The concept of call queuing is prevalent in inbound call centres. Every time callers connect to a phone system, they are welcomed with a message along with menu options before their calls get added in the queue.
Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) technology is used to forward incoming calls to various agents. Callers as well as the call centre service staff largely benefit from the call queues. When the call load is high, some call queues also permit additional staff to assist the existing agents and provide the callers with uninterrupted service.
Call queue management is essential to provide the customers with an enhanced experience and better service. Call centre employs various methods and techniques to reduce the average time spent by a caller in the queue. These queues need to be tracked and lowered on a regular basis to circumvent call abandonment and ensure that the interactions are efficacious. It not only improves sales but also enhances the reputation of the call centre in the market. It is imperative to manage call queues appropriately since a never-ending queue can lead to customer dissatisfaction.
Importance of Call Queue Management
Enhanced First Call Resolution Rates
Aim of call centres is to respond to the caller’s queries and to provide best solution in the first call itself. This enhances customer satisfaction and increases first call resolution. In this way, the call centre can answer a large volume of calls. Furthermore, solving the customer’s issues in the first call reflects a professional and high-quality customer service.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
Customers expect prompt service and fast solutions and making them wait for long can have a negative impact on call centre’s reputation. It is imperative to have a high call queue time to ensure that the customers are happy and satisfied with the service. Otherwise, callers are likely to be vexed, and they may not want to come back again.
Decreased Call Abandonment Rate
Callers are likely to hang up if they are stuck in the queue for a long time. This may lead to call abandonment and customer dissatisfaction. Nonetheless, with call queue management, the average waiting time can be notably reduced along with the call abandonment rates.
Tips for Better Call Queue Management
Queue Callback
In Queue Callback, callers have the option to leave the call but not the waiting queue. In this case, callers can disconnect the call but are there request is still counted in waiting list i.e., as soon as the agent gets free from the previous calls, an automatic call back is sent to the customer to address their queries. Queue callback has plenty of benefits besides this. Since customers do not have to wait in the queue to talk to an agent, it improves satisfaction and provides a better experience.
The call abandonment rate also gets lowered as the callers do not have to wait in the long call waiting queues. They are contacted only when an agent is available to address their query. Hence, this saves a lot of time and efforts. Queue callback enables call centres to make use of every lead so that agents do not lose track in case they get occupied and cannot respond to the calls.
Also, queue callback saves a considerable amount of money which a company can channelise in a more fruitful direction. Since callers do not have to remain in the queue to wait for their chance, the call centre does not have to pay extra money.
Making use of queue callbacks can prove to be extremely beneficial. The caller remains on the line virtually but does not have to remain connected on the phone. The caller’s number is collected, and they are contacted as an agent is available. The most efficient way to reduce call abandonment rate is to hire more agents, so that wait time is lowered. But this solution does not work out for all call centres as it requires substantial investment. The best way to tackle this problem is through virtual queuing.
Upgrade to Advanced Technology
Upgrading to advanced technology and investing in a call centre software can help you serve your customers better and meet their expectations. The advanced call centre software features are efficient and provide a remarkable experience. To lower the wait time, the queue setting needs to be configured on a regular basis, whereas investing in modern software can solve all these problems.
It can offer plenty of features like encouraging the callers to drop a voice message or redirecting them to a messaging platform so that the chatbot can solve their queries. The modern software has features that permit callers to be redirected to voicemail if they do not want to be on the line and lower the average wait time.
IVR System
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems are quite effective in dealing with low-level matters. The callers get the required assistance from the automated system. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system can be efficaciously used to provide information about account balances, business hours without the assistance of a live agent. In addition, a multi-level IVR can take a lot of input from callers. The IVR system must be properly set up, and specialised queues should be created to lower the waiting time.
Allow call centre agents to handle their queues
The average call queue time can be reduced by allowing call centre agents to handle their queues. Call centre agents must keep track of the average wait time and a total number of calls. They must try to spend less time on calls based on the average time in the queue. Call queue management can indeed be improved after agents are given the liberty to handle their queues. KPI metrics such as live queue monitoring and call wallboards can be utilized to enhance performance.
CONCLUSION
To provide the customers with an amazing experience, the proper management of call queue is a must. It is so because customer satisfaction is directly affected by it. Call queue can cause delay at times and even result in abandoned calls. The call centres are responsible for promptly answering all the calls and solving the issues of the customers. Therefore, it becomes necessary to focus on call queue management.
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