Contact centers are like people: We’re all at different stages, chugging along healthily but sometimes faltering along the way.
As we begin to look back at 2018, one thing is becoming clear: Not every contact center is created equal. While some are overhauling and optimizing their entire operations and adapting to the demands of modern consumers, there exist some (even those belonging to notable brands) that lag a step or two behind the speed of change. This is not a criticism – it’s simply the reality, an industry-wide circumstance brought about by the learning curves and rapid technological changes to the customer service space in contemporary times.
There are a few things to keep in mind when building an A+ team of call center agents. First and foremost, make sure that you’re hiring the right people (that’s of course more difficult than it sounds). Once the right candidates are in place, the training becomes critical. We already know how monotonous a call center agent’s role can be but, by making the training process exciting and fun, you’re creating a better environment for everyone. Remember, it’s not just the initial training that’s important; creating a culture of continuous learning is also essential to the success of your contact center.
As a child, I hated going to the dentist. The idea of keeping my mouth open, for what felt like an eternity, while someone poked and prodded at my teeth, was never a pleasant experience. Funnily enough, what helped me get through those torturous endeavours was the artwork displayed in that dental office. Strategically placed on the ceiling, above the chair, I had the pleasure of gazing at so many lovely pictures. Now, I’m not saying they had a Picasso on their ceiling, but the distraction of a group of puppies or even a “Where’s Waldo?” poster really took my mind to another place. Isn’t it amazing what pictures can do to your state of mind?
Whether you’re a customer service director, manager, or representative, reading a few good words of wisdom always seems to help inspire your next course of action. Especially when those words are from veteran leaders, who have said some amazing things about how to interact with your customers, and how to motivate you and your team to succeed.
What does customer service mean to you? One might think the answer to that question is universal, but that’s not necessarily the case. People will define customer service in different ways. A retailer might think it means ensuring customers quickly find what they need online or in-store, and a financial institution might think it means ensuring that they respond to customers in a timely fashion. Since Fonolo is a solution built for the contact center space, I started to think about what customer service means to a call center agent. The first thing that came to mind was handling a difficult customer. For a CSR to be successful they have to understand how to deliver customer service in the most challenging of situations – with an irate customer.
You’re fighting a pounding headache, your long commute to work is completely mind numbing, and your hot coffee just took a spill all over your new white outfit – let’s face it, you’re having a bad day. Sometimes the best thing to do on these terribly consuming days is to simply laugh it off. I know it can be tough to plaster a smile across your face when you’re feeling less than chipper, but we all know that smiling feels really good! Endorphins and serotonin are all released when a smile flashes across your face, which makes your body relax, and can lower your heart rate and blood pressure. So let’s take the time to smile, especially today, as we observe National Smile Power Day 🙂
