What’s Your Source?

Here in the call center, we have around 170 clients and we are growing nearly every day. When I explain my job to family and friends, I often get asked how I remember all the information for each client.

This is when I explain about the available resources such as our “Wiki” that details everything we need to know about each particular client to handle their calls. Aside from the Wiki, we may have access to view orders and product samples in case customer has questions beyond the web site description. If we don’t have the information, we can find the person who does.

Whether you are considering using Solid Cactus Call Center for your business or have your own team of customer service representatives, here are some tools your employees should have to provide the best service available:

Scripting: How do you want your calls answered? Will a simple “Thank you for calling ABC, Inc.; my name is…” work for you? Or do you have a slogan you want your employees to say? There are unlimited variations on what you can use here.

Your policies: What should your representatives know about returns, damaged products, order processing time, shipping methods, and everything else that relates to pre and post customer order issues?

Computer systems: Train your employees on any programs they will need to do their job. Make sure everyone has appropriate accounts and passwords. You can use different systems such as Cactus on Demand to place orders, look up accounts, and make notes of when a customer contacts you.

Product samples: This will help your employees go into more detail beyond your site’s product description. If you sell something they can actually try themselves and provide personal experience with, it makes samples even better!

Contact list for everyone in your company: Make sure everyone has a list of their coworkers and their phone extensions and e-mails and if you can, what issues everyone handles so they never have to question who to go to when they cannot answer a question.

Helpful hints: When you are training your employees, provide some background on your company such as how long you’ve been in business, your main product line, and any other services you offer. You can even compile a FAQ list that comes from both customer questions and employee questions.

Finally, your employees cannot remember all this information if they do not have anywhere to keep it handy. Provide them with a folder for any papers you hand out and plenty of desk space to hang reminders. Computer monitors and cubicle walls provide ample space as well. You can also try creating a computer folder and have everyone save it to their desktop.

When it comes to your business and how you want your customer inquiries handled, there is never such a thing as too much information. After all, a better trained employee will equal a better informed customer.