Star Performers Impact Customer Satisfaction

In the call center “star performers” impact customer satisfaction by bringing a high level of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Quotient (EQ) to each and every call.  They treat every call as a “moment of truth” and another opportunity to communicate and connect with and serve those in need. Some behavioral scientists believe that EQ is just as important as IQ; yet, many call centers do not assess EQ, why?  We believe that EQ assessment should top the list of recruitment procedure in the call center recruiting for the industry.

Call centers are all about customer care, essential for the success of any business. But this is especially so in the call center industry, where the focal point of all client-customer relationships is the call center agent. An agent with an excellent IQ communicates, yet with poor EQ they may not connect effectively. Those with high EQ are able to connect more often and engage with each call event, thus helping the chances for an operation to profit and perform.

Every call that is received or made is an opportunity to make a good first impression and failing this can result in escalations, loss of business, poor performance, higher costs and lost opportunities. Poor customer service has several negative effects that include a customer’s reluctance to buy any product from the company, a change in perception about the company, and the possibility of not recommending the company to other customers. In order to deal with these issues, call center agents need to have more than just the pre-requisite skills. IQ is enough to get agent in the door, yet EQ is the stuff that helps them perform better and connect more.

One of the qualities that companies look for in a call center agent is customer care skills. A friendly and outgoing personality, good mood and ability to handle stress, coupled with a people-oriented attitude will enable an agent to handle customers more efficiently, and this is exactly where the level of the candidate’s EQ plays a vital role. Resetting, recalibrating, and being present for each event enables better phone etiquette, which is vital for extending good customer care services. Handling difficult customers is an art and an agent with good customer care skills will be able to accomplish this with ease.

It has been said that a good communicator is a good listener. This is most apt for call center agents. It is an established fact is that customers prefer to speak to agents who communicate well, can listen and understand what is needed to satisfy their objectives. Therefore, inheriting effective communication skills can help an agent climb the ladder of success sooner than expected. A call center agent with the ability to understand customer behavior is an asset to the company. Customers can be difficult to handle, especially when they are angry over a transaction, a situation that can turn abusive as well. Most often, customers may have a valid reason for being so. However, an agent that understands customer behavior will be able to keep the situation under control.

Call center agents who make the effort to learn a second language and have a good command over a particular language are an asset to the company. With globalization, multilingual agents are always preferred by call center companies. Those that even take time to learn the basics of other languages will also be able to get by.

Call center agents also need to remain focused and concentrate on their calls. Any distraction would mean a call wasted. The aim is to be a good listener and communicator and not interrupt clients when they speak. Even worse, is pre-empting what a client wants to say. Chances are that the agent will lose focus of what the conversation is all about.

Another asset is to have a good emotional quotient or EQ. This area can be developed and nurtured with the help of the human resources department. However, the bottom line is to remain motivated at all times, and focus on the job on hand. This will contribute a long way towards becoming a successful call center employee.