6 Reasons Why Customers Prefer Chat and Text Support

Posted on

September 28th, 2021

Customers contact their insurance provider through a variety of channels; however, chat support is dominating the field. In the next year, experts project that chat support will increase by 87% across all sectors. Certain industries may see even higher growth as consumer demand rises. Consumers prefer to engage via chat and text over all other digital platforms, and insurance companies can’t afford to overlook these tools.

The single greatest reason customers prefer chat interactions over email, web portals, and other digital communication channels is the convenience. However, their interests and preferences are more nuanced than that. Here are several reasons why customers prefer chat and text support:

Instant access. Chat and text support connects the customer with an agent immediately. The customer doesn’t need to navigate an app, a convoluted phone tree, or wait 24-48 hours for an email response.
Short wait times. Nothing is more infuriating for a customer than finally getting through to an agent just to be put on hold. Customers have a low threshold for frustration, and chat and text support circumvent this by providing fast service.
Historical data. Recording a call for quality assurance is great in theory, but it’s tedious in practice. Agents or managers have to listen to the call or rely on voice translators to find the information they need. With text and chat, the data is easy to find with a simple search.
Fast resolutions. Customers usually contact customer service when they have a problem. They expect rapid solutions, which isn’t typically possible with other digital platforms like email or social media.
Time considerate. Customers hate sitting on hold, as it takes up time they could use to complete other tasks. While chat and text wait times are much shorter than other communication channels, customers can have another browser window open or return to their work while waiting for a response.
Immediate answers for policy- or claim-related questions. Waiting on hold or going through multiple transfers to receive answers to basic questions is frustrating. Customers want instantaneous answers when they have questions about their policy or want an update on their claim, which isn’t possible without chat or text communication channels.

Meeting customer needs and expectations is critical to securing their loyalty. Providing chat and text communication allows customers to engage with their insurance provider when and how they prefer. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about implementing chat and text communication channels.

How to Improve Your Call Center’s Internal Communication

Posted on

September 21st, 2021

Andrew

Quality customer service is the core goal of any call center, and it relies on call center agents’ communication skills. However, a call center will struggle to perform if internal communications are problematic. Contradictions from management, misunderstandings, and unclear directives can wreak havoc within a call center and reduce agents’ abilities to reach their target key performance indicators (KPIs).

Improving internal communication provides several benefits, including increased productivity, heightened employee morale, and a boost in profits. Companies can implement the following to improve their call centers’ internal communication:

Provide clear communication expectations. Employees use a variety of channels to communicate, such as emails, texts, phone calls, or in person. Outlining expectations for tone and usage of these channels can eliminate confusion and frustration.
Define each employee’s role. When employees don’t understand how their job contributes toward a team or company-wide goal, they’re likely to struggle or disengage. When employees know each other’s roles, it also empowers them to seek the right individual when handling a problem.
Incorporate transparency into training. Onboarding and ongoing training are critical to honing employees’ skills, but that may not be clear to everyone on the team. Explaining the why behind the training demonstrates honesty and respect for employees’ time.
Avoid spam-like communication. Employees aren’t machines, and they’re likely to glaze over when they open a long-winded or not-relevant-to-them email. Embedding pleasantries like “We appreciate your time and effort!” at the end of an email with little value comes across as empty and false. Emails should be easy to scan and truncated to the most salient points.

Ineffective communication within a call center can lead to information silos, process breakdowns, and unsatisfactory customer service. Excellent communication, both internal and external, is the backbone of a successful call center. Actec can provide your company with the high-quality call center you need. Contact us to learn more about our nearshore call center solutions.

How to Reduce Employee Turnover with Better Onboarding

Posted on

September 14th, 2021

Andrew

The employee onboarding process has far-reaching effects within an organization. Effective onboarding improves productivity, boosts employee retention, and reduces absenteeism. If a company is struggling to retain its workforce, an ineffective onboarding experience may explain the churn of new hires.

