Friday, December 29, 2017
Thursday, December 28, 2017
Thursday, December 21, 2017
![How Emotions Drive Customer Loyalty [Inforgraphic from Provide Support]](https://www.providesupport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/How-Emotions-Drive-Customer-Loyalty.jpg)
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
"Follow the Leader", Featuring Lauren Lomb
What are some fun and creative ways to train staff during down time?
Set a time limit, say two hours, for all to be turned in. All agents with perfect scores are entered to win a $25 or $50 gift card. Or, they can simply be named a “Champion of the Week”. What’s great about this option is it’s easy, fun, and reinforces all the right information without it feeling like a task or chore to the agents.
There are free bingo websites online, that allow you to enter your own criteria. You can enter, “Found newest product on the website” or “Called a former customer just to check in”. As they perform the tasks they write in specific information that they found or did, and work towards BINGO. We’ve also done short, 10 question quizzes on QA content, and grammar. Surprisingly these are very well received and can even get competitive!
Lauren Lomb has a passion for people and life! She is a Corporate Trainer & Leader specializing in customer service, customer experience, contact centers, employee engagement & workplace culture. Lauren was recently named one of ICMI’s Top 50 Thought Leaders of 2017.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
How Technology & Customer Experience Have Changed the Employee Learning Landscape
By Melissa Pollock
Cloud-based contact center platforms, big data analytics, omni-channel operations, and artificial intelligence applications have all contributed to a prodigious evolution in how we engage and manage customer journeys. These advances also helped drive customers' expectations for more responsive, informed, and accessible services, and service representatives.
Cloud-based contact center platforms, big data analytics, omni-channel operations, and artificial intelligence applications have all contributed to a prodigious evolution in how we engage and manage customer journeys. These advances also helped drive customers' expectations for more responsive, informed, and accessible services, and service representatives.
Contact centers have worked hard to keep up with the pace of change in infrastructure, platforms, processes, and consumer demands, and frontline service representatives have been working hard too - but rigid adherence requirements and continuous task repetition combined with an increasing quantity of systems and screens to navigate, multiple communication channels to respond to and 'universal' skillsets to apply, have made a routinely daunting endeavor all the more challenging, even for the most motivated of people.
Associates working in these data-driven, tech-laden, experience-demanding contact center environments need resources that both engage, and add immediate value to their work. Josh Bersin described it perfectly last year in a CLO article - "The way people want to learn today can be described in one word: fast. We want entertaining videos that make a point quickly; and we want systems that let us find and consume content with the click of a button." That's the essence of digital learning and is it's the new normal for employees' knowledge needs.
Microlearning has become a prominent purveyor of digital learning - sporting short pieces of content (from a few to 5 minutes), often designed as entertaining videos with audio and animation, in some cases targeted to a specific bit of knowledge or single skill, and capable of being powered by platforms that curate users' history. In his digital learning article earlier this year, Josh Bersin said of microlearning, "We can now produce content that immediately teaches what we need to know, that inserts itself at the time of need, and is so interesting that we remember it after only a few minutes."
I heard Zig Ziglar say at a seminar nearly two decades ago, "Your input determines your output". To get better engagement and performance outputs, despite all the increased complexities, we need to give our employees different inputs - make it easy for them to effortlessly build knowledge and skills as part of their normal workflow, and empower them to take part in their own self-learning journeys. It’s a worthy investment when we remind ourselves that in delivering Customer Experience, we really do get what we give.
Melissa Pollock is head of Content Development and Client Services for AmplifAI Solutions, Inc., a disruptive AI technology that enhances sales and NPS performance by accelerating employee skill development with data-driven micro-learning and predictive coaching & recognition. Melissa spent 12 years consulting with both direct and BPO contact centers, transforming operations through behavioral coaching and human process improvements that aligned structure with people and goals, driving improved performance and retention. Visit the AmplifAI blog for more insights and use cases.
