Six Basic Skills Every Call Center Service Representative Should Have

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If you are a call center representative, you’ll at some point find yourself assuming the roles of a company representative, marketer, solutions expert or counselor  – sometimes it can happen all at once – in one call.

These challenges aren’t for everyone; it takes certain skill sets and qualities to be an effective/ideal employee in a call center.  Here are a few basic skills you should have (or develop)to excel in your career as a call center agent.

Great Listening skills

Listening takes a great portion of our interaction with Customers, you should be able to listen very actively in order to understand what customers are really saying.
This will ensure that enquiries/complaints/feedback are better understood & thus, they can be handled more efficiently

A Cheerful Disposition

The person on the other end of the line can’t see your smile or your body language, it’s important that you can convey an outgoing and enthusiastic personality through your voice alone.

Also, remember that sometimes customers will create storms of fury that can make the average person crumble. Great agents distinguish themselves from everyone else by demonstrating their ability to maintain a cheerful air, calming the customer down.

Patience

Patience is a virtue. Unfortunately, it can wear thin when you’re dealing with a complaining, angry, or confused customer. What differentiates between the great agents & the rest is that – they treat all callers (even the most frustrating) with respect.

It takes patience to listen calmly & filter out the useful information & feedback from an angry customer.

 

Clear Communication Skills

Being able to communicate effectively is a core skill for every call center customer service rep. You’ll hardly ever meet any of the Customers you speak with & they can’t read your lips, this means that you should be able to communicate clearly and simply to the customers. Communicating well means both understanding what the Customer is trying to get across and then responding clearly & in a way that makes sense.

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Flexibility

Most call centers require that you work in shifts – this or may not fit your schedule. You have to be flexible enough to be able to balance your personal & work live. If you have kids, you will need to make alternate care arrangements to cover for your absences. Remember too that changing shifts can also affect your sleep patterns. it also makes it easier to work challenging hours (nights, holidays and weekends).

You’ll also have to be flexible enough to adapt to the different types of calls you’d encounter – you’ll speak to smart people, not-so-smart, polite, rude and all sorts, being flexible is what ensures that you’re able to maintain a balance, let the bad stuff slide off and provide solutions.

Computer Skills

You should be familiar with basic programs (Windows, Excel, Word, etc.) You’ll likely spend a lot of time working with databases – entering and retrieving customer details, or taking and processing requests.
Most call centers have systems to determine how fast you were able to close calls, you’ll need to be fast – customers don’t want to wait on the line while you’re trying to remember how to open your notepad program (and the silence can be awkward too).

Kelechi Okeke
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