Inbound calls are one of the most powerful tools businesses have to enhance customer experience, increase brand loyalty, and generate additional revenue. Yet, far too many businesses underestimate the power of such calls. If you’re worried that your business is not maximizing its inbound call strategy, here are some ideas for ways to enhance your inbound calling in 2023:
1. Prioritize First-Call Resolution
First-call resolution (FCR) reigns supreme with inbound calls, which refers to the ability to resolve a customer’s question or issue during the initial contact and thus reducing the need for subsequent calls in the future on the same issue. By prioritizing FCR, you can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty while reducing operational costs.
To achieve high FCR rates, you should ensure your team has the resources and training needed to effectively handle a wide array of customer issues. Using customer relationship management (CRM) systems can help your agents access customer data quickly to help them resolve issues even more effectively.
2. Leverage AI and Automation
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation have come a long way in recent years, revolutionizing inbound call center solutions. By leveraging AI, you can free up your human agents to handle the more complex issues that require a personal touch.
In particular, virtual assistants powered by AI can do the following:
- Handle repetitive tasks
- Route calls to the right departments
- Provide quick solutions for common queries
Furthermore, you can use AI to analyze call data to provide insights into analytics such as call trends, agent performance, and customer satisfaction, each of which can help you continually refine your strategy call plans.
3. Refine Your Inbound Sales Techniques
Inbound calls aren’t just about resolving issues — they also provide great sales opportunities! You can further enhance your revenue growth by training your team to identify upselling or cross-selling opportunities during inbound calls.
Of course, that doesn’t mean your team should be aggressively pushing sales on customers; instead, by understanding customer needs, your team can suggest products or services during inbound calls, meaning you can add value to your customers’ lives while increasing your bottom line as well.
For example, if a customer calls in to upgrade their phone, the agent could suggest a protective phone case or an extended warranty for purchase. The goal here is to enhance the customer’s perception of value instead of just making the initial sale.
4. Invest in Regular Training and Development
Inbound call center services frequently go beyond answering incoming calls. Your inbound call agents need to be empathetic, active listeners, effective communicators, and innovative problem-solvers, and to achieve that, you should regularly invest in training and development programs that equip your team with these skills and keep them updated on new policies or product changes.
These training programs should also cover the following:
- Handling difficult customers or objections
- Managing stress
- Maintaining a positive attitude and remaining calm during periods of overwhelming volume or a “busy season”
Remember, your inbound call agents are the face of your brand when receiving incoming customer calls, so their performance will significantly impact customers’ perception of your brand.
5. Implement Quality Assurance Process
Quality assurance is a critical component of an effective inbound call strategy. You can implement a robust quality assurance process by regularly monitoring and evaluating calls to help identify areas of improvement while ensuring compliance with industry standards.
However, quality assurance processes should not be punitive, and your agents shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes. Instead, the processes should focus on constructive feedback and agent improvement. Quality assurance is an opportunity for your agents to increase their skill sets and become more well-rounded professionals.
Incorporating agent feedback during process changes can help them better accept and implement new systems. Ensure that the “why” behind your decision-making and any new systems they need to adopt are fully understood.
The Goal of Inbound Call Strategy
The primary goal of your inbound call strategy should be to enhance the customer experience. Whether that is done through simple inquiries or complex issues, each and every incoming call is an opportunity to strengthen your company’s relationship with your customers.
To that end, these five methods can help you significantly level up your inbound call strategy in 2023:
- Prioritizing first-call resolution
- Leveraging AI
- Refining inbound sales techniques
- Investing in regular training and development
- Implementing quality assurance
Regularly revisit and refine your strategy based on key performance indicators (KPIs), customer feedback, and changing business needs as your industry evolves. Using all the tools and suggestions outlined here, your inbound call strategy will remain effective and relevant no matter the year, allowing your business to continue growing and satisfying its customers.