It was February 14, 1876, when Marcellus Bailey, one of Alexander Graham Bell’s attorneys, rushed into the US Patent office in Boston to file the patent for what would be the telephone. Today, 141 years later, we celebrate National Telephone Day. On this day we observe the history of the telephone and we use social media to capture our memories of how the telephone has evolved over the years. This day also brings to mind one industry that relies heavily on the telephone, call centers.
Even with the advent of social channels and self-help, the phone is still a sought after medium for answering consumer questions. Unfortunately, call centers have a bad reputation for being difficult places to work, especially for agents (aka CSR’s). According to Contact Center Pipeline, agent attrition is a top challenge for call centers. It’s easy to overlook just how tough this job is, CSRs often have to choose between conflicting priorities such as keeping handle times low, while creating a positive customer experience.
Here’s why call center agents quit and how you can avoid it. Continue reading
Customer service has never been work for the weak. It takes someone with great self-control, a calm temperament and tremendous organizational skills to be successful. But even those who display the assets of a fantastic agent can experience a sudden drop in morale. For instance, increased workload, poor management, difficult customers, and more, can create a negative outlook in your agent’s eyes. As a call center manager, it’s important to observe your support team and get a sense of their general disposition. No, you don’t have to play therapist, but you can do a few things to re-engage those lethargic agents.
According to a recent study by 
