Soft Skills versus Hard Skills in the

In the call center environment, hard skills are easily enforced, measured and monitored without hesitation. With these skills, there is a clear distinction between right and wrong. For this reason, hard skills are often used as a measurement of an agent’s success.  Soft skills, however, prove to be more elusive and indefinable. Soft skills involve the ability to communicate, motivate, listen, solve problems and manage stressful situations. What many contact centers fail to recognize is that encompassing a blend of these skills creates a recipe for success. One skill set without the other is ineffective and unproductive.  Failing to address the significance of both skills will quickly lead to low morale, frustrated employees, and failure to meet customer expectations.  

Hard skills can only help an agent get so far with the caller.  To effectively ease and resolve the caller’s concern, an agent needs to possess effectual communication, listening and conversational skills. Something as simple as answering the call with a friendly demeanor, “Hello, thanks for calling ______”, can set the tone for a positive call experience. An agent may say all the right things and follow all the correct procedures, but without the soft skills to communicate with the caller, the agent will quickly fall short.  

Investing in equal training time and tools for soft and hard skills will provide agents with the right talent to succeed in their role. Simple role-playing exercises or call reviews can help agents see where, and if, they fall short in soft skill techniques. While soft skills are not as definable and trainable as hard skills, the impact of training and employing a team of individuals who possess these skills will undeniably create an environment that will sustain long-term success for agents, as well as clients.

Bio: Sarah Wilson is a marketing communication specialist for Answer Center America, a leading provider of inbound, outbound and answering solutions.

Multi-Channel Enhancement Service Options

Most companies are available by phone; however, to beat the competition, this isn’t always enough.  Today’s consumers have much higher expectations than ever before.  24/7 live agents are critical to maintaining a positive customer service experience, but supportive communication channels ensure a more comprehensive and complete solution.  Voice, email, click-to-call and Web chat are quickly proving to be a worthwhile investment to a company’s bottom line. 

According to Forrester Research, “An investment in reactive chat is likely to produce a small positive return on investment (ROI) of 15%”.  Chat is a cost-effective motivator to convert more Web site viewers into Web site customers. Web chat, in addition to other customer service interaction channels, creates an environment where call center agents can provide support to multiple users at the same time. Together, these channels create a bundled approach of interactive touch points to obtain and retain customer relationships. 

Communication channels available…

Web Chat – Web Chat allows the customer to connect with your company instantaneously through your Web site with the click of a mouse. All chats are in real-time and are proven to be a convenient way for customers to connect with your company.

Click-to-Call – Click-to-Call makes it easy for web site visitors to call you. This service allows web site viewers to make an immediate connection to a live agent by phone.

 Email Response – Email response makes certain that customer email responses are rapid and consistent. Live agents are trained to respond to email inquiries in a way that would not be possible with an automated system.  

With the right technology, best practices, and properly trained agents, these communication channels can address the needs of every customer. Multiple touch points allow the user to interact with your product/service in a way that is most convenient for them. In order to face the competition, companies are using these tools to get ahead and work proactively to obtain new customers.

Chicago, Ill.

Answer Center America is a leading provider of inbound and outbound call center solutions. The company has more than doubled its size in the past three years. Due to ongoing growth, ACA continues to hire on a weekly basis. With a recent increase in hiring, Kern’s role at ACA will ensure the employee hiring and retaining process remains seamless. ACA maintains an above average employee retention rate within the call center industry and has hired Kern to maintain their employee friendly culture of excellence.

Kern’s professional experience most recently consists of serving the last five years as a Senior Recruiter for one of ACA’s personnel staffing partners, Banner Personnel. Prior to this, Tara has numerous years of experience in the management and human resource arenas.

Kern is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Arts in marketing. In her free time, Kern is an avid marathon and half-marathon runner and stays active in the Chicago running community. 

About Answer Center America Inc.

Based in Chicago, Ill., Answer Center America, Inc. is an experienced partner in providing seamless call center and answering solutions. Founded in 1995 by Janet Livingston, ACA has proven itself as an industry leader through cutting-edge technology, unwavering customer service, and customized services. For additional information, please visit www.goacanow.com. 

Scripting (ACA Contact Management Solution)

The scripting method is the most commonly used conversation flow method.  This process leads callers through the call process with prewritten answers and responses based on the information exchanged. Generally the script consists of a predetermined introduction, information exchange and closing statement.  Scripts can be easily modified and customized to accommodate the individual needs of the client and their callers. With today’s advance technology, call flows and scripts can be easliy delivered to the agent’s computer screen.

The ACA Contact Management (scripting) Solution can be an effective process to improve call center efficiency, reduce labor, and provide a consistent message to customers.  A well engineered script, in addition to accurately trained agents, can hit key performance metrics. Scripting can help reduce human error on calls and still allow call flows to be flexible during interaction with customers.

