Managing Customer Service Staffing Shortages & Supply Chain Issues

For the past 3 years 2020, 2021 and 2022, companies across the United States as well as around the world have been experiencing staffing shortages. According to this article on Fortune, “73% of CEOs say a labor/skills shortage is the most likely external issue to disrupt their business in the next 12 months.” This means that 3 in 4 companies rated the tight labor market to be their biggest external issue. As we progress through 2022 and the staffing shortages this year brings, we have three tips on managing your customer service shortages and supply chain issues.

1. Outsource Your Call Center Service

Outsourcing your contact center services can help you work through the nationwide staffing shortage we are experiencing. Using an outsourcing company will help you keep up with the influx of calls you are receiving during your staffing shortage issues. At QCCS, we are experienced in helping companies lower operating costs while improving customer care and experience. Finding an outsourcing company that delivers exceptional results will help you minimize the way these staffing shortages affect your business. You may find that you want to continue outsourcing your call center service even after the impact of staffing shortages lessen over time.

2. Communicating Honestly With Your Customers

One of the best things you can do to manage staffing shortages is to communicate honestly, and often with your customers. Excellent communication is essential for good customer experiences. Without frequent and honest communication with your customers, navigating these staffing shortages is going to be a lot more complicated. Being proactive with reaching out to your customers, whether you choose to do so with email, text, or another avenue, keeping in touch with customers and giving them frequently, detailed updates is going to improve your customer retention.

Over the past year, the supply chain has been in absolute chaos. With ports being congested, and backlogged orders, companies have been finding it difficult to keep up with customer demand. While wait times and prices for products are increasing, explaining the problems your company is experiencing due to supply chain issues will be more important than ever. After experiencing a global pandemic and extreme staffing shortages, it’s no wonder that the supply chain has been affected. As you work through this rough patch, frequent communication with your customer will help with retention and satisfaction.

3. Consider Utilizing Omni-channel Support

If you have an in-house contact center, you may want to consider investing in software that will upgrade you from multichannel support to omnichannel support. Omnichannel support allows a single customer service rep to seamlessly engage with customers through several different forms of communication. Instead of having one customer service rep answer emails, have another answer phone calls, and another man the live chat on your website, you can have agents who toggle between all different communication channels simultaneously. This allows more customers to receive help in a shorter period, so this will help you keep up with your busy call times despite staffing shortages.

Contact QCCS Today For More Information

Quality Consulting Customer Strategies is the answer for all of your call-center problems. While your business is working through the challenges that come with staffing shortages and supply chain issues, we can help ease the burden of dealing with the influx of customer calls, emails, and more. We have been providing award-winning service to our clients since 2019, so we are experienced in delivering exceptional results that help you reduce your operating cost and improve customer satisfaction. Contact us today for more information on how we can help your business continue to grow.