Tech Savviness

Tech Savviness is one of the key skills any customer service agent (or any position above) needs to develop. This means being comfortable with keyboard shortcuts, navigating browser tabs, systems, and screens quickly, and learning new, complex software.

You don't need to be a programmer, but you need to be "computer literate." BPO tools are notoriously complex and often outdated, and in certain cases, you will need to use several different tools at the same time. It all depends on the client; some clients have very advanced and easy-to-use systems and tools where you can find everything in one single place.

Let's review a quick example:

The CRM system freezes while processing a payment. A non-tech-savvy agent panics, tells the customer "the system broke," and is either unable to quickly recover or hangs up. A tech-savvy agent knows how to quickly refresh the page, clear the cache, or open the tool in a different browser window while keeping the customer calm.

There are 3 key elements in which agents can work to develop their Tech Savviness skills:

• Stop using the mouse for everything. Agents can learn keyboard shortcuts like Alt+Tab (switch windows), Ctrl+C/V (copy/paste), and Ctrl+F (find text). This saves seconds on every interaction, which adds up to minutes every day.
• Instead of memorizing clicks, by trying to understand how the tools work together. If agents know that Button A sends data to Database B, they will troubleshoot better when errors happen.
• Practicing their keyboard typing. If agents are "hunting and pecking" for keys, they cannot listen to the customer effectively. Practice typing without looking at the keyboard until you reach at least 40 WPM (Words Per Minute).

The ultimate key is PRACTICE... and paying attention.

Nowadays, we all rely on smartphones and their simplicity to carry on regular tasks, but it's also important that agents understand the basics of computing, specifically in a desktop or laptop setup. Here's a list of some of those items:

• Creating and saving files in a folder or the cloud (Microsoft OneDrive, GoogleDocs, Dropbox).
• Downloading files and saving them in a folder or the cloud.
• Using an email client like Outlook to receive and send messages with files (attachments).
• Understanding how corporate messaging tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Zoom work.
• Managing multiple screens (monitors) and setting them up.
• Web browser troubleshooting, such as clearing cache and cookies.
• Creating and managing bookmarks in web browsers.

Agents need to invest time in their self-development in this area to ensure they can perform their job correctly. Especially if they want to grow within their companies, they need to learn how to use (or at least to understand) more advanced tools, such as Microsoft Excel or Power BI,  how to write proper emails, and how to manage corporate messaging tools .