Call Flow
Dec 22, 2024
Call Flow is a structured framework for managing all outbound and incoming calls in a contact center. These flows are created to ensure customer satisfaction, quick resolution and low handle times. A good call flow ensures that contact centers don’t compromise customer satisfaction while also turning a net profit.
What is Call Flow?
A contact center call flow is much more than a script for handling calls. It’s a sequence of actions and processes that a call goes through once it enters the system. This includes initial IVR/AI agent interactions, followed by proper routing and the ultimate handling of calls by agents. The goal is to have customer calls follow a predefined path that leads to resolution or escalation. Nailing down this process in call centers means that all possibilities are mapped out, and there is little to no room for uncertainty. This makes it easy to estimate call times and agent utilization. Which makes it easier to estimate workforce requirements and training requirements for the agents.
Key Components of a Call Flow
Customer calls, their emotions, and the interaction can differ. There is a lot of nuance when it comes to dealing with issues to trying to sell something. Even then, there are aspects of a call that can be mapped out to streamline the call flow as much as possible.
1. Call Routing
Call routing is arguably the biggest component of a good and efficient call flow. The ability of a center to route a call to the right department will lead to quick resolutions and save time for both the center and the customer.
2. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) & AI Agents
An IVR is an automated system that collects calller input through a phone’s dial-pad or voice. This is primarily done to collect some general information from the customer about their request. Based on this the call can be routed to the correct department with some preliminary information like PINs and membership IDs collected before an agent answers the call.
AI agents take IVR one step further. When an AI agent is added to a business phone system, the efficiency gains can be even higher. AI agents unlike IVRs can conversate with a caller. They can collect their call reasons and other relevant information. They do go a step further by providing them additional information and self-help options as well. AI agents have already started to replace IVRs simply because of how much they can streamline call flow.
3. Call Management Software
Then there is call management software. A mainstay within call flow processes. These tools measure call metrics at the start of the call and the end of the call. This includes measuring average hold times, call durations, and outcomes. Additionally, these tools can take notes during a call, reducing the overall after-call work that an agent needs to perform. Think of monitoring software as an analysis tool for every single call, that provides insight into agent performance and customer experience.
4. Agent Prompts and Scripts
This is the meat and bones of call flows. When we talk about call flows in a general manner, this is what we are referring to. The prompts and the scripts that an agent has to successfully manage and close an interaction. This includes the entire conversational flow from the greeting to the goodbye. These spell out how successful conversation should play out and how agents should achieve a desired outcome. Additionally you must map out all possible scenarios that enable agents to close calls quickly with high levels of customer satisfaction.
5. First Call Resolution (FCR)
First-call resolution is arguably a make-or-break part of a call flow. Any call flow in a contact center setting should be created to resolve issues and concerns in one single call. This means information collection, troubleshooting, and issue resolution should all happen on one single call. Multiple calls are frustrating for customers and also tie up agent time.
A vital metric that measures the ability to resolve a customer’s issue during their first interaction, reflecting a successful call flow.
Importance of Call Flow
By now we have covered what call flow is and its key components. But why is this important? The simple answer is customer experience and operational costs.
A good call flow ensures that the customer experience is consistent, regardless of when they call or which agent they connect to. This helps create consistent levels of service across the board, something that all new agents should learn. This streamlined flow also ensures that customers and agents resolve the call and part on good terms. This consistency also sets a benchmark for handle times, which can be used to make projections and measure agent performance. You need to know what an ideal call looks like to measure what good agent performance looks like.
Applications of Call Flow
Customer Service
In centers that provide customer service, you need a customer service call flow that dictates how inquiries, complaints, and support requests get handled. They take into account the customer’s situation, sentiment, and access.
Sales Calls
Sales call flows take this a step further by anticipating customer objections into account. Call center agents in these situations must know how to keep the conversation direct and focused while also tackling objections to make a sale. Sales call flows are often extremely detailed and difficult to master. A dependable call flow in these cases will ensure that you set your agents up for success.
Omnichannel Contact Centers
In contact centers that provide omnichannel support, call flows must integrate with other forms of support platforms available to the customer. This means agents need to be adept enough to handle and interact across multiple tools, and successfully transition when necessary. You need a customer support call flow, that ensures that there is no communication gap at any point in the process across the disparate systems.
Tips to Optimize Call Flows
Mapping the Customer Journey: Start with mapping the customer journey from product purchase to usage and common pitfalls. Understand what initiates a call for support or instructions. How you can optimize your processes to reduce these or what’s the best you can do to handle these? Once a call enters your system, try to understand what the most common complaints and issues are like. This will help you proactively budget for these customer requests.
Deploy Intelligent Workflows: Use an AI solution like Phonely within your call flows to automate some of the calls. Especially a call flow in call centers must include some form of AI customer support to provide self-help options to the customer and perform simple tasks like bill payment, balance checking, and creating service tickets.
Better Training: Provide ongoing training to agents with the most current material to ensure that they are not lost when customer calls start to come in. Teach them how to handle customer complaints and objections and ultimately reach a resolution with the customer.
Measure Performace and Course Correct: Measure the performance of your call flow processes (in-call). This will provide real-world battle-tested insights into how successful your call flows are.
Call Flow Examples
Typical Call Flow in an Inbound Call Center
The call is received and handled by an AI agent.
Common queries get handled by an AI agent.
The remaining calls get to the relevant department.
The call is transferred to an agent with the necessary details.
Agent resolves the issue or escalates if needed.
Follow-up actions are logged by Call Management software.
Typical Call Flow in an Outbound Call Center:
An AI agent performs the initial outreach to warm up leads and collect information.
The agent initiates an outbound call using a power dialer to warm leads.
Introduce themselves with a personalized greeting and with the initial knowledge gathered by an AI agent.
Engages in a conversation to understand the customer’s needs.
Presents a solution and handles objections.
Closes the sale or schedules a follow-up.
*Please be advised that outbound calling using AI comes with certain legal requirements, rules, and good practices that must be followed. Violating the rules set by government agencies can attract fines. Proceed accordingly. Our post Are AI Calls Legal provides some additional insight on the legality of these calls.
Conclusion
A successful call flow is a mainstay at any contact center that wants to provide good service and also operate profitably. With clear processes, the right technology, and agent training; you can handle every call perfectly. Competitive call centers that handle millions of calls know this and have mastered the craft of creating call flows.
