September 15, 2015
With the continued rise of social media in contact centers, new challenges are emerging daily for agents on the front lines. Which ones are rising to the challenge, and which ones are falling behind?
It takes a savvy manager to identify and develop top performers, and to recognize which employees need a little more support so they don't quit out of frustration.
That was the essence of the idea behind a recent blog post by Annette Miesbach, Product Marketing Manager at inContact, a leader in cloud contact centers.
“Even with the most intuitive interface on earth and the most skilled and motivated agents in existence, your agents will need training when deploying new channels,” Miesbach noted. “Not all channels are created equal—just because your agent excels at handling phone calls doesn’t necessarily mean they’re equally skilled at sending emails, handling chats, responding to texts, or interacting on social media.”
With years of experience on the front lines, Miesbach knows what she’s talking about and offered some suggestions for managers looking to make the most of these new technologies while also helping their employees stay motivated and up to speed. Her suggestions are worth sharing:
Know Which New Channels ‘Make Sense’: “If your customers are mainly baby boomers, then 60 percent of them still use the phone for contact center interactions,” she notes. “On the other hand, if the majority of your clientele is Gen Y, keep in mind that more than one-third of them use social media.” Prepare accordingly.
Even ‘Proficient’ Agents Need to Stay Up to Date: The fact that they personally use SMS does not mean they should overuse smiley faces and emoticons in business messages, Miesbach says. “Train your agents on how to properly represent your brand. Templates for email interactions or chat can speed up the process and ensure the tone remains appropriate and consistent.”
Start Slowly: By starting with just one or two chat contacts at a time, for example, Miesbach says this will allow the agent to become familiar with the new channel and interface. They can first learn how to deliver high-quality interactions, and then increase the volume by handling more concurrent contacts.
But Plan for a Gradual Increase: Experience builds confidence. As your agents become accustomed to new technologies, they’ll naturally become more proficient and comfortable.
Create ‘Classes’: The agents who pick things up quickly will become your “Specialists.” Those who need more time will become “Generalists,” with the opportunity to move up the ranks as their skills improve.
This new technology is here to stay. How well your employees adapt to it can mean the difference between growth and decline. Plan accordingly.