Hiring agents is an essential part of growing any business. While so many other factors can contribute to the success, everything begins with your agents and their skillset.
What to look for when hiring agents
1. Speed and accuracy
Agents who can quickly respond to questions and concerns, escalate issues to the manager, and handle things with precision and accuracy, particularly where products are involved, is key. Most customers who call in expect answers quickly and without hesitation, so the more team members you employ who act fast, the better!
2. Self motivated
Those who are confident in themselves and able to jump start their days, handle tasks without any hand-holding, and manage upset customers without needing constant guidance are a great addition to any team. These types of agents often grow to become shift managers and continue to grow within companies, which is beneficial for employee churn and morale.
3. Reliability
Hiring people you can count on is obvious in any industry or business, but with customer service agents, much more comes with the territory than a standard job. Getting to work on time (even early) to prepare for the day and to relieve other agents from their shifts is a huge responsibility. Here are a few key points your agents should always be in the know about when handling calls from customers.
4. Thirst for Knowledge
Your agents should know the product or service they're selling like the back of their hand. Of course this will take time, various trainings, sitting in on demos and trial and error, but the thirst for knowledge is essential. You simply can't teach someone who doesn't want to learn, so positioning your questions throughout the interview process to discover their passion for learning is a great way to find out if that eagerness exists or not.
5. Patience
Perhaps the most important personality trait of all is patience. Agents will field calls throughout the day that are fueled by frustration, anger, and a wide array of other emotions that can be difficult to maneuver professionally. Those who maintain a calm and patient demeanor are typically best suited for a call center agent job because they aren't phased by upset customers; they know their frustrations come from something not working or going wrong, and they aim to find a solution instead of getting upset as well.
