Wake Up Your Call Center: How to Be a Better Call Center Agent (Customer Access Management)

298 Pages·1999·2.4 MB·English

Wake Up Your Call Center : How to Be a
title: Better Call Center Agent Customer Access
Management
author: D'Ausilio, Rosanne.
publisher: Purdue University Press
isbn10 | asin: 1557531692
print isbn13: 9781557531698
ebook isbn13: 9780585092829
language: English
Customer services--Management, Call
subject
centers--Management.
publication date: 1999
lcc: HF5415.5.D19 1999eb
ddc: 658.8/12
Customer services--Management, Call
subject:
centers--Management.
Page i
Wake Up Your Call Center
Page ii
Customer Access Management
Jon Anton, Series Editor
Page iii
Wake Up Your Call Center
How to Be a Better Call Center Agent
Rosanne D'Ausilio, Ph.D.
Revised and Expanded Edition
Ichor Business Books
An Imprint of Purdue University Press
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Page iv
Copyright © 1999 by Purdue Research Foundation
All rights reserved.
03 02 01 00 99 5 4 3 2 1
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-
1992.
Printed in the United States of America
Typeset by Inari Information Services
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication-Data D'Ausilio.
Rosanne, 1941-
Wake up your call center: how to be a better call center agent /
Rosanne D'Ausilio.Rev. and expanded ed.
p. cm.(Customer access management)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-55753-169-2 (paper : alk. paper)
1. Customer servicesManagement. 2. Call centersManagement.
I. Title II. Series.
HF5415.5.D19 1999
658.8'12dc21 9-14112
CIP
Page v
I dedicate this book to the memory of my parents, Pearl
and Jack Miller, who taught me at a very early age to go
for my dreams, no matter what! The publication of this
book is one of my dreams.
I want to acknowledge Jacqui Bishop, without whose
editorial guidance this book would not have been written,
and my proofreader and copy editor, Jennifer O'Neil.
Additionally, my heartfelt thanks to Margaret Hunt, my
managing editor.
Special thanks to my husband, Tony, my children, my
grandchildren, and dear friends, who continually re-
minded me of my commitment, tenacity, and ability to
complete this rewarding undertaking!
Page vii
Contents
Foreword xi
Who Should Read This Book xii
A Personal Note to the Reader xiv
Introduction: The Noble CSR's Call to Excellence 1
The Service Imperative 1
How Call Centers Answer the Service Imperative 3
Challenges Facing Today's CSRs 5
The Managerial Hoperational Imperative: Humanize 6
Your Call Center
The Training Imperative 8
1 Mixed Messages: Darned if You Do, Darned if You Don't! 14
Quality, Quality! But Hurry Up!! 14
All-In-One-Call Handling vs. No Power 16
Follow the Script vs. Flow with the Customer 16
We Make No Exceptions vs. Egg on My Face 17
Empowerment vs. Override 18
2 Going, Going, GoingGone South! 19
Hellomynameisrosannehowmayihelpyou? 20
Awareness Tips for Fast Talkers 20
Reminders to Breathe 21
What Do I Do When I Don't Know the Answer? 23
Truth or Consequences 23
The Hold Button 24
Transferring Calls 25
What Do I Do When I'm Spacing Out? 25
Earth to Work Station 25
Staying Present on the Phone 26
What Do I Do While the Customer Is Talking? 27
Non-verbal Attentiveness 28
Verbal Attentiveness 28
Page viii
Five Levels of Listening 30
How to Question Customers 30
Listen, Acknowledge, Respond, Close 31
What Do I Do When I've Heard It All Before? 31
Constant Callers 31
Complaints 32
Hardening of the Attitudes 35
What Do I Do When I've Forgotten to Call the Customer 35
Back?
Reframing Upset 37
Affirmations 38
Quieting the Mind 40
3 Not One More Call, Please! Handling Job Tension 41
Factors Heightening Job Tension 42
Nature's Own Tranquilizer 44
Comic Relief 46
Nursery Rhymes 46
Christmas Carols 48
Call Center Diseases 48
Relaxation Tricks 49
4 Help! I'm Still Stressed Out! 51
Unproductive Reactions to Stress 51
Distress-Resistant Formula 52
Optimal Lifestyle 52
Positive Attitude 56
Structured Action 57
Productive Responses to Stress 60
5 Why Can't You See What I'm Saying? 63
Causes of Communication Breakdown 63
Using Muscle Words 66
Open and Closed Questions 67
Establishing Rapport . . . The Spirit of Service 68