Labor Shortages
The ongoing labor shortage means contact centers are competing with other businesses for workers . What ’ s going on ? In short , the American workforce has shrunk since the COVID-19 pandemic , with the U . S . Chamber of Commerce saying that there are 1.7 million fewer Americans working today , compared to February of 2020 .
“ If every unemployed person in the country found a job , we would still have 3 million open jobs ,” writes Stephanie Ferguson , Director of Global Employment Policy & Special Initiatives , U . S . Chamber of Commerce , at uschamber . com .
High Labor Cost
Of course , labor shortages lead to higher labor costs , which is another industry pressure point . Site Selection Group ’ s numbers show that entry-level call center wages in Tier 1 U . S . cities jumped as much as 25 % over the last four years . While that large bump may have been a singular event , inflation and the labor shortage continue to exert upward pressure on wages .
As we ’ ve discussed , staffing is the industry ’ s biggest operational cost . So changes in this area have an outsized impact on call center decision-making . This super-charges the need to maximize agent productivity but also changes the ROI of call center technology .
An investment in tools that support productivity , employee satisfaction , and team productivity will pay extra dividends in this environment . More on that later !
Demanding Customers – Difficult Work Environment
There ’ s another factor constantly at play in the contact center industry : these jobs are difficult and tedious . Anything a manager can do to relieve agent stress is then worth doing .
The numbers back this up . 74 % of contact center agents are at risk of burnout , according to a Toister Performance Solutions study . SQM Group says 47 % of managers identify high agent turnover and absenteeism as their biggest barriers to running their call center effectively . And agents are feeling the stress .
At the same time , customer service has never mattered more . Salesforce tells us that nearly 90 % of buyers say their experience with a company matters just as much as any product or service they purchase .
So , in a time of labor shortage and employee burnout , we still need our agents – who are often working remotely – to deliver exceptional service . It ’ s a tall order .
... AGENT PRODUCTIVITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN .
Productivity and Engagement : Two Sides of the Same Coin
To respond effectively , it ’ s crucial for managers to understand that agent productivity and customer satisfaction are two sides of the same coin . We know that engaged agents have stronger job performance that results in better CSAT ratings and better customer experience ( CX ). This , in turn , translates into stronger call center KPIs and higher profits for the company .
Having a happy staff also reduces employee churn and lowers onboarding costs , which can be substantial . ( It costs about $ 20,800 to replace an average agent , according to SQM .) Retaining your agents also helps slow the loss of institutional memory : a somewhat intangible asset that nevertheless adds to a company ’ s value .
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
TOOLS TO IMPROVE AGENT EX- PERIENCE AND PRODUCTIVITY
A holistic approach is needed to improve productivity while keeping agents happy and engaged . This is where advancements in tech can make a difference . Here are some tools that can help :
Robotic Process Automation ( RPA )
This technology takes over repetitive , low-value tasks like data entry , basic self-service , and order taking . In the past , the justification for RPA technology was that it would keep agents focused on high-value tasks . Today , the additional motivation is to keep agents ’ jobs engaging enough that they won ’ t quit .
WFM Tools
Flexible scheduling is key to creating an attractive , competitive workplace and WFM technology that lets agents schedule their own time is important . The new generation of WFM software is great and there seems to be constant innovation in this area .
CRM / Ticketing Systems
Anything that improves the quality of life for agents is important : including alleviating small annoyances and smoothing out workflows . A good CRM ticketing system gives agents the context they need to resolve issues quickly and prioritize calls effectively .
Gamification
Gamification speaks to agent motivation and is another way to make the workday more interesting and keep your agents motivated and happy .
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