How to create excellent caller experiences with analytics and reporting tools

The importance of caller experiences

Picture this: John calls into a business to inquire about a delayed order. He is already frustrated and his trust in the company has been damaged. He then begins a long and exasperating process to resolve the issue. What happens next is a case study in poor customer experience, and it is key for businesses to avoid.

John’s call begins with a call to a non-local number that costs him more than necessary, before beginning a period of hold time. However, he is given no indication of how long this will take. Instead of informative in-call messaging, he is left listening to an endless loop of on-hold music as the minutes tick by, which feel a lot longer with no updates to sign-post his progress through the queue. The company has failed to implement an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system to route his call efficiently, and the agents taking calls are blind to how long he has waited due to an absence of reporting tools.

After 10 minutes, John’s call is answered by an employee from another department who is unable to help after listening to his explanation. John is put on hold again, for another unspecified period. Eventually, he gets through to a second person, but he has been transferred blindly (meaning the information he has already shared once has not been relayed, and he has to repeat himself). The business’ CRM is not integrated which means the agent cannot help him quickly and has to open another software tool in order to search for his records. His frustration is growing by this point, and although the agent is able to resolve his problem, the negative experience overshadows this, and he hangs up dissatisfied. He leaves a negative review (which unhappy customers are up to three times more likely to do), and vows to never use the company again.

How can businesses avoid this situation?

Businesses can make a few simple but effective changes throughout the call process that could change an unhappy caller’s attitude towards them and reshape the entire experience. Let’s take a look at an alternative narrative - John’s original issue of a missing parcel may not be positive, but the way he is treated on the phone can make all the difference and ensure he will become a return customer. 

Before John’s call begins, the business establishes trust by using a local or free-to-call non-geographic number to resonate with customers and provide the most relative information to them as soon as possible. Research shows that 72% of consumers are more likely to call a number they recognise as local. This could be paired with other communication channels, such as SMS or email, to give customers options, and to cut down on call traffic in the first place.

When John calls, he is then greeted with an IVR menu and clear call routing options. This means he can easily select and be routed to the department most suited to him. For example: ‘press one for sales, press two for customer service’. While he waits, call music and clear wait times or place-in-queue messaging can be played to alleviate perceived wait time and keep him informed. 

The business utilises wallboards and automated alerts, so that if a customer such as John is waiting longer than the time required by the company’s Service Level Agreement, they are able to quickly remedy this. They are also able to see visually where call traffic bottle necks may be occurring - such as who has been waiting for a long period of time, and why.

CRM tools such as Salesforce can be integrated into the business’ communication solution, so that John is greeted by name and the agent is able to see his information and history. According to Salesforce, personalisation of services can increase customer satisfaction rates by up to 80%.

At this point in the call, if he has used the IVR correctly, there is less chance John will need to be transferred to another department to resolve his issue. However, if he does need to be transferred, the initial agent conducts an attended transfer, briefly informing the next agent on the situation. This ensures continuity and spares John the frustration of repeating himself. The new agent also has CRM access, and it is integrated into the communication system with ‘screen pop’ functionality - so they can pick up the call seamlessly and efficiently solve this issue, with immediate access to customer information and history.

John’s experience this time around leaves him feeling valued, informed, and satisfied, and his frustrations are alleviated. He leaves a positive review and remains a loyal customer, as he is confident any future issues or concerns will be handled smoothly and professionally. He is not the only one, either - research shows that up to 70% of unhappy customers whose issues are resolved efficiently will return and leave positive feedback.

Tools to improve call flows and agent performance 

To prevent any bottlenecks and enhance service levels, businesses can leverage tools that can analyse call traffic and provide actionable insights. 

Real-time monitoring and wallboards - Wallboards are dynamic displays that present real-time metrics like queue lengths, average wait times, and agent availability. This means businesses can track performance against benchmarks, and track and monitor calls in real time. These displays can be monitored not only in the office, but also remotely via a link. A Zendesk study found that businesses using real time monitoring tools reduced their resolution times by 22%.

Analytics and reporting - Historical data is crucial for businesses to understand patterns, such as peak call times or recurring issues. For example, analysing average hold times helps businesses to identify when additional staffing is needed, or if there is a problem with a specific department or agent. These tools can help to identify when targets are hit or missed, and the performance of individual agents over time.

Sentiment analysis - Sentiment analysis tools use AI-drive sentiment analysis to gauge a caller’s tone and mood. They identify whether the caller’s tone is positive, neutral or negative, and the key words used in call conversations, combining phrase analysis and speech analytics. This helps agents to adjust their approach to match a caller's emotional state. Sentiment analysis can also flag any interactions that need following-up which can improve customer satisfaction. 

Call recording - Recording calls can not only help businesses in certain fields comply with industry-specific regulations, but also provide valuable material for training staff on how to handle different situations. Regular training based on real interactions can help agents to understand the best approach when dealing with unhappy customers and varying scenarios.

Final thoughts 

Customers often reach out to businesses when things go wrong. This means they are already in a negative state of mind when engaging in a call, and their tolerance for inconvenience and delay is low. A smooth and efficient call experience can transform these experiences into opportunities to strengthen loyalty.

The stakes are high: one in three customers say they will stop engaging with a business after a single negative experience. It is crucial that businesses prioritise customer experience, and empathise any struggles they are going through.

By implementing these tools and strategies, businesses can allow customers to feel heard, valued, and reassured that all of their issues will be addressed. All it takes is the right tools, training and processes to ensure customer calls end on the correct note.

Ready to learn more about how analytics and reporting tools can help build great customer experiences? Get in touch today!