Nautilus
A contact center thrives in large part to the quality of the agents working in it. One thing that has been noted to be increasing in demand over the course of the past few years is the ability to multitask effectively. Due in large part to the growing demands of consumers, contact centers have had to adapt their solutions to match the pace of which customers are demanding their resolutions.
But how exactly can contact centers offer quick and effective solutions without compromising quality? Moreover, how do we account for the difference without going over their staffing budget?
The rise of the super agent
One quick search of the term super agent will yield multiple headlines referring to their rise, and steps on how to hire them. But before anything else, what is a super agent?
In its strictest definition, super agents are professionals in the customer service industry who are trained to handle multiple issues which may otherwise have been handled by different teams. They are certified in multiple skill sets like customer service, tech support, and billing just to name a few. Having these certifications allows them to defer transferring customers from one queue to another, which is especially helpful in tense and possibly irate situations.
Super agents are also referred to as universal agents, and are seen as a higher tier in most customer service environments. In most cases, they handle difficult cases involving customer retention and customer loyalty. They have more leeway and can make executive decisions that the normal customer service representative.
Benefits of having a super agent team
The Covid 19 Pandemic has definitely accelerated the demand for online, remote working customer service agents. With the sudden shift to a remote work environment, customer service professionals had to adapt to growing demands and a more complex workload. And they had to do so quickly.
This trend is becoming more synonymous to productivity in the year 2022. With brands progressively shifting to a digital workspace, customers have less opportunity to interact with their brands on a physical level. The importance of having a well-trained customer service team is becoming more a need than a want, and having one that can efficiently handle multiple issues is a step towards major progress.
But what are the benefits that companies have noticed since adopting a multi-skilled customer service team?
1. Increased productivity and efficiency
With less transfers needed, agents can handle all customer requests on in one single call. This means all the skills they have are properly utilized, and they can get more work done.
2. Better chances for first call resolution
The recent shift in the industry is centered around how fast one can get resolution with regards to their inquiry. Customers are starting to demand faster turnover times and are less to appreciate being transferred around. With a multi-skilled team of customer service specialists who can handle multiple inquiries, you can get to a resolution faster and more efficiently.
3. Improved customer experience
with everyone going digital, the expectation of the whole customer experience being better and more efficient increases. Having super agents who can handle everything you throw at them is confidence-inducing, and can go a long way into leaving customers with confidence in your company.
4. Cost-effectivity
Having fewer agents who are capable of handing most of your call drivers can save your company a lot by way of minimizing your employment costs. Instead of having to hire 30 agents, you can have 15 who are the best at different things!
Key Takeaways
According to this customer service report by Salesforce, “76 percent of customers think companies should understand their expectations and needs.” This means that customers want personalized solutions, one which a super agent team are likely to offer. Within the space of one phone call, a multi-skilled agent can seamlessly transition from an initial inquiry to something else. This gives the whole interaction an organic feel, and empowers the agent to exceed customer expectations and drive towards a better experience.
When coupled with the powers of automation and conversational AI, a team of super agents can also drive towards better customer engagement. According to this survey conducted by Harvard Business Review, 81% of customers would rather have self-service solutions than to talk to a live agent. In the event that these customers actually have to talk to somebody, they are likely to prefer a quick turnover. Having super agents who can quickly and more efficiently find a solution for them is the best investment you can make.
Is it time to invest in a team of super agents? Maybe. The rise of automation, chatbots, and other artificial intelligence solutions are things to consider.
The role of the modern call center agent is getting harder and harder to determine. But the truth remains: you still need agents. Providing them with more skills, however, can greatly improve the experience for customers and the business as a whole.