Management Isn’t Enough: Leading in the Contact Centre
Strike the perfect balance between leading and managing your contact centre employees
Tony Shwartz, CEO and founder of the Energy Project, has said: “Treat employees like children and they’ll act like children.” Insightful as they may be, these wise words are hardly original. Teachers, parents and managers alike have long since noted that treating individuals like independent, mature adults results in better behavior. So what does this mean for you as a contact centre manager?
Leading and managing are two different things, and when it comes down to it, you can’t afford to be too much of one and not enough of another. Managing relentlessly will lead to employee burnout, a low sense of morale and a lack of diverse perspectives contributing to the team. On the other hand, you have overhead to account for, sales goals to meet and you can’t necessarily afford to embark on a risky project in complete agent autonomy and the destruction of your internal hierarchy.
The key is in finding the middle ground between leadership and management. Here are 10 takeaway tips to help you strike that essential balance.
1. Recognize the Positives and the Negatives
Managers infamously gripe about the negatives, while leaders recognize positive performance. Focus more on celebrating the positives in the contact centre, but don’t neglect the negatives either, as this may lead agents to assume you aren’t noticing.
2. Coach, Don’t Criticize
When you do discuss negative performance, don’t criticize. Instead, approach the discussion from the standpoint of a coach. Coaching your agents is one of the most effective ways to elevate performance while maintaining high agent morale.
3. Include Staff in Decision Making
Don’t always tell your staff what to do. Instead, include them in the higher decision making process. Including agents at a higher corporate level raises their levels of engagement and increases their sense of ownership over their work.
4. Set Clear Expectations
Nothing is more frustrating than being unsure of what’s expected of you. When you praise agent performance or coach agents to become better, clearly state what it is that you expect from them. Set goals that are both achievable and measurable so that there’s no confusion on whether they’ve been achieved, and plan future follow-up meetings to discuss individual progress.
5. Don’t Take Credit for Your Team’s Work
Being a leader means giving credit where it’s due. Don’t accept credit for your team’s hard work, even if you feel that you’ve played a hand in it. Acknowledge that it’s your staff that has the most potential to connect with customers and grow your business.
6. Do Their Job
You can preach about proper customer care all you want, but if you never roll up your sleeves and dive in, how will your staff know that you’re the real thing? Every once in a while, ditch the management cap and get on the phones alongside your agents.
7. Provide the Right Tools
The right technology can go a long way in the contact centre. Especially in today’s integrated world, providing your agents with the tools they need to excel is essential in maintaining a positive contact centre culture.
8. Encourage Positivity
Speaking of positivity, make an effort to create an attitude of positivity in the contact centre. Keep employees comfortable, foster a fun environment and encourage interpersonal relationships. Positivity in the workplace is one of the most critical aspects of avoiding agent burnout.
9. Staff Appropriately
When it comes to staffing your contact centre, it’s your job as the manager to ensure appropriate levels of staffing. Too many agents will result in boredom and feelings of frustration, while too few means high stress levels and unanswered calls. If you’re struggling to achieve the right balance, consider options like callbacks or outsourcing to a third party customer service provider.
10. Set the Ultimate Example
Finally, set the ultimate example for your agents. Do the right thing. Admit your mistakes. Learn constantly. Be a source of positivity. If you lead by setting a great example, you may be surprised by how many agents follow in your footsteps.
Taking charge of the contact centre means so much more than just managing. Being the boss can be a valuable role, but it has its limitations. By embracing a balance between leading and managing, you can tap into the potential of your agents and help your contact centre succeed.
Interested in learning more about being a leader in the contact centre? Download our free whitepaper!
