Call center process flow charts: Templates for all kinds

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A flow chart call center process is becoming increasingly mandatory for call centers that need to be more efficient.

For starters, it helps call centers visualize their entire workflow to discover and fix any inefficiencies. Moreover, using a process flow chart can reduce call mismanagement by establishing accountability and boosting agent productivity.

In this text, we’ll explore what a call center process flow chart is and its five types. 

We’ll then highlight three sample flowchart templates you need to use and the five key benefits of using a flowchart call center process. 

Table of Contents

Let’s start.

Note: Should you’re only searching for call center flow chart templates, be at liberty to skip ahead for some handy templates.  

What’s a call center process flow chart?

A call center process flow chart is a diagram or a graphical representation of any customer support process. 

On this diagram, a flowchart symbol or an icon represents each different step in a particular process. A flowchart symbol might also contain a text box that describes the step. 

You possibly can link a flowchart icon to a different with arrows that show the chronological order of the decision center process.

Such a workflow diagram will normally highlight key tasks that decision center agents must do, including customer support, customer criticism resolution, technical support, payment process management, etc.

Considering the high volume of calls, agents profit from a standardized work process map that tells them what to do. Moreover, mapping out your call center workflow in a flow chart can significantly reduce errors and boost team flexibility. 

And a few commonly-used flow chart formats include:

• State diagram: Uses Unified Modeling Language (UML) for diagramming the behavior of call center systems.
• Swimlane flowchart: An infographic depicting who does what in a process.
• Data flow diagram: Shows the direction of knowledge flow in a process.
• Mind map: Links key concepts using images and features.
• Org chart: Shows the inner structure of an organization.
• Network diagrams: Graphical representation of a pc or telecommunications network.

Easy methods to create a call center process flowchart

Without the fitting tools, making a flowchart could be a difficult task. 

Fortunately, you need to use flowchart software to create a call center process diagram with ease. Most flowchart software has a drawing page with tools to enable you to create different flowchart formats. 

The perfect flowchart makers support features comparable to:

• A wide range of shapes.
• Ready-to-use templates.
• Tools comparable to grids and auto-snapping shapes.
• A wide range of export options.

Some popular flowchart makers are Visio, Microsoft Powerpoint (PPT), Creately, and ConceptDraw flowchart maker.

Now, let’s have a look at the five sorts of call center flow charts that may boost your team’s efficiency. 

5 common sorts of call center process flow charts

Listed below are five great customer service workflows you possibly can easily implement to deliver a greater customer experience:

1. Inbound customer support flowchart

Because the name suggests, this flowchart is a diagram that traces how the client service process works during incoming calls.  

Here, your team deals with a customer that has chosen to succeed in out to you. This implies the client has clear expectations out of your customer support team. 

An inbound call center process flow diagram will empower your call center agents to conduct tightly orchestrated interactions along with your customer. 

The fundamental skeleton of an inbound process flow chart can appear like this:

1. A customer sends a request to your call center BPO (Business Process Outsourcing). 
2. A call center agent greets your customer with a pre-decided call script. 
3. The agent notes the rationale for the inbound customer call. 
4. The decision center agent then determines a route to realize customer satisfaction.

You possibly can customize this basic flowchart to fit your unique business process. Moreover, you possibly can transform your flowchart right into a more detailed process map by adding a customer call script, details on customer wait times and average handling time, and more.

2. Outbound customer support flowchart

Unlike a flow chart for an inbound call center process, this diagram visualizes how outbound call centers offer customer support during an outgoing customer call.

Here, your team speaks to prospective customers for sales, lead generation, telemarketing, fundraising, debt collection, etc.

Normally, these calls may be overwhelming for agents as cold calling can often feel intrusive for the client. 

In such cases, it’s best to have an outbound process flow diagram that’ll help agents provide one of the best customer support possible. This workflow diagram also needs to standardize how agents should approach a customer. 

For example, let’s say that you simply own a software company. 

Here’s a flowchart example of what your outbound process flow chart could appear like:

1. Call center agents “cold call” customers to make a sale. 
2. The agents greet them with a structured call script.
3. Agents persuade customers to make a purchase order. 
4. They seek useful information from customers. 
5. If the client is convinced, agents may book a follow-up meeting or call to go forward with the acquisition. 
6. In the event that they’re unconvinced, agents politely end the interaction.

3. Customer criticism resolution process flowchart

A customer criticism resolution flowchart outlines each step a call center or a contact center takes to unravel a customer criticism successfully. 

This flow chart diagram will help agents handle customer frustrations and maintain the corporate’s status. 

In any case, your call center agents are extensions of your small business. And any error on their part may lead your customer to think your organization is incompetent or indifferent to customer needs. 

Process mapping (the means of creating flowcharts) might help your agents understand how you can address each unique customer concern. 

For instance, a customer issue resolution workflow chart could appear like this:

1. A customer calls to report a difficulty 
2. A call center generates a support ticket 
3. They assign severity level or priority level to the difficulty 
4. An authority then talks to the client to resolve the difficulty 

4. Technical issue resolution process flow chart

Technical support is kind of different from customer support. 

A technical issue resolution flow chart outlines every step an organization should take to resolve a customer’s software or hardware issue — for instance, a faulty headset.