Friday, December 15, 2017
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Technology and Digital Media Driving Consumer Experience- ‘What was’ Versus ‘What is’ of Customer Service
By Rinku Basu
Over the past few years, customer services have been taken to astonishingly new heights. ‘Meeting expectation’ is no good anymore, surpassing expectation is the only modus operandi for existence. To our advantage, with the advent of digital technologies and social media, reaching out to the consumer market and creating a positive brand experience has become less strenuous. Gone are the days when customer service was about greetings and saying nice words. It is a passé and redundant. Companies are exploiting digital technologies to re-imagine how can they deliver consistent value every time to their customers. Uber, Amazon and likes have raised the standards to a level which is making the industry think hard and get deeper into understanding how to enhance consumer experience with the use of technology.
Brand experience is delivered through multiple hands- The production unit, employees, the store, Sales staff, Customer service team etc. Your reputation is always in the hands of these ‘so many people’ at all levels spread out geographically. That makes it an arduous task to maintain and deliver consistent quality and experience. Use of technology has the promise to achieve the consistency that the customers crave for. Consumers get what they want. The push is on companies to ensure that the process of delivering customer experience is not left to employees but is supported in the back-end with lot more technology, lot more thought, and a lot more processes.
Some companies have taken it seriously and exploited the medium- it is helping them scale and deliver standardized services. Yet several more are left somewhere in between. Over the next two to five years we will see this stabilizing significantly. Best practices will evolve consuming unprecedented budgets to build systems, workflows and staff trainings. An even bigger investment is going to be in the process of making your staff unlearn.
Let us take a closer look at it with an example to understand this better. If a car owner need spare parts- the provider will be differentiated by the speed at which it can deliver the same, how quickly can it be replenished. Here we realize the strength of integrated supply chain. If the manufacturer can ensure that the parts are available as soon as it is asked for- it will enhance the experience tremendously. That’s the code that online retailers have been able to crack and addressing the age-old pain areas.
Look at ‘what was’ and ‘what is’. When the buying choice was dependent on advertisements and word of mouth, we did not have comparatives or access to customer reviews. Now that all of this is available, it opens up a whole new plethora of choices with real-time consumer feedback. Review forums are shifting the brand focus from being everywhere to focus on delivering brand experience through the consumer group consistently. All of this is pushing companies towards a changed mindset, different workflows, strengthened back-end processes enabling a lot of data/ reviews for consumers and deliver an experience that stays. Companies need to be on the ground to understand what is needed, put that back in the system, exploit the power of technology and achieve the desired consistency in it’s services.
Rinku Basu - Management professional, art enthusiast, blogger, thinker, dreamer, non- conformist, social misfit, forever joyful.
Over the past few years, customer services have been taken to astonishingly new heights. ‘Meeting expectation’ is no good anymore, surpassing expectation is the only modus operandi for existence. To our advantage, with the advent of digital technologies and social media, reaching out to the consumer market and creating a positive brand experience has become less strenuous. Gone are the days when customer service was about greetings and saying nice words. It is a passé and redundant. Companies are exploiting digital technologies to re-imagine how can they deliver consistent value every time to their customers. Uber, Amazon and likes have raised the standards to a level which is making the industry think hard and get deeper into understanding how to enhance consumer experience with the use of technology.
Brand experience is delivered through multiple hands- The production unit, employees, the store, Sales staff, Customer service team etc. Your reputation is always in the hands of these ‘so many people’ at all levels spread out geographically. That makes it an arduous task to maintain and deliver consistent quality and experience. Use of technology has the promise to achieve the consistency that the customers crave for. Consumers get what they want. The push is on companies to ensure that the process of delivering customer experience is not left to employees but is supported in the back-end with lot more technology, lot more thought, and a lot more processes.
Some companies have taken it seriously and exploited the medium- it is helping them scale and deliver standardized services. Yet several more are left somewhere in between. Over the next two to five years we will see this stabilizing significantly. Best practices will evolve consuming unprecedented budgets to build systems, workflows and staff trainings. An even bigger investment is going to be in the process of making your staff unlearn.
