New Ways to Achieve Higher C-SAT Scores

If your C-SAT scores seem to be going from bad to worse, it’s time to do something about it and fast!

The good news is that there has never been a better time to drive improvements, with a whole host of new tactics out there to try – both from the human side and the latest in technological advancements.

To put the spotlight on this, we hosted a webinar on Boosting Customer Satisfaction in Contact Centres – joined by Mike Aoki (Reflective Keynotes Inc.) and Matt Clare (UJET).

In case you missed it, here’s a round-up of the key takeaways to help you achieve higher C-SAT scores in your contact centre:

Poll: What Type of Training Do You Prioritize?

Before diving into the presentations, we kicked things off with a live poll:

No surprises that product/process training topped the list. But both speakers were glad to see emotional intelligence getting more attention – signalling a shift toward valuing the people behind the headset.

AI Can Do a Lot, But It Can’t De-Escalate a Furious Customer

Next up was Mike, with a masterclass in something contact centres often overlook: the emotional labour agents perform every single day.

His argument was blunt: AI can do a lot, but it can’t de-escalate a furious customer who’s convinced your company just ruined their life.

That’s still on your people, and most of them aren’t being trained for it.

So, What’s Driving Customer Satisfaction Down?

There are 3 key forces in play:

Skill Mismatch

AI now handles basic enquiries like password resets. That means human agents are left with everything complex, sensitive, or emotional. The problem? Most haven’t been trained for those scenarios – let alone supported through them.

Generational Culture Clash

Gen Z agents (many of whom didn’t grow up talking on the phone) are suddenly expected to soothe screaming Gen X customers who default to calling when they’re upset.

Meanwhile, older agents are trying to master fast-paced live chat without having grown up on texting. It’s not just a skills gap – it’s a communication style mismatch.

For advice on managing multi-generational customer interactions, read our article: The Generation Game: How to Tailor Your CX for Different Ages

Escalations Burn People Out

High-stakes calls lead to longer handle times, more supervisor involvement, and emotional fatigue. They’re expensive and demoralizing, and they are avoidable, but only if agents are trained to navigate the messy middle.

Your Agents Are Your True Driving Force

Mike explained that a jumbo jet stays in the air thanks to a thin layer of air gliding over its wings. Remove that layer and the plane crashes.

The point? Your agents are that thin layer!

They’re the difference between customer trust and a reputation nosedive. And if you don’t support them properly, it doesn’t matter how sleek your tools are – the operation fails.

So here are 5 emotional intelligence tactics your teams can use immediately:

1. Don’t Let Agents Mirror Fight-or-Flight

When a customer’s angry, their brain is in full survival mode. Logic is off the table. If your agent matches that energy, the call spirals.

Agents need grounding techniques: deep breathing, relaxed posture, slowing down their speech.

For top tips on managing angry customers, supporting your team, and turning difficult calls into positive experiences, read our article: How to Deal With Angry Customers

2. Let the Customer Vent Without Interrupting

Even if agents have the perfect answer, don’t advise them to jump straight in. Cutting someone off mid-rant feels like a threat.

It backfires, even when you’re right, because the customer feels defensive, threatened, and unheard. Let them finish. Then paraphrase and respond.

3. Use Empathy Phrases That Sound Human

Instead of scripted lines, encourage agents to say things like: “If I were in your shoes, I’d feel the same way.” and “That’s completely understandable.”

Store them in your knowledge base. Use them in huddles. Make them second nature.

4. Swap ‘But’ for ‘And’

“I hear you, but…” immediately triggers defensiveness.  “I hear you, and I want to help…” feels collaborative. One simple word, and one simple switch, changes everything.

5. Keep Language Simple, Especially After Emotional Peaks

After a stressful moment, it can take 15–20 minutes for someone’s brain to fully come back online. This means complex instructions or jargon won’t land. Train agents to simplify language and pause between steps.

Don’t wait for disaster to implement this. Build it into onboarding, reinforce it in coaching, and share wins when it works.

Bad Tech Is Quietly Killing Customer Satisfaction

While Mike focused on psychology and conversation dynamics, Matt zoomed out to the systems behind it all, and how bad architecture is quietly ruining good service.

He noted that the customer journey has evolved, but most contact centres haven’t.

Technology Is Redefining Customer Satisfaction

Matt laid out a future-facing blueprint for how contact centres can modernize – without losing their humanity.

AI ≠ Empathy… Yet!

And what happens when AI becomes indistinguishable from humans? Matt was clear: we’re close, but not quite there.

Yes, AI can mimic empathy. It can say “Sorry to hear that” and pause in the right places. But real emotional connection still requires human nuance…

Especially in industries like healthcare, or when retaining customers at risk of churning.

Top Tips From the Audience

The webinar wrapped up with some top tips and observations from the audience of operational leaders on how they are navigating customer satisfaction challenges right now, including:

“Ensure your staff satisfaction is looked after and they will ensure the customer satisfaction is handled by themselves.” – Joe

“Ensure agents have the chance to listen back to their calls not just for calls where they may have struggled, but also on great calls so they can hear themselves what went well and what worked.” – Nikki

“Meet your customers where they want to be served. AI/human/self-service via phone/email/chat etc. Balance is important.” – Justin

“Active NPS score and feedback monitoring are key. Open questions allow customers to feedback on areas that may need reviewing and working on. Where they felt they got let down, can a process be put in place to prevent it happening again? This allows compliments to be received by employees, which boosts morale and has an effect on them dealing with further customers.” – Kiera

“Use real-time AI coaching tools to provide agents with instant guidance during calls, enabling faster issue resolution and personalized responses that enhance customer experiences.” – Jose

“Instead of just reacting to issues, use AI-driven analytics to predict customer needs before they arise. For example: if a customer frequently contacts support about billing, proactively send them a simplified billing guide or offer a callback before the due date. This creates a ‘wow’ moment because the customer feels understood without even asking.” – Pravash

Tech and People Must Work Together

As the webinar wrapped up, a few truths stood out:

In the age of AI, it’s the human touch that still makes the difference.

To find out what else was discussed in the webinar, watch the replay: Boosting Customer Satisfaction in Contact Centres

If you want more information and advice to improve your contact centre customer service, read these articles next:

• Quick Wins to Improve Your C-Sat Scores
• 21 Tips to Make Your Customers Feel Truly Valued
• The Key Elements of a CX Lifecycle and Ways to Improve It

Author: Stephanie Lennox
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson