Call Center Agent’s Most Common Grammar Mistake Fixes

You may speak English eight days a week, but does this language love you to the moon and back? Or does the universal language wish and pray that you just let it be?

Although many call center jobs in the Philippines are being offered, career advancement in this sphere goes hand in hand with English proficiency. This does not only delve in adapting the accent of an array of foreign languages supported by the booming BPO industry in Manila and other key cities in the Philippines. Proficiency means years of expertise and being able to solve and resolve consumer concerns – the one and only thrust that separates a good call center from a top notch BPO.

Nowadays, to ace your call center interview and progress in your BPO career, you need to show consistent competency coupled with English fluency both in the oral and written form. One of the call center qualifications to help you be on top is to have highly favorable communication skills, which largely point to politically sound and eternally polished grammar.

To help you up your game and to help you achieve career growth, we give you 15 of the most common grammar mistakes of newbie and experienced call center agents alike and how to fix them.

1. Repeat again

To repeat means to do something again. So if you ever want someone to repeat what he/she has said, do not say “Repeat that again” because it is redundant. You should either say, “Will you repeat that?” or “I beg your pardon” or “Would you mind saying it again?”

2. Irregardless

The word “irregardless” is used by many people that we don’t even notice that it is incorrect. You might have even heard many of your colleagues use this word. However, “irregardless” is nonexistent and is mistakenly used in place of its correct form “regardless.” So if ever you hear a colleague utter the word irregardless, correct him/her about its correct form regardless if he/she will hate you for it.

3. With regards to and In regards to

You may sometimes hear people say “With regards to your query” or “In regards to your question.” However, even though they sound good to the ears, the phrases “with regards to” and “in regards to” are incorrect phrases for the terms “with regard,” “regarding,” and “in regard to.”

4. Stuffs/Evidences/Furnitures/Equipments

This is one of the favorite pet peeves of grammar enthusiasts in the Philippines. These words are already in the collective plural form. Hence, we no longer need to add an “s” to them.

5. Lose versus Loose

“Lose” and “loose” are two entirely different words, but most call center agents interchange them – probably because they sound the same. Once in your life, you may have heard someone say the words, “I don’t want to loose my job.” This is an incorrect usage of the word “loose” because according to Merriam Webster, “loose” means not tightly fastened. On the other hand, “lose” means unable to win or unable to find.

Therefore, the correct term should be “I don’t want to lose my job” and not the other way around.

6. Few and Less

Contrary to popular belief, these two words are not interchangeable. “Less” is used with mass nouns. For example, less water, less sand, less oil, less problems, less rice, etc.

Meanwhile, “few” or “fewer” is used with countable nouns. For example, few people, few cats, few dogs, few bags, few computers, etc.

7. It’s versus Its

This grammar mistake is not discernable when spoken because “it’s” and “its” are homophones, which means that they sound alike. As an experienced call center agent, it is still important to know the difference between the two.

“It’s” is the shortened form of “it is” or “it has.”

For example, “It’s (It is) a good day.”

On the other hand, “its” is used to denote possession. “Its” expresses that a thing owns or possesses something.

For example, “Its recruitment office is open from Mondays through Fridays at 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.”

A good tip here is that if you could substitute “it is” or “it has” to the sentence, then the word you are probably looking for is “it’s.”

8. PIN number

This mistake usually comes up during payday. Many call center agents say PIN number instead of PIN alone. PIN means Personal Identification Number so saying PIN number is redundant. PIN alone will suffice.

So the next time you are taking too long in the ATM queue and your colleague asks you if you have entered your PIN number incorrectly, educate him or her. You know better!

9. You’re versus Your

The misuse of “you’re” and “your” is very common, especially on Facebook. Many people mistakenly use “you’re” when they mean “your” and vice versa. So when do we exactly use “you’re” and “your?”

We use “you’re” when we mean you are or you were. For example, “You’re (You are) a promising colleague.” On the other hand, we use “your” to indicate possession.

For example, “Your handbag looks expensive.”

A lot of people make this mistake probably because they do not proofread their posts on Facebook. So before hitting that “post status” button, make sure first that you are correctly using these two words.

10. Their versus They’re versus There

This is another common grammar error of not only call center agents but also by most people.

“There” means in that place.

Example:

I will immediately take in calls once I get there.

“They’re” is the contraction of the words “They are.”

Example: They’re the top agents this month.

“Their,” on the other hand, denotes possession. It signifies that something belongs to a group of people/animals.

Example: “Their” clients have commended them for their excellent service.

11. To versus Too versus Two

These homophones may look simple enough, but most call center agents incorrectly use these terms.

To, too, and two are distinct words with different meanings.