Note that some technical issues may not come from customers but from the corporate itself. A technical issue resolution process flow diagram can account for such a scenario as well. 

A basic technical issue resolution workflow chart may appear like this:

1. The business or a customer detects a difficulty. 
2. An agent opens a technical support ticket. 
3. Developers receive the ticket for verification.
4. In a scenario where the client has made an error, the support ticket is classed as unverified and is closed immediately. 
5. If the ticket is verified, the technical staff takes over to resolve the difficulty. 

5. Customer billing and orders process flow chart

Handling customer funds could be a complex process. 

Fortunately, a customer billing and order flowchart might help break down a call center team’s actions to help customers with payment and delivery issues.

For example, if a customer doesn’t receive an order confirmation or get an order delivered on time, they might feel frustrated. A situation like this could overshadow the positive points of your small business process. 

Structuring and visualizing a correct billing and order flowchart can ensure your call center team doesn’t overlook any customer concerns. 

A sample billing and order process flow chart could appear like this:

1. Customer orders a product or a service.
2. They receive a confirmation email and receipt.
3. The accounting team gets the order information.
4. This prompts the shipment process.
5. The Customer receives the product.
6. The order is closed.

Agents also routinely use voicemails, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, and the ‘Do Not Call Registry’ (a listing of consumers your agents shouldn’t call). Your basic flowchart also needs to include breakdowns on how you can use these resources.

You may also make your flow chart more detailed by including the targets you wish your call center agents to realize. Your chart can have targets in the shape of metrics, including conversion rate, variety of calls per agent, etc.

3 handy flow chart call center process templates

Now that we’ve checked out how a flow chart can illustrate any customer support process, let’s have a look at three call center flowchart templates you need to use today. 

1. Customer order process flowchart

The above template breaks down the steps involved in helping a customer place an order with a restaurant. 

A customer makes quite a few decisions in an ordering process, from selecting what to order to how they’ll pay for his or her purchase.

That’s why this template sample includes a call point — a stage where a customer could make a “yes” or a “no” decision. You need to use this template and customize it to cater to your small business process. 

Download this flowchart template. 

2. Customer criticism resolution process flow chart

This customer issue resolution template considers the complex means of helping customers cope with different sorts of challenges. It creates two distinct pathways for customer issue resolution based on the character of the client criticism. 

The template also encourages agents to make use of the corporate’s FAQ page. You possibly can include similar customized guidelines in your flowchart. 

Download this flowchart template. 

3. Sales call center process flowchart

This flowchart example fleshes each different step involved in a sales call center process. This process flowchart might help in mapping out what areas you’ll want to concentrate on to optimize your sales funnel. 

Since cold-calling could make a customer feel cornered, they might select to not interact along with your agent in any respect. That’s why this template highlights every decision point (in a “yes” or “no” format) that a customer makes to alter the course of the sales process. 

You possibly can customize the template to deal with the pain points in your small business process. 

Download this flowchart template. 

5 key advantages of using a flowchart for call center processes

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at how using a flowchart for a call center process may be useful:

1. Document processes for improvement

A process flowchart is a tool that may enable you to document key details about each project your call center team works on. 

A flowchart documents details comparable to:

• How your team carries out a process
• Who’s accountable for the method
• A listing of changes made to the method flowchart

These details can then form the premise of your future workflow flow charts, saving you plenty of time and resources.

2. Reduce processing time

A visible flowchart might help discover repetitive tasks you could automate, helping you reduce process times. 

Moreover, a process flowchart might help in mapping out and addressing the bottlenecks in your workflow.

For instance, let’s say your workflow flowchart shows that your call center agents are scuffling with high-volume calls. You possibly can then use a helpdesk ticketing automation tool to assist collect, organize, and track a customer’s request from various channels in a single place. 

Your agents can then concentrate on improving customer experience as a substitute of doing administrative tasks like answering and documenting calls.  

3. Delegate tasks efficiently

Working with large call center teams can complicate your workflow process and make task delegation a fancy process. Moreover, it will possibly be difficult to see the workload a specific team is handling. 

Nonetheless, having a visible workflow chart can provide managers and decision-makers a clearer overview of the business process, making it easier to delegate tasks efficiently.

4. Establish accountability

In terms of work efficiency in a call center, work delegation is only one challenge. The opposite crucial challenge is establishing accountability amongst call center agents. 

A call center process flowchart can include details in regards to the individuals or teams accountable for certain tasks. In doing so, there’ll be clearer communication between teams, and team members can take responsibility for his or her tasks. 

5. Escalate issues faster

Each recent inbound call from a customer is exclusive. While your team can resolve some calls in only one interaction, other calls may have further escalation to different teams. 

Now, how quickly a serious issue is escalated depends largely on the judgment of your call center agent. A process mapping flowchart can enable you to discover tough situations and train agents to reply efficiently. 

Need to manage your call center operations higher? 

Wrapping up

A properly visualized and detailed flowchart might help significantly boost agent productivity and customer satisfaction. 

Moreover, it will possibly be a standardized guide to assist your call agents understand what to do, even in tricky and high-pressure situations. 
Use the knowledge we covered here to grasp how you can create your call center process flowchart.

You may also start by trying out certainly one of the templates we’ve mentioned, customizing it to suit your small business requirements.