January 15, 2016
It's important for any business regardless of industry to focus on two areas if they’re committed to growth and success: customer retention and superior service. While there are a few different ways to set goals for each of those aspects and gauge successes, call recording and voice documentation can have a dramatic impact on both.
Benefits Beyond the Call Center
Call recording has been a standard business practice for a while, and is routinely used in contact centers. Think of the times you’ve called a business, and navigated their phone menu while hearing, this call may be monitored for quality purposes. Oftentimes, the conversations that customers have with representatives of companies are regarding the service they are receiving. Perhaps they are disputing a charge or billing statement. Maybe they have an issue that needs addressing regarding service received, or promised. The call could even pertain to an issue the customer is experiencing and needs to be walked through a diagnostic-type assessment.
Whatever the reason for the phone call, recording the conversation benefits both parties. It offers accountability to either the customer or employee based on whatever action steps were agreed upon. But more and more, the benefits of call recording extend into business realms outside call centers. Any business that regularly communicates with customers, clients and partners via phone can proactively manage the risk inherent in these interactions using call recording.
Note: It is important to consider legalities when implementing a call recording practice within your organization. Check your local municipalities on recording laws.
Call Recording for Training Opportunities
What if those quality purposes actually alluded to employee training that has a direct impact on customers? That’s what recording calls can offer. Companies who acknowledge their developing culture will appreciate the fact that 72 percent of highly engaged employees believe they can positively affect customer service. That employee engagement can be driven through continuous training and dedication toward making processes better, both internal and external. Call recording is a powerful tool when presented in the right way to bolster employee competency and foster a culture of empowerment.
By using employee’s actual conversations and highlighting what was handled well, what went wrong and how to prevent missteps in the future, management can generate positive performance results far more quickly than by using hypothetical scenarios. These recorded phone calls can be part of future onboarding, used for quality assessment and as content to outline procedure or policy.
A Focus on Customer Retention
Now that you’ve seen how recording calls can benefit your internal infrastructure, imagine the possibilities a contact center solution can offer your external customers. The strategy goes beyond helping you offer great customer service; it also helps you capture important information about your customers so you can make smarter business decisions now and in the future. The more you know about your customers, the greater your competitive advantage. According to a Peppers and Rogers Group report, 64 percent of companies claim the customer experience takes a critical role in determining business strategy.
A contact center solution can integrate with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, which means improved customer satisfaction, loyalty and a deeper appreciation for the business relationship. If customers are accustomed to a level of professional service regarding phone-based interactions it will lend itself to customer retention. Recording calls is just one way to capture valuable data on each and every customer that comes through the system.
Paying attention to the efforts your business dedicates to customer retention and superior service delivered by engaged employees are two ways to protect your business. A sure thing in the business marketplace is the increased competition. Customers are continually being empowered to be selective with their choices as consumers. Make your business their choice, each and every time.
