How to Help Service Agents Warm Up to Answering Calls
Acknowledge Discomfort is Real and Valid
In the past 15 years, calls to friends has been replaced with texts, scheduling has shifted to portals and calendar links, and line extensions have evolved into Slack messages and Zoom links. Our reliance on phone calls as a society has significantly decreased, so answering the phone could feel unnatural, not just for some young people, but for many people
Look for Knowledge Gaps
Part of what makes answering phones uncomfortable is you don’t know what’s on the other side. We wouldn't answer an unknown number, yet we ask our agents to do this (more or less depending on your tech integrations). Agents are more comfortable when they know the answers to what's being asked, where to find the information they need, and how to find it quickly.
Provide Escape Routes
You can’t train for everything. Having a few scripted lines if they get into a jam, a Slack channel dedicated to help, or an escalation process are all examples of security blankets that can help make agents, especially new agents, feel more comfortable.
Consider the Quality of Your Solutions
Phones have a level of intimacy that text-based communication doesn't have, so sharing a solution that's not really a solution over this channel can feel really uncomfortable. Ask your agents which resolutions make them cringe, and come up with alternatives they feel good articulating.
Teach Conflict Resolution AND Mental Fitness Skills
Customers calling your support line are not having their best day. They can be angry, sarcastic, frustrated, or even threatening, which can be more difficult for an agent to process live on a call than it would be on other channels. If trained on conflict resolution, agents can defuse the situation quicker, and if also trained on mental management, they can serve others at an invested distance, creating a better experience for both parties.
Review Your Schedule Structure
If your agents are taking calls all day, everyday, they may be physically and emotionally exhausted. Having agents spend only a few hours on phones each day, or only specific days during the week, could make them more receptive to taking calls when staffed.
Ask Your Agents What Would Help
Maybe they feel a KPI is too unrealistic. Maybe their headset is uncomfortable. Maybe they love chat and want more opportunity there. There's a number of reasons why agents may be, or become, resistant to phones, and starting a conversation is the best path towards a solution.
Want content like this delivered to your inbox? Sign up for The CX Coach Newsletter, where each week I’ll share how you can scale top-notch service efficiently!