“To” can be used as a preposition. For example, “She went to Boracay during her vacation leave.”

Meanwhile, “too” means “also” or “in excess.” For example, “He was hailed the top-performing call center agent for this month, too.”

“Two,” on the other hand, simply means the number two. For example, “In total, he has received two awards.”

12. Literally

According to Boston.com, “literally” is the most misused word today. Many people seem to add the word “literally” all of the time to their sentences without even knowing that they are using it incorrectly. “Literally” means “in a literal or strict sense.”

Here are some examples where “literally” is incorrectly used:

“I literally died laughing there.” (Do not use literally here not unless you really died laughing.)

“She literally blew my mind.” (“Literally” is incorrectly used here not unless she really blew up your mind using dynamites.)

13. ATM machine

Similar to PIN number, ATM machine is also a redundant term. ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine. So the next time you wanted to withdraw cash, look for an ATM and not an ATM machine.

14. Confusing then with than

“Then” is used to describe time and means “afterward” or “later,” while “than” is used to compare two things, persons, or animals.

She entered the call center premises and then accepted calls.

His performance for this month is better than hers.

15. And, last but not the least, incorrect subject–verb agreement

Not knowing when to use singular and plural verbs may really make someone look less knowledgeable. Therefore, to avoid this error, remember to use a singular verb when you are using a singular subject and use a plural verb when you are using a plural subject.

For example, “Mary is our top performer for this month.”

In this example, “Mary” is a singular subject. Therefore, a singular verb (i.e., “is”) should be used.

On the other hand, let’s use the following example: “Mary and John are call center agents.”

In this example, “Mary and John” are the subjects. Therefore, a plural verb (i.e., “are”) should be used.

If the expressions together with, along with, and as well as are used, the first noun will determine whether a singular or plural verb will be used.

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For example, Joey, together with the rest of the team, has received an excellence award for performing well.

In this example, the subject is “Joey.” Thus, a singular verb (i.e., “has received”) should be used.

According to research, learning good grammar is an essential skill needed by people to be promoted. Thus, this skill is a must for call center agents to enable them to shine in the BPO field.

Obtaining good grammar may be difficult at first, but it is not impossible. Just practice using these common grammar fixes and you are on your way to becoming the best call center agent you can be!

Now’s your turn to bring your grammar pet peeves out in the open. What’s your “No, You Didn’t” grammar horror story?

Excellent Customer Service or Nothing

Do you remember the last time you had an unpleasant experience with a service or product? Maybe the service or product failed to live up to the sales pitch; perhaps the company concerned failed to answer your emails or phone calls.

Maybe they failed to do what they said they would; or they gave you the good old ‘run-around’ when you called to ask a question or report a problem? Any or all of these issues revolve around one thing and one thing only – terrible customer service! And when there’s a lack of customer service it’s usually caused by a lack of customer focus.

According to eMarketer, customer service is one of the key aspects that will affect a sale,  and it’s especially true for smaller businesses. So why so many of these business have lost sight of who they’re in business to serve. Strangely, the old saying ‘The customer is always right’ has gone out the window and many businesses seem to be either bored or bothered by their customers.

It’s a difficult situation to come to grips with, because it just doesn’t make any sense. Why don’t they realize that without these customers they don’t have a business! They’ll eventually make no money, they’re doors will close, and they’ll be bankrupt. And it’s all so easy to prevent.

Perhaps it’s just arrogance; a feeling of superiority over the customer. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t work. Your customers are the reason you’re still in business, and your job is to serve your customers to the best of your ability.

If you have an unhappy or upset customer it’s your job to find out why they feel this way and use that information to improve on your service, or your product.

Yes, we all know there are difficult customers out there and sometimes there’s just no pleasing them, but the fact remains that without these customers you have no business. (if you need to learn how to deal with difficult customer, click here)

Many times client complaints uncover problems or issues that can be improved upon, so always be available to listen to your customers.

Make the decision today to treat all your customers well, because we know that great customer service is the cheapest and best marketing tool available. Of course really great customer service delivers over and above expectations, and that’s when your business will be rewarded.

Happy, satisfied clients are those people who will be happy to refer you; however the opposite is also true. Disappoint or let a customer down; fail to deliver on your promises; or ignore a customer or their complaint and you can be sure that they will be telling all their family and friends about you and your business.

It’s true that disgruntled customers are more likely to spread the word than happy customers are, so when you give bad customer service you do so at your own peril. Providing great customer service is so easy to do: just be aware, and make it your priority.

The 10 Pillars of Excellent Customer Service

Excellent customer service is the intangible that sets you and your company apart from others. It doesn’t matter how low your prices are; if your customer service is poor you’ll lose out on repeat customers.

