The customer service industry has long sought to find ways to improve customer service operations. Two of the most popular approaches to customer service routing are queue-based routing and skills-based routing. Queue-based routing places customers into a queue, where they will be serviced in the order they arrive. Skills-based routing on the other hand, allocates customers to the best-suited customer service associate based on their skills and knowledge. Both strategies offer distinct benefits, but how do they compare?
Definition of Queue-Based and Skills-Based Routing
Queue-based routing is a customer service strategy that places customers into a queue, where they will be serviced in the order they arrive. The customer in the queue is the first one to be serviced, regardless of their issue or the skills or knowledge of the customer service representative. This approach is commonly used in call centers, where the queue is used to ensure that the customer is served in a timely and efficient manner.
Skills-based routing is a customer service strategy that allocates customers to the best-suited customer service representative based on their skills and knowledge. Customer service representatives are assigned to customers based on their expected ability to handle the customer’s issue. This approach is used in many customer service departments, as it can help to ensure that customer concerns are addressed quickly and effectively.
Benefits of Queue-Based Routing
Queue-based routing is a simple and efficient customer service strategy that can help to ensure that customers are serviced in a timely manner. This approach can help to reduce customer wait times and ensure that customers are serviced in an orderly fashion. Additionally, queue-based routing can help to improve customer satisfaction, as customers are aware of their expected wait times and can plan accordingly.
Benefits of Skills-Based Routing
Skills-based routing is a customer service strategy that can help to ensure that customer concerns are addressed quickly and effectively. This approach allows customer service representatives to be matched to customers based on their skills and knowledge, which can help to reduce average handle time and improve customer satisfaction. Additionally, this approach can help to ensure that customers are matched to the most knowledgeable representatives, which can help to reduce the need for additional follow-up calls.
Comparing Efficiency of Both Strategies
When comparing the efficiency of queue based routing and skills based routing, it is important to consider several factors. Queue based routing is often used for simple customer service tasks, such as answering basic questions, as it can ensure that customers are serviced in a timely manner. However, for more complex customer service tasks, skills based routing is often more efficient, as it can ensure that customers are matched with the most knowledgeable representatives. Additionally, skills based routing can help to reduce average handle time, as customers are more likely to receive a satisfactory resolution to their issues. Ultimately, both strategies can be beneficial, depending on the specific customer service needs of a business.