Let us take a closer look at it with an example to understand this better. If a car owner need spare parts- the provider will be differentiated by the speed at which it can deliver the same, how quickly can it be replenished. Here we realize the strength of integrated supply chain. If the manufacturer can ensure that the parts are available as soon as it is asked for- it will enhance the experience tremendously. That’s the code that online retailers have been able to crack and addressing the age-old pain areas.
Look at ‘what was’ and ‘what is’. When the buying choice was dependent on advertisements and word of mouth, we did not have comparatives or access to customer reviews. Now that all of this is available, it opens up a whole new plethora of choices with real-time consumer feedback. Review forums are shifting the brand focus from being everywhere to focus on delivering brand experience through the consumer group consistently. All of this is pushing companies towards a changed mindset, different workflows, strengthened back-end processes enabling a lot of data/ reviews for consumers and deliver an experience that stays. Companies need to be on the ground to understand what is needed, put that back in the system, exploit the power of technology and achieve the desired consistency in it’s services.
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
"Follow the Leader", Featuring Beverly Mahone
That's a great question! First, let me say I believe some employers have a misconception
This includes having an excellent company match for contributions into a 401K plan, along with education on the value of having such a plan, and what it means for their future.
Offering a health plan, with free fitness club membership, shows your employees that you care about their health and wellness, As an added bonus, offer incentives for completing specific health-oriented goals (i.e. quit smoking).
Provide paid maternity leave up to 12 weeks. According to PL + US (Paid Leave for the United States), 1 in 4 mothers are forced to return to work within 10 days of giving birth due to a lack of income coming in. Add on top of that childcare expenses, and you will have unhappy employees who will be looking to quit or find another job.
A Student Loan repayment program is an excellent way to help millennials who are burdened with student loan debt. According to a survey conducted by American Student Assistance, 76 percent of respondents said if a prospective employer offered a student loan repayment benefit, it would be a contributing or deciding factor in accepted a job offer. By including such a benefit, you not only add value to your company's portfolio, but you may also find it won't be as hard to recruit and maintain millennials as employees. It can be a win-win for everybody.
And of course, offer vacation and sick time!
Flexible schedule
Offer a flexible schedule and work at home opportunities if applicable. Not everyone believes in the traditional 9-5 anymore, so if you have employees who have proven they can get the job done no matter what time they start, make it an option.
Be transparent.
Leaders who are transparent, more often than not, establish better relationships with their employees. Keeping your staff in the loop, helps develop and build trust.
Engagement
Be engaging and cut out the hierarchy. Employee engagement can be difficult for some managers due to age difference, but taking some time to get to know your millennial employees will open the lines of communication to a greater degree.
Also, the best ideas given should always win out. Just because someone has been with the company 20 years doesn't mean they an edge on those who started a year ago. Leaders should always be looking for new, creative, and fresh ideas that will continue to move their company's bottom line.
She has written for or been covered by the Huffington Post, Forbes, and Newsweek magazine.
Connect with Beverly: LinkedIn | Website | Twitter
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
![15 Ways to Improve Customer Service at Your Business [Inforgraphic from Provide Support]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uMux8W2kspu-bdBhzps06JXul1_pw_7VeGrVLofksmm9rgrUbi8LQU3AgP7b8CgweAeBLE18sPmrxi1rnaA4hYzpmj964Wh290QbNjNlIEMw4EzFmv5KiqybvI6aQD8D-mxkn5ei0CAbz8N5rpmnpW0xiCN8i1pc2RJG15W6DPA_sk3XYIfs5gukq03vrUlEFR-ATomjtuIWM=s0-d)
Monday, December 11, 2017
Rising to the Challenge of Exceptional Customer Service
By Melodee Norris
In the call center environment, the challenge then becomes inspiring our associates to not mirror poor behavior, but instead rise above, to the higher road, where an exceptional customer experience can transpire!
First, we must teach associates to lower their defenses and allow unpleasant behaviors to roll off their shoulders. In building trust with our associates, we open the door to show them how to lower their defenses. This can be accomplished by really getting to know each associate as an individual, understanding who they are, and what is important to them personally. It is important for the associate to feel valued and appreciated, so that in those encounters with a difficult customer the associate can more easily listen to the customer to understand…. verses getting defensive. When the management team has modeled to the associate trust, and listening (to understand), it inspires the associate to do the same for the customer.