Conversation Modeling (ACA CISR Model)

For more complex calls, a modeling approach can benefit the client and caller.  Modeling requires the agent to be trained on all aspects of the account and prepared to answer questions off the cuff.  An information guide is provided for the agent but the call flow is not as detailed as a scripted account.

ACA uses our proprietary conversation model, called CISR, to train customer service representatives to lead conversations with customers and to clarify each customer’s specific service need.  The CISR model consists of four steps. These steps are used in sequence while interacting with the customer. A customer service representative is able to guide the conversation and determine all of the information needed to identify and deliver solutions that are customer focused and results driven.

C = Concerns

I = Indicators

S = Solutions

R = Responsibilities

Answer Center America can help determine which call method works best for your company.  Contact an ACA sales consultant to determine a customized contact solution for your company.

Walker holds 15 years of leadership experience in strategic planning, telecommunication, system design and human resources management. She comes from Rush North Medical Center where she worked as director of telecommunications for more than 10 years.

“Walkers experience in the healthcare industry will be a tremendous asset to our organization.” says Trey Bynum, general manager of Answer Center America.

As manager of call center operations, Walker will oversee the operations team. Major responsibilities include implementation procedures, managing daily workforce, tracking team productivity and additional responsibilities.

In addition to Walker, Troy Berry is a recent addition to the ACA team. Coming from Navagon as director of customer service, Troy Berry brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.  For more than 15 years, Berry has managed operations, new business development, CRM and technical support in call center settings. 

“It’s rewarding to enter a position with such an enthusiastic team,” says Berry. “The environment here fosters a strong sense of commitment and innovation. I look forward to collaborating with my team to offer ACA customers the ultimate customer service experience.”

In his role at ACA, Berry is responsible for managing account development, implementations and management.  These three functional groups outline the strategy for ACA’s entire relationship with their business-to-business client base.

“In response to the growth we’ve experienced in the past year, we realize the value of bringing in external employees to accompany our growing family of clients,” says Bynum.  “Their fresh perspective and previous experience is sure to bring innovative ideas and solutions to the table.”

Berry is a graduate from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in sociology.  He was raised in Ottumwa, Iowa. Walker attended DePaul University and earned her certified telecommunication technician license through AT&T. She is a native of Evanston, Ill. 

###

About ACA Inc.

Based in Chicago, Ill., Answer Center America, Inc. is an experienced partner in providing seamless call center and answering solutions. Founded in 1995 by Janet Livingston, ACA has proven itself as an industry leader through cutting-edge technology, unwavering customer service, and customized services. For additional information, please visit www.goacanow.com or call 1-800-270-7030.

Article: All of us are familiar in some way or another with the decline of personalized customer service due to the growth of technology.  Over the past few years, we’ve come into contact with automated voicemail and automated phone answering services.  As technology continues to advance, the personal side of customer service is diminishing—but call center services preserves this important part of customer care and customer service.  Connecting your callers with a live receptionist is crucial to customer satisfaction and Call Centers serve as virtual extensions of your company that provide competent customer support.  Call Center Services make customer service available to individuals during and after business hours and enable companies to provide unsurpassed customer care, regardless of the time of day or night.

Call Centers ensure that their agents are trained to care for each caller’s needs efficiently and quickly, eliminating the need for callers to jump through hoops.  Your business can work with call centers to determine which solutions are necessary for accommodating various customers—each caller should be treated as an individual.

Call Center Services:  Customer Service Solutions

Three-tier solutions are available to accommodate varying needs from customers and callers: For optimum customer service, you’re going to need to get your callers in touch with the individuals who can provide answers to their questions and helpful information for their unique needs.  Work with your Call Center to set up responses or solutions for specific customers.  For example, decide which customer’s questions can be solved by the call center staff and which need to be forwarded on to others.  Your Call Center will be happy to work with what guidelines you set for call escalation protocols and some cases help you accommodate multiple lines of communication with web chat.

24/7 multi-lingual technical support agents: The Hispanic and Spanish-speaking market is a unique market segment experiencing unprecedented and explosive growth.  Call Centers focused on customer service will have Spanish-speaking agents available for your bi-lingual customers.  If you’re currently not reaching this market, strongly consider a Spanish language call center.

Online reporting and monitoring: Online reporting and monitoring of calls, information, and other data is particularly useful for the collaboration and exchange of information between your Call Center and your business.

Digitally recorded calls for quality assurance and training: For your records, and for future customer satisfaction, calls can be recorded.

An Inbound Call Center can save you time and money, while providing an excellent quality of customer service.  Businesses have discovered that when call center services assume responsibility for customers’ experiences and satisfaction, productivity and company image generally improves.  Call Centers also help to maximize sales and retain internal and external customers.

If you haven’t discovered what benefits Call Center services can provide, learn more about smart, customized Call Center solutions.  Consistent high-quality customer service isn’t hard to achieve, even in this day and age.

For three decades, Inc. has recognized and celebrated the remarkable achievements of today’s entrepreneurial superstars—the privately held companies that drive our economy.

Inspired by the compounding success of the Inc. 5000 and its community, Inc. brings you GROWCO: Grow Your Company Conference, a three-day event created for business leaders who want to achieve sizable growth within their organization. First introduced in the eighties as Growing the Company Conference, GROWCO harvests the rich network of seasoned executives and inspirational thought leaders whom Inc. has accumulated through three decades of in-depth business reporting.

 In 2010, Inc.’s GROWCO Conference pulls together a dynamic program with a curriculum designed specifically for the nation’s rising entrepreneurial stars, including smaller organizations that want to make an appearance on the Inc. 5000 and Inc. 5000 honorees that want to break the higher ranks of the list or repeat their success in years to come. High-profile growth experts teach seminars that will give attendees actionable information with which to develop or maintain their own growth initiative.

After our amazing experience at the last Inc. Magazine event, we are very much looking forward to attending our first GROWCO event.  Speakers from truly inspirational companies such as College Hunks Hauling Junk , 37signals, Knockout Entrepreneur , and many more will be attending this year’s conference. We can’t wait to learn from their experiences and hear what they have to say. 

We hope to see you there!

This situation may be a bit extreme, but it’s safe to say everyone has had a personal experience or knows someone with a personal experience similar to the one above.  Having just one negative experience with even the best company, can result in detrimental damage to the reputation of the company.

Here are a few tips to making sure your call center  agents are avoiding scenarios like the ones above:

-          The customer is always right – Although most companies will admit that this isn’t always the case, a good customer service professional will know how to respond to a customer properly without further upsetting the individual.

-          Honesty goes a long way – Not overpromising customers can make a lasting impact in your sales and customer service.  Setting reasonable expectations for your product and service and sticking to these promises can help avoid problems before they arise.

-          One Call Resolution – Individuals don’t want to jump through hoops with your call center agents to get their problem resolved. So make it a point to provide them with resolution on their first call.  Some argue that first call resolution is the call center metric that matter most.

-          Consistent training – Proper training is so important to the health of your call center. An inconsistent customer service experience can result in angry customers.

-          Effective listening – Although obvious, not all call center agents understand the art of effective listening. Knowing how to read customers and deciphering exactly what their need are will provide a rewarding customer experience.  Effective listening skills are a must.

Have your own terrible customer service experience? Tell us about it.  For more information on call center customer service solutions, visit Answer Center America’s  website www.goacanow.com

Here’s an interesting article from Crain’s Chicago Business.  Being a Chicago based call center, I keep an eye out for news that hits close to home.  As this article proves, local Chicago businesses are realizing the benefits of outsourcing thier customer service agents.  Red Box announced today that they will be closing their office in Dowers Grove, Ill. And begin outsourcing their call center operations.

“After considering a number of options, it was determined that using a third party to manage our customer service operations was the best business decision for the company,” Redbox said in a statement.

Read more  here.

Inbound and outbound contact centers handling healthcare related information must approach these calls with a high level of care and accuracy. Any medical professional, faces critical decisions when choosing the right call center for their patients. After all, the information being handled is affecting the lives and health of individuals. To sum it up, there is no room for error.

Live agents are a must. Put yourself in the patient’s shoes. You’re feeling sick, or have a loved one who is sick. You call your doctor looking for help and you are greeted with a prerecorded message. Not exactly a concerned response. Addressing patients with helpful and dedicated agents is the right direction for any medical professional.

In addition to knowledge; compassion and professionalism go hand-in-hand. ACA shares a few issues to consider before determining which call center is the right choice.

• Price – Keep in mind, cheaper isn’t always better. Many healthcare professionals choose the least expensive answering service in an effort to save money. Often times, these centers lack the quality of service offered by more competitive centers. This can result in unhappy or even lost patients.

• Capabilities –It’s best to purchase a provider with full-service capabilities (web chat, scheduling software, reporting capabilities, etc.) In today’s technology driven word, convenience is imperative when choosing a healthcare provider. Find one that gives patients access to your services with as much convenience as possible.

• HIPAA Compliancy – This is a must for any medical answering service. Make sure the center has the necessary HIPAA policies and procedures set in place to safeguard your patient’s rights.

• 24/7 Availability – As a medical provider, your business is never closed. Patients need you around the clock. For this reason, choosing a 24/7 provider is not only a priority, but a required law.

• Experience and History – Is the company familiar with medical answering procedures and what level of experience do they have in this industry? Find out what their agent turnover rate is and ask for previous client testimonials.

Above all, professional and friendly agents are the central focus of a successful answering service. An effective medical answering service will embody all of the factors listed above, as well as the ability to customize services to fit your needs. In addition, they will follow your exact protocol for alerting you when emergency calls come in after hours.