The opposite is also true: when you have outstanding customer service you’ll be able to edge your prices a few points above your competition. It’s all about learning how to deliver exceptional customer service.

We trust that the following points on the best ways to deliver top-quality customer service will assist you in defining your own workable strategy for servicing your customers.

1. Be Accessible

Your customers must be able to contact you, or someone in your company who represents you, should they require service or have a question to ask. Offer many different ways for your customers to contact you: like phone, email, and social media. Make sure all these communication channels are easy to manage; otherwise your level of customer service could take a dive. If you provide many contact points, but you don’t increase your resources and staff, you’ll be spreading yourself too thin. The result will be a decline in your customer service.

2. Always Respond in a Timely Manner

Make it business policy that all emails and phone calls must be returned with 24-hours. If this is not something you can commit to, then you must determine what timeframe would be manageable and be very clear with your customers that this is the timeframe you work within. Customers are usually very accepting providing you’ve been clear with them from the onset, and you follow through.

3. Listen to What Your Customers Have To Say

Customers are just ordinary people, and they want to be heard: sometimes all that’s required is that you listen to what they have to say. Don’t jump in and start defending yourself, your company, or your product – just listen. Who knows, they could have a valid point!

4. Treat Your Customers With Respect

If you are trying to deal with an irate, rude, complaining or demanding customer, never lower yourself to their level of behaviour. Continue treating your customers with respect, and in turn they will respect you. They might just be having a bad day and could well regret their bad behaviour. Obviously it’s not ‘right’ that people disrespect you, but at the end of the day you’ll be pleased that you didn’t lower your standards and that you remained respectful.

5. Never Argue With Your Customers

You’ll never win an argument with a customer: what this means is that, if you do win, you will have alienated the customer and lost their business forever. We all understand only too well that a customer is often wrong, but it’s not a good idea to start defending yourself: focus on what’s occurred and see how you can best resolve the situation.

6. Honor Your Commitments

Do what you say you will do. If you offer a guarantee, then you must honor it: it you say you’ll respond to emails, respond to them. It’s irritating to anyone to be promised something and then not get it: it’s a surefire way to ruin a relationship.

7. Do What You Say

If you’ve promised to call a customer on Monday, call them on Monday. It’s really very simple. If you want to earn the trust and respect of your customers you must follow through and do what you said you would. From a customer’s point of view we all know how annoying and time-wasting it is to be waiting for a phone-call, email, or visit from someone who (turns out) had no intention of following through.

8. Focus on Customer Relationships 

For your business to enjoy long-term success you must cultivate long-term relationships. Sacrificing long-term relationships to make short-term sales dooms your business to failure.

9. Admit When You’ve Made a Mistake

We’re all human, and we all make mistakes. One very valuable lesson on customer service is, when you do make a mistake, don’t deny it or try to cover it up. Admit your mistake, apologize, and do whatever it takes to make the situation right. Your customers will appreciate it, and no-one loses customers this way.

10: Train Your Staff

When staff members are properly trained to provide excellent customer service, they feel empowered to make on-the-spot decisions when dealing with customers. Make it very clear what their authority levels are, and ensure they understand completely the customer service principles that apply to your business. If you’re not sure they’re capable of doing the right thing, then you’ve hired the wrong people.

So, reading the above ten steps, how do you rate your customer service? If you’re lacking in any of the above you need to ramp up your customer service.

Put these 10 steps into practice: actually get to know your customers, and make them the focus of your business. It doesn’t cost a lot, and it’s the main key to marketing success.

Tips for BPO Customer Service Job Interviews

The industry of call center customer service is a growing business. There are many positions for those people who are gifted in these areas. However, there are also quite a few applicants pursuing those positions.

To prepare for your interview, you might want to review these call center customer service representative interview answer tips because your interaction with the interviewer will most likely be the deciding factor on whether or not you get the job.

What Makes a Successful Customer Service Representative?

The job of a call center customer service representative is mostly about how you deal with people verbally. The largest portion of the interview will most likely revolve around how you have dealt with a past experience or how you would deal with a hypothetical situation.

The interviewer will also want to know about your computer skills, experience or knowledge of call center technology, and any foreign language fluency. Multilingual and bilingual call centers offer great job opportunities if you speak more than one language. There are five major call center customer service representative interview answer tips to keep in mind when you are in the interview process.

The Top 5 Call Center Customer Service Tips for Call Center Representatives

Tip #1: If you already have experience as a call center representative, think of several recent examples of how you dealt with angry or difficult callers. Choose examples that showcase your ability to resolve the problem. Also, prepare several examples of completely positive interactions with pleasant clients. You can use this opportunity to reveal your approach to customer service that helps ensure client satisfaction.

