What Are Your Call Handling Times?

When working in a customer service department which operates remotely, the response times of the telephone calls are the first aspect customers notice.

If a customer is kept on hold for a long period of time it’s the first thing they’re going to notice about the company. While it may demonstrate that the company is busy, it also suggests that the company cannot handle the influx of calls they are receiving. That is not an image that any company wishes to be portraying.

The services that are offered by telecommunications companies can assist with handling this. For example, all telephones can be forwarded to a mobile phone so that if you have to step out of the office for a period of time, it is possible to still receive calls. This can instantly improve customer satisfaction because if you have customers who you deal with regularly over a period of time, they become accustomed to being able to contact the company at their leisure.

Setting voicemails is also important. It might sound simple, but if a specific telephone number is given out and therefore customers are looking to contact one person in particular then they will appreciate being kept up to date with the status of this person. It is very simple to set voicemail messages and therefore the service should be taken advantage of – even if you are only expecting to be in a meeting for an hour, set the message to request that the caller leaves their name and number for you to contact them.

Communication is key to the success of any business therefore out of office emails, voicemail services and the diversion of phones are equally critical. It is not about being available 24/7, it is about informing customers as to why you are not available at those times. On standard voicemail messages or out of office emails, detail when the company is available to be contacted and the expectation time for your personal response.

The time that you set should be realistic too. Setting a time span that pushes the limits of your company’s abilities will only result in customers’ dissatisfaction so establish how long is reasonable, research other companies’ response times and set yourself a realistic timescale. This will allow customer service advisors enough time to respond in the correct manner. This is even more important when the topic in question has the potential to be sensitive; complaints for instance.

If you and your company are interested in enlisting the services of EuroDigiTel in order to improve your telephone systems so that you can improve customer response times, please use the contact information list on the following page: www.eurodigitel.com