Get Connected and Stay Connected: Combating Call Abandonment

A missed or abandoned call is a missed business opportunity for sales. While call abandonment and connection issues may seem like only a tech problem, they directly tie into your bottom line. If your organization has a high rate of call failure you will engage with customers less and make less revenue. 

When a customer disconnects or chooses to hang up before reaching an agent, it is considered an “abandoned call”. High rates of call abandonment typically result in fewer sales. Nothing is more important than your first call with a new customer and, if it goes unanswered, that could mean a loss not just of the initial sale, but of brand loyalty and returning revenue. In the age of spoofing and spam calls, customer trust and customer loyalty are quickly dwindling. Believe it or not, 13% of consumers switch brands purely based on a spoofed call. Customers may no longer have the patience for being left on hold, a bad technical connection, or a confusing sales conversation. Make sure that your tech and your team are up to speed and are ready to operate successfully through the voice channel. It is important to use call metrics and analyzed data to pinpoint the main issues that cause abandoned calls. This could include: 

• Calls abandoned while waiting, or on hold, are an easily avoidable problem. It can be solved through a combination of attentiveness and efficiency. Analyze your calling metrics to figure out when the best time of day/week is to make a call.  If you can do this, it will significantly raise your chances of making a successful connection.

• Calls lost due to technical issues are easily avoidable if you stay prepared. To have a strong connection you need the backup of IT. Constantly check-in to see if you have the most up-to-date hardware and software in your call center. Legacy, and out-of-date, systems are more than just a security issue. A stable connection will keep the customer on the line, in turn fostering that relationship.

• You can't make a sale without a skilled agent on the line leading a customer through the sales process. Proper training is of the utmost importance when going for the close. Your agents need to have the modern techniques and skills necessary to make that lasting connection. Make sure your agents are also up to speed on any new tech that may be pushing the industry forward.

For more information on other helpful sales metrics, be sure to check out our Sales & Marketing Metrics eBook.