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Today's customers are going to the Web instead of the phone when they need to place an order, pay a bill or get an answer to a question. Because of this, chat technology, which allows call center agents to communicate with customers online, has become extremely popular in the call center. We've compiled this list of the top call center chatting terms and phrases to help you learn more about chat technology in the call center.
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Table of Contents Call center chatting: Top 10 buzzwords
1. Chatting
2. Chat and text messaging abbreviations
3. Internal instant messaging
4. Blended agent
5. Proactive chat
6. Reactive chat
7. Collaborative browsing
8. Internal chat room
9. Click-to-talk
10. Customer service chat (CSC)
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Call center chatting: Top 10 buzzwords
Chatting is used in the call center to improve customer service and reduce costs. Using chat technology by communicating via typed-in messages, call center agents can "chat" with customers over the Internet instead of on the phone.
Discover the top 10 call center technology must-haves.
Chat and text messaging abbreviations are often used in emails, instant messages, text messages and in online chat sessions. These abbreviations are particularly useful for call center agents using online chat, allowing them to get their point across to the customer quickly and easily.
Internal instant messaging is one way employees of an organization can contact one another internally. When used in the call center, internal instant messaging allows call center agents to quickly get in touch with managers or other agents for help in dealing with a specific problem or question. It is controversial because many feel it distracts employees and compromises company security.
Blended agents manage both incoming and outgoing calls and online chat as needed, depending on call center traffic levels. By using blended agents, call center managers are able to maximize utilization in the call center regardless of traffic levels.
Learn when to use blended agents in the call center.
Proactive chat allows call center agents to assist customers who are using the company's website. If a customer is having trouble online, predefined business rules will trigger a chat session, and a window will pop up asking if the customer needs help. The customer can then click on the pop up to chat with an agent.
Read about Overstock.com's proactive chat approach.
Reactive chat is similar to proactive chat, except that the customer initiates the chat session. Many company websites feature "click-to-chat" buttons that customers can hit when they need help online, initiating a chat session with a call center agent.
Collaborative browsing, or "co-browsing", is a software-enabled technique that allows a call center agent to assist and interact with a customer by using the company's Web browser. For example, if a customer is having trouble with the ordering process, the agent can walk the customer through the process as though the customer were using their own mouse and keyboard.
Test your knowledge of co-browsing with the customer service and call center quiz.
An internal chat room in a call center can be helpful for call center agents who are having difficulty answering a customer's question. These chat rooms are usually staffed by a senior call center agent or someone familiar with the company's products or services who can help the agent answer difficult questions while the customer is still on the phone.
Click-to-talk is a technology that connects customers browsing a company's website to a call center agent either on the phone or through an online chat session. This technology allows call center agents to reach customers immediately in real time.
See how one company is using click-to-callback technology.
Customer service chat (CSC) is an Internet service that allows a customer to communicate with a call center agent in real time by using an instant messaging application that is built into the company's website. CSC is considered part of a "blended media" approach to call center management.
Read Gartner's advice for customer service success.
For more on this topic, visit the Customer Self-Service Learning Guide.
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