AT&T 555-230-520 manual Tourist Information/Knowledge of the Region, To Speak Spanish/Bilingual

Identifying Caller Needs

who speak Spanish or English. The callers in this case either need to plan a vacation route or have car trouble and are calling for assistance.

Table 10-1. Example of Caller Need—Agent Skill Matching

Caller Need	Capability Needed
Tourist Information	Knowledge of the Region
To Speak Spanish	Bilingual
Emergency Assistance	Handle stressful callers
(Tow Truck)	(Access to Dispatch Systems)

Note in each case that the capability needed is such that it can accommodate the caller need. Let’s examine the strategy behind matching these caller needs to capabilities as deemed appropriate by the Call Center manager:

■Tourist Information/Knowledge of the Region

Travelers may need information while traveling or regarding a future trip. All assigned agents can provide this information.

■To Speak Spanish/Bilingual

Separate numbers are published and used as part of Spanish membership information, or Call Prompting is used after a general number is dialed.

■Emergency Assistance/Handle Stressful Callers

Separate emergency Road Service numbers are published and used, or Call Prompting is used after a general number is dialed. (For example, a number is provided for tow trucking.)

Note that the Call Center chose to implement Call Prompting to identify Spanish- speaking callers and callers who require emergency assistance. This allows for quicker and more specialized treatment and therefore better satisfies the caller’s needs.

In addition, some customers might prefer to speak to the agent he or she spoke to on a previous call. To accommodate this request, a Call Center manager can implement Direct Inward Dialing (DID) at the Call Center. Also, direct agent calling can be used to direct a call to a specific agent.

The following sections explain further how caller needs are identified.

Issue 4 September 1995 10-3