Royal Caribbean mulls adding live chat to boost contact methods

Royal Caribbean International is considering adding a live chat function and a cheaper phone rate for its Guatemalan call centre.

Royal Caribbean International is considering adding a live chat function and a cheaper phone rate for its Guatemalan call centre.

Calls currently are made through an 0844 number, which costs 7p a minute, but John Wilson, head of consumer outreach at the 24?ship line, said the company was reviewing its contact methods and could introduce a local rate number, an “express trade email inbox” for priority responses and live chat function.

Royal Caribbean moved its call centre from the UK to Guatemala in 2013.

Wilson said the 120-strong call centre team had made “massive strides forward”, with handling times and conversion rates “always improving”. Wilson said: “We ask agents to fill in a survey at the end of every call and there are fewer people doing that, which would imply there is less to complain about.

“One thing that has been fed back is the methods of contact. It’s early days, but we’re looking at whether we introduce a local rate number and an email for the most imminent [enquiries] and priority responses. We are very aware that we need to be easy to work with.”

Wilson admitted there were “some gaps in the knowledge” of some staff at the call centre and said more webinars and video conferencing training sessions were being held.

Sales director Ben Bouldin said the trade satisfaction rate with the Guatemala centre was now 94%.