any special circumstances.

Please request a quote or call 800-510-0514 to learn more about our custom solutions for creating exceptional customer service experiences for your clients. We’re happy to offer insight into what your customers seek from your company’s language offerings and tailored customer solutions.

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