The days of inbound call centers only handling calls are over. Digital and online platforms are more important than ever for customer service. Customer service representatives need to be able to respond to queries and complaints over a variety of platforms and channels. Email is one of the most common and effective tools that customers use to contact companies and businesses. While many inbound call centers are skilled in handling customer calls, some drop the ball when it comes to email. Effective email interaction management is essential for any inbound call center.
Importance of Email Management in Inbound Call Center
When it comes to customer service, the most important thing is to satisfy and please your customers. While phone calls have always been the main method of customer service, many Millennials and younger people prefer using digital means. In fact, some of your customers will likely not use a phone to make a call under any circumstance.
Furthermore, email is better suited to certain issues or complaints. If your customer has a quick or highly specific question, it may make more sense to send an email rather than be held up on a phone call.
When businesses or call centers neglect emails or don’t use proper customer service strategies, they can end up turning off customers. Here are 10 effective tips for email management in inbound call centers.
Create Branding Opportunities
Every business should have a “voice.” Branding is not just for marketing but also for your regular interactions with customers. Ensure that your email fits in and works with your business’s image.
Answer Every Email
While some emails may appear like they do not require a response, inbound call centers should reply to every email. If your customer is sending a message—even a close-ended complaint—they want an acknowledgement that it has been received and considered.
Respond Within Two Hours
Timely service is essential. Some businesses will ignore emails or send late responses, which can give customers a negative opinion of the company. An email should be considered just as pressing as a phone call. Aim to respond within two hours or less.
Personalize
Emails can be more impersonal than phone calls or in-person chats. Because of this, extra attention has to be paid to personalizing emails and providing a more “individual” touch. Every email response should include the name of someone from the business, including their position within the company, rather than an impersonal generic reply.
Use Spellcheck
Emails provide many opportunities for mistakes, errors, and poor representations of a company’s image. At the very least, every email must be free of spelling and grammatical errors. Emails are permanent, and customers will have plenty of time to look over them and notice mistakes that give them a negative impression of a company.
Gather Metrics
Use emails as an opportunity to gather metrics and statistics on your success by including customer satisfaction surveys with your email responses.
Inform Your Agents
While email does allow for a little more research time than live calls do, it is still crucial to have customer service agents well-versed and ready to respond quickly. Make sure any agents dedicated to emails are informed and prepared to respond to typical questions, concerns, and complaints.
Organize and Streamline Emails
Incoming emails should be quickly categorized and streamlined in order to improve response time and increase efficiency.
Use Web Services to Reduce Volume
One of the most effective ways to reduce email volume is to use online web services that answer customers’ questions for them. An online frequently asked questions (FAQ) section should be used to deter customers with the most common questions or concerns.
Aim for Customer Satisfaction
Remember that the goal with emails is the same as with any other platform: customer satisfaction. Every response should be crafted with the goal of pleasing your customers.
As the leading provider of outsourced call center solutions, 3C Contact Services teaches its partners the necessary customer service skills needed to engage and retain clients. Call us today at 1-888-353-2335.