Second, we must teach associates to show compassion. In today’s world, it seems more often we don’t want to give anything without first receiving something. It is important to demonstrate compassion to our associates when possible. In many instances, management will be limited in being able to do so, as it is equally as important to maintain consistent with company policies and procedures. That said, if you look closely for the opportunities, you will find them. When you respond in those opportunities with favor and respect towards your staff, you will have successfully demonstrated compassion. The more these experiences take place, it will become more natural for your associates to demonstrate the same to the customer.
Finally, we must teach associates to feel empathetic towards the customer, and the situation. This can be very challenging as we live in a society where true genuine human interaction is nearly nonexistent. Many argue that empathy can’t be taught, as it is a personality trait. Some say it is a cognitive attribute and can be taught. I personally believe it can be taught, through consistent example. As with compassion, management must consistently demonstrate empathy. We must clearly define empathy to our associates, as it is often confused with sympathy. Empathy is the ability to “step into the shoes of another person”, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions. We don't deliver good customer experience by simply saying “I’m sorry”. We do so by actually showing empathy, that brings the experience to the level of exceptional.
Ultimately, it is a huge challenge to deliver exceptional customer service consistently to every customer, every time. However, as leaders, when we model trust, compassion and empathy, we create an environment where exceptional customer service most certainly can take place. It can be done!
Melodee has over 10 years of effectively leading BPO Programs and Initiatives to excellence. She's experienced in developing and implementing processes, which have yielded optimal results. Additionally, she is proficient in highly detail-oriented delivery of quality work across multiple projects and priorities. Melodee motivates others through inspirational, innovative and positive feedback to spark the highest level of performance in each individual and team.
How easy is it to deliver exceptional customer service consistently to every customer, every time? Super simple when the customer is polite and nice, right? It is natural to mirror
how we are being treated so when a customer is courteous and kind, good customer service is delivered. Once a customer becomes challenging, confrontational or rude, it can be very difficult to resist what comes natural, resulting quite often, in a poor customer experience.
In the call center environment, the challenge then becomes inspiring our associates to not mirror poor behavior, but instead rise above, to the higher road, where an exceptional customer experience can transpire!
First, we must teach associates to lower their defenses and allow unpleasant behaviors to roll off their shoulders. In building trust with our associates, we open the door to show them how to lower their defenses. This can be accomplished by really getting to know each associate as an individual, understanding who they are, and what is important to them personally. It is important for the associate to feel valued and appreciated, so that in those encounters with a difficult customer the associate can more easily listen to the customer to understand…. verses getting defensive. When the management team has modeled to the associate trust, and listening (to understand), it inspires the associate to do the same for the customer.
Second, we must teach associates to show compassion. In today’s world, it seems more often we don’t want to give anything without first receiving something. It is important to demonstrate compassion to our associates when possible. In many instances, management will be limited in being able to do so, as it is equally as important to maintain consistent with company policies and procedures. That said, if you look closely for the opportunities, you will find them. When you respond in those opportunities with favor and respect towards your staff, you will have successfully demonstrated compassion. The more these experiences take place, it will become more natural for your associates to demonstrate the same to the customer.
Finally, we must teach associates to feel empathetic towards the customer, and the situation. This can be very challenging as we live in a society where true genuine human interaction is nearly nonexistent. Many argue that empathy can’t be taught, as it is a personality trait. Some say it is a cognitive attribute and can be taught. I personally believe it can be taught, through consistent example. As with compassion, management must consistently demonstrate empathy. We must clearly define empathy to our associates, as it is often confused with sympathy. Empathy is the ability to “step into the shoes of another person”, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions. We don't deliver good customer experience by simply saying “I’m sorry”. We do so by actually showing empathy, that brings the experience to the level of exceptional.
