Answering inbound calls is part of being a business owner, but it can sometimes take over your whole day.
When the phone rings nonstop, you might find that other tasks remain incomplete. To maintain balance, you need to provide great customer service while keeping operations running smoothly.
High call volume can indicate your organization is in a busy season or experiencing growth. Receiving an influx of calls can be great for business, but only if you can manage the volume correctly.
Below, let’s review the impact of high call volume and discuss tips for handling these peaks.
What does high call volume mean?
Your business regularly receives inbound calls, but it exceeds the average rate. Usually, a 10 percent rise in calls within a specific time frame signifies a high call volume.
Before addressing high call volumes, however, you must be able to recognize when you’re experiencing an influx of calls. By identifying instances and better understanding the impact, you can implement processes for improvement.
Signs of high call volume
When you can recognize the signs of high call volume early on, you can intervene and make necessary adjustments. Indicators include:
- Increased wait times,
- Higher rate of abandoned calls,
- Stress on your customer service representatives, and
- Lower call satisfaction rates.
Impact on customer experience
An increase in call volume can create a poor customer experience. The inability to promptly reach a customer service representative and resolve issues quickly can lead to dissatisfaction. As frustration mounts with increased wait times, your customer’s loyalty dwindles.
Increased customer dissatisfaction can also lead to negative online reviews about your business. The feedback provided by your customers can alter the perception of your brand and deter new clients.
A satisfied customer is invaluable. By effectively handling high call volumes, you can save the customer experience and your brand’s reputation.
Business implications
Failing to manage high call volume impacts more than just your customers. Your business can also suffer.
Without the necessary support, a call surge can overwhelm your staff. The increased workload results in poor customer service, mistakes, and employee dissatisfaction. If the problems persist, you may see more turnover, leaving you short-staffed.
And when you have fewer staff, the impact only amplifies. You’re left with too much work and not enough staff.
Your operations and bottom line can take a big hit when you fail to manage the issue at hand. Investing in resources such as additional staff can reflect an invaluable investment. You may also see more operational inefficiencies, which can increase the cost per call and cause financial strain.
A call surge can quickly impact customer service and have direct financial implications. When customers cannot reach your business, you lose revenue opportunities. Those lost opportunities aren’t limited to immediate ones. Customers who feel neglected can be driven to the competition, leading to long-term revenue loss.
What causes high call volume?
There are several reasons why a business can experience a call surge.
Seasonal peaks
Certain seasons may be busier depending on your business type. For some businesses, the seasonality of call volume may be easier to spot than others. For example, an HVAC business may see call volume increases in warmer or colder seasons.
Product launches or marketing campaigns
Your call volume will likely be higher if your business is launching a new product or in the middle of an ad campaign. Tracking these events and staffing accordingly will improve the customer experience.
Issues with online channels
Customers may need help with your online tools, which can increase calls. For example, a technical glitch on your website or a lack of information online may drive customers to connect via telephone.
Inadequate self-service options
The less customers can do themselves, the more they will need to contact you for support. A lack of self-service options like an FAQ section or product guides will increase your call volume.
Service outages or issues
Customers will look for answers when a problem arises with your product or service. These call spikes can be unexpected, whether customers are calling to report a concern, seek information, or express frustration. You’ll need to manage this call influx effectively while providing timely support.
Preparing your business for peak traffic is the best way to navigate call spikes. Although some situations are unexpected, the majority are within your control to improve upon.
Is high call volume good or bad?
High call volume can be both good and bad for business. Which one depends on why the calls spike and how your team responds.
Positive impact of high call volume
An increase in calls is an excellent opportunity for your team to take advantage of. The benefits of high call volume include:
Increased engagement
Engaging with your customer base is integral to small business success. A higher call volume may indicate a strong interest in your offerings. It also provides an opportunity to engage with customers and foster stronger connections.
Opportunity for sales
When customers or potential customers contact you, you have direct access to sell your products or services. These one-on-one interactions can result in a revenue increase that may not have occurred otherwise.