Onboarding and Productivity

An unsatisfactory onboarding experience can hinder productivity and diminish a new hire’s performance. On average, it takes eight months for a new employee to reach their full productivity potential. Unclear objectives are part of the reason for such a long timeline to proficiency, as 60% of organizations don’t set goals for new employees. Meanwhile, 35% of companies lack an onboarding process altogether, while 63% don’t extend the onboarding process beyond the new employee’s first month with the company. Most organizations stop the onboarding process after just one week.

The focus of the onboarding process often compounds the productivity problem as well. Fifty-eight percent of companies report that their onboarding process concentrates on paperwork and administrative tasks rather than helping new employees learn their job. In addition, one-third of employees experience inconsistent or reactive onboarding. The result of these issues is a discouraged employee without a clear understanding of their role.

Onboarding and Employee Retention

Replacing an employee is a costly process. Businesses must spend money on recruitment, training, benefits, and more. It can take up to half a year or more to see a return on investment with a new hire, so companies can’t afford to have a retention problem.

Studies have shown onboarding has a direct correlation with how long an employee will stay with their company. One-fifth of employee turnover occurs within their first 45 days on the job, and nearly a quarter of new hires leave within the first year of their employment. In contrast, 69% of employees are more likely to remain at their organization for three years if they have a satisfactory onboarding experience. In addition, 58% of employees are more likely to stay at their job beyond three years if their company has an efficient onboarding program.

Onboarding and Absenteeism

An employee’s onboarding experience sets the tone for their tenure with an organization. A great experience improves retention by 82%, while a poor one makes new hires twice as likely to seek alternate employment. However, turnover isn’t the only problem associated with poor onboarding. A negative onboarding experience can leave new hires disengaged and unmotivated to perform. Unhappy employees are more likely to have attendance problems, such as arriving late, leaving early, or failing to show up to work at all.

If productivity is lagging or turnover is surging among a company’s new hires, their onboarding process may be to blame. Problems with attendance are often an early warning sign that an employee is dissatisfied and considering looking for a new job. Tracking the frequency and type of absences can help companies identify struggling new hires. Businesses can use this information to offer new hires support and reduce the likelihood of turnover. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our absence reporting solutions.

4 KPIs to Boost Your Call Center’s Quality of Service

Posted on

September 7th, 2021

Andrew

Superior customer service is the foundation of every successful company, regardless of sector or industry. Many companies rely on call centers to handle their customer service, and they need to know call center agents are delivering the quality of service customers expect. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) can identify where a call center excels at customer service as well as areas that need improvement.

Modern technology provides a wealth of data to understand customer satisfaction but focusing on the wrong KPIs wastes time and money without improving the service quality. Here are some of the most crucial KPIs to improve customer service:

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). CSAT scores are the top KPI when it comes to customer happiness. Companies measure this KPI by asking about the customer’s overall satisfaction with the product/service. Customers rate their experience on a five-point scale: very unsatisfied, unsatisfied, neutral, satisfied, or very satisfied. Companies track CSAT scores by calculating the percentage of customers who select satisfied and very satisfied, with the goal of reaching 100%.
First Contact Resolution (FCR). FCR scores are a good measure of how well call center agents resolve customer issues on the first call. Businesses can identify they have an FCR problem if agents often have to escalate the call to another representative or if the customer has to call back again.
Customer Effort Score (CES). The CES is an excellent indicator of how easy it is for a customer to complete an interaction or use a service. Customers expect low-effort interactions, and providing frictionless service is key to securing customer loyalty. Customers that put in a high level of effort to find solutions to their problems are more likely to look for a new provider.
Net Promoter Score (NPS). NPS uses a scale of one to ten to assess how likely it is that a customer will recommend the company’s product or services to others. Promoters are customers who answer with a nine or ten. Respondents that choose seven or eight are passive, while anyone that selects six or below are detractors. Most organizations consider this the ultimate question, as it signals if the business is doing well and if customer relations are good.

