Advanced call center solutions offer different advanced features to amplify call centers. Sticky agent is one of the advanced features available in smart call center software or any advanced call center solution.
What Is Sticky Agent?
It is one of the automated call routing features available in the call center software, which offers advanced features. It routes a call of the caller/customer to the agent, he spoke with last time. It means every time a caller calls in, he gets connected with the same agent.
The major advantage of using this feature of a call centre solution is caller does not need to reiterate the same issue or question if he is calling multiple times for the same issue or an open issue. This serves in increasing customer delight and quick resolution for the customer or caller.
Usually, the sticky agent feature is used in customer support campaigns to build a stronger bond with the customer and deliver exceptional customer service.
Type of Sticky Agent
Some call center solutions offer a single feature, which will follow any of the below-mentioned working models aka types. Smart call center software or advanced software lets you configure the option of which type of sticky agent call routing feature you want to use in a particular campaign.
Type 1: Loosely bind Sticky Agent:
It always routes call to the same designated agent for that customer/caller. However, if the agent fails to attend the call for any reason, it gets routed to any other agent.
Type 2: Strictly Bind Sticky Agent:
As the name suggests, it is strict with the rule it needs to follow. It always tries to connect the caller/customer with the same agent. If due to any reason, the agent could not answer that call, the call either gets back to the call queue, or gets disconnected ask dropped by the system depending on the logic built into the call center solution.
If used wisely, the sticky agent feature can really raise the bar of performance, service, and customer experience. However, if you fail to take advantage of its power, you can fail miserably. In most of the cases, you get excellent results if you have skilled agents.
Sticky Agent Top Benefits:
1. Reduced wait time in the queue
Nothing can be more annoying to the caller than staying in the call queue by keeping the phone on hold and waiting to get connected with an agent. Each agent will have some predefined customers to be handled. Thus, each agent knows each customer well and resolves their issues faster. This reduced average call duration and frees up the queue faster. Thus, clients will not wait for too long in the queue.
2. Save time
By saving time, customers can go happy with the resolution and agents can perform more productively. Thus, saving time is really important in a call center. It also improves many other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
When a call center uses a sticky agent feature, a customer gets connected with the same agent every time he calls. It saves time of the customer as he does not need to explain the whole issue from scratch. It will not only waste time, but it will also increase frustration after a certain point. On the other hand, as the agent already knows the customer and his issue, he will not need to look for the solution by keeping the customer on the hold. Within minimum time and often in the first call, the agent can give the resolution and close the issue.
3. Increased First Call Resolution
Customers expect to get attended quicker and without any additional efforts get the resolution for their queries and concerns. Customers are impatient and ready to switch to your competitor as they know they have multiple choices other than you. Thus, it becomes inevitable to deliver better than before customer experience.
The sticky agent feature can help to achieve this as it can improve the first call resolution. The agent knows the customer he attends very well and thus, often, resolves issues within the first call. It not only delights clients, but also improves the performance of the call center.
4. Resolution is received faster
A customer care center every day receives many calls and it has the responsibility of handling them. If there is no precise policy to handle all the calls and deliver the expected resolution, the call center may not sustain for too long. A sticky agent feature removes all these roadblocks. It connects the customer to the agent who knows the case of the customer and common issues he often faces. Thus, the agent can resolve the customer’s issue faster.
5. Better customer case management
In a generic scenario, when a call center uses any random auto-routing feature of a call center solution, a customer having a concern gets connected to a random agent. If that agent fails to give a resolution for any reason, the customer call needs to be transferred from one agent to another. Each one takes time to find the resolution and knowing the issue from scratch. This will agitate and in some cases, infuriate the customer.
The sticky agent assists in composing an efficient and better call flow by instantly routing the caller to the designated agent who knows the customer care and solution as well. The customer senses being regarded and experiences better service.
6. Advantages of delighted customers
Clients can be your brand advocates or brand destroyer depending on the treatment you give them. If your customer is happy with your service, he is more likely to spread positivity about your brand with at least word of mouth. However, if he gets angry the way you treat him, he is more likely to spread negative comments about you on different reviews, ratings, and social media platforms.
Sticky Agent Top Disadvantages:
1. Increased Call Drops:
If you use strictly bind sticky agent rule, it can be very tricky and needs extra arrangements else it can increase call drops. For example, if every time a customer calls in and the designated agent is busy, then it will result in call disconnection or a long wait in a call queue.
Solution:
Use below-mentioned two features in addition to the sticky agent:
- Callback functionality and
- Voicemail
Do not forget to take the required action to delight customers after getting a voicemail message or callback request.
2. Increased Frustration If Defined Agent Is Not Right
Sticky agent feature in both types tries to connect the caller with the same agent. If the first agent who attended the call for the first time does not hold the required skills to resolve issues of that customer, every time the customer needs to deal with the same agent who cannot resolve the issue. This will work upside down and can make the customer extremely furious for the bad experience.
Solution:
- Use some mechanism to connect the customer to the right agent.
- Add ratings IVR at the end of the menu, so the customer can share how happy or dissatisfied he is with the solution given to him.
Tips to Use Sticky Agent:
- First-time callers need to be routed according to the skill-based call routing feature available in the call center solutions.
- In customer care campaigns, loosely bind sticky agent feature should be employed.
- In business development, marketing, and lead nurturing campaigns, usually found in businesses that use call center software for customer care, tightly bind sticky agent feature needs to be used.
- Keep monitoring the KPIs in the reports to assure expected returns and performance.
Conclusion
Sticky agent, indeed, is an amazing feature to empower call centers, so they can deliver an augmented customer experience and boost performance. Using it in the call center can definitely bring in better returns.
Make sure to buy a call center software with this feature.
