Are Your Agents Really Listening? Unlock Call Centre Success with Active Listening Skills

Poor listening, not poor English, causes the majority of guest complaints.

In call centres throughout Asia, agents face a unique challenge: connecting with callers who, like themselves, use English as a second or third language. With a diverse range of callers from across Asia, navigating varied pronunciations, vocabularies, and communication styles is no small feat. Active listening is the gamechanger that enables agents to cut through language barriers, reduce misunderstandings, and resolve calls with speed and precision.

What is active listening?
Active listening isn’t just hearing words - it’s decoding the caller’s tone, pace, pauses, sarcasm and even humour to uncover their true needs and emotions. By mastering this skill, your agents can turn challenging calls into seamless interactions that build loyalty.

The listening challenge in GBA call centres
Listening in a non-native language is tough for many agents especially whilst managing their own English limitations. In the Greater Bay Area, where callers might hail from various Asian countries, the diversity of English usage adds complexity. Without visual cues like gestures or facial expressions, agents rely solely on vocal signals to understand the caller’s intent. Here’s what they’re up against:

• Pronunciation variations: A caller might use unfamiliar vocabulary, repeatedly mispronounce words or struggle with certain sounds, leading to potential confusion.
• Speech pace and pauses: Some callers speak quickly, others pause frequently to search for words, which can be mistaken for hesitation or agreement.
• Sarcasm and tone: A caller might use sarcasm (e.g., “Oh, great service”) to express frustration, which can be missed without keen listening.
• Non-verbal vocal cues: Sighs, sharp breaths, or changes in pitch can signal emotions like impatience, confusion, or urgency.

Mastering these nuances requires targeted language training designed for the multilingual, high-pressure call centre environment.

Active listening from a language training perspective
Active listening means fully engaging with the caller’s message, a core principle in English language training for supporting non-native speakers. It’s about understanding not just words but the emotions and intentions behind them. Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Paraphrasing: Restating the caller’s message to confirm understanding. (“So, you’re saying your booking hasn’t been confirmed?”)
• Pausing with patience: Allowing callers time to find words without interrupting, especially when English is their second language.
• Decoding vocal cues: Noticing tone, pitch, pauses, or sarcasm to gauge emotions like frustration or urgency.
• Asking clarifying questions: Using open-ended prompts to dig deeper. (“Can you tell me more about the issue?”)
• Adapting language: Matching the caller’s vocabulary level to build rapport and avoid confusion.

These skills show callers they’re truly heard, which builds trust and ensures smoother interactions.

Spotting non-verbal cues
Non-verbal vocal cues are often missed in multilingual calls, leading to misunderstandings. For example:

• Sighs or sharp breaths: A long sigh might indicate frustration, while a quick inhale could signal urgency or irritation.
• Pitch changes: A rising pitch often suggests stress or impatience, while a sudden drop might indicate resignation.
• Pauses: Long pauses may mean the caller is struggling to find words or processing emotions, not necessarily agreeing.
• Sarcasm: A caller saying, “Wow, this is so helpful,” with a flat or exaggerated tone might be expressing dissatisfaction. Agents need to recognise the mismatch between words and tone.

Training agents to pick up on these cues ensures they respond empathetically and accurately, defusing tension and resolving issues faster.

Free Download: To help your team, we’ve created a set of practical English language training activities tailored for GBA call centres. 

Why active listening drives efficiency
Hilda, a call centre manager based in Zhuhai, understands the importance of active listening: “It’s essential in helping us zero in on a guest’s needs quickly, once we know what they want, it then allows us the opportunity to exceed their expectations.” She added: “Our loyal guests expect a personalised service. Active listening lets us uncover their needs and deliver exceptional experiences.” As Hilda highlights, active listening isn’t just about solving problems, it’s about deeply understanding callers to provide tailored, efficient service that builds loyalty.

By focusing on active listening, you can turn it into your team’s secret weapon for bridging language gaps and turning tricky calls into opportunities for outstanding service. By training agents in specific techniques - paraphrasing, decoding sarcasm and vocal cues, and asking smart questions - you’ll strengthen their ability to handle diverse callers with confidence and empathy.

Ready to Improve your Call Centre Team’s Listening Skills? Book a Free Consultation Now!