Scripts are a call centre staple. They guide agent performance, particularly for new hires who are yet to ramp up to full productivity. They ensure that your many contact centre locations deliver a consistent customer experience. They maintain compliance, preventing agents from saying anything that could be interpreted as a violation of trust or privacy. In fact, the quality of your script is a foundational building block for contact centre excellence.
However, failing to adhere to call scripting best practices can cause a rigid and impersonal CX, one that will leave customers feeling disengaged. To get call scripting right, you need to know exactly what it means, how it works, and what are its potential problem areas.
What is Call Scripting?
You can define call scripting as the practice of formulating a written script that encapsulates the terminology, conversational logic, and conversational flowcharts that an agent needs to follow when talking to a customer, responding to their various queries and reactions. Nowadays, it is possible to use call scripting software to create digital scripts that guide agents in real-time – but the principle remains the same: simulate a customer interaction to inform agents about potential conversational cues, moments of truth, and conclusion points.
- Conversational cues - The script enables agents to look out for cues (which could be articulated expressions or expressive sounds) so that they can pre-empt customer frustration and anticipate interest/opportunities
- Moments of truth - The script will list specific moments of truth or decision-making junctures on the conversational pathway, where agents can choose to go in one direction or the other. Effective call scripting tells agents which direction to take and when
- Conclusion points - The script will prevent agents from going off on a tangent (or letting the customer do so), and bring the conversation to a satisfactory conclusion. If this isn’t possible, the script will also formulate pathways for call transferring, and/or escalation
Call Scripting Tips to Remember
Scripting can be a powerful tool for driving contact centre performance. To fully utilise its potential, make sure that you: