Women Leadership & Customer Experience

By Stacy Sherman (MBA, CX Certified)

 

 



This article originally appeared on Doing CX Right

There’s an increasing amount of conversations about Women and Leadership, and I love it! I believe that the next generation, including my own daughter, will have more opportunities to share their voice, without judgments, and pursue jobs that had been traditionally filled by men.

I’M WRITING THIS ARTICLE FOR TWO REASONS:

1. TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, TO BUILD THEIR SKILLS AND FOCUS ON A CAREER IN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FIELD.

CX is not a fad. It’s here to stay and reputable companies are seeking expertise. Voxpro interviewed five women leaders who talk about the need for females in high-level customer-focused roles. I couldn’t agree more. You can read about what the ladies had to say in an informative article: “Why We Need More Women Leaders in CX.”

2. TO INSPIRE WOMEN TO PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS.

I’ve learned a lot over the past 20 years working in large and small companies. I know first hand the challenges in pursuing a career while balancing parenthood. I am elated that more companies are committed to creating a culture where women matter and employee diversity is valued. Below is a recap of a recent interview of me in honor of International Women’s History month. I hope it serves as inspiration for all my readers.

Source: Schindler Elevator Corp
 

INTERVIEW SUMMARY:

Q: EXPLAIN WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR ROLE.

A: I’m currently the Director of Customer Experience, leading a team focused on delivering best-in-class Customer Excellence and Employee Engagement that serves as a brand differentiator. My role includes establishing & implementing innovative Voice of Customer (VOC) initiatives that provide a deep understanding of how customers interact & feel across all touch points. I’m also leveraging data, including Voice of Employee (VOE) feedback, to enhance customer journeys, and collaborating with cross-team to “close the loop” resulting in record high customer Net Promoter (NPS)scores.

Q: WHY IS GENDER EQUALITY IMPORTANT?

A: Gender equality is important because all people deserve access to the same resources and opportunities. If two individuals with similar skills &  education apply for the same job or promotion, there should be no difference in the evaluation process. Unfortunately, equality has not been the case over time and I’ve witnessed this. I am very glad there is now a cultural shift so that my kids benefit in positive ways.

Q: WHAT HAVE YOU OVERCOME TO GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

A: I have overcome “inclusion” situations in past workplaces. For example, there’s been a multitude of times that I was not invited to all male meetings, even when my level or related positions were in the room and topics pertained to my job. I’ve overcome challenges by communicating tactfully with people and articulating the value I bring, so they’d understand my perspective and need for inclusion. While self-advocacy is not easy, it is essential and a contributing factor for my success.

Q: WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN ASPIRING TO GET ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS?

A: I encourage everyone, especially women, to communicate openly and honestly, and deal with uncomfortable situations head-on versus an avoidance approach. Be impeccable with your words and choose the right moments to contribute. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Use them accordingly. Also, always be learning and advancing your skills through formal and informal education. I obtained my MBA years ago but continue to get certifications from prestigious institutions to sustain my position as a credible thought leader. (Read more about my Rutgers CX Course)

Q: WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST PIVOTAL PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED IN YOUR CAREER?

A: There will ALWAYS be obstacles. Know what you can control and focus your time and effort on those things. People often say “No” without even thinking about situations, but there IS a path to “Yes!” Be creative and figure it out!

Q: DO YOU HAVE A FEMALE ROLE MODEL THAT HELPED YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

A: Executive Director Stacey Aaron-Domanico from my former job at Verizon, taught me about leadership and authenticity through her actions and words. We are still connected, and she inspires me to be amazing and genuine in everything I do.

If you like my article, please subscribe to DoingCXRight to continue getting updates. And, join the conversations about customer experience, employee engagement and much more on Twitter & Instagram.

Stacy Sherman is a results-oriented Customer Experience (CX) and Digital Marketing professional with a proven track record increasing brand awareness, sales, and loyalty at B2C & B2B companies of all sizes and budgets.

She’s worked on both the client side and agency environments leading projects for reputable brands (Martha Stewart Crafts, American Girl, Perler Beads) along with well-known Telcom companies (AT&T and Verizon). Stacy is a Founding CX Board Member and Advisor at Rutgers University.



Are You Breaking Enough Rules?

I'm reading First, Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently, by Don Clifton. It's so, so good! There are some really crucial lessons but the one that is on my mind the most right now is - great managers do NOT follow the golden rule.

Because strong personal relationships are crucial for success, that typically means treating others as we want to be treated. But acting as if all employees have the same approach isn't realistic. In fact, the best managers reject the golden rule, and treat each person as they would like to be treated.

This allows people to be themselves, use their strengths (which is way more important than trying to coach weaknesses) and work toward outcomes in ways natural to them.

