The Dawn of a New Day is a term that means “a new or fresh beginning or a turning point that achieves as much.” This is an opportune time to strategize and plan for what could be a new beginning in the Call Center. Contact Center leaders need not do all the work; they only need to allow the work …
Challenge Everything!
As we approach 2016 (yes, dates on your calendar are closer than they appear), I think it is fitting to propose that we decide to challenge everything. The Customer Experience revolution is upon us. In order to compete and to win the loyalty of our customers, we must be willing to challenge everything we do and have done. Most importantly, …
Dear Santa
Another year has passed and it is time once again to celebrate this year’s Contact Center achievements. It is a time to ponder all those wonderful “learning moments” and the TONS of accomplishments we have made. However, I must alert you to some “gifts” that Contact Centers need this year because there is still so much more to be done. …
Don’t Push My Buttons
De-escalation is a strategic communication skill that Contact Center professionals must possess. It is the art of maintaining a focus on the outcome and not on the person. Frontline agents often face difficult Customer Service situations that are not always of their own making…changes in policy that disappoint customers, warranty issues, and general complaints from customers to name a few. …
A Good Job?
There have been many stories in the news lately about the Employee Experience. There is The New York Times story of the horrors of actually working at Amazon.com and the story of Air France employees who stormed an executive meeting where job cuts were being discussed. The Air France employees literally chased the executives, tore their clothes off, and assaulted …
Customer Experience … The Bottom Line on Financial Objectives
The Customer Experience strategy cannot be provided at a loss if profitability, or even sustainability, is important to your organization. Customer Experience is at the heart of most of today’s executive strategies, but it is execution that matters. Execution determines when and if objectives are met. Strategic plans come complete with all sorts of objectives; of late, financial objectives occupy …
The Hurrier I Go, the Behinder I get
Decision making is put at serious risk when the Contact Center workforce has been operating at maximum capacity. The “maxed out” workforce has to hurry to meet deadlines and demands of the enterprise. When we must hurry to get things done, how good can we expect the outcome to be? Here’s how to work smarter in your Call Center, not …
How 2 Brand U
We all need to engage in continuous learning about Brand – our company brand, creating a branded experience, generating brand energy, etc. But what about our personal Brand? I’d like to spur some thinking on How 2 Brand U (that is Brand Y O U). Each of us in this mighty workplace brings something to the table. Do you know what that something is? Have …
Easy to Get is Hard to Get Rid of – Ode to Leo J.
My father travelled quite a bit for both business and pleasure. Once on a trip to Denmark he was entertained at a business associate’s home. The hostess asked Dad to sign the tablecloth which was covered in signatures of previous guests and then embroidered; this created a very colorful and memorable piece. Dad naturally bought several beautiful linen tablecloths home …
Which Is It … Supervisor or Super Agent?
Contact Center Supervisors are the first tier of management at the front line of the Customer Experience. But are they REALLY Supervisors or simply Super Agents? Webster defines Supervisor as “one who is in charge of a particular department or unit.” Are your Supervisors really “in charge?” My experience lately has been to see the role of Supervisor weakened to …