By: Michael Mills

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are fast approaching and athletes are not the only ones preparing. With spectator ticket sales expected to hit 7.5 million, on top of over 10,500 athletes in attendance, planning for every aspect of the Olympics is a heavy lift for organizations and companies worldwide. Consumer-focused industries, in particular, are anticipating added pressures leading up to and during the games as they prepare for an influx of customer inquiries.

As a high-touch support system, call center support teams can face increased stress during big events such as the Olympics due to high call volumes. From hospitality to technology – no matter the company or industry that call center agents support – it is more than likely that customers are calling because they have a problem. Telecommunications companies, in particular, are met with many requests and concerns when customers travel internationally. Will my phone plan work abroad? What extra charges should I expect? Why can’t I access my data on the hotel WiFi? And to ensure a positive customer experience, these callers need immediate attention and quick resolution.

Quickly solving customer problems is a challenge telecom call center support staff are trained for in light of other high-volume periods, including hectic holiday shopping seasons or new product launches. But, the international attendance and sheer scale of an event like the Olympics heightens the pressure – from ensuring cell phone plans will work for international attendees to fixing issues with keeping today’s digitally dependent world connected. To prepare, there are several best practices telecom companies should keep in mind to go above and beyond normal support and ensure seamless, exceptional service delivery.

Identify and emphasize KPIs

There are specific metrics that telecommunications companies need to measure to ensure they are maintaining a consistent level of productivity, efficiency and quality delivery to their customers. These are more commonly referred to as key performance indicators (KPIs). When it comes to managing its contact center customer support the two most important KPIs for telecom providers are first-call resolution and average handle time.

To successfully manage the influx of calls while still upholding KPIs, call center agents need to be proactive problem solvers, provide fast response times and deliver high-satisfaction rates. Throughout the Olympics, agents need to focus on the quality of their calls, making sure every caller experience is positive and that any issues and inquiries are addressed the first time a customer calls. And, while first-call resolution is important, equally so is the handle time. While some requests may take longer to resolve due to the nature of the issue, handling requests in a timely and efficient manner can make or break a customer’s attitude toward the experience, and the company overall.