Releasing Calls or Chats, Usage of Hold and Mute

You greet the customer but do not receive a response.

Voice Guidelines:

• Say your greeting twice
• Release the call if there is no answer

Chat Guidelines:

• After 2 minutes of continuous inactivity, notify the customer that we will need to disconnect the session after 4 minutes of inactivity if we don't receive a response
• After 3 minutes of continuous inactivity, provide closing script and terminate the chat

The customer gets silent/unresponsive during the middle of a call or chat.

Voice Guidelines:

• Let the customer know you can no longer hear them and you are not hearing a response; repeat
• State that you will have to release the call, since you no longer hear a response

Chat Guidelines:

• After 2 minutes of continuous inactivity, notify the customer that we will need to disconnect the session after 4 minutes of inactivity if we don't receive a response
• After 3 minutes of continuous inactivity, provide closing script and terminate the chat

You close the call or chat but the customer does not disconnect.

Voice Guidelines:

• Release the call

Chat Guidelines:

• Terminate the chat

Customer places you on hold.

Voice Guidelines:

• Ask the customer not to place you on hold
• If unavoidable, set the expectations for a wait time
• Release the call if the agreed upon wait time is exceeded

Chat Guidelines:

• Ask the end-user not to place you on hold
• If unavoidable, set the expectations for a wait time
• If agreed upon wait time is exceeded, notify the customer that we will need to disconnect the session if we don't receive a response
• After 3 minutes of continuous inactivity, provide closing script and terminate the chat

Any time you must place the customer on hold.

Voice Guidelines:

• Before hold: Ask to place the customer on hold
• During hold: Check in every two minutes
• After hold: Thank the customer for holding

Chat Guidelines:

• Before hold: Ask to place the customer on hold
• During hold: Check in every two minutes
• After hold: Thank the customer for holding

Extended Agent silence or inactivity during a phone call or chat.

Voice Guidelines:

• There is no specific time limit beyond what is appropriate to the conversation
• Five seconds of dead air after being asked a question by the customer has a greater impact on the customer than 20 seconds when resetting a receiver

Chat Guidelines:

• Your goal for average response time is 20 seconds
• Set an expectation with the customer if more time is expected to pass before responding

Any time you prevent the customer from hearing unwanted noises.

Voice Guidelines:

• Use for sneezing, coughing etc
• Do not use in place of hold