The job of a call agent has transformed entirely after the COVID-19 outbreak. The calls that once came before the COVID-19 outbreak were not as emotionally charged as they are now. The virus outbreak has worn people’s patience thin, and customers now call because they want personalized answers to their issues.

Every encounter customers have with the agent is motivated only by what they want from it. For example, the urgency of their request, emotional condition, and prior experiences also contribute to customer experience.

COVID-19 has had an impact on customer service in two ways. One would be from the standpoint of an agent who has to interact with customers daily, and the other would be from the perspective of the customer—how things have changed for them and why they need to be handled properly before it becomes a problem for an organization.

Contact Center Agent’s Role
An agent’s role is to incorporate some soft skills on a day-to-day basis when handling customer complaints and queries. Soft qualities like empathy, understanding, and listening skills have always been crucial, but so have critical thinking abilities and solving problems quickly.

In an age that has flipped the world upside down, an agent should be focused on what they can do for the customer, looking for a personalized solution.

In these trying times, even minor encounters can influence a customer’s mood or motive with which they called. Therefore, the agents can make the experience better by being in control of where the conversation is going when handling a customer.

Taking Care of Customer Needs During Crisis
How businesses handle their customers during times of crisis serves as a moment of truth for consumers. It is not news that customers are incredibly irritated due to quarantines, the closing of public places, entertainment areas, and the ambiguity induced by a volatile economy.

If businesses can demonstrate that they understand and sympathize with their customers by providing high-quality solutions and services, their customers will respond with loyalty and brand evangelism.

The pandemic has not been easy for anyone; people have lost lives, struggled financially, sold homes, lost jobs, etc.; in a time like this, customers call up call agents looking for answers to specific problems. It’s the agent’s job to lead the conversation smoothly without upsetting the customer.

Certain interactions may leave the customer frustrated, and to deal with that, your company must be prepared to offer a winning solution that may tip the scales in your favor, or else you will lose your clients to your competition.

The Takeaway!
There is a great deal of difference with the change in dynamics of how things used to work versus how they are now. However, this gap can easily be bridged if call center agents are well-trained and know how to handle customers who need immediate answers to their problems associated with a particular service.

All of this can be done without harming the overall customer experience that consumers derive from getting their issues resolved.