GIVING EMPLOYEES THE PROPER TRAINING , MOTIVATION , AND COACHING WILL EMPOWER YOUR TEAM .
CREATING A BETTER EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE
But how do you deliver a better employee experience ? Let ’ s consider both behaviors or policies that make an employee engage and those that lead them to take their skillset elsewhere .
The first contact with many companies that one might have is with recruiting . During the interview process , it is an opportunity to not only “ sell ” the prospective employee on why they would want to work for your business . It is also a chance for the agent to see if they can be successful in your environment .
There are many books , blogs , and resources on helpful interviewing , but the biggest thing to remember is to provide the employee with a realistic outlook of their work . Here are a few ideas .
• What will training and onboarding look like ? We ’ ve all been in situations where we have just had to “ figure it out ." But if you don ’ t properly arm your agents with the information they need to do their jobs , you can expect that they will share that during an inbound chat , email , or phone call with a customer .
• How will agents receive feedback on whether or not they are doing a good job ? Most contact centers have some sort of quality management ( QM ) software to provide feedback on performance . As you research which one might be right for you , ensure that you can track digital interactions and phone calls .
• Do they understand the goals and objectives of your business ? A good way to reinforce your company-wide initiatives is to gamify the behavior that leads to the KPI ( s ) you are trying to reach . For example , if your objective is to increase FCR , reward representatives who consistently solve issues the first time a customer contacts your company .
• Will they have control over how and where they complete their work ? According to a Playvox survey in 2022 , over 56 % of agents would look for a new role if not offered the option to work from home . In a tight job market , offering this type of flexibility is a no-cost benefit you can provide if you can monitor and manage agents remotely .
• How will scheduling work ? Will agents consistently be over-scheduled and / or under-utilized ? Support staff can become quickly disengaged if they are either flooded with interactions or waiting for a phone call or chat . Even worse , you ’ ll waste valuable resources and budget if you over- or under-staff your contact center . To better predict volumes , forecast , and scheduling needs , make sure you leverage a WFM solution .
These are just a few ideas of information to share with a prospective employee . The more you can educate an employee about their job , the more prepared , empowered , and engaged they will be . That engagement will result in better CXs . In addition to sharing this information in the interview process , you also need to continually look to engage your support teams .
HOW TO KEEP YOUR CONTACT CENTER AGENTS HAPPY AND ENGAGED
Employee engagement , and yes , happiness with their jobs in large part depends on how well employees are supervised and coached . Here are six ways to be a better contact center leader while also improving the CX :
1 . Be empathetic . Just as customers want an empathetic CX , to be heard , and to have their issues resolved , your employees want the same . Remember that your customer support agents are the difference between mediocre or brag-worthy CXs . By empathizing , educating , engaging , and empowering your teams , your employees will be better positioned to provide empathetic CXs .
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
2 . Be a better coach . Fostering a positive and empowered work culture can improve employee morale and engagement , which can , in turn , improve the overall performance of your contact center and CX . The best type of coach is one that speaks to each “ player ” with individualized pathways to success . Every coach wants their team to stay engaged and motivated at work .
Consider ways to recognize and reward your employees for delivering exceptional CX . For example , sharing employees ’ accomplishments on your community wall gives them a chance to shine and boost motivation through friendly competition .
GIVING EMPLOYEES THE PROPER TRAINING , MOTIVATION , AND COACHING WILL EMPOWER YOUR TEAM .
3 . Ongoing training . Regular training and development opportunities are essential for employees to stay updated with the latest information , examples , scenarios , and best practices .
Giving employees the proper training , motivation , and coaching will empower your team . This approach is made easier with QM software that can help upskill your call center employees and maintain day-today quality assurance by analyzing customer feedback and reviews .
4 . Listen . Agent retention has never been more critical . Remote or hybrid work requires adopting new management strategies to support remote agents , including scheduling regular communications and team-building activities , the right policies to help set expectations and requirements , and engaging with your remote team .
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