Introduction

A well-prepared agent can handle customer questions faster and save time for everyone involved. The only problem is that they don't know who's on the line before picking up, and here's where call pops swoop in to save the day. Keep reading to find out how that happens! 

An Overview Of Call Pops And How It Works

Customer information now automatically "pops up" on the agent's screen. (Image source: Freerangestock). 

Definition

Call pop (or Screen pop) refers to the automatic display of a customer's information on a call centre agent's screen the moment they answer an inbound call. This information can come from various sources, including:

• Dialled Number Identification Service (DNIS): It identifies the specific phone number dialled by the customer to reveal the department or service they require
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system: If this customer interacts with an IVR before reaching an agent, the screen pop can display their selections or choices made during that self-service interaction
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system: When integrated with the CRM, the screen pop can display the customer's history with your company, including past purchases, support tickets, account details, and more. 

Traditionally, the agent answering the call wouldn't have any immediate information about the customer. A call pop bridges this gap, and customer information is now automatically "popped up" on the agent's screen.

Example

Let's say Sarah calls a bank's support team about a recent transaction. 

As soon as the call connects and Sarah speaks, the call pop software identifies her phone number. It then retrieves Sarah's bank account information, purchase history, and past support tickets from the bank's CRM system, which is then shown on the agent's screen once they answer the call.

Here's what the agent sees on their screen:

• Customer Information: Sarah Jones (Name), Account Number: 123456
• Recent Transactions: Debit card purchase of $200 at a grocery store yesterday.
• Support History: 1 past support ticket related to a debit card transaction on [date], issue not yet resolved.

With this information, the agent will greet Sarah by name, acknowledge her recent purchase, and understand why she calls without asking her to repeat details. They can even reference all her past transactions and interactions with the brand if required. 

Benefits Of Call Pops

Customers are less likely to churn. (Image source: Flickr). 

Better Agent Experience

There is no more scrambling to gather customer information at the start of the call. Call pops eliminate the need for agents to ask stressful, repetitive questions throughout the call, letting them focus entirely on finding solutions.

Faster access to customer data translates to increased confidence and much shorter call handling times. As a result, your call centre can handle higher volume capacity, and overtime is no longer an issue. 

Greater Personalization

Why settle for a generic "Hello" when your agents can greet customers by name? That will instantly create a more welcoming and friendly atmosphere. The same applies to customers' recent purchases or past support interactions, for example: 

"Hi Sarah, I see you recently made a purchase at the grocery aisle. Is this call related to that transaction?"

Such attentiveness makes customers feel valued and respected. And that's not all! You will find it a breeze to identify relevant upselling or cross-selling opportunities in a more natural and personalized way. Suppose this customer frequently buys travel insurance; your agent might suggest a travel rewards credit card during a lull in the conversation. 

And we have yet to mention even more personal touches, like customers' birthdays, which can go a long way toward building rapport and strengthening the customer-agent relationship.

Improved Omnichannel Interactions

In today's digital world, customers naturally expect a seamless experience across all touchpoints, be it website, mobile app, social media, or, yes, even phone calls. 

Call pops will bridge the gap between those different channels. When a customer reaches out after interacting with your company website or app, your agents will have full access to that previous activity. Such an omnichannel approach allows for a smooth transition and eliminates the need for the customer to repeat information!

Long story short: call pops ensure consistent service regardless of communication channels. The customer's entire history is accessible anytime and anywhere, allowing your team to provide effective and tailored support aligning with all previous touchpoints.

Increased Sales

Personalized interactions and excellent resolutions are the classic formula for customer satisfaction. Happy, satisfied customers are much more likely to convert during a call, especially if your agents can identify relevant upselling or cross-selling opportunities, as we mentioned earlier!

Furthermore, call pops might be particularly helpful in addressing customer concerns regarding abandoned carts. With full access to purchase history, it's easy to determine the potential reasons behind abandonment and offer good incentives that encourage customers to complete their purchases.