Tracking the above KPIs can allow call centers to improve the quality of service they provide. However, companies need to ensure they’ve invested in the best call center to suit their needs, and no amount of KPIs can overcome a bad match. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our nearshore call center services.

What Are Reasonable Accommodations for Disability Related Work Absences?

Posted on

August 30th, 2021

Andrew

When an employee is absent on a frequent basis, many employers take steps to remediate the issue. If the problem continues, the employee may face disciplinary action. However, when the absences are due to a disability, employers need to take a different approach. For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) considers clinical depression a disability. If an employee’s depression affects their ability to come into work, employers need to develop a plan to accommodate the employee without hurting office morale. This can prove even more nuanced when some or all of your workforce are remote.

Balancing Disability Accommodations at Work and Attendance

A common issue employers face: when an employee requests more time off after exhausting their family medical leave and/or short-term disability leave. Numerous court cases show it is reasonable for employers to expect their employees to attend work on a regular basis. However, it is less clear what qualifies as reasonable accommodations for the employee to return to work.
A recent court case shed some light on this issue. An employee with depression and anxiety requested flexible start times as well as a 10-minute break for every two hours of work. The employee suffered from panic attacks and requested the accommodations to help calm down after anxiety attacks. The Court of Appeals found these accommodations were not reasonable for numerous reasons:

The employee worked in a customer service position requiring them to answer phone calls; the court determined regular attendance was necessary to complete the main function of this job
The court determined flexible start times with planned breaks was not reasonable because the employee’s panic attacks were unpredictable
The court found it was not reasonable for the employee to request more time off beyond their exhausted FMLA and disability leave because the employee’s physician could not give a specific time the employee could return to work

Employers need to evaluate each employee’s request with care before making a decision about accommodations. In the example above, the court provided some guidelines for where to draw the line, but each case is different. To learn more about absence management, contact the experts at Actec.

5 Signs Your Business Needs a Call Center

Posted on

August 24th, 2021

Andrew

Small- to mid-sized businesses may think call centers aren’t something they need to concern themselves with. However, as business begins to flourish, lagging customer service can bring growth to a halt while eroding income potential. Companies that notice the following signs need a call center if they want their company to flourish:

The phone never stops ringing. An uptick in customer calls is great for business unless the company doesn’t have the staff to handle all the calls. If employees are constantly fielding incoming calls, they’re going to struggle to complete their other tasks. A call center lightens employees’ workloads so they can focus on their primary jobs.
Too many voicemails to sift through. Companies without call center support will start each workday listening to voicemails left overnight. Most of these voicemails won’t be emergencies, but companies can’t afford to keep an urgent request waiting as they work their way through the queue. A call center can field these calls and identify which requests need immediate attention.
Delays in replying to business prospects. The world of sales is fast-paced, and companies can’t afford to leave potential clients waiting. Customers aren’t content to wait for an answer and will look elsewhere to find a solution. If another company provides an immediate answer, they will earn that customer’s business. If customer calls reach levels that the company can’t manage promptly, it may be time for a call center to meet customer needs and expectations.
Current customers display increasing levels of frustration. Keeping the current customer base happy is just as important as securing new leads. If existing customers have to leave a voicemail and wait until the next day for a reply, their satisfaction and loyalty will drop accordingly. If a company sees a sustained uptick in frustration from its customer base, it may need a call center to handle the calls.
The expense of more customer service employees limits growth potential. In-house customer service representatives are valuable, but they’re hard to maintain as a company grows. Expansion is exciting, but the company needs to be able to increase its customer service along with its business prospects. Call centers provide a much more cost-effective solution than hiring a slew of in-house employees.

If your business is experiencing any of the above, it’s time to consider a call center. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how our nearshore call center solutions can help your company.