I also think it speaks more broadly to allowing people to be the fullest expression of themselves at work and that the hard lines between work and "life" are blurring. When we have friends at work and laugh and enjoy what we are doing, it shows in the results.

And as someone who sat through financial meetings dressed as Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development I can attest to the fact that you can have plenty of fun and get the job done.

Kathryn Frankson is a B2B event sales and marketing professional at UBM. A believer that 2018 communication means knowing how to get the markets attention through thumb stopping content, audience development and storytelling, she executes sales and marketing strategies in the catering, special event, cruise shipping and pharmaceutical space.

Connect: LinkedIn

Preparing New Agents for Customer Service Success

When hiring new agents, how quickly the agent can begin making a meaningful contribution is always a concern. After training, it is not logical to assume an agent is ready to begin taking phone calls. Unfortunately, managers may look at call volume, handle times and other similar metrics in making a decision to prematurely put new hires in contact with customers.

As individuals are different, we cannot assume a new hire is ready to assist customers just based on previous experiences we’ve had with other new hires.  It is important for managers to view each agent separately and begin identifying their individual needs. I have discovered that this is best done prior to bringing them in to the call center. With each new training class, I set aside time to sit in and monitor the agents. I look at how engaged they are, how quickly they grasp the material, and I keep track of the questions they ask. All of this helps create a plan that is unique to each agent before they enter the call center.

It must be noted, there is a standard plan I use when new agents are introduced to the floor. It is designed to be flexible and easily tailored to the needs of the agent. This is important as it allows the agent to learn at a pace that is best for them without feeling the pressure of trying to “keep up”.  Furthermore, it puts the agent in the best position to succeed and ensures the customer is being assisted by well trained and well equipped agents.

To ensure newly hired agents are getting off to the best possible start, try to concentrate on the following three areas:

Proper Staffing: When starting in support, allow the agent time to focus on Emails rather than Chat or Phone queues. This allows them time to review needed resources, and seek out assistance from peers or managers if necessary. In addition, this removes some of the angst felt when rushed onto the phones without thorough preparation.

Real-time Monitoring/Shadowing: Proper monitoring is the key to any new agent’s success. This should be frequent and consistent. When monitoring, observe the preparedness of the agent. Is the agent ready to assist when the interaction starts, or must the customer wait? How efficient is the agent? Evaluate their workflow to discover if there are any deficiencies in how the agent works. Minor changes here, can lead to better interactions for the agent and the customer.
Monitor a new hire for at least 30 minutes a day during their first month on the floor. This gives the agent insight into what the leadership team is looking for, and offers a chance to provide feedback on creating a great customer experience.

Timely Feedback/Coaching: Feedback should be given as swiftly as possible. To delay only reinforces bad habits and behaviors that may lead to bad customer experiences. Feedback is designed to help improve agents. Therefore, I would suggest keeping the tone positive. Rather than detailing what was done wrong, accentuate the positives and give suggestions on how to improve in those areas that are lacking. Also, seek input from the agent. They should be as invested in the process as you are. When they see you are eager to hear their opinions, it will only cause them to do better going forward.

I have over 15 years of progressive customer service leadership 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.

Employee Engagement: Now is the Time

If leadership is wondering if employee engagement is good and necessary for their teams, I would have to emphatically say, "yes, it is!"

I have worked in the contact center environment for many years. I have had the opportunity to work for companies both large and small. I have noticed that at the smaller companies, the employees were happier and more engaged in the work environment, than some of the larger call centers. Most of that can be attributed to increased exposure between staff and leaders.

From experience, I have found that when management is more in tune to what their employees do on a daily basis, the employees will respect them and be more productive. Who wouldn’t want a manager who has taken calls, and sat in the position they are in today? It's highly probable those leaders are taking that into consideration as they lead their teams.

When management has familiarity with those they lead, they have a better understanding of what their employees, and can better sympathize and identify with their team.

As an employee engagement advisory board member, I realize employees have different motivation. Therefore, engagement must be unique and personal. Yes, all employees want open communication, and want to feel valued, but it may look different across the team. 

Team members who are unhappy, tend to call out more, are tardy more frequently, or have performance issues more than those who are happy and well engaged. The best way resolve this, is through employee engagement. Find out the root cause of the problem. Management should be proactive, not reactive. Having a pulse on the team and the individual team members is critical.

If an employee gets sick, or encounters personal difficulties, be empathetic. Send a card or flowers as a kind gesture. Consider offering a flexible schedule as they work through a challenging period in their life. Never forget, engagement is personal!

Talk to your employees about their career aspirations. Help them create a career path, and develop them personally and professionally. This leads to retention and improved performance. Not to mention, this is the role of a leader!

