What Will Your Contact Center Do This Summer?

Finally, summer is almost upon us. Most people feel more relaxed, move at a slower pace, and, typically, are focused on everything else besides work. These quiet days are a welcome change of pace for sure, but many managers see the distractions as obstacles to productivity.

Instead of battling against summer, why not embrace it as a chance to reflect on your business? It’s the perfect time to try out some new ideas for boosting engagement levels among your Communicators, and for enhancing business operations.

Some ideas to sample this summer might include:

• Battle burnout among your Communicators. If your customer care agents are working to the best of their ability, it’s natural that they will occasionally feel the effects of burnout—particularly due to the stress inherent in their jobs. Attrition has been shown to be the top contact center challenge, so devote some attention this summer to reacquainting yourself with your Communicators. Customer care agents who find meaning in their work—solving problems and helping customers—are more likely to stay, so find ways to help them do this. Summer is a great time to conduct stay interviews, which can help you connect with your employees and how they’re feeling.
• Offer professional development opportunities. All agents have had basic customer care training, but there are plenty of reasons to continue learning. Maybe your contact center has recently implemented new technology, or plans to in the near future, that Communicators would benefit from knowing more about. There are also agent development programs that not only educate but energize agents, teaching them how to deliver outstanding service and starting discussions about why it’s important. After training, work with your Communicators to set individual professional goals.
• Try new technology. As you know, there’s no shortage of tools available to assist your agents in delivering superior care. It’s hard to commit to learning new technologies anytime, but summer might prove to be a wonderful opportunity to try something new. The change will help to engage employees and give them a chance to help and teach one another collaboratively. Whether it’s workforce management software, data analytics software, or any number of other tools, the business will benefit from technology updates.

Steve Brubaker began his career at InfoCision in 1985. In his current role as Chief of Staff and as a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for HR, internal and external communications, and manages the company’s legal and compliance departments. Brubaker is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the DMA, SOCAP, and PACE. He also donates his time to serve on several university boards, including the Executive Advisory Board for The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at The University of Akron and The University of Akron Foundation Board. He is a frequent speaker for national events and has also been honored with a number of awards and recognitions for his contributions to the call center industry.