Ultimately, it is a huge challenge to deliver exceptional customer service consistently to every customer, every time. However, as leaders, when we model trust, compassion and empathy, we create an environment where exceptional customer service most certainly can take place. It can be done!
Connect with Melodee on LinkedIn
Friday, December 8, 2017
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
"Follow the Leader", Featuring Jenny Dempsey
How can social media be used to better engage customers?
Social media is an excellent tool to engage with customers on a personal level. You get to hear their gripes (whether you want to or not) and celebrate their successes. As a business, you then have an opportunity to respond to these comments, both positive and negative, showcasing your brand voice but also showing how much you care about the people who spend money on your service or products.
Social media is an excellent tool to engage with customers on a personal level. You get to hear their gripes (whether you want to or not) and celebrate their successes. As a business, you then have an opportunity to respond to these comments, both positive and negative, showcasing your brand voice but also showing how much you care about the people who spend money on your service or products.
The simple act of replying isn't all, though. You'll need to be consistent with replies, write in a tone that is compatible with your business and make sure you follow through on any issues that you address with a customer via a social channel. Marketing may post updates and customers may comment, which means that marketing and customer service can often go hand in hand. Clear communication between departments is going to be necessary, if possible.
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Customer Service Changes its Face. The Journey Will Never Be the Same.
By Anna Sabryan
We in customer service know how important our role is. Many companies compete to have the best service, and periodically innovate to catch up with ongoing changes. Customer
service, at times, changes at a rapid pace. Customer service via social media used to be a very important part of online activities. However today, many intelligent assistants, or bots, can deliver many services. I'd never imagined I could be interacting with a chat bot, and feeling happy with the service and ease of the experience.
You can have some real time information, like providing weather, traffic info, music playback, to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks. Alexa is easy to set up, taking just 10 minutes and a few clicks to get it going. It seems perfect for any busy family.
Imagine the expression on my face when my friend asked her son a mathematical solution, and the child turned to Alexa for help. Bots and AI are now a source of learning! I have another friend who wakes up each morning, and asks Alexa the time. In contrast, I open my eyes and check my phone for the time. While these examples seem minor, it shows the impact, and our adoption.
Customer Service by Bots
Bots are helping brands to deliver new levels of customer service, as they can handle simple, recurring requests, at a very low cost. Equally important, it is being delivered very fast. However, they will never completely replace human interactions. More complicated requests, and issues requiring deeper discussions, will always be escalated to an agent. Additionally, people still value human interactions. However, bots are a great tool to have as you strive to provide excellent service. They make customer service better.
Anna Sabryan is an experienced Social Media & Digital Marketing Professional and blogger. She is passionate about customer service, digital marketing, and social media.
Follow Anna on Twitter or on her blog.
We in customer service know how important our role is. Many companies compete to have the best service, and periodically innovate to catch up with ongoing changes. Customer
Bots Impact on Humanity
Years ago Amazon announced Alexa, its intelligent personal assistant, including lots of commands and skills. Amazon Echo sales reached 5M in two years. Good for Amazon. You can have some real time information, like providing weather, traffic info, music playback, to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks. Alexa is easy to set up, taking just 10 minutes and a few clicks to get it going. It seems perfect for any busy family.
Imagine the expression on my face when my friend asked her son a mathematical solution, and the child turned to Alexa for help. Bots and AI are now a source of learning! I have another friend who wakes up each morning, and asks Alexa the time. In contrast, I open my eyes and check my phone for the time. While these examples seem minor, it shows the impact, and our adoption.
Customer Service by Bots
Bots are helping brands to deliver new levels of customer service, as they can handle simple, recurring requests, at a very low cost. Equally important, it is being delivered very fast. However, they will never completely replace human interactions. More complicated requests, and issues requiring deeper discussions, will always be escalated to an agent. Additionally, people still value human interactions. However, bots are a great tool to have as you strive to provide excellent service. They make customer service better.
Follow Anna on Twitter or on her blog.