When employees are appreciated, respected and empowered, it is reflected in their behavior and work. They will show up and give the extra effort, because they know you truly care. They aren’t merely a warm body, sitting in a chair, taking calls.

Often, it is the little things that go a long way with employees, and are most significant to them. Those are often revealed through meaningful engagement, tailored specifically for them. That takes time to cultivate. Now is the time to engage.

Brandy Ard has many years of Customer Service experience across various industries. As a result of living in numerous places across the country, and working with people from diverse backgrounds, she is a well rounded, compassionate person. Brandy loves working under great management teams, as they make her job that much more enjoyable. "When you love what you do, you produce high quality work."

Connect: LinkedIn

The High Cost of Poor Workplace Culture

By Anonymous

Log into your programs, put your headset on and turn on your phone.  That first call of the day means so little to you because you take hundreds of calls a week that are exactly like the one you are about to take.  The work environment of a call center rep can make this moment worthless or worthwhile and can dictate your overall career with that company.

I work in a fairly large call center that has poor morale and very abysmal culture.  I’m not just saying that to be dramatic – we actually received a letter from the president when we started that their job is not to build morale but to provide service for our customers.  Truthfully, I didn’t know much about contact center culture until recently when a close friend of mine, a manager in a different call center, began dissecting my work complaints and dictating how I, a lowly tier one rep, should advise our management on changes.  Truthfully I haven’t taken much of it to heart because I do not see myself with this company for an extended period of time.  And this, as stated by my friend, is where the problem lies… decent and hardworking employees like me leaving companies because they do not empower or appreciate us. 

Obviously, my center has a huge turnover rate.  Since I was hired, we have taken on somewhere over a hundred new service representatives, Granted, to fill new shifts, but nonetheless people are rolling in almost daily.  Our company boasts strong customer service but honestly, we don’t track it.  We don’t have any programs, surveys or data proving our customers find our service strong.  The way we are tracked is by the number of calls we take, and the amount of time in “not ready” status, which includes break time and time doing any work related item that requires us to be off the phone.  This alone sets the precedent for a lot of my coworkers as to how they spend their days.  Most of them don’t care about call totals or not ready, because it has no impact on us.  You don’t get an award for the most calls taken or even a nod from the manager – we are simply “drones” as my peers say. 

If your center is anything like mine, your employees are miserable and constantly looking for another job.  They become frustrated with customers, management, and their coworkers.  They complain and eventually lose hope.  

 

Creating a positive, employee focused culture, will help shape positive attitudes, and save the company a ton of money in the process. Hiring new people isn’t cheap, nor is training them. Unhappy employees are quite expensive in the long run!

 

Simple things can create a sense of pride in their work and a better representative of your company on the phones.  You will have stronger service if agents enjoy coming to work and have confidence in their leaders. The customer service agent may not make decisions on strategy and execution, but they are the voice of your company. If they aren’t treated with respect and appreciation, they won’t treat customers that way.  

 

Every day, call center staff will decide if the next call is worthless or worthwhile.  Sadly, some in leadership are not aware of their influence in the agent's decision.

 

 

 

This article is provided by an anonymous customer service employee.

Five Tips To Boost Agent Success

By Sean Hawkins

On a daily basis, call center managers are inundated with data, decisions, escalations and reports. If all goes well, service levels have been met, CSAT or NPS will be satisfactory and you may actually have time to take an uninterrupted lunch. Such is the life of the contact center manager.

At the end of the week, month or quarter, we review performance levels and take pride in the success of our centers. Accolades are shared amongst leadership for a job well done. At this point, we can breathe a sigh of relief and repeat the cycle all over again. In between this never ending cycle, we may develop a new process or promote a new initiative to better our center. Personally, this is one of my favorite parts of the job as I enjoy innovation and creativity. Who doesn’t want to be considered innovative and at the top of their game?

While all of the events described above are a necessary and critical part of the job, they take our attention away from something more important. This is usually where I get a cynical look followed by the question, "What could possibly be more important than metrics to a call center manager?" My response is short, simple, and to the point, "the agents".

Unfortunately, our most valued asset is often overlooked and lost in the day to day management of the call center. The pressures to obtain outstanding metrics often come at the expense of the agents. However, the two are dependent on one another. The work of the agent is measured by metrics, and the metrics tell us their story.  

We all know that happy agents produce happy customers. For some this is simply a slogan thrown out at industry events, or in published articles or tweets. I urge you not to lose sight of the agents. They have a profound effect on your metrics but more importantly on your customers. To ensure your agents are positively impacting your customer, you must have a positive impact on them. These tips are a good starting point and have proven to be successful for me over the years. 