Tip #2: Research ahead of time what type of technology the company you are interviewing for uses. Familiarize yourself with the general format so that you can show your initiative if questioned about software expertise. Be sure to mention the types of industry software that you have been trained in and where you trained, as well as basic word processing and spreadsheet proficiency.

Tip #3: Think about the qualities a good call center customer service representative needs to have, such as attention to detail, active listening skills, and problem solving skills. Be able to articulate your ideas about these qualities. Use your experiences and answers to hypothetical situations to highlight your strengths in these areas.

Tip #4: Another of the best call center customer service representative interview answer tips is to prepare answers to questions about maintaining customer satisfaction and procedure with callers. Think about the steps you take to ensure that a customer’s issues are resolved satisfactorily. Do you repeat back to them what they have said in your own words to ascertain whether you understand properly? Do you affirm their feelings of dissatisfaction? How do you go about finding a solution?

Tip #5: Keep a well-modulated, calm, and pleasant speaking voice throughout the interview. Even when questions become difficult, call center customer service interview answer tips remind you to speak slowly and clearly, with a friendly and professional demeanor. This demonstrates your ability to do the same with a client on the phone.

Following these call center customer service tips will help you walk into your interview confident. You can outshine the competition and get the job you want with the proper preparation.

8 Transition to Sales Tips

Selling services over the phone is very easy, you just need to be knowledgeable and confident to answer the customer's questions, and that's it. The hard part is "What to do to before start selling with a huge possibility of closing it?" (and I'm sure, our Sales Manager, Sheila will agree to that statement hehehe!)

In this article, I'm not going to talk about selling, this time let's talk about the things you should do to perfectly transition the call to sales and successfully close it. JUST BE NICE!

Here are some of the best practices:

1. Build Human Connection 

Most people want to talk to a live person who can quickly answer their questions. Voicemail and IVR systems are impersonal and inflexible, and leave a poor first impression. Build rapport and personalize the conversation.                                                                     

Which part of the call should you you start building rapport?? All throughout the conversation. You can do that because you're not a robot... are you? hehehe

2. Greet callers properly: 

Ensure that you include each of these three basic elements when answering the phone. First, make a brief salutation mentioning the company’s name, such as “Thank you for calling [Company Name].” Second, tell callers your own name and third, include an offer of assistance in the form of an open-ended question, such as “How may I help you today?”

3. Don’t read from a script: 

This comes across as insincere and impersonal. It’s fine to use points to guide the conversation, but not to read them verbatim. If you can make a real connection with callers, that will increase the probability of a sale.

4. Use the caller’s name, but not too often: 

Try to ascertain the caller’s name and use it periodically when addressing him or her. There is no word in existence that people like hearing more than their own name, and using it intermittently in the conversation will help to establish a connection by letting them know you think they’re important enough to remember their name. But be careful not to seem manipulative by overdoing it.

5. Avoid closed-ended responses: 

Responses limited to “Yes,” “No” or “Sure” don’t fuel further conversation. Instead, follow up with further information or questions in order to sustain the conversation and boost the odds of establishing a connection. For instance, if the caller asks, “Is my modem online already?”, don’t just say, “Yes.” Instead, say, “Yes, and if you’re seeing the Online light lit solid and the WiFi light is blinking, you can connect and should be able to surf any website…” Of course, you must also balance off your desire to forge a connection with respect for the caller’s time.

 6. Be sure you understand the caller’s issue: 

If the caller has a complex problem or hasn’t been succinct in stating his question, paraphrase or restate your understanding of the issue back to him using his own words. Then ask him to confirm that you’ve understood correctly. This will help avoid embarrassment and wasted time and energy, as well as making the caller feel that he has been heard.

7. Don’t let them rot on hold: 

Another key to showing respect is not to leave callers on hold for longer than 30 seconds. If she demands to be placed on hold, interject every 60 seconds to tell the customer that you need a little more time, thereby letting her know that you haven’t forgotten about her. I know you've been put on hold before, so when I said 30 seconds, you know that it's like being on hold for almost an hour.

8. Confirm that you’ve addressed the caller’s issue: 

Verify by asking the caller if you’ve addressed the reason for calling satisfactorily, and thank the customer for any help done on their end. This will make them feel that they have accomplished their goal in calling you, that you’ve heard what they have to say and have resolved their issue—or, at least, have committed to doing so.

After doing the last tip, you can start transitioning to sales and the good foundation you just built with the customer for just a couple of minutes will be your asset to confidently convince them and take your offer. Unconsciously, adhering to these tips will build the customers' TRUST, and that's all you need to close a sale.