Monday, December 4, 2017
Friday, December 1, 2017
A Leadership and Service Lesson Via a Breakfast Sandwich
By Sean Hawkins
I woke up late and was pressed for time. All I wanted to do was get into the office at a decent hour! As I was preparing myself for work, one of my team members sent a text with a breakfast request. This is not an unusual request, and I really enjoy doing this from time to
time. The way I see it, the investment will pay for itself. So, I guess I'll be getting breakfast on the way to work!
When I arrived someone jokingly stated, "that's great service boss". I wondered to myself what was so great about what I had done. Was this just the cliché thing to say in the contact center environment? Perhaps this was her way of expressing gratitude and thanks. However, before I could think on it too long, I received my answer. "You would go out of your way for us." Well, THAT made my day! Perhaps, I was destined to be late, so this moment could happen. It does sound much better than being late due to oversleeping.
I suppose the response I received, sums up leadership and service quite nicely. We must be willing to assists others, go above and beyond what they may expect, and do so with sincerity. What I most appreciated about this experience, is that I was able to show my team in a practical way, what good leadership and good service looks like. This teachable moment was the result of a breakfast sandwich, and oversleeping! Who would have thought?
I have over 15 years of progressive call center leadership and experience in the public, private and government sectors.
I have led or consulted contact centers of various sizes across numerous industries. Additionally, I’ve implemented new technology and products, while maintaining award-winning contact centers.
Connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.
I woke up late and was pressed for time. All I wanted to do was get into the office at a decent hour! As I was preparing myself for work, one of my team members sent a text with a breakfast request. This is not an unusual request, and I really enjoy doing this from time to
When I arrived someone jokingly stated, "that's great service boss". I wondered to myself what was so great about what I had done. Was this just the cliché thing to say in the contact center environment? Perhaps this was her way of expressing gratitude and thanks. However, before I could think on it too long, I received my answer. "You would go out of your way for us." Well, THAT made my day! Perhaps, I was destined to be late, so this moment could happen. It does sound much better than being late due to oversleeping.
I suppose the response I received, sums up leadership and service quite nicely. We must be willing to assists others, go above and beyond what they may expect, and do so with sincerity. What I most appreciated about this experience, is that I was able to show my team in a practical way, what good leadership and good service looks like. This teachable moment was the result of a breakfast sandwich, and oversleeping! Who would have thought?
I have led or consulted contact centers of various sizes across numerous industries. Additionally, I’ve implemented new technology and products, while maintaining award-winning contact centers.
Connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
"Follow the Leader", Featuring Shep Hyken
What is the most important role of the Chief Customer Officer?
When it comes to the culture, either the company is completely customer focused or it’s not. That begins with culture. It’s how employees are hired and trained, and how the vision or mission is created or changed to reflect a customer-focused philosophy. Customer service and experience must be woven into the fabric of the entire company.
And then there are the systems that the company has in place. The CCO’s job is to help ensure that the systems are customer focused and that everyone – and every department – is working together. Silos must be eliminated, with the goal of creating a unified company that is focused on the customer. The CCO must constantly be asking questions that challenge the company’s systems and processes to be customer-focused.
The third responsibility is customer advocacy. CCO is the manager of the “Voice of the Customer,” which includes direct customer feedback and data analysis. The CCO must understand both the business and the customer well enough to know what data is important and how to interpret the data.
The Chief Customer Officer has his or her hand in all aspects of the company if nothing else than to ask the right questions and keep the company focused. And, at the same time, he or she is the advocate for the customer. There must be a balance between how a company operates and what a customer expects. An effective CCO creates a sense of harmony between the company and the customer.
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
"Follow the Leader", Featuring Jessica Noble
Listening is part of a customer’s experience
If you listen well, but do nothing with customer feedback, you are squandering their investment. Customers expect a return for their time and candor.
Listen: If you won’t take action –> it’s not worth listening
- Gather VOC information from multiple sources
- Capture transactional and relational feedback
- Collect emotional and rational data
- Organize data in pre-determined structure
- Review, evaluate, and quantify all sources of VOC data
- Uncover clues about what customers want and value
- Identify root cause. Does feedback stem from org culture, employee training, processes, policy, procedure, or technology? Should this feedback spark innovation?
