Top Attributes of an Outstanding Call Center Agent

Call center agent is often a thankless job, angry customers yell and blame them for their dissatisfaction. The agent faces more of humiliation than appreciation, it gets grueling and frustrating. The customer service job is selfless because when they get a favorable response it is not acknowledged to them, it is the company that gets the credit. They certainly deserve our respect. In spite of this fact why do some call center agents excel in their job while others fail? Why are some happy and others dissatisfied? How can some people thrive when others can’t keep pace? The answer is: Successful Call Agents have a certain set of skills and qualities that sets them apart from underperformers or underachievers. Here are the attributes a call center agent should possess- 1) Competence This factor has the greatest impact on overall job performance. It indicates whether an agent has the skills and abilities needed for the job or not. An agent should be familiar with technical knowledge of the product or services the company is offering as well as be aware of various call center features, such as analytics, wallboard, and CRM systems. Along with the capability of handling customers, an agent must be talented enough to develop harmonious relationship with his peers. 2) Expediency Faster the call center resolves a problem, happier the client becomes and it also lowers the cost per call. However, agents shouldn’t rush through a customer’s issue. They should be trained to quickly diagnose the customer’s problem and maintain a level of efficiency. If the agent is unable to solve, they should be aware of the escalation required to serve the customers with best solution. 3) Thirst for success An employee should be obsessed about being career oriented. Their craving to learn new technologies and the desire to improve themselves helps them getting into the good books of their highest designated employers and are more likely to get promoted. 4) Keep calm and have Patience Patience, as they say, is a virtue, and one that deals with customer service issues must surely have it. Responding to emails and managing customer queries simultaneously is not a child’s play. A good agent keeps calm even when someone is yelling at them over the phone or when they have a chatty customer on the other end of the line who simply won’t let them get a word in edgewise. Keeping it cool throughout and not letting the frustrated callers’ affect them personally will help the agents go far in the industry. 5) Paramount communication skills The agent’s main job is to communicate with the customers, they should possess a top-notch level of communication skills. But it doesn’t only count speaking, it involves active listening, noting down the prospect’s complaints or suggestions and conveying them a solution quickly and effectively. 6) Reliability Call center managers want reliable workers who show up before the shift starts and stays back after it ends if the need arises. Stable agents have high levels of shift adherence and low rates of absenteeism. 7) End to end Visibility Even if the call center agent’s job does not dictate to go beyond the first call resolution still they should be keen to resolve the issue proactively. They must get into the root cause of the problem to ensure that customers do not call for the same issue again. Call Center Agents needs to have the right stuff in them which pushes them towards success. They work hard, exceed expectations and do more than asked to achieve high-quality consistent results. A little direction can lead them working extremely well with both customers and employees. Source:https://www.ameyo.com/blog/top-attributes-of-an-outstanding-call-center-agent