Most of what goes on in a call center involves listening. Yes, agents do need to speak, as well, in order to resolve a complaint, walk a customer through troubleshooting a problem, or make a sale. But in each and every one of those cases, listening to the customer still needs to be the top priority.

In dealing with a customer complaint, call center agents need to listen carefully to everything the caller has to say, both to get a full picture of the issue and to let the customer feel he’s had his say. In helping a customer solve a technical problem, it’s necessary to listen closely to the caller’s description of the problem, as well as the steps they’ve already taken to fix it themselves, in order for an approach to be decided upon. And in attempting to make a sale, listening is a vital part of the sales process, as the agent determines which product or service is right for that particular caller.

But what is the best way to listen? How can it be made even more effective? Here are seven tips for improving the listening skills of your contact center workforce.

1. Help agents maintain focus. It can be hard for agents to keep from being distracted by coworkers’ phone conversations or other external noises, but it’s of the utmost importance in making sure they fully understand what their callers are saying.  Try investing in good-quality headsets that block out all background noise.

2. Teach agents to listen for emotion. Your contact center workforce shouldn’t just be listening to the words a caller is using – they should be listening for the emotions behind them, as well. Sometimes the words and the emotions may not match, and then it may be better to address the underlying tension first.

3. Train agents to ask questions. Anything your employee does not understand needs to be clarified by asking the caller to explain. Otherwise, important information might be missed.

4. Don’t allow your workforce to interrupt callers. Not only will agents not hear the full story they need in order to take action, but interrupting will probably upset the caller, and might even make them lose their train of thought – so that missing information will never be provided.

5. In the same vein, don’t let your employees pre-empt what a caller is going to say. Sometimes people feel they know what someone is going to say – but often, they don’t get it quite right. Teach your agents never to finish a caller’s sentence, or cut them off to tell them they already know what they mean.

6. Train agents to repeat the main points of the conversation back to the caller. It’s a great way for an agent to verify that they have understood what their caller is saying – and it’s a great way to let the caller know that the agent really has been listening.

7. Have agents take notes. While the caller is speaking, it’s helpful if the agent jots down notes on points they want to address, or things they need to inquire further about. This will again demonstrate to the caller that the agent really has been listening, and it will allow the agent to feel more comfortable waiting to speak.

By following these seven simple tips, you can quickly improve the listening skills of your contact center workforce. And once those skills are honed, chances are, the efficiency and performance of your contact center will also improve.