Digital communication methods, such as live chat, website self-service, email, and social media, are quickly gaining popularity. However, 92% of all customer interactions happen over the phone, with 85% of prospects reporting that they are not happy with their experience.
On the other hand, 58% of customers say that customer service influences the brands they engage with. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that your call center representatives are consistent, accurate, and always follow best business practices. And the best way to do this is by developing a call center script.
Characteristics of a Good Call Center Script
No call center scripts are the same. However, there are certain features that define how well-written your script is, such as:
- It is scannable: Your agents should get an idea of how to move forward by quickly glancing through the script. They might not have the time to read each word while on a call. Thus, break your script into different components, such as introduction, opening, questions, closing, etc. Here’s an example of a script that’s scannable, with each of the sections being highlighted.
- Covers various scenarios: Not every call will go as planned. Customers might ask questions that your agents don’t have answers to. And, if that happens, the prospect is likely to get irritated. A well-written contact center script covers various scenarios to help agents meet the needs of prospects in a much effective way.
- Highly detailed: To prepare for the unexpected, you need to anticipate your prospects’ objections and craft appropriate replies for the same. For instance, the below script focuses on multiple scenarios related to why the customer might object to conversion and how to respond to it.
Developing an Effective Call Center Script
Now that you know the characteristics of a well-written call center script let’s look at how to create one.
1. Tailor Your Script Based On the Prospect’s Stage
The worst thing you can do on a call with a prospect is saying something irrelevant to their interests.
For instance, if a buyer is in the awareness stage, they would be more interested in knowing your product’s benefits and not any offers (or discounts) you have for them. If they are in the decision stage, introducing your product over again could turn them off. For example, if a client is interested in buying a new call center software and wanted to know how to get started, you must explain to them how they can set up a call center software and rather than explaining how call center software can revolutionize the customer experience.
Therefore, make sure to formulate the perfect sales script for each stage of the sales funnel. For instance, for prospects in the awareness stage, begin by introducing your product and how it solves their problems. For buyers in the consideration stage, tell them how your product is better than others.
2. Match Your Product’s Benefits to Your Prospect’s Needs
What is your customers’ biggest pain point that your product can solve? It’s essential to convey the benefits (instead of features) to prospects to entice them into converting how it will benefit them.
Let’s consider the previous example of cloud call center software. So here, in this case, we are expected to mention the benefits of software for call centers rather than explaining the features and other stuff. Prospects are more interested in how your product could benefit them.
Create a list of your product’s features and its corresponding benefits and add them to your script
3. Use Past Interactions With Prospects
Many contact centers record calls to identify problems, evaluate performance, and collect relevant information. But, you can also use it to write a script that converts leads.
Analyze the calls which didn’t convert, to identify potential reasons behind it. Note down all the questions prospects asked to better prepare the solutions for similar queries in the future.
4. Make It Easy for the Prospect to Make the Commitment
Even if the buyer agrees to make the purchase, it is essential to eliminate any barriers that might hold them back. For instance, if a prospect decides to try your software, offer them a free trial without credit cards. If the customer is concerned about long-term contracts, give them the flexibility to opt-out any time they want. Identify the last-minute barriers and create responses for them accordingly.
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Conclusion
Call center scripts to help ensure that your agents are on the right track and prevent prospects from getting irritated. They are written with both agents, products, and customers in mind.
Do you follow scripts in your call center? How do you develop an effective contact center script? Let us know in the comments.