A savvy Call Center Manager recently wrote me with a simple but excellent question: What should a great Call Center Manager do every day to be successful? As a former Director of one of the largest Financial Service Call Centers in the United States and an International Call Center Sales and Service Coach, here are my top 7 Daily Practices for best call center leadership practices. Add yours and together let's create award winning call center service!
1. Ensure touch points with employees and customers. Ask yourself, “How will I, as a Manager, ensure my employees feel TISP?" (Trusted, Important, Special and Pleased) Despite technology, the people are still the most important resource in a call center. Be specific. What will you do today to ensure the "TISP Factor"?
2. What is the quality of the coaching and motivation provided by my supervisors? Turnover is expensive and supervisors will cost you quality employees! They probably already have. What initiatives do you have in place for employee motivation and retention, which is as important as recruitment? Front line supervisory training is mission critical and you should have a recruitment plan as well as a retention plan in place for 2010. Do you?
3. What scripts and monitoring services are you using to maximize per agent sales and service quality ratings? Have you applied the latest brain science, NLP voice coaching and data mining techniques to maximize sales and quality results? Were you aware that for every major product offering, you should have in place 4 scripting and call guide variations to cater to customer psychometrics and language preferences? If you're asking, Why 4 scripts?, I can assure you, your call center is missing out on sales performance and improved service quality ratings.
4. As the Manager, listen to calls every day, without exception, and keep a journal. What was the most difficult customer call and why? What was the best customer call you heard and why? (Be sure to tell or write a note to the agent about that best call of the day.) What are customers saying about the product and or/service? As a Manager, remember your job is to have a helicopter view of the challenges of both customers and employees every day.
5. Again, as Manager, it is most important to observe and ask, “How might/can we do this cheaper, faster, better and provide a more energized environment for employees?” (Review every protocol and procedure from scheduling to the employee break areas and look for ways to make operations better.)
6. Know your Flow! i.e., vulnerable service times, processes and procedures. Have protocols in place for all worst case scenarios.
7. If you are victim to call center turnover, ask yourself the million dollar question. Not why are employees leaving? Rather, why are your good and best call center agents staying?
Best Wishes for Creating a Remarkable Call Center and a Positive Workplace in 2010.
Rosemary Rein, PhD is the author of "Go Wild! Survival Skills for Business and Life" and a contributing author of "Blueprint for Success" with Dr. Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard. She is a Certified NBI® Whole Brain Practitioner and Coach for Customer Service Centers.
Now to WOW!™ Call Center Training combines NBI® Whole Brain Script analysis with call center training and voice coaching. Results are measured, produced and 100% guaranteed. Write Rosemary@gowildgogreat.com for a 2010 Call Center Sales & Quality Proposal or visit www.gowildgogreat.com. |
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