How to Gain Customer Loyalty through Empathy

Posted on

August 17th, 2021

Andrew

It’s easy to get wrapped up in chasing new leads and securing more sales. However, closing sales and meeting KPIs aren’t enough to secure long-term customer loyalty. Customers need to feel heard and validated when they contact customer service. Companies that cultivate empathetic relationships with their customers will achieve sustainable success.

How to Lead with Empathy

Customer expectations shift often, and the pandemic put a spotlight on virtual communication. More customers are shopping online from a variety of devices, and they expect companies to meet them on their preferred platform. Text doesn’t convey tone, so businesses need to take additional steps to provide the empathetic communication customers expect.

Talk like a regular person. Whether a customer contacts support via the phone, email, or messaging, the responding agent needs to reply like a human. Using canned greetings and replies comes across as robotic and cold. It also makes the customer feel like another box to check. For example, companies can take a more relaxed approach to email communications. Instead of signing emails with Regards or Sincerely, opt for a more empathetic approach such as We’ll talk soon! or Looking forward to hearing more.
Engage in more small talk. Repeat customers or long-term clients appreciate it when a company remembers details about them. Asking about their recent vacation or how an ailing family member is doing shows that the customer isn’t just another file among many. For new clients, companies can include additional fields on intake forms. Some examples include the customer’s favorite novel or a text box for a fun fact about the customer. These fields provide opportunities to learn more about the customer. They provide talking points for customer service agents.
Restate the problem. Customers usually contact support because they’re experiencing an issue with a product or service. They’re likely already frustrated, and feeling misunderstood will only increase their irritation. Begin with a statement such as “Thank you for explaining the situation to me. I want to make sure I’m understanding you correctly before we continue.” Then provide a summary of the customer’s problem and their feelings about it. Restating the customer’s problem shows the agent is actively listening and cares about the customer’s needs.
Ask how the company can do better. Establishing trust and loyalty requires more than listening. Companies need to find out what their customer’s pain points are to provide exceptional service. Asking customers about their experiences with the company can provide insight into areas that need improvement and where the company excels. It also shows the customer that the company cares about their experience and wants to make it as stress-free as possible.

Empathy requires authenticity when communicating with customers. Whether the customer calls, texts, or emails, empathetic responses build trust and customer loyalty. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about expanding and improving your communication channels.

4 Customer Service Trends Businesses Need to Know in 2021

Posted on

August 10th, 2021

Andrew

The past several years have seen massive shifts in customer expectations, and the customer experience is more critical than ever. Recent reports underscore this fact, as three-quarters of customers list stellar service as a key factor in securing their loyalty. However, providing superior service in 2021 differs vastly from previous years.

Customer service expectations are always evolving, and companies need to know what their customers care about most. Here are the customer service trends defining 2021:

Customer service is synonymous with the brand. In the wake of the pandemic, customers interact less with businesses in person. Most of their communication occurs online or over the phone, and call center agents are experiencing a massive uptick in support tickets. Online shopping is also driving this trend. Without face-to-face interactions, customers engage with a brand almost exclusively through its customer service representatives.
Customers are reexamining companies’ values. The pandemic forced people indoors and gave them ample time to reflect on what matters most to them. Customers are extending this thought process to businesses and are taking a hard look at company values. Customers want to buy from companies that prioritize social responsibility, diversity, and empathy. It’s no longer enough to provide the fastest service or the greatest convenience. Companies need to prioritize these values to earn a customer’s business and loyalty.
Transparency and data security. Half of a brand’s customers will leave after a bad experience, but it’s not always an unhelpful agent or issues with an order that drives them away. How a company collects customer data and what they do with it matters more to customers across the board. One survey found that 71% of customers would drop a brand if it disclosed their data to other entities with express permission. Companies must perform the sensitive balancing act of personalizing the customer experience without encroaching on their privacy. Transparency about data collection, use, and distribution is critical to earning a customer’s trust.
A demand for messaging. Many customers contacted a business via message for the first time as the pandemic forced them indoors. Most of those individuals plan to continue messaging businesses. However, messaging is a broad term that encompasses many platforms, and customers want to engage on their preferred communication channel. Tickets across all messaging channels leaped in 2020, including text, live chat, social media, online forms, and email.

