Hi All,

I'm doing research into issues with technical support/customer service. Is there anything that the customer service reps or technical support reps could use to improve their job performance?
Do customers respond better when they receive an automated message or speak to a real person on the phone?

Thanks.

cb,

I can't believe my eyes reading the second half of your question - how does it make you feel when you get an automated message as opposed to a real person on the other end of the phone?

CB, most customers prefer a live person, or at least the option to "easily" get to a live CSR. Regarding your question related to job performance tools, it would help if you could elaborate. Otherwise, the list of resources could go on forever and not be relevant.

Open, your reaction made me laugh. I agree, nothing is going to compare with landing a good person that can get engaged in a situation rather than a lot of coded wonders. Channeling is one thing, expecting to solve is another, and it comes across as arrogance and lack of respect to be lumped in to prescribed handiwork, whether you're spending $10 or $10,000.

To cut a deal of slack to CB, there could be some novelty to that person's sitcheeation; maybe it is a school context, or maybe it is a work context where there is a lot of gains to be made, and they haven't had to encounter things that seem so "basic" when it comes to addressing customer interaction in a multiple contact scene.

I don't consider myself a "real" Call Centre professional or manager, because I don't have the volume and I certainly don't have the "extra fat" to behave like a true call center. You don't get "live" with me, you get attention through call-backs if a voicemail happens, and that's how our business works for the most part.

But even from within that context, I find myself at times questioning the intelligence level of internal people that would expect "live" coverage for the pittance of the budget they have to offer. But I just have to explain to them, imagine your "one person cost" is somebody receiving calls 15 calls an hour and they can only handle 6 elegantly.....What I thought was common sense (and not high-powered call center expertise) was not readily available on the part of the person expecting that live coverage would be available, let alone a guarantee. And I was dealing with a person older than me - but just didn't get it, until I explained it.

Yeah. I would rather see CB ask the question, frankly. :)

CB, I did some speculating about your questions, are you coming back to pursue the topic?