How the Mute Button Benefits both Customer & Call Center Agent

published – April 26th 2023

As a call center representative, you have several different features at your disposal. One way or another, these can all be very useful to you whether you are doing this part time or full time.

The functions available will most likely work in tandem with the call center technology and equipment that you are using. Maybe you have been given a wireless call center headset with mute button.

Each feature has its part to play in this line of work. Although, the mute button can often be seen as an underappreciated yet effective tool in your arsenal. Better yet, it can benefit both ends of the telephone call in several ways.

lips How the Mute Button Benefits both Customer & Call Center Agent earn work jobs make money online from home call centre function feature representative inbound outbound caller abuse concentration focus etiquette speech phone telephone workplace muting headset telemarketing lead telesales unsolicited cold calls voice volume temper regret polite friendly coworker supervisor manager colleague employee employer professional policy training conversation — photo by philm1310 from pixabay

How do inbound & outbound call center jobs differ on the mute button?

I personally deem the mute button to be far less necessary in an outbound telemarketing style job. This particular position tends to revolve around capturing leads and keeping the caller on the line for as long as possible.

Because of this, you will want to hear them clearly and they will also need to listen to you if you want to be successful. People don’t typically like receiving unsolicited cold calls so you will need to use your voice in order to win the caller around. It kind of makes muting pretty obsolete in telesales.

An inbound call center job gives you more freedom to mute at will. Keep in mind that they have called you (not the other way around). Obviously, the customer will want to stick around in order to resolve the issue that they have been having.

Are there any call center jobs near me? Call centers are always hiring new people. Before you start looking for work, I would suggest getting your credentials in order. Websites like my perfect resume can help you optimize your resume as well as offer other useful tips.

Should I mute a caller if they are abusive?

You can try turning the volume all the way down on your headset if need be. This is especially beneficial if a difficult customer is screaming nonsensically down the phone in a wild tantrum. This barrage of shouting and expletives often doesn’t help either party to fix the problem at hand.

You can simply adjust to a very low volume rather than it being completely muted. This way you can still follow the conversation without your ears hurting.

Abuse from callers is common in this kind of customer service job. Using this technique can soften the blow at least a little bit while still allowing you to function.

Is muting effective for my own concentration & focus?

Muting the customer can be effective if you are trying to concentrate on resolving a tough issue. This might be something that requires a complete singular focus.

Having someone nattering in your ear can be distracting if you are really trying to knuckle down. You can either do this or just put the caller on hold. Although, nobody really likes the latter option (let’s be honest).

Is it good call center etiquette to mute my own speech?

You should definitely utilize the mute feature if you ever need it to silence yourself for whatever reason. This isn’t exactly ideal but you can even turn this on whenever your emotions become out of control.

This might be when you think you are about to lose your temper with a customer and say something you might regret. It can be life-saving (and also job-saving) in this sense.

It’s probably for the best this way as the repercussions of lashing out at a caller can be severe to one’s livelihood. However, one should always make their best efforts to be polite and friendly at all times.

Does the phone call mute button prevent crosstalk?

Muting can also be used for other purposes like when you are talking to multiple people simultaneously. You may be chatting with a coworker or supervisor and at the same time don’t want the two conversations to overlap.

There is always a slight chance that you may get interrupted or even actively need to speak to one of your colleagues during a call.

They may be assisting you with a caller, for example. From the customer’s perspective, keeping your conversations separate adds a layer of professionalism to your work routine.

What is my workplace policy on muting?

Can call centers hear you on mute? Depending on the rules for call center employees, there is a chance that your employer has their own principles on muting. They might not like or want you to use the mute function in an overt or inappropriate way. You can clarify this with your manager or supervisor so that they can give you a clear and proper answer.

During lunch or break time, why not ask your coworkers about their personal policies on muting? I’m sure you will get a bunch of different opinions so you will have to judge for yourself what is right for you.

Any decent employer should talk you through the correct use of the mute button. This should typically happen during the training period when you first start a new call center job.

Remote call center representatives who work from home may find themselves slightly less monitored in this respect. For this reason, they might get more liberty when it comes to muting

Muting is great whether you just don’t want to be heard or if you think it will help you to work in silence for a while. Doing this can have both an emotional and technical impact on your job performance for the better.

If you already work in a call center job, I would recommend finding opportunities to use the mute function. You can do it throughout your working day as a test.

Forming a habit of utilizing the mute feature can make your work life a little easier. You can then experiment to find out when it would be most helpful to implement for both you and your caller.

As mentioned, somebody at your workplace should educate you on using the mute function. Similarly, you can learn more about what goes into a call center job by finding out How Do Remote Call Center Agents Receive Training & Support?

Other sites like dailydot and callcenterhelper have also discussed the use of the mute feature in call center work. At what point in the phone call conversation do you think the mute button would come in most useful? Why do you personally believe the mute function is so important in call center work?

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