A call center script is one of the most vital factors behind a successful call center solution. With the best scripts, you can make the transition between your office and your answering service provider smooth. With the right script, callers won’t even recognize they aren’t talking to your office staff.
Bad scripting can make an answering service agent look inept and give your company a bad name. So, how to avoid the mistakes while writing the script? Here are some DOs and DON’Ts on writing an effective script that will be natural for operators, and helpful for callers.
DO’s
- Focus on pronunciation: When you have a long or complex business name, it can be difficult to understand over the phone. To make it easy for the callers as well as the customer service representatives (CSR) who will be answering your call for the first time, come up with the best phonetic spelling.
- Think of everything: What does a caller require when they contact your business? Create easy channels for every potential reason. If they are calling to know their bill, quickly access the database to retrieve the correct information. Similarly, create step- by-step information for people who might want your address or to report an emergency. In short, do a neat job at being prepared for every question. People will expect it from an industry expert.
- Ask for what you need: If you are hoping to impress your customers, you need to ask the callers for the right information. It will help you get back in touch with them equipped with the information they requested. Of course, name and phone numbers are the obvious information you require. But also consider asking for reference or invoice number for billing, product name etc. Asking for an ideal time for a return call will also earn you brownie points.
DON’Ts
- Complicate things with lengthy unrelated questions: Ask simple and direct questions. Asking more effective and on-topic questions will improve your chances of grasping the issue at hand. Do not confuse the agents with unnecessary lengthy questions that do not help them get a clear direction.
- Assume that callers will know what they want: It happens even with the biggest of businesses. Sometimes callers do not have a clue about what they really need. Sometimes it so happens, a caller calling your business for one thing suddenly realizes his need for something else. Therefore, it becomes essential to include multiple options into the script.
- Forget your manners: An answering service call might be scripted, but why does it have to be impersonal? Let us not forget the pleasantries, such as- ‘how may I help you’, ‘please’, ‘thank you’, ‘good (time of the day)’, ‘thank you for calling (company name)’, etc. Your callers will appreciate that.
Creating the perfect script takes a lot of reading, editing, and re-reading. You can also benefit from having other people read it. Role playing is another effective way to see whether things are looking promising or not.
Doing test calls from a live account and noting problems the CSRs face while handling the account can help you tweak the script as and when necessary.
You can also discuss the script with your answering services provider before finalizing it. Having loads of experience with answering service, they might come up with a few useful tips to improve the script.
What’s more, if you work with an experienced answering service provider, they might let you test from the live account for free.
