You call the 800 number, you’re on hold, and you’re asked if you’d like to be called back when it’s your turn. I mean, a callback’s a callback…right?

As you know, some enterprise-level CcaaS platforms offer a pre-programmed, out-of-the-box solution that promises to help you save money by just flipping a switch. Meanwhile, providers that focus on virtual queueing know that flipping that switch just isn’t that easy.

So which option should you choose? Or, more specifically, what features should you specifically look for when considering the best solution for your contact center?

I put together seven key elements that any callback solution worth its salt should have. And by the end, you’ll have a crystal clear picture of exactly what your contact center needs to kick that dreaded hold music for good.

Intro

Welcome to Snackable CX, where we break down our best resources into bite-sized guidance on how to stand out and be known for your customer experience. I’m Sam Salerno, here from Mindful, the best-in-class, total-experience solution that aims to add kindness to your tech stack.

Okay, so first off, some congratulations are in order. At Mindful, We LOVE callback, it’s what we’re all about—because we’ve seen the way it can level up contact centers in a way that impacts everything: metrics, customers, and agents. So whether this is your first time considering a callback solution or you’re just taking a hard look at your current solution, you’re on the path to finding that super mushroom.

And that’s awesome.

Buuuuut….when it comes to customer experience, you simply gotta make sure your solution has the right features to fit your unique business. Otherwise—and we hear this a lot from clients who come to us after they’ve tried another solution—it might end up causing more chaos than resolution.

So here are seven elements you need to consider when looking at any callback solution. And just a heads up: I’m gonna fly through these, so be sure to check out the show notes for the link to read all the details in our Ultimate callback guide.

First up in our callback solution checklist: flexible implementation

Sure, blanket solutions are easy to implement. Just flip a switch and you suddenly have callback…

…or do you?

The problem with many out-of-the-box solutions is they don’t allow you to get down to the nitty gritty of customization. And if you’re working with a one-size-fits-all mentality, you risk tanking your contact center efficiency and customer experience.

What if you only want to use callback in a specific line of business? Or only with a specific pool of agents? Or on a specific language, or only during certain hours when queue conditions meet a specific threshold? Premium solut ions give you the ability to modify to fit your specific needs—not leave your tech team scrambling to customize a blanket solution.

So make sure that any solution you consider has the flexibility you need.

Second element: Callback Pacing

Pacing is the heartbeat of every callback solution. Throttle callback pacing—your traditional hold times spike and agent efficiency tanks. Open it up and you’ll have inaccurate callback times and upset those who take the callback.

Finding the right balance is key.

Typically, most standard callback solutions are only programmed with a “first in, first out” strategy, which is great for maintaining queue integrity. But after nearly 30 years in the callback game, we’ve discovered that first-in-first-out isn’t always the best option when it comes to efficiency—like when you’re slammed with calls or you’ve got agents out of office.

A premium solution gives you the ability to tweak pacing to fit your unique call center environment or circumstances.

You might want to speed up pacing when your Average Handle Time hits a specific threshold. Or slow it down when there’s a shift change to prevent calls from piling up and causing unwieldy callback times. This gives you unparalleled power and flexibility to run your contact center at peak performance WHILE maintaining your queue integrity.

Third: End-of-day and after-hours handling.

Let’s say you’ve got 30 minutes ‘til closing, but callers are waiting for a callback. Are your agents gonna have to stick around after close?

With a tacked-on callback solution, odds are you’ll need to budget in some overtime pay for those after-hour calls…or at least make the manual adjustment to close the virtual queue to account for the closing bell.

But premium callback solutions take end-of-day and after-hour handling seriously. They let you adjust functionality to operate one way during business hours, another way as you’re coming up on closing time, and another way after you close up shop.

When considering a callback solution, look for built-in predictive algorithms that compare callback wait time with queue closing time, then decide whether or not to offer the caller a callback. This’ll keep your customers from endlessly waiting for a call from unavailable agents, and make sure your agents get home on time.

Fourth element: Agent-first and Customer-first dialing

Having the option to choose between agent-first or customer-first dialing is a game changer for efficiency.

Agent-first dialing gets an agent on the line before calling the customer back. And customer-first dialing gets the agent on the line only after the customer has been reconnected. Both options work—and you might want to use one over the other in particular situations—but it’s customer-first dialing that takes the cake when it comes to contact center efficiency.

This dialing strategy crushes agent idle time since agents no longer have to deal with endless ring cycles, missed calls, and ending up in a customer’s voicemail box.

If you’re stuck with a solution that only offers one or the other, you’re definitely gonna want to revisit the marketplace to see about upgrading to a premium solution.

Must-have feature number five: Callback Double-check.

We’ve all been there: We’ll wait on hold, hang up, and call again to see if we get bumped up in the call queue. And while repeat callers are just bad news in general, they’ll really mess up your callback queues if they’re registering multiple callbacks.

That’s why any callback solution worth its salt needs to automatically double check the number of callbacks a customer can schedule at any given time. It should be able to instantly run inbound phone numbers against those already in your callback queue, then gently remind the customer that they’re already registered and prevent them from doubling up on a callback.

This often overlooked feature will help you maintain queue integrity and keep repeat calls from distorting volume reporting and workforce predictions.

Number 6: Callback Notifications

Standard callback solutions might come with a general confirmation SMS message that gets pushed to the caller once they schedule a callback. But a premium solution should give you multiple ways of using notifications to provide a better customer experience and boost efficiency.

You want to look for a solution that can push out a confirmation message, follow up with a reminder of an upcoming callback, provide self-service options to hopefully reduce your callback queue, and even give customers the option to cancel or reschedule a call.

This extra layer of communication and transparency isn’t just a nicety. Notifications help build trust between your customers and your brand. And when they’re used correctly, they help boost connection rates—meaning more callers get the help they need without having to pray that their callback request went through.

And finally, element number 7: Advanced Analytics

Unless you have a way of objectively measuring callback metrics, you won’t know what’s working and what needs a little TLC. Make sure the solution you’re evaluating provides a crystal clear picture of exactly what’s going on behind the scenes with your callback customers.

Some key callback KPIs that you’ll definitely want to measure are:

Average Response Time, which is how long a customer has to wait for a callback, Average Punctuality, which is the accuracy of the estimated callback time frame, Average Wait Time, or how long a customer has to wait after reconnecting to speak to an agent, And Average Call Time, which is the average length of calls following a callback

You need to be able to export and mix this data with your other platforms—like your ACD, CCaaS, or BI tool—to truly understand the overall experience for your callers. Otherwise, you’ll be left in the dark as to how well your callback solution is actually working.

Last thoughts

Quick recap: for your next callback solution, you’re looking for Flexible implementation, callback pacing, end-of-day and after-hours handling, agent or customer-first dialing, callback doublecheck, notifications, and advanced analytics.

It might feel like a long wishlist to take with you when you’re evaluating callback solutions, but trust us: these seven features are foundational for callback success in your contact center. And the perfect solution is out there!

If you want to see how Mindful stacks up, head to our website and reach out. And check out the show notes for more resources to help guide your decisions. Happy trails!

Nutritional Facts

This episode has been adapted from chapter 2 of our guide, “The Ultimate Guide to Customer Callback,” which you can find in the Mindful CX library at getmindful.com.

We publish new, Snackable CX episodes every week, so be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. See ya next time.

Written and hosted by Sam Salerno.

Produced and engineered by Jared Evers.

Edited, mixed, and mastered by Adam Griffith.

Artwork designed by Rob Beckham.