All Hands On Deck (AHOD)

What is AHOD?

All Hands On Deck (AHOD) is a strategy for dealing with call traffic increases and preventing callers from becoming frustrated due to long wait times.

There are instances when a call center receives an unusual volume of calls. In such cases, using the AHOD strategy might have saved the day and prevented disappointed clients.

This term emphasizes the meaning of teamwork, collaboration, and quick action to ensure efficient resolution of customer inquiries and maintenance of service levels.

Practical tips on how to manage the increased call volume

Here are some tips for efficiently managing higher call volume while fulfilling the needs of your agents and customers:

Upgrade your IVR

If you expect a higher volume of calls, you can change the flow that callers follow, such as sending them to a queue or voicemail based on the urgency of their call.

This can help to reduce the volume of calls that reach agents, keeping them from becoming overloaded. It also ensures that they can serve each caller to the best of their abilities.

This proactive approach requires hard work and collaboration from everyone involved to ensure smooth and efficient operations.

Calculate expected call volume using data

Every cloud-based software solution collects a large amount of data – including the types of calls that come in, the duration of the conversations, and how questions are handled.

If your agents handle more than one type of call, all this information may be used to forecast the expected call volume and break down the expected call kinds.

Once you have this information, you can ensure that your call center is adequately staffed to handle these computations.

This proactive approach avoids mistakes in staffing levels, ensuring that all customer inquiries are promptly addressed, leading to a smoother and more efficient customer service experience.

Schedule breaks

Increased call volume implies that your agents will exhaust quickly, whether working in the office or at home.

Schedule more regular breaks to reduce call weariness and ensure that every caller reaches an agent who is executing at an optimal level.

Have a backup plan in place

An increase in call volume will be too much for your team to handle. If this is the case, or even if it is a possibility, establish a backup plan.

Perhaps this is an outsourced vendor who can handle overflow calls or a pool of backup talent to manage overflow calls as needed.

How do call center agents handle calls?

A typical call center representative’s shift is fast-paced and filled with various responsibilities. As a result, agents must be adaptable, as they may find unexpected obstructions during their shift.

When a call center faces a high call volume situation, call center agents demonstrate professionalism by utilizing an “all hands on deck” approach.

Even though their specific jobs vary from day to day, call center agents must still perform essential functions in a call center.

Here are the expected duties and obligations of call center agents:

• Respond to incoming calls in a timely and polite manner.
• Evaluate callers’ concerns and complaints and offer appropriate solutions.
• Provide information about the company’s products or services and catch people’s interest in the offer.
• When necessary, route calls to other team members.
• Call records and reports must be complete.
• Customer databases must be managed and updated.
• Customer service follow-up
• Increase client loyalty by providing a positive phone experience.

How do you become an effective call center agent? 

Call center agents must demonstrate communication and social skills due to the range of jobs and responsibilities.

Aside from these abilities, here are some guidelines to help you become a more effective call center agent.

Customer success should encourage you

Call center agents are professional problem solvers who must be committed to providing an exceptional customer experience.

This commitment should be evident in every phone call they have.

Customer’s voice should always be heard and valued. Stand out in the call center world by providing exceptional service that exceeds expectations.

Provide tailored solutions

Effective call center agents frequently distinguish themselves from the competition by adapting the experience to unique consumers.

No one likes basic responses or call center scripts that make employees seem like robots, especially when they’re unhappy and have complaints to make.

It is critical to treat each consumer as an individual and tailor your message to their needs.

Present your solutions in a clear and concise manner while maintaining a professional tone throughout the conversation.

Have a keen sense of detail

It pays to be well-organized at a call center. Document every case as thoroughly as possible. Take notes and update client information.

These might help prevent errors and difficulties in the future when handling numerous duties at once.

Callers anticipate quick responses and dislike having to repeat their issues to many call center agents. It is simpler to respond to consumer concerns promptly and efficiently if all information is well-documented and up-to-date.

Being prepared and having a deck of key information readily available can streamline the conversation and ensure you can respond promptly and professionally to any inquiries.

Familiarizing yourself with the product or service you are representing is crucial – this knowledge enhances your credibility and ability to provide precise assistance to customers.

Take the initiative

If callers routinely report a problem, call center management should be aware of it.

Call center agents should take the initiative to report this to upper management so they can adjust the process accordingly.

In reality, the best call center agents consistently go above and beyond their job requirements.

They should be able to come up with effective answers to any challenges that are thrown their way.

Spreading positivity and empathy during interactions can enhance customer satisfaction and build trust.

Be calm and composed

Call center agents may occasionally have to deal with irritated consumers or talkative consumers who keep them on the phone for hours.

Whatever occurs, they must maintain their composure and manage the talks as best they can.

Having the ability to regulate one’s emotions and stress is what distinguishes competent call center agents.

During times of crisis, remain level-headed and empathetic towards the caller to provide the necessary support and assistance.

Prioritize organization by keeping order of detailed notes and utilizing call scripts to ensure a structured conversation with the user.