People Helping People is a Great Job!
Customer support is the most crucial aspect of determining the success of any business. Earning customer loyalty is a tough nut to crack. And, going gets tougher if a company doesn’t have a right team in place to manage the customers.
The support team plays a pivotal role to ensure that you are ahead of the competitors. It’s the customer support representatives who are the face of your company.
They are the ones who bind customers to your business. That’s why; hiring and retaining them is of prime importance.
38% of Leading CX experts are currently using a live chat to deliver instant support, while 26% are planning to use one. In fact, 48% would be more likely to return to a website with chat support, and 41% trust the brand more when this option is available.
The figures show the prevalence of live chat for customers support.
Besides, live chat software is also considered as the fastest medium by organizations to engage with their customers efficiently.
But, there is a catch! Customer support team should be on their toes. They should be able to reflect the company’s values. Every interaction is an opportunity – if the agent fails to make an impression, it is a huge loss.
On the other side, a worthy experience means positive word-of-mouth and customer constancy. So, the managers should ensure they have the right team of people helping the customers all the way.
Like every other job, customer support profile also requires a person to possess certain qualities and skill set. Also, it is a common tendency for the people in this field to switch their jobs. Often regarded as a ‘thankless’ job, it is hard to find the right people for this work.
Besides that, a business cannot afford to compromise on the quality of support. Let’s see what it takes to hire and create a team of amazing people who can lead a company to the next level of success.
Posting a Job
What is so unique about publishing a job? It is a standard routine whenever a company wants to recruit employees. But, posting a job with a proper description and on the right medium is very important.
Like many companies use social media platforms to target a specific location, age-group, and professionals to post the vacancy ad.
Also, if you are looking for that extraordinary set of people, you must create a description that attracts them. It should be a job that challenges them to bring out the best of their skills.
Of course, don’t forget the remuneration. Hiring people on the basis of referrals, networking or asking your clients for reference is also a good option.
Based on your industry, identify what kind of people you want to hire.
For instance, customer support for IT-based organizations demands them to possess specific background and experience. While for online shopping, it may be a different case.
Consult your co-workers. Put an ad and a job description that attracts the right set of candidates. It will save your time and efforts to scrutinize the applications. Many companies providing world-class support address their support team with unique titles. Wistia’s Customer Champions, Buffer’s Happiness Heroes, etc. and other such examples show how the companies value this role.
Analysing the Skillset
According to 73% of customers, live chat gives them the most satisfying experience among all other ways of communication. Also, 63% of consumers prefer coming back to a website offering live chat help.
The people representing your company in a customer support environment should be able to pull off a more excellent experience. Providing live support chat can be quite exciting and challenging at the same time.
A candidate should possess following qualities to be successful:
- Time Management
Live chat means speedy interactions. There is no scope for slow, ambiguous and sluggish answers. Look for a person who can handle multiple queries with accurate answers to each. He/she should be able to give equal attention with precision. They can always take help of knowledge base and canned responses. But, the approach should be fast. A moment lost is a customer lost. - Communication and Typing
Without a doubt, a live chat agent must be proficient in language and grammar. The response should be well-written. The use of language, punctuation marks and vocabulary makes an impression about the official conversation. The digital abbreviations hold no relevance here. Since the customer cannot see the agent, writing communicates the willingness to help. - Quick Learner
Live chat customer support makes use of individual software application. Look for someone who is used to modern tools and technology. The agent should adapt to using the software to deliver his best performance. Once familiar, using the application to seek help, enter customer records, or search any information should be a quick deal. - Emotional Intelligence
A support representative handling live chat sessions should have social skills and self-awareness. He should reflect an empathetic attitude towards the user. It’s all about resolving the conflict with a sense of commitment. The agent should form a bond with the opposite person in a way that he appreciates the company and comes back knowing his expectations will be fulfilled. - Creative Thinker
Creativity accelerates interactions. Understanding a customer’s situation and coming with the best possible solution should be the aim. There is no specific rulebook for live chat customer support. One cannot predict what the next query will be, how the next customer will behave or how long will be the duration of the chat. So, the agent has to be creative enough to solve the issues and help them. - Responsible
The agent should take full responsibility for the conversation in a live chat. A single mistake or wrong word can ruin the company’s reputation as a whole. The agent has to be straightforward, responsible and passionate about delivering support. He/she should know what to write, the correctness and the relevance of the matter.
Must Read: Expert advice on important customer service skills
Interview Scenario
Interviewing a live chat customer support agent is not just another interview. You’re hiring people who will be helping others.
So, it’s hard to assess someone with only questions and answers. The interview should contain more open-ended questions. The candidate should get enough opportunities to express himself and showcase his skills.
The interviewer can give situations like how to calm down a super-angry customer? Or, what will he do when the user has a query about something he doesn’t know? The answer to such questions will give you an insight into the candidate’s character.
On the other side, taking help of live chat simulations can help the interviewer to know about the interviewee’s speed, writing, navigation power, communication and soft skills.
Companies also assess the candidates with a personality test. For an optional technical round, the test can revolve around using the software. Or it can be about creating a particular page, aptitude questions and knowledge test as required.
In a nutshell, the interview should test a person as a whole. The process will ensure only the deserving, passionate and capable candidates join your live chat support team.
Important Read: Difference Between a Customer Support Hero and an Agent
Training and Feedback
The next step is providing them with appropriate training. Prepare your agents before they plan on sailing through the customer support queries.
It’s essential for an organization to spend time and give adequate resources. Make them familiar with company’s culture. Inculcate strong values of being honest, team player, achiever and a people’s person.
If it’s a technical or a product-based company, train them properly about the product. Organize sessions with the experts in the given area.
Next, assess their learning and give regular feedback. Make sure the responsible managers are with the trainees as needed. Training is a period where they can absorb all the knowledge and values; it should be exciting and insightful.
Giving proper training in the live chat environment lays the foundation for outstanding customer support. Then only, the team can put their best foot forward.
Recruit the Superheroes!
“If you are serious about winning at the highest level you have to be serious about not having a single rock in your team. It’s often the most experienced person in the organization who is unteachable.” –Sir Clive Woodward
To give a flawless experience to your customers, you need to have an incredible team backing the live chat sessions. These live chat agents are like the superheroes for the customers. They are the saviors who solve their troubles. In turn, they also make the CRM game stronger for the organization. Get the right team on-board. Happy Hiring!
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