Less Customer Churn

An agent empowered with immediate access to customer data will be able to resolve issues efficiently on the first call. With no more frustration or long waiting time in the way, your customers are less likely to leave your brand for a more effective solution elsewhere. 

Issue handling is one thing; you can even predict potential issues beforehand if the call pops reveal certain patterns in past support interactions. The best way to prevent customer loss is to address issues down to their roots before they escalate! As a result, the customer churn rate will decrease, and they are more than happy to stay as your voluntary advocates. 

Cost-Saving Benefits

Shorter call handling times mean a huge decrease in the overall call centre operating costs! And since repetitive tasks (like gathering customer information) are no longer necessary, your agents are freed up to handle more calls per shift. Higher productivity, less staffing need; it's that simple! 

These cost-saving benefits will be amplified when integrated with other productivity-boosting technologies, such as self-service options or AI-powered chatbots. Of course, the initial investment for those might be quite demanding, but trust us, the long-term sustainability often far outweighs that number. 

Extra Tips When Using Call Pops

Don't simply read information from the call pop; use it as a conversation grease. (Image source: Pexels). 

For Agents

1. Quickly scan the information provided by the call pop to get a general understanding of the customer and their potential needs. Avoid getting bogged down in details and maintain focus on the conversation.

2. Don't simply read information from the screen pop; it makes the call feel scripted. Instead, use the details as a conversation grease to personalize greetings and ask relevant questions in a natural, conversational way.

For Businesses

1. Though this is obvious, make sure your call pop system (and other systems it's integrated with) adheres to data security regulations and customer privacy laws.

2. Consider customizing call pop information to display only the most relevant details for different agent roles or departments (e.g., sales vs. technical support).

3. Provide comprehensive training for agents on how to utilize those screen pops effectively for better customer interactions.

4. Track call pop usage and analyze its impact on key metrics (e.g., handling time, customer satisfaction, etc.). From there, identify areas for improvement to optimize your call pop strategy.

5. Seek regular feedback from your agents and update the call pop system (if necessary) so both agent and customer experiences are always at their peaks.

StringeeX: The Ultimate Solution

StringeeX is the ultimate solution for businesses. (Image source: StringeeX). 

Originally tailored for the Vietnamese demographic, StringeeX is now making waves among global companies, especially those in India. This virtual centre improves your call centre's performance with its impressive array of features, including:

Call Pops

Imagine agents greeting customers by name and acknowledging their recent purchase before they even speak; that's exactly what makes StringeeX popular!

Its call pop feature automatically delivers relevant customer information to the agent's screen so they can personalize their warm, friendly welcome from the get-go. Many businesses partnering with StringeeX have exclaimed they find it a breeze to foster a positive first impression and set the tone for a cooperative, enjoyable customer-agent exchange. 

Omnichannel Interface

As we have stressed multiple times, today's customers look forward to a seamless experience regardless of how they choose to connect with your business.

StringeeX understands that demand and takes customer service one step further with its powerful omnichannel interface. Your agents can handle customer inquiries from Facebook messages, Instagram comments, emails, phone calls, and more – all through a single, unified interface. Say goodbye to juggling between multiple platforms! 

Customer data (including past interactions and purchase history) seamlessly integrated across all channels is another huge bonus. With all customer information at their fingertips, resolving issues in the first call is no longer a challenge for your agents.

Reports

Exceptional customer service isn't just about intuition; it must involve data-driven decision-making. And StringeeX empowers you to do just that with its comprehensive reporting dashboards! You can now assess and answer all these critical questions:

• What is your centre's average handling time? Is there any trend in call duration? 
• Does your team successfully resolve customer issues? What are the common challenges and areas where extra training can be beneficial?
• Who are the top performers of your team? Who needs more coaching programs?  

Conclusion

Call pops streamline agents' preparation process before picking up customer calls, and setting them up is a no-brainer with affordable, dependable solutions like StringeeX! Feel free to reach out to us if you still need assistance.