Customer retention seems to have acquired a different meaning in the call center field where it’s generally defined as any activity that a company undertakes to keep customers from leaving.
In firms that deliver inbound call center solutions in top outsourcing hubs like the Philippines, retention activities can be as specific as talking customers out of canceling a service. However, the job is not as easy as it sounds.
The customer retention team must observe certain practices to successfully make a brand supporter stay. Otherwise, the effort might result in the opposite of its intention.
Here are some customer retention tips that your outsourced call center agents can apply:
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Direct cancellations to voice channels
Agents are only given the opportunity to make someone stay as a customer if they are able to speak with the person who intends to cancel his service. If the request to unsubscribe is sent to non-voice channels like email, the decision to leave becomes final to the customer, whereas in a live call, your representative is there to make customers change their mind.
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Use the right offer for every case
Every customer has a different reason for unsubscribing from your service or cancelling their orders, and each reason calls for the right approach. If the customers find your prices too steep, offer an alternative that they might afford. If they’re not satisfied with your services, ask what you can improve on and promise to work on it. And if they’re switching brands, mention your edge over the competitor and match the other company s offerings.
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Confirm to the customer what they could be letting go
Your agents should use lines that prompt the customers to rethink their decision to stop doing business with you. Something along this line could work: “Are you sure you want to unsubscribe? If you cancel this service, you lose your access to monthly discounts and special privileges to XYZ that only our company can offer.”
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Conduct an “exit survey”
It’s mandatory to ask the customers why they want to leave, but the questions should draw out specific answers that you could use to avoid losing more customers in the future and improve the service as well.
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Say thank you
Even if it might be the last time that your customer will call your company, your customer retention agent must maintain courtesy and keep the customer’s experience pleasant. This would leave a positive impression towards your company so that the leaving customer wouldn’t have reasons to bash your brand after.
There are so many things that your customer retention team can do, say, or offer to keep your consumer base intact, but other than knowing the approach to use, your agents should learn when to stop and let go. They shouldn’t be too pushy and desperate to kill off cancelations. If there’s nothing more that could change the customers’ minds, you should respect their decision to leave.
Customer retention is more sustainable when brands outsource their call center and back office needs to a BPO that knows how to put these best practices into good use. Trust Open Access BPO multilingual agents in helping you improve not only your retention rate but also your customer satisfaction. Get in touch with us to find the best solution for your customers.