First contact call center templates
Templates for effective communication during the first contact in call centers. Includes opening phrases, handling customer issues, and creating problem reports.
Conversations over the phone are still an important contact channel for both companies and their customers. It’s true that other means of communication like messaging apps, live chats, or chatbots are becoming increasingly popular, but a good, old phone call is still a form of communication that many customers will choose to get in touch with one of your company’s representatives.
This study proved that 69% of customers prefer phone support over chat or “other” support channels. And even though another study indicated that 71% of respondents believe live chat will become more popular than emails and phones by 2021, call centers are still a building block for customer service and customer support.
LiveAgent combines excellent live chat, ticketing and automation that allow us to provide exceptional support to our customers.
We have created a set of first-contact templates for call centers. When a customer reaches out to your contact call center for the first time, these templates will help you provide your customers with the best possible experience over the phone. Feel free to copy them and use them word for word, or modify them according to your needs and leverage them in a different format.
First contact call center templates
First contact template 1
Hello! My name is [name], I’m a [agent’s position], from [name of team/department/company]. How can I help you today?
[Customer greeting]
If the customer reports an issue or a problem:
I’m really sorry to hear that. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. Could you give me some more details so that I can help you more effectively?
[Customer agrees].
Perfect, please be so kind as to answer the following questions. Sorry for bothering you, but I really need to know a little more in order to help you. [A list of a few questions that will help the agent support the customer better].
[Customer answers questions].
Great, thank you! I’ve noted everything down, thank you for your patience. It seems that we are able to resolve this issue right away. Do you have two more minutes to stay on the line with me so that we can find a solution to your problem together?
[Customer agrees]
[Agent continues the conversation and aims to resolve the problem in a few minutes].
First contact template 2
Hi there! It’s [name] from [company/team/department] speaking. How are you doing today?
[Customer greeting]
If the customer reports an issue or a problem:
Oh, I’m really sorry that you’ve experienced such issues with our [product/service]. Please give me your full name and [order number/account login/customer number] so that I can find your information in our system and start dealing with that issue.
[Customer provides details]
Okay, I’ve logged in to our system, and I can see that [describe the current status of an order/possible product flaw/potential cause of an issue with a service]. Is that right?
[Customer confirms or declines].
Thank you for this information. It seems that we won’t be able to solve this issue during our conversation, so I’ve just created a problem report and our system will assign a unique number to your issue. Is that okay?
[Customer confirms]
In the next few minutes, you’ll receive an email confirmation with your ticket number. You can check the status of your request by clicking on the link included in the email. It may take us up to [1/2/5…] days to resolve your issue. We will contact you via [phone/email/messaging app] to inform you once the problem has been addressed. Would that work for you?
[If the customer confirms] Thank you for getting in touch with us. We’ll do our best to resolve this issue as fast as possible.
[If the customer declines] If this doesn’t work for you, please tell me what would be the best outcome for you or how long are you willing to wait for us to deal with the problem.
[Conversation continues until the agent finds the most satisfactory solution].
First contact template 3
Good morning/Good afternoon/Morning! You have reached [company]’s [department/team name] contact center. I’m happy to assist you today. Please tell me your issue.
[Customer greeting]
If the customer reports an issue or a problem:
I can only imagine how frustrating [the situation described by the customer] must be for you. I promise I’ll do my best to find the right solution for you as quickly as possible. What’s your name?
[The customer says their name].
[Customer’s name], please describe your problem thoroughly by answering a few questions. This information will be really helpful [list of questions].
Okay, [customer’s name]. It seems that I need to involve our tech team to help you with the [issue/problem/technical flaw]. Usually, it takes up to [3/5/7] days to address such problems. Let me create a ticket for our technical support. You can check the status of your report by logging into our dashboard. Do you know how to do that?
[If the customer says “yes”, the agent can continue. If the customer says “no”, the agent should explain how to log in to the dashboard].
So, as I said, our tech team will take care of your request, and you can follow the progress in our dashboard. When this problem is dealt with, we will also send you an email or call you. Which communication channel works better for you?
[Customer chooses the channel]
That’s great. Thank you for reaching out, and let’s stay in touch. Is there anything else I can help you with?
[If the customer says “no”, the agent can finish the conversation. If the customer says “yes”, the agent should talk with them to get more details].
Once again, thank you for contacting us. And remember, if you have any other requests, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Ready to put ou first contact call center templates to use?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to give a customer a definitive answer to their question during the first contact?
Ideally, your agents should attempt to answer customer’s questions right away. However, in reality, agents may find it challenging to resolve every issue on the first try. Remember, each interaction should deliver value and reinforce the idea that your company has the customer’s best interest at heart.
How long should a first contact call take?
It’s not easy to assess how long a first contact call should take. No call center phone conversations should last too long, though.
Are there any phrases that agents should say during the initial conversation?
There are no specific words, but every first conversation should include certain elements. These elements may include greetings, the name, and surname of the agent, the name of the company, and the department or team the agent is a part of. Every first contact conversation should also make the customer feel heard and taken care of. That’s why such conversations should contain friendly words and empathetic statements. If an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is used, it’s a good idea to inform customers how long it will take for them to be connected with an agent. If an issue discussed during the first conversation can’t be resolved right away, the customer should be informed how long it will take for an agent to address the problem. It’s also advisable to let the customer know when they will be contacted about the next steps.
Phone support remains a popular option for customer service. Call centers should use professional and positive language when interacting with customers. They should also provide opening phrases and templates for various situations such as asking for more information, putting a caller on hold, transferring a call, and handling angry callers.
Call center transition checklist
Investing in customer contact software like LiveAgent can improve communication channels, enhance customer satisfaction, and lead to business success. A checklist can ensure a smooth call center transition by understanding company needs, analyzing the current provider, and narrowing down potential options. Testing trial versions or demos is crucial before making a decision and contacting the chosen provider to sign the contract.
Phone calls continue to be a crucial part of customer service – this is why
Phone calls are still preferred by 76% of customers for support. They are effective for urgent matters and complex issues. Not everyone is tech-savvy and phone interactions are personal. Running a well-functioning call center with the right tools is crucial. Implementing a call center software like LiveAgent can enhance customer service capabilities. Make good use of existing channels and focus on friendly and knowledgeable support representatives. Compare LiveAgent's call center price with competitors.
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