Companies need to engage with customers where they are, and this means adopting omnichannel communications. Your business risks losing its customer base if you’re lacking messaging channels like chat and live text. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our messaging solutions.

What is a Sick Day for Remote Employees?

Posted on

August 3rd, 2021

Andrew

The pandemic altered every business regardless of industry or size. Companies assembled their plans for a remote workforce and found new ways to operate when states began issuing stay-at-home orders. Part of this challenge was determining how to handle leave requests and attendance.

Why Are Remote Employees Working While Ill?

Working from home blurred the line between work and personal time, particularly for employees that don’t have a dedicated office. It made it easy to work outside of usual hours and increased the perception of always being available. Even before the pandemic, many employees would come to work while ill or return to work before fully recovering. Some of this is because many employees fear judgment from their colleagues or employers if they call out sick. Others feel the pressure to always be available to their customers.

How COVID-19 Changed Sick Days

The pandemic has further complicated what it means to take a sick day. In a traditional office setting, employees should stay home when ill to prevent spreading illness. Now that they’re already in their home, many feel guilty for requesting a sick day. One survey found that almost half of employees believe other illnesses are insignificant compared to COVID-19. Two-thirds of the respondents believe their employer would frown upon any employee who takes a sick day for anything less severe than COVID-19.

The Cost of Presenteeism

Presenteeism, working while ill, comes with a hefty cost. Productivity decreases nearly threefold when employees work while ill or in pain. They’re also more likely to need to take a sick day if they work while ill, further tanking efficiency.

Many businesses have responded by offering more paid time off during the pandemic or implementing personal days. Other companies are tackling the issue with a shift in company culture. They’re training management to be empathetic when an employee requests sick leave. They’re hoping to shift the perception that the company leadership wants their employees to get better for their health rather than to get back to work quickly.

The pandemic made all aspects of running a business harder than before, and managing attendance is no exception. Contact the experts at Actec to learn how our absence tracking mobile app can simplify absence management during the pandemic.

How to Maximize the Digital Customer Experience

Posted on

July 27th, 2021

Andrew

The pandemic forced companies to change how they do business as stay-at-home orders limited how they could interact with customers. As people adjusted to working from home and shopping online, their expectations for digital interactions evolved. Customers aren’t as forgiving of clunky digital experiences, and companies need to keep up with the latest trends. Here are a few pivotal elements companies can implement to enhance the digital customer’s experience:

Business conduct matters. People are no longer content to purchase products and services without knowing how they’re rendered. If a business claims to be eco-friendly, it needs to show proof. Showing customers how the company produces its goods and services establishes a positive character and culture. Gaining customers’ trust goes a long way toward earning their business.
Measurable differentiation. Companies often boast that they’re innovators in their field, but the words fall flat without proof. With a flood of competition, companies need to work harder than ever to show how they are different and why a customer should choose them. Companies can do this by investing in causes that align with their values or producing unique solutions for customer’s pain points. Telling customers how the company is different is easy, but showing it will be critical to securing customer loyalty.
Chat programs. Offering chat services isn’t new, but customers’ expectations of it have changed. Customers want rapid solutions. They don’t want to sit and wait much as they would on a phone call. Chatbots can provide immediate answers based on the customers’ inquiries, which eliminates a previously frustrating experience.
Omnichannel communication. Customers want the option to connect with a company through a variety of channels. Some prefer traditional phone calls, while others want to use a contact form. Customers want modern options as well, including chat, text, and social media interactions. Companies need to be available when and where their customers need them, which means expanding the available communication channels.

The digital customer experience has become more nuanced in the wake of the pandemic. Companies need to be able to pivot and keep up with customer preferences and trends. Investing in a chat and text program can help bring your company in line with customer expectations. Contact the experts at Actec to learn more about our chat and text solutions.