5 Tips to Success

1. Value agents as you do your customer
2. Train agents for success, and continually train them
3. Accept agent feedback and include them in the decision making process
4. Praise and reward agents
5. Provide a career path

As you can see, none of these are hard. In fact, this is what managers should be doing. So, go onward, "Strive for Five"!

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.

Employee Engagement: Partnering With Your Call Center Staff to Develop Your Culture

By Maurice Helm

I understand from experience the life of a call center representative. Prior to moving into leadership, I started on the phones and as rewarding as that can be, there on the front-line taking ownership of issues and concerns and bringing resolution to them, without a doubt it is also a tough job. On top of fighting burnout and redundancy, team members have to try and prove themselves in an effort to grow their careers beyond the phone, sometimes in environments where there is no platform to effectively communicate with leadership.

In recent years, I have had the opportunity to help build structure around employee engagement both from the standpoint of a non-leader, as well as a leader, and in the last eight years I've been able to develop an effective approach to bridging the communications gap between front-line employees and leaders. This approach is simply called Employee Engagement Taskforce. 

In this process, you would ask for your employees to volunteer to represent their entire peer group, and after establishing the best representation, lay out the main objective. That is to work on the top common opportunities outlined by their peer group, and come up with solutions for improvement. Think about it, we as leaders are tasked with removing roadblocks for your employees. However, as part of their professional development, we should encourage them to work with leadership to resolve issues that will strengthen culture. They must FIRST have a platform! This process has proved to be an excellent start to building that platform.

Innovative, employee-driven Call Center Operations Manager with a comprehensive, progressive 15+ year career filled with expertise in customer/client services, employee relations, recruiting, process implementation, B2C and B2B sales, and project management. Analytical manager adept in the utilization of Lean/Six Sigma methodologies to drive projects to completion with results proven to improve productivity, accountability, talent development and achievement of KPIs. Collaborative communicator focused on building relationships and promoting synergy across business lines to drive positive business approaches and enhanced profitability. 

Connect: LinkedIn

Employee Engagement: Why is it Important?

By Jacqueline Santiago

Every employer should know they are at risk of high employee turnover, which is why employee engagement is so important. Implementing strategies is more than just providing surveys. You have to be fully committed by understanding the principles of employee engagement. Some of which are: 

• Culture
• Leadership
• Purpose
• Action
• Transparency
• Commitment
• Recognition
  

The purpose is to have an engaged culture, which will make people stay, and go above and beyond what is expected. Because of engagement, staff will feel a sense of purpose and belonging. This can be done when leadership incorporates the organizations mission, vison and values in everything that they do. Rather than just talking about it at meetings, or when employee turnover has become a problem, engagement should be a core component of the business.

You must make employee engagement a primary focus, on a daily basis. In addition, be open to feedback that is positive or negative. When talking to employees, I find that it is the little things, that often matter the most. Often, associates simply want their value acknowledged, and their good efforts recognized. Sometimes, leadership can forget about those who are the foundation of the organization. Don't wait until it's too late.

Ambitious and driven professional offering years of expertise in Human Resources, Operations and Recruiting. My desire to exceed expectations combined with strong leadership skills has fostered my ability to be a performance driven team player. I possess the 5A’s: Alignment, Assessment, Accountability, Awareness, and Appreciation. The passion that I have allows me to be a professional with an extensive knowledge of Employee Relations.

Follow: LinkedIn

"Follow the Leader", Featuring Lauren Lomb

What are some fun and creative ways to train staff during down time?

There are many fun and creative ways to train staff during down time. One way, is to create a  crossword puzzle with the questions and answers related to the organization’s mission, values, and of course, product knowledge.

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.

Follow the leader: LinkedIn | Twitter 

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.

"Follow the Leader", Featuring Nate Brown

How do you ensure buy-in from your team?

Looking to get more skin in the game from you team? It’s time to include them from the ground up! There is a magic that happens when your team takes time to learn together. We’ve been going through “The Effortless Experience” this year and it’s been a game changer for us.

We all want to apply the learning and make an impact for our customers. People are far more likely to buy into a change if they have been a key stakeholder from the beginning. Contrast this with the traditional model of a leader always being the one with the new revelation, and updating the team on how they need to behave. This will almost always fail to motivate. Allow your team to drink from the knowledge well….you will be amazed by their creativity! The team that learns together improves together.

Nate is a relationship builder with a flair for execution. He is known for bringing a unique energy to the table that engages employees and takes teams to the next level.

From authoring and leading a client success program, to journey mapping, to gamification, to managing a complex contact center, Nate is the guy to do it right and produce results.

Follow the leader: LinkedIn | Twitter | Blog