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Is Your Answering Service Staying Calm Under Pressure During Busy Seasons?

In a perfect world, every call that came into your call center would be from a happy person looking to place an order with your company or book an appointment at your office. Unfortunately however, that is not how the real world tends to work. Instead, many of the calls that your answering service will deal with will be from frustrated, upset, or even angry people. No company in the world is perfect enough to prevent the occasional misunderstanding or frustrated customer, and it is important that your answering service agents are prepared to deal with these sorts of customers.

This concept becomes even more important during the holiday season. Everyone is under increased personal and professional pressure during this time of the year, so it becomes even more critical that your business answering service stays cool under fire. The value of being able to satisfy and calm down a frustrated caller is something that can’t be overstated. When emotions are running high, leaving a caller feeling satisfied and like his or her concern was listened to is a sure way to create a loyal customer for a long time to come.

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Training in a professional call center environment is essential for agents to have the poise and focus they need to remain calm in the face of this kind of stress. Not only does a calm person on the other end of the phone help keep the caller relaxed, but also it is essential for being able to communicate effectively with a panicked or angry person. A calm answering service agent should be able to stay focused and pick out the important bits of information that may be hidden amidst the panic, frustration or anger being expressed by the caller. Active, engaged listening is key in these types of situations.

Having callers who are coached in active listening techniques will be very helpful for dealing with these types of stressful situations. This involves reflecting summarized versions of caller complaints or requests back at them, conveying that they have been heard and understood. The agent should also be able to provide assurances that the concerns will be addressed in the most expedient way possible.

In certain situations, such as when answering services are working in the medical field, this type of poise under calm can become even more essential. The caller’s health or safety may be in jeopardy at the time of the call. At times like these, having trained agents who have clear policies and procedures to follow in regards to escalation or transferring calls ensures that everything is handled in the safest and most efficient fashion.

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