- Integrate VOC feedback throughout your organization into business strategy, process, culture, training, and tools
- Take action with timely customer follow-up
- Align internal operations and executive priorities with customer priorities
- Prioritize improvement initiatives and maintain focus
- Communicate improvement results
- Sustain continuous, closed-loop feedback
Validate: Show me the money –> know the return on listening
- Understand anticipated impact of improvement initiatives
- Identify what to measure quantitatively and qualitatively to gauge:
Customer experience
Customer satisfaction
Customer engagement
Business results - Evaluate the lift following improvements
Jessica Noble is passionate about working alongside customers to transform their organizations, and realize their unique CX goals. She's currently Principal, Business Consulting, at Tribridge. Jessica has a background in Sales, Product Management, CRM and CX consulting.
Follow the leader: LinkedIn | Twitter
Follow the leader: LinkedIn | Twitter
Monday, November 20, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
Sometimes a Cup of Coffee and a Donut Is an Effective Strategy
By Dea Harrington
Intro
Recently I read an article by Brad Cleveland that proposed ten things that senior leaders should know about contact center operations. His message was that a basic understanding of what centers do and how they work is an absolute necessity if senior management is going to effectively support and guide this increasingly complex business unit.
When you live and breathe contact center management, it is natural to assume that everyone in your organization has a clear understanding of the intricacies of the center. Trust me, they don’t, and most likely tend to oversimplify its process, people, purpose and the person(s) who manages it. And here is a surprise - this lack of know-how can include your own team members.
Brad’s message reminded me of a solution I had utilized successfully to provide senior management with the necessary insight into the unique challenges of running a center.
The Background
Way back when I was a young vice president of operations I was responsible for a few large inbound call centers, as well as back-end processes. The organization was an established, successful, privately owned company that was totally committed to the customer relationship and, of course, to the bottom line. I reported directly to the owners and senior management, none of whom had an adequate comprehension of call center operations, nor did they want to spend a great deal of time being educated beyond service level performance and budget adherence. After all, that is why they hired call center management talent…
The Vision
It quickly became apparent that what was needed was an ‘internal ‘marketing campaign that would target our senior audience into experiencing, first-hand, the call center environment. Ideally, our audience would not feel as if they were locked in a class room being spoon-fed technical data they did not need. Instead, their senior position within the company would be highlighted by asking them to contribute to our continuing improvement process – sort of like an ‘Executive Quality Assurance’ (EQA) group.
The EQA Campaign
After inviting a small group of center employees to assist with the campaign, a proposal meeting was held with a few key senior managers to discuss the objective, possible strategies, funding and implementation steps. The results exceeded expectations and, after incorporating the group’s ideas and feedback, the following EQA Campaign Plan was implemented:
Stage 1: Initially, we invited our EQA members to a one-hour luncheon that would unveil the plan, the schedule, their role and the importance of their on-going commitment. All aspects of the proposal were reviewed and a packet of materials (including a welcoming letter from the owners, a pamphlet of introductory call center basics, our QA practices and a six-month event calendar.
Stage 2: Two weeks later our Training Manager and I offered a 2-hour course designed specifically for EQA participants that would introduce them to the basic inbound call process and QA performance expectations.
Stage 3: Each month, for the next 6 months, EQA members were invited to a continental breakfast and a half-hour presentation on ‘The Works’. They were given an accompanying handbook that was organized into twelve parts, with each part featuring two key call center dynamics. After the presentation, they would side-by-side with an agent to hear calls, ask questions and then complete a special EQA evaluation which was then forwarded to me for review with the team. In addition, we used their questions/comments to customize the next month’s presentation.
Stage 4: At the end of the six months, our attendance record indicated that out of eleven senior managers, seven attended every breakfast. The remaining either sent a manager in their place, were put on an off-site project or requested handouts. A detailed survey was issued to all original invitees and the owners, evaluating all aspects of the Campaign. At the following quarterly management session, the results were presented and discussed.
