Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
How to Reduce Churn & Keep Call Center Agents Engaged
Call center agents have long had their jobs categorized as being high-turnover roles. In many instances the revolving door is created by a lack of skills or patience.
In addition to skills shortages, today there’s a record low unemployment rate which makes finding qualified talent looking for the call center line of work more difficult. Thankfully, new technologies and solutions ease the management of call center agents and empower reps to perform at a higher level.
If you’re looking to staff your call center with agents who are engaged and who will be dedicated to long term growth with the company, here are some tips for nurturing their employment relationships with you.
Offer Incentives
In any workplace, the best way to keep employees engaged and satisfied in their roles is to offer incentives. In the call center, where burnout, long hours and difficult customers are part of the gig, it’s especially important to reward those employees who are doing the difficult task of keeping their cool with customers, following the right steps to provide quality care. Rewarding their great efforts can come in the form of monetary compensation such as bonuses or even “free time off” bonuses.
Promote from Within
Another incentive-based way to provide a boost in morale and productivity is to promote from within. When workers know that their efforts can possibly lead to better, higher compensation roles within the same company there may be more drive to push for those promotions.
Include Agents in Decision-Making
Better engagement from agents can also be realized when employees feel like their opinions matter and that they are trusted. When it comes time for call center management to choose new technologies like scheduling software or chatbots, including them in the decision-making process offers the benefit of making their needs heard while gaining key information from the frontlines before making an investment.
Improve the Screening Process
The best way to get qualified agents working in the call center is to take the time to screen for them accordingly from the beginning. If you haven’t optimized the hiring process yet, there may be room to better describe the necessary skills and screen for them accordingly before hiring. This can significantly reduce turnover rates and slash the cost of onboarding new hires that don’t end up working out.
Edited by Maurice Nagle