Aside from product knowledge and other technical know-how, these agents are also trained for vocal skills, which are critical for phone customer service.
Importance of vocal skills
Callers cannot see call center agents face to face. Instead, they have to rely on voice to gauge whether the agents have the knowledge, capability, and genuine interest to help them.
Vocal skills are more than just having a pleasant voice. It's also about taking control of your vocal elements. Agents must manage their voice, and use the appropriate tone to convey how they feel, and to steer the conversation to a more positive note.
They must be trained to regulate voice pitch, as this reflects their mood – whether it is of enthusiasm, excitement, or distress. They must speak within the right volume range, not too soft or too loud, so customers can clearly hear them.
Additionally, they must be aware of how fast they talk and how to use inflections to emphasize certain words and keep customers engaged.
Outsourcing benefits
Outsourced call center agents are taught to use their voice to convey professionalism and authority in their subject matter. This helps them build rapport with customers, and to resolve issues without making mistakes such as creating misunderstanding or provoking customers to anger.
Proper vocal skills, coupled with phone etiquette, improve the quality of customer service for those using the traditional phone channel.
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