The Results
Happily, the results were better than I had expected (although I never shared my original projections) and produced the following benefits:
Dea Harrington is the founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Harrington Consulting Group, a leading provider of strategic and tactical guidance for organizations dependent upon first class contact center operations. Her blend of senior corporate management experience and consulting acumen has helped a broad range of Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions develop a process for planning and implementing strategies that align seamlessly with operations. She had been a leader in the development of internal marketing programs that effectively communicate organizational goals and each employee’s role in meeting them. Follow Dea on LinkedIn.
Recently I read an article by Brad Cleveland that proposed ten things that senior leaders should know about contact center operations. His message was that a basic understanding of what centers do and how they work is an absolute necessity if senior management is going to effectively support and guide this increasingly complex business unit.
When you live and breathe contact center management, it is natural to assume that everyone in your organization has a clear understanding of the intricacies of the center. Trust me, they don’t, and most likely tend to oversimplify its process, people, purpose and the person(s) who manages it. And here is a surprise - this lack of know-how can include your own team members.
Brad’s message reminded me of a solution I had utilized successfully to provide senior management with the necessary insight into the unique challenges of running a center.
The Background
Way back when I was a young vice president of operations I was responsible for a few large inbound call centers, as well as back-end processes. The organization was an established, successful, privately owned company that was totally committed to the customer relationship and, of course, to the bottom line. I reported directly to the owners and senior management, none of whom had an adequate comprehension of call center operations, nor did they want to spend a great deal of time being educated beyond service level performance and budget adherence. After all, that is why they hired call center management talent…
The Vision
It quickly became apparent that what was needed was an ‘internal ‘marketing campaign that would target our senior audience into experiencing, first-hand, the call center environment. Ideally, our audience would not feel as if they were locked in a class room being spoon-fed technical data they did not need. Instead, their senior position within the company would be highlighted by asking them to contribute to our continuing improvement process – sort of like an ‘Executive Quality Assurance’ (EQA) group.
The EQA Campaign
After inviting a small group of center employees to assist with the campaign, a proposal meeting was held with a few key senior managers to discuss the objective, possible strategies, funding and implementation steps. The results exceeded expectations and, after incorporating the group’s ideas and feedback, the following EQA Campaign Plan was implemented:
Stage 1: Initially, we invited our EQA members to a one-hour luncheon that would unveil the plan, the schedule, their role and the importance of their on-going commitment. All aspects of the proposal were reviewed and a packet of materials (including a welcoming letter from the owners, a pamphlet of introductory call center basics, our QA practices and a six-month event calendar.
Stage 2: Two weeks later our Training Manager and I offered a 2-hour course designed specifically for EQA participants that would introduce them to the basic inbound call process and QA performance expectations.
Stage 3: Each month, for the next 6 months, EQA members were invited to a continental breakfast and a half-hour presentation on ‘The Works’. They were given an accompanying handbook that was organized into twelve parts, with each part featuring two key call center dynamics. After the presentation, they would side-by-side with an agent to hear calls, ask questions and then complete a special EQA evaluation which was then forwarded to me for review with the team. In addition, we used their questions/comments to customize the next month’s presentation.
Stage 4: At the end of the six months, our attendance record indicated that out of eleven senior managers, seven attended every breakfast. The remaining either sent a manager in their place, were put on an off-site project or requested handouts. A detailed survey was issued to all original invitees and the owners, evaluating all aspects of the Campaign. At the following quarterly management session, the results were presented and discussed.
The Results
Happily, the results were better than I had expected (although I never shared my original projections) and produced the following benefits:
- Most senior leaders indicated that they gained a better understanding of the center, the agents, our customers, and the previously unknown complexities in balancing resources to objectives. Six requested ‘summary presentations’ for their managers specifically highlighting ‘The Works’.
- Although we did not request this, three participants volunteered to answer calls or QA in emergencies.
- Agents who sat with the senior executives, reported that they were impressed that the EQA team members were friendly, respectful and asked good questions (and remembered their name when passing in the hallways).
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