4WAYS TO PRESERVE CUSTOMER LOYALTY WHEN CALL VOLUME SPIKES

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Even with excellence in forecasting and an

unwavering focus on consistent delivery of

service level agreements, we all know that

call volume spikes are part of the natural

order of contact center operations.

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COMMON PREDICTABLE REASON FOR CALL VOLUME SPIKES

Holidays or the Day After

Sales & Promotions Peak Times/Days/ Dates

Peak SeasonsNew Product ReleasesSystem Upgrades

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COMMON UNPREDICTABLE REASON FOR CALL VOLUME SPIKES

Recalls Systems Issues Natural Disasters

Public Relations IssuesUtilities OutagesSupply Chain Disruptions

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?HOW CAN YOU KEEP YOUR CSAT

SCORES HEALTHY AND YOUR NET

PROMOTERS PLENTIFUL WHEN CALL

VOLUME SURGES?

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1STAY FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT METRICS

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Although metrics like AHT are important for controlling costs, these may not be the best type of metrics to focus on when call volumes surge.

What should be the focus?• First call resolution

• Customer effort

• Customer satisfaction

Focusing on these metrics could prevent that same customer from calling back and enduring the frustration of wait times all over again. Being able to lower customer effort while efficiently reaching a resolution is inextricably linked to loyalty.

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“ “What encourages customers to go elsewhere is not a lack of extraordinary service, but an

experience with bad service.”

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2ANSWERS LIE IN YOUR DATA

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Deconstruct prior call volume spikes to make

predictions and better prepare for the future.

• What drove your last spike?

• Will the same circumstances appear again in

the future?

• Can you differentiate predictive historic data

from one-off scenarios to help anticipate future

events?

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? TRUE OR FALSE? “PREVIOUS CALL CENTER EXPERIENCE IS VITAL

FOR AGENTS WHO WILL BE DEALING WITH FREQUENT CALL SPIKES.”

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FALSE:

Previous experience on programs where a queue is something to be loathed and feared can deter agents from success on teams like roadside assistance with frequent extreme spikes.

In our experience, the most successful agents were those who were used to high volume/high stress scenarios – people with experience in retail (seasonal peaks/sales spikes) and food service (daily pre-theatre rushes/last call/seasonal demands) were among the most successful. You want people on your team who can stay calm, cool, and positive when call volume hits 200%+ over forecast with no notice.

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3EXPECT THE BEST. PLAN FOR THE WORST.

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Focus on staffing agents with the right natural aptitudes to deal with the high pressure and unexpected changes in circumstances.

Make sure your contact center team or outsourced partner collaborates with you on “what-if” preparation scenarios for unexpected call volume.

o Blue Ocean’s solutions for programs with frequent extreme, unpredicted spike include cross-training; leveraging flexible scheduling; and maximizing technology (from virtual queueing for customers to utilizing group texting to bring in team members for extra hours) when the floodgates open.

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““When call volumes go through the roof, your approach to communication is critical.”

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4COMMUNICATE TO YOUR TEAM CLEARLY, OFTEN, AND REALISTICALLY.

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STRESS IS EXACERBATED WHEN EXPECTATION AND REALITY DON’T MATCH.

Don’t sugarcoat the situation:

Saying things like: “We’re almost there! Things are going to ease up soon!” sound helpful and encouraging, but can be damaging to morale if they are not accurate.

Do be realistic:

Saying something like “Volume is not going to slow down for at least two hours, I know we can do this.” can redirect focus on the goal instead of the clock.

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Don’t withhold information:

If there is an absence of information in a stressful situation, you can bet the gap will be filled with speculation or rumor. Keeping the team in the loop is a good investment of your time, even when things are hitting the metaphorical fan.

Do ramp up frequency of communication:

Make sure relevant information is shared quickly and effectively. For example, if you normally do a pre-shift huddle maybe add a mid-shift update as well.

19““Frequent, clear and honest communication with agents around call volumes helps agents to stay mentally

prepared and creates trust.”

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Even with all of the data, smart leaders, and capable contact center agents, call volume spikes can be costly to your customer experience. Often, the easiest solution is to leave these challenges in the hands of an outsourced contact center.

Blue Ocean is experienced at maintaining service expectations when call volume spikes go beyond the norm. If you want to keep spikes in calls from sinking your customer loyalty, contact us today.