It’s common knowledge that happy employees make happy customers. However, with heightened demand and changing customer expectations, contact centres and their agents find themselves in a pressured situation, ultimately affecting the customer experience.

Recognising this reality, forward-thinking companies are embracing the critical importance of comprehensive training programmes for their contact centre employees (who, after all, are the most important resource of a contact centre).

Now, let’s have a look at the importance of training in the contact centre and how this can ensure happy employees – and in turn – happy customers.

The benefits of training for contact centres

Customer satisfaction is the ultimate measure of your contact centre. It reflects how well you meet or exceed your customers’ expectations, and how likely they are to recommend you to others. That’s why it’s important to ensure your customers get the best service possible from your agents.

A study by the Aberdeen Group found that companies that prioritise comprehensive training programmes for their contact centre agents experience a remarkable 34% increase in customer satisfaction rates compared to those that don’t. They also see a 16% increase in first-contact resolution rates. This underscores the crucial role that well-designed training initiatives play in enhancing the overall customer experience. 

On a positive note, Puzzel’s recent survey found that 58% of contact centres have increased their commitment to staff training and development in the past year, demonstrating a strong dedication to employee growth and empowerment.  

Reduced agent turnover and improved agent productivity 

Contact centres face the constant challenge of finding and keeping qualified agents. In fact, this issue affects 25% of inbound contact centres. This shortage of skilled agents poses a significant obstacle to delivering exceptional customer service and meeting the evolving needs of today’s customers.  

Continuous training can help contact centres overcome this challenge by keeping their agents updated with changing customer demands, enabling them to provide quick and reliable answers to enquiries. In fact, companies that invest in this see a 36% increase in agent productivity, thanks to factors such as increased confidence and proficiency among agents, streamlined processes and workflows, and a deeper understanding of customer needs and preferences.

The importance of delivering empathic experiences 

While traditional metrics such as average handling time (AHT) have long been used to measure agent performance, organisations are increasingly recognising the importance of communication, support, and empathy in driving positive customer interactions. This matters, in fact, according to Gartner, businesses that deploy empathy significantly outperform those that don’t in terms of sales and profit. By focusing on empathic customer experiences in the contact centre, and by equipping agents with the right training and tools, organisations can ensure more personalised customer interactions and increased customer satisfaction.  

Tip: Download our free eBook “Empathy in the digital age: How AI can bring empathic customer experiences” on how AI can help agents deliver empathic experiences.

How Puzzel can help

Training is the key to empowering excellence in your contact centre performance. By investing in training programmes that equip your agents with the soft skills, knowledge, and empathy they need to excel in their roles, you can enhance customer satisfaction, drive operational efficiency, and ultimately, achieve sustainable business success in today’s competitive marketplace.  

At Puzzel, we understand the importance and the challenges of training for your contact centre. That’s why we are ready to be your partner in ensuring sufficient training for your agents. Today, we offer a catalogue of 22 different training sessions that cover our products and key features of our platform. We aim to enhance individual agent performance and push the development of their workforce while supporting and creating a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within your organisation. 

What‘s next? 

We’re about to launch a new soft skills programme for contact centre agents, with courses looking at key topics like Emotional intelligence Customer Service, Vulnerable Customers, Recovery & Resolution Techniques and Inter-dependent Ownership and Teamwork. Keep an eye on your inbox to learn more!  

Let’s connect!  

If you would like to learn more about this topic, I am here to help. Feel free to reach out at hello@puzzel.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.  

Author: Scott Maryan 
Director of Customer Adoption