Customer service gets a bad rap in some quarters, and for a number of reasons. It’s not that people don’t care about customer service, but that there isn’t enough investment in the jobs and workers themselves to provide the kind of service that is being demanded. These challenges lead to persistently high turnover, which only makes the problem seem more intractable.
For a comparison, consider that the average turnover rate in the U.S. hovered under four percent in 2023. While these figures were produced separately by different groups, they show how uniquely hard it is to keep workers in these types of positions. Depending on your organization, you could be facing a combination of factors:
- Lack of training
- Unpleasant callers
- Low morale
- Inadequate pay
- Insufficient support for workers
The cost of replacing employees is another incentive to nip high turnover in the bud. According to Forbes, it costs some $15,000 to replace just one lost employee. So, how do you go about solving your high turnover rate in customer service? The data is out there, but you also need to look within.
Get to the Root of Your Customer Support Problems
One thing is clear: denial will not resolve the problem. The issue is so prevalent that a National Customer Rage Survey was conducted last year. Not only did most people surveyed report disappointing experiences with companies, but they also admitted to feeling “rage about the experience” and taking it out on customer service reps taking their calls. Meanwhile, customer frustration stems from various issues ranging from lost time and money to a growing tendency to complain about problems.
A good first step for any organization affected by this trend is to dig in and find out what is contributing to issues on their end and fix the problems that they can. This will require examining your processes, as well as how they impact your workers, and perhaps outsourcing gaps in your system to better-performing call center services off-site.
Train Call Center Agents to Handle Difficult Interactions
It goes without saying, being a customer service rep in any industry is a tough gig. The typical caller at a hospital could be a patient who needs to reschedule an important medical procedure. There are countless reasons a caller may be concerned, and the agent is the person who has to address their needs on the other end of the line. It’s a lot to put at the feet of customer service reps and call center agents. They need ongoing support as well as the ability to provide informed responses to be able to do their jobs efficiently.
Don’t Rely Too Heavily on Automation. Hire Outside Experts Instead.
If your in-house customer support is insufficient or overburdened, that will lead to long wait times, a big source of frustration among consumers. These days, too many automated prompts can slow calls down, a practice that will only grow as businesses automate more aspects of their communication needs. Want an easier solution? A remote service such as Lighthouse Enterprises can handle your overflow calls at any time of day or night, removing one of the biggest consequences of long wait times – lost customers.
Customers want to hear a real person’s voice and to believe a human being is involved in solving their problem. Technology has done a lot to improve communication outcomes at businesses. But it can’t take over the entire role of a call center agent. Instead, focus on skill sets that can be developed. Not all of the solutions need to take place in house. That is why more businesses are finding that they can save money by hiring outsiders who combine customer service expertise with low turnover rates.
Use Lighthouse Enterprises Call Center Agents Who Love What They Do
At Lighthouse Enterprises, our agents are passionate about what they do. Because we provide the training and ongoing support they need, our turnover is consistently a fraction of the industry average. Agents receive ongoing education to ensure they are able to address each call that comes in on the spot, without having to send them somewhere else. This level of care is what makes us great – and why we retain such dedicated and effective agents.
Want to resolve your customer service turnover in the most efficient way possible? Reach out to Lighthouse Enterprises for a free consultation today.
