Sorry for the provocative title, but it got your attention – that’s the point of this post. 

In the blog world, you convey your message in WRITING.  The better you write, the better your message is conveyed.  In a Call Center, your message is SPOKEN.  The better you speak, the more successful you are.

What You Say and How You Say It

This is the core of successful Call Centers and it’s equals part process and personality.  Call Center Training focuses on two things: a clear, compelling MESSAGE and an effective DELIVERY. 

Typically, Call Center Management creates the message.  With a good script and an easy to follow screen flow, the message can almost sound like a conversation.

The second part, the delivery,  is owned by the Call Center Agent, and it is more important than the message.   An Agent’s personality and professionalism determines the success or failure of a project or campaign.

Fake It Till You Make It

When I worked as a Call Center Agent I was in High School.  The job was selling newspapers, in a very stripped down office.  There was a  typed out script,  marked up call list, rotary phone (dating myself again) and a stack of order forms.

Training wasn’t much more than managers walking up and down the aisles listening, and encouraging.

The successful agents kept their head down, and had a pleasant conversational style.  Even then, aggressive agents didn’t last long.  Their message was tuned out.

The delivery take time, practice and patience to master.  It doesn’t matter if you are an inbound or outbound agent – knowing your pitch and the facts to back it up is the key.

And if you arent sure – that’s where you reply on your tone.  Sounding comfortable in any dialogue is key.  Learning to convey that comfort – even when you’re not is a trait of successful agents.