Over many years of answering telephones, Apello has provided live answering services to doctors, attorneys, independent contractors, property management companies, and more. Our clients have unique needs depending on their business models and customer bases. But they all have one thing in common: the need for an established call flow process.
When we speak of the call flow process, there is a tendency to think of large-scale call centers staffed by dozens of operators fielding a never-ending stream of calls. The call flow concept certainly applies to such scenarios. But it also applies to smaller offices. You don’t have to operate an extensive call center to make use of the concept.
An Introduction to Call Flow
Call flow is a concept rooted in the idea that every call must be guided from the initial greeting to full conclusion. If an inbound call were the alphabet, an operator would want to get the caller from point A to point Z with as little friction as possible. This is accomplished through a call flow process.
As with any business process, the call flow process is designed to facilitate efficiency and productivity. Every step in the process exists for a reason. Not only that, but each step is also designed to be carried out a specific way in order to facilitate moving seamlessly to the next step.
It Starts With the Initial Greeting
You probably utilize your own call flow process to handle personal calls, even if you don’t consciously recognize it. Call flow always begins with the initial greeting. A typical greeting is characterized by:
- A warm welcome
- Introducing the company by name
- Providing the operator’s name
- An offer to assist the caller.
Note that the initial greeting can make or break a call. It is a good idea to give serious thought to the greeting to ensure that it’s appropriate to the company’s business model and customer base. Regular reviews can reveal how to make a greeting better.
Information Gathering
The next step in most call flow processes is information gathering. The operator asks the caller’s name and contact information (when applicable). That is followed by asking the reason for the call.
Gathering information is critical to the very next step: categorization. Based on the caller’s responses, the operator categorizes the call by need, priority, or any other factors that may be in play. Some calls can be handled by the operator while others need to be routed to an individual or department.
The Rest of the Process
Greeting the caller, gathering information, and categorizing the call are universal steps in the call flow process. But from this point forward, processes can vary quite a bit from one business to the next. Once calls are categorized, they can be handled in so many different ways:
- The operator can take a message.
- The call can be routed to an individual department.
- The call can be escalated for further triage.
- The call can be held while another party is contacted.
When operators take messages, they also have multiple avenues for delivering said messages. Information can be emailed, delivered over the phone, sent to a fax machine, sent via text message, or any other available means. The options are limitless.
Successful Resolution Is the Goal
So, why is any of this necessary? Why does a good call flow process matter? Because the goal for every call should be resolution. Without a plan to get to resolution, the goal is harder to reach. And not reaching it leaves customers unhappy and unsatisfied. That is exactly what companies want to avoid.
