The bad management in your call center can create major problems in customer service, leading to a bad customer experiences for your customers.
Do you currently work in a call centre role and are less than happy with the way your day usually ends up? So many call centres are run incorrectly and this usually is down to poor preparation and lack of understanding by the management.
There are few articles about the best practices that you should endeavor to follow for the best results. However, this article does talk about the common mistakes that are made by call centres. If you see any familiar scenarios here, you need to think about improving your current set of procedures.
Not Including The Call Centre As Part Of The System
All too often, the call centre is treated differently to other departments, especially in an I.T. related business. They are seen as an entirely separate entity and as a result are excluded from many new processes and meetings. The sooner that the business recognizes that the call centre is an integral part of the system, the quicker everyone can enjoy a smooth process. A snobbish attitude exists in many large corporations who see call centre employees as non-professionals whom they have to suffer. This approach is seriously flawed and can only lead to resentment and misunderstanding.
Focusing Too Much On The Agent
Too much time and effort is sometimes invested in looking at the individual call centre agent’s performance. Of course they are a very important link in the whole operation, but they can only work with the tools that they are provided with. The whole system needs to be tried and tested if there are any poor performance issues. Try to work with the agent and see if they have any comments regarding the way the system is currently performing.
Managers Being Distant
The call centre manager is a role model for all of his employees and as such he needs to be able to lead by example. They should spend at least a few hours every week or two taking calls during a busy period. This way the team can see that the manager is helping out and also that he can empathize with any issues that arise on call duties. It is impossible to understand the mindset of an individual if you do not walk in their footsteps once in a while.
Investing More In Technology Than Training
Your call centre needs to have the right kind of equipment to do, but do not overlook the human factor in your operations. If you are constantly rolling out equipment and installing the latest hardware and software, remember that this causes valuable downtime in your call centre availability. Ensure that the project manager consults with the call centre manager before steaming ahead with the latest wonderful gadgetry project.
Using Temporary Staff To Save Money
Contract call centre workers are an invaluable resource and can help tremendously when you have staffing issues. They also tend to save some money as they are balanced against a separate budget compared to permanent staff. Do not be tempted to use more than one or two contract staff just to make your budget look good at the next financial meeting.
Matt Lewis has been working in a multinational call centre company for more than a decade now. He takes time out from his busy schedule to write on topics that are close to his heart. He says people should invest in a good pair of headphones or else be ready spend money on a good doctor.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.