Customer service agents are the voice of every organization. No matter how great your product is, the quality of service offered by your customer service agents can either break or make your business. Therefore, having a well-trained staff to offer the best service to your customers is essential to help your organization attain the success it dreams of. According to a report released by Accenture in 2017, 33 percent of the consumers who abandoned a business relationship in 2016 did so due to a lack of personalization. While some people are blessed with the traits that make them the right fit for the job, others cannot meet such requirements. Therefore, it is essential to scrutinize every candidate thoroughly before hiring them on the job so that they are the best choice and a valuable asset to your organization in the long run. Below are some of the typical traits that are a must-have for every individual who aspires to be a customer service agent:
1. Positive Disposition
At times, a customer service agent’s job can be monotonous. They may need to answer 100 calls daily with the same question every time; their phone line might keep ringing with one angry customer after another, and so on. Such and many similar situations can be easy to handle at times but might frustrate others.
Since answering such calls is a part of their job, it is essential to look for people with the requisite calm and patience. Staying prepared to attend such calls with a positive attitude and ensuring that the customer has a wow experience make one a perfect fit for the job.
1. Adaptability
Flexibility and adaptability are the two critical elements for the success of any customer service agent. This is owing to the customers’ ever-changing and ever-growing demands. A single call from the customer may require an agent to handle multiple requests, welcome their suggestions, and also deal with their mood swings. Therefore, a customer service agent must be able to multitask, be willing to take on new responsibilities and stay comfortable working under tight deadlines. Having these traits is sure to make any person a perfect fit for the responsibility that comes with the job.
3. Quick and Knowledgeable
Customers, these days, are impatient and possess a clear understanding and knowledge about the subject they are discussing. The customer service agent must be quick and intelligent to handle such customers.
To resolve a customer’s query quickly, the customer service agent must possess broad knowledge and understanding of the related topic. This is because a lack of knowledge will surely upset the customers and cause dissatisfaction with your services. If the customer service agent does not understand the customer’s point of concern, they should redirect the call to an expert. An expert with a clear understanding of the subject matter can quickly resolve the query and keep the customer satisfied.
4. Attention to Detail
Any individual who calls a customer care center wants to speak to a well-informed customer service agent. This is because they want to resolve their query as soon as possible.
It is important to remember that resolving a customer’s query is not solely dependent on an agent’s knowledge and awareness. It also requires them to pay attention to all the details the caller shares and not mix the details they provided with another. This will help ensure that the right solution is offered to the concerned person in need.
5. Organizational Skills
Offering the best customer support is not only about resolving customer queries. It also involves maintaining proper documentation of all the callers.
Keeping an accurate track record of all these calls provides easy access to all the inquiries resolved by every agent at work. This, in turn, helps in resolving any future calls that may need help for a similar concern. Being quick in resolving the customer’s queries, in turn, proves beneficial in improving the FCR rate of the call center.
6. Passion
Dealing with a customer’s query is not an easy battle. The trouble tends to double when the caller is impatient or loses their cool quickly. Therefore, having the zeal to offer the best customer service proves beneficial as this adds emotions to any conversation between an agent and the caller. Identifying this trait is not hard. Any person who acts pleasingly in every situation and looks directly into another person’s eyes with a smile during a conversation is the perfect fit.
7. Dedication and Understanding
A person dedicated to their job will help the company win more customers and improve customer retention rate. Being dedicated inspires them to gain an in-depth understanding of the company’s products, enabling better customer service delivery.
This, in turn, also ensures that all your customer queries are resolved in the best possible manner, as well as helping you gain improved customer loyalty.
8. Finding the right candidate
It is rare to find any individual who possesses all these traits. But a combination of four or more of these qualities is not hard to find. And when someone possesses them, they will likely become the star performer and future leader. Therefore, it is recommended to always look for people who possess some or all of these traits and are sure to add value in the long run.
