Top Ten Qualities Of A World Class Customer Service Department:

Within the past week I've been barraged with articles and questions related to the formation of a world class, top performing customer service department, yet only a handful pf people have been able to understand the few essential qualities that are needed to create one. In my years as a customer service representative I've learned what it takes to keep on top of customer issues, up-sell, and move a call center forward into the age of Social Media Marketing. Here are just a few hints (simplified) on what it takes to be competitive in the art of Customer Service:

1. Start off with solid computing. 
Call centers are basically cubicles with a computer and a telephone. What you do with them is usually industry-related, but all successful call centers utilize some form of ticketing or tracking software. Each cubicle is networked with a call center server that routes calls using a call answering system as well. By utilizing the incoming call server in concert with ticketing or virtual queue software, inbound customer calls can be linked up with existing trouble tickets, have new tickets created, and existing tickets can be escalated with ease.
As you can see in the above photo, one can have screens floating over the whole floor, showing trouble ticket software in real time, so that if a call is held within the queue for too long, or priorities are changed, it will be instantly reflected in those screens. Very often the most  critical tickets flash red when in need of attention. It's essential  that the call answering software interact well with the ticketing software. This make it much easier for CSRs to do their jobs.

2. VOIP or Landlines?
Either has possibilities, but VOIP is usually the way to go these days. Not many buildings have the wiring for numerous telephones, so networking is made easier by setting up routers, bridges, and hosts. Use of VOIP depends completely upon the capability of a company to have a large/fast pipeline - bandwidth is essential in this instance. The whole idea of fast reaction to callers is lost due to slowdowns in Network traffic - if your pipeline is not capable of handling afternoon traffic, it's useless. CSRs will be tapping on their desks and apologizing to callers because the "system is slow right now," when it's actually you network that's at fault. Always monitor your network and upgrade bandwidth for smooth service.

3. Monitoring Calls
Each call should be monitored for duration, speed of pickup (rings) and handling (escalation). Recording of selective calls may be performed if the answering system contains a comment that calls "may be monitored for quality assurance". Weekly reviews of call center personnel can be performed to insure that calls are being processed correctly. Playback of such calls is constructive in training CSRs by allowing them to hear their mistakes.

4. Printer Backup
Almost every call center will occasionally get backed up. For those who strive to followup calls or hold issues for discussion with a supervisor, the option to "print screen" becomes a priority. Notes can be made on the printouts, and printouts easily placed in categorical order for later use. Hard copies of chat logs can also be created, in case of issues with certain customers.

5. Internet Access / Network Security
Many call centers also require web access in order to link with customers' web pages, systems, networks, and applications. One of the easiest ways to accomplish a monitored network of Internet usage is to create an Intranet that contains bookmarked links to all websites and applications that are needed by the CSRs,. Web monitoring, sharing and restriction can also be applied, so that Internet over-use will be curtailed, thus saving bandwidth. Email can also be linked up with the Intranet, making it easier to contact personnel from the inside rather than having to operate a separate program for email alone.Occasional reviews of Internet usage (pages visited) should be performed to assure security, cut down on wasted timed (browsing) and insure that no piracy is being performed at your workplace.

6. Customer Service Personnel
Carefully screened and trained personnel are the driving force behind a good customer service department. Some skills needed: Telephone etiquette, a calm, clear speaking voice, customer empathy, computer and Internet familiarity, typing and spelling, and the capability to determine when a call should be escalated in order to further customer retention. Some of these qualities can be acquired, others are naturally occurring. All are incredibly important in the processing of customer service issues.

7. Supervision
Very often call centers will be divided into teams that specialize in different aspects of service, for instance: Ordering will be separate from Returns for ease of tracking. Likewise, accounts may be separated when they grow to need specialized attention.
Each group should be overseen by a team leader. Over that should at least be a shift leader, or call center manager. Team leaders specialize in the work that their group handles, and are particularly knowledgeable in the needs of their team's accounts and services. Call center managers oversee the teams by interacting with the team leaders and acting as a go-between for CSRs and corporate management. Very often  the call canter manager will be tasked with reviewing recording of calls and checking the stats for call duration, rings, and handling. Both team leaders and call center managers should have over 10 years in call center representation before being considered for their positions.

8. Environment
Sound-proofed ceilings and cubicles often afford a call center representative a little better capability to correctly hear the caller as well as their own voices. In non-protected rooms, sound bounces off walls and can be picked up by headsets dung inopportune moments. Dampening rogue sounds and crowd volume has the affect of giving the CSR more time to think, rather than concentrating on the sound of the person next to them. Customers get a feeling of well-being when they can only hear their own CSR, rather than an entire room full of voices all speaking at once. Newer directional (and noise-cancelling) microphones will help.

9. Headset versus handset?
Having both headsets and handsets is the way to go. Very often CSRs will have used a particular piece of equipment, and favor it. Older users tend to prefer handsets, and newer users prefer wireless headsets. If the headset breaks down, handsets are a sturdy backup that anyone can use. Headsets can also be plugged directly into host computers or phones, whereas handsets must be plugged into telephone jacks. Batteries and backup equipment will be needed on a constant basis due to breakdown, wear-and-tear, and occasional mishaps.

10. Flexibility
The call center has become an ever-changing environment, utilizing meeting software, chat, ticketing systems, web-based applications, email, fax, and telephones. The rise of social media has placed extreme demands upon call centers to deliver promptly and  prioritize immediately to get the customer what they need. Being able to take advantage of all the different methods of answering requests insures that the customer will be satisfied through their own (choice) method of contact.

In my next article I'll explain the possibilities in the creation of a call management system. We'll investigate Automatic Call Distribution versus the Erlang C Formula, and in future articles I'll compare methods of training, ACD and IVR, Virtual Queue, and a whole lot more. 

Amanda Vollaro is a seasoned CSR, Assistant Supervisor and File Administrator with over 25 years of telephone and computer experience.