Customer support
A high call volume may be due to customers seeking assistance from your team. This opportunity to address customer concerns directly can positively impact your business. When you provide the answers your customers need, their overall satisfaction with your brand increases.
Market interest
A call spike can also signify a positive market response. Your products and services may garner more interest from the public, which could result in potential business growth.
Reflecting on the positive aspects of additional calls helps you see the opportunities available. One of the best ways to manage customer calls is to utilize incoming calls to your advantage.
Negative impact of high call volume
While increased calls have many benefits, there are also significant issues. With too many calls comes:
Overwhelmed resources
You can strain your resources if your team is unprepared for high call volumes. Longer customer wait times can result in abandoned calls, frustration, and potential dissatisfaction.
Operational challenges
Your business’s technological infrastructure may need help to accommodate a call surge. Dropped calls and issues with call queues can exacerbate the impact of high call volume.
Potential for errors
As the volume of calls increases, so does the potential for errors. Your staff’s increased workload can result in mistakes or oversights that affect your customer service. These errors have a ripple effect that could potentially harm your brand’s place in the market.
Short-staffed and employee burnout
When the phone keeps ringing, it can significantly stress your staff. Constant calls and complex customer issues can lead to low morale, burnout, and resignations.
Expert strategies for handling high call volume
By making the right changes in your business, you can mitigate the threat of extra calls and increase your likelihood of customer success.
Below, AnswerConnect’s Head of Customer Experience, Robert Phillips, shares his eight top tips for managing high call volume. These strategies help small businesses navigate call overflow while avoiding employee burnout.
1. Optimize staffing levels
The number of staff required to answer calls will vary depending on your business needs and the season. However, you should forecast call volume before making any changes to your scheduling.
Historical data, active marketing campaigns, and seasonality can help you better predict a call surge. When you accurately anticipate peak traffic, you can confidently staff your small business throughout the year.
Once you’ve mapped out your call volume peaks, you can review your schedule and make necessary adjustments. Use staggered shifts, part-time positions, and outsourced workers to create an optimal schedule for your team.
You can also integrate a phone answering service to round out your staffing strategy. 24/7 support improves the customer experience by enhancing staffing levels and reducing employee burnout.
With your staffing strategy in place, you can begin monitoring your plan’s success. Key performance metrics, such as call wait times, give you invaluable insight into your team’s performance.
When you analyze your call data, you can learn how to adjust your scheduling best to maintain service quality and efficiency.
2. Provide self-service options
You can avoid many calls with proper self-service options in place. These types of customer resources don’t always need to be complex solutions. The aim is to divert unnecessary calls with self-service solutions so your team can spend time elsewhere. Options for self-service include:
- FAQ section or knowledge base: Use a source to address as many of your customer’s questions as possible. If they can find an answer online, especially to a common question, they’ll be less likely to reach out. Empower your customers to troubleshoot issues by providing organized information and updating FAQ sections regularly.
- Online forums: Creating an online community with a forum or discussion board can encourage sharing experiences and advice. Have someone from your team monitor the board to provide additional support and ensure everyone follows guidelines. Active participation in this community can strengthen customer relationships and reduce the burden on your team.
- Videos and how-to guides: If your business offers a product, you can provide video tutorials and information guides on your website. This allows customers to tackle common issues independently.
When you implement self-service options, your customers can find answers without requiring input from your team. Self-service options can drastically reduce the pressure on your employees.
3. Monitor call metrics
Your call metrics can provide valuable insights into your team’s performance. By leveraging available data, you can modify your strategy and address areas of improvement. Metrics to consider include:
- Average wait times: Tracking the average time your customers wait in queue helps you gauge inefficiency in call handling. A high average wait time may indicate you need more staff, while a low wait time may indicate underutilized resources. Monitoring average wait time data can also shed light on peak call times.
- Average handling time: The average handling time is the length of time your team takes to resolve a customer’s issue, starting when they answer the call. If the average handling time is high, there may be issues with your customer service training or policies and procedures.
