There has been quite a bit of activity on the Pipeline blog in July. Understandably, articles related to pandemic-related customer service issues continued to top the list with topics covering on-hold options, work-from-home tips, customer care and proactive customer service. Also among the Top 5 was the first installment of a new blog series by contact center veterans Paul Stockford and Zack Taylor that will feature music trivia and insights on the contact center industry’s transformation to a new era driven by cloud solutions, AI and new business models. Stay tuned!
Hold On, I’m Comin’: What to Do with Callers on Hold
The 1966 hit, “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” was recorded by Sam & Dave and written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. I know for a fact that they weren’t referring to actually “being on hold.” However, with lyrics like “reach out to me for satisfaction; call my name for quick reaction,” one can start to see the connection. Contact centers have been in the Hold On, I’m Comin’ business since their inception.
Three Things Seasoned Work-From-Home Leaders Always Get Right
I have the privilege of knowing dozens of seasoned U.S. work-from-home (WFH) leaders in financial services, health care, retail, travel, professional services and utilities who have figured out (over the years) the secret sauce for making work-at-home truly hum for their contact center organizations. Here are the top three things these leaders always seem to get right…
Caring for Customers During a Pandemic
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been multilayered, creating widespread fear and stress over health and safety, income, finances, child care, elder care and the economy. In just a matter of weeks, lifestyles were dramatically altered, businesses shuttered and global markets tanked. Contact centers abandoned carefully structured strategies and processes in the scramble to set up work-from-home customer service staff to try to stem the flood of calls. Some sectors fared better than others, but even with all hands on deck, callers complained of hold times that had mushroomed from seconds to minutes, dozens of minutes and even hours.
The Long and Winding Road
If you’ve read any of my Contact Center Pipeline columns over the past nine years, you’ve probably noticed that I usually sneak in something about music in just about every one of them. That’s because I like music. Barely a day goes by that I’m not doing something with music in one way or another; studying music, playing music, watching musicians perform online, or just listening to music.
Differentiate Your Brand Through Proactive Customer Service
Every person with purchasing power can be turned into a loyal customer, but it needs to start with the customer experience. An all-too-frequent scenario happens when a customer urgently orders an item from a retailer’s website and only receives an email confirmation but no shipping information as to when their order will arrive. So, the customer then goes on the retailer’s website to find out their order status. But guess what? They checked out as a guest and can’t log in to view their order.