- Abandonment rate: If you place a call on hold, the customer may hang up before they reach anyone. In fact, 64% of callers hang up if they cannot speak to a person within five minutes of calling a business.
- If your abandonment rate increases, there’s likely a bottleneck somewhere in your call process. Delays for your customers spark frustration and can impact revenue opportunities.
- Call volume patterns: Your business is constantly changing. You need to monitor trends and make proactive decisions to anticipate a higher-than-normal call volume. This information allows you to allocate resources effectively and strategically manage peak periods.
Tracking call metrics gives you the information needed to improve productivity and enhance customer service. Staying on top of this data keeps you one step ahead when managing call volume.
4. Streamline processes for customer calls
A more efficient and productive team will better handle high call volumes. Improving workflows will also make it easier for staff to address common issues and escalate priority calls.
One way your small business can reduce the average call handling time is by providing clear call resolution procedures. Step-by-step instructions on addressing common issues make it easier for staff to resolve problems quickly. These procedures also create consistency among your staff regarding their level of customer service.
A culture of ongoing process improvement benefits your overall business, especially customer service. Your staff will feel comfortable sharing their opinions on improving the call experience, providing you with tactical ideas to implement best practices.
5. Offer call-back solutions
Leaving a customer on hold can lead to frustration and a poor customer service experience.
Implementing callbacks allows customers to have a representative call them later when they’re available rather than wait on hold. The convenient solution offers flexibility to customers and reduces your abandonment rate.
Another benefit of a call-back solution is the ability to personalize the experience. A business representative can take the time to investigate a customer’s information and use available data to tailor the experience.
While a call-back solution can improve satisfaction, it provides a similar experience to reaching voicemail. It also doesn’t give customers a timely response to their inquiries. A better option may be live call answering, where a virtual receptionist can manage overflow calls.
6. Use call routing and IVR systems
Efficient call routing is another strategy for handling high call volume. You can improve customer satisfaction by directing incoming calls to the appropriate staff member. Instead of being passed around, customers can reach the right person the first time.
To implement call routing successfully, you need to be clear about the knowledge and skills of each staff member. Awareness of what issues everyone can address improves the call routing process.
Interactive voice response (IVR) systems can also help address a call surge. These systems complement call routing and can effectively direct calls.
You should also consider integrating self-service options. Through this implementation, you allow customers to select an option and receive pre-recorded information about routine inquiries.
7. Provide ongoing staff training
Ongoing training helps prepare your staff for an influx of customer calls. Customer service training or product launch sessions can help your staff better navigate caller inquiries. The additional training may also help staff feel more confident in their abilities even amidst higher call volumes.
Cross-training is another way to optimize your team during high call volume. It gives your team the knowledge and skills to handle various requests, giving you the flexibility you need. Spreading the workload across the team also helps with staff overwhelm and can improve morale.
Cross-training is especially important if you have a small team. This method helps you function optimally and retain your staff.
8. Solicit feedback from customers
While metrics are one data source, your customers offer additional insights. Surveying your customers provides your business with valuable information for improvement. By asking the right questions, you can reveal customer pain points and make changes that are more likely to be successful. When gathering customer feedback:
- Offer different feedback channels: To ensure customers can easily share their experiences, you want to gather feedback in multiple ways. Collect feedback via post-call surveys, email, and your website during high-call volume periods.
- Time your feedback requests appropriately: You get more accurate information when you request feedback at the right time. Survey your customers immediately after their call for the best comments and criticism.
- Ask open-ended questions: Simply asking yes and no questions will not provide the best answers. You want your customers to offer insights you wouldn’t have thought otherwise. Open-ended questions make it easier for them to expand on their experience.
Conclusion: Navigating future high call volumes
You must be able to handle high call volume effectively to deliver exceptional customer service in today’s fast-paced business environment.
When you understand the impact of high call volume on your customers and businesses, you can implement proactive measures. By implementing these strategies, your business can effectively handle high call volumes and pave the way for long-term success.
To improve your call operations further, connect with us today to see how our solutions can help!
