End Turnover and Gain Agent Satisfaction
1 Nov, 2007
By: Dru PhelpsQuestion:
I suffer from high agent turnover in my contact center. Help!
— Suffering Supervisor in San Francisco
Answer:
Dear Suffering Supervisor:
To give you “Super Vision, i.e., “supervision,” I recommend deep discovery as your rule of three. Use data to identify needs, diagnose the issue, then make an informed decision to change and optimize the process and technology resources to deliver the following:
HIRING. Often, center management needs to simply replace or ramp up agents with a “warm, willing candidate.” It would be in your best interest to hire people who resemble your top talent pool. Conduct high-profile testing of your top talent traits to replicate exactly what personality is needed to fit your center and create a good job match. Then, write help-wanted ads, pre-screen, performance test and select your new agent on those traits as best-in- class hires. Taking the time to hire the right candidate can save you up to $8,000 in hiring costs per new hire.
TRAINING. Given that you began with a realistic job preview, training can start day one and continue for a directed career path. During the lifecycle of an agent’s tenure, use scorecards to compare the team to agent key metrics. From this type of benchmark, identify needs on if and where each agent requires coaching versus training. A best practice would utilize feedback from caller satisfaction to inter-day performance data to set up “right-time” training modules. In a purely linked automated approach, agents can actually view their quality scores online, identifying which skills they lack, then call for dedicated training right to their desktop. If integrated with scheduling tools, the system will confirm the optimal time to take that training based on ACD call data. Agents are then tested for results in this interactive approach. Rating quality? Just ASK: as in attitude, skill and knowledge — common training goals.
ROUTING. Studies show that a one-way ticket out the door is agents’ frustration of not getting an even flow of calls or getting calls they cannot answer. Be intelligent to route to the most knowledgeable resource; the most seasoned agent gets high-dollar calls, new agents get the simplest calls, and yes, even the IVR can take the very basic one-way information calls. Don’t forget that multi-channel routing is a great asset in call closure in self-service. Save the interactive call for the agent to be a problem solver, as the right party for first call resolution. Agents who feel both empowered and engaged are a “super’’ way to gain retention in customer service.
Question:
We have just completed an agent-satisfaction study and find that some agents may be on the verge of leaving. When hired, they wanted to provide excellent service. Now they are distant to the quality metrics we have in place. How can I help those lost agents?
— At wit’s end in Albany
Answer:
Dear at wit’s end:
Let’s get back to the basics. Rule 1: the caller has a question; the agent needs to answer; and the business needs to help support that interaction. If agents are in this business for customer service, set up a system around the customer to let agents know how they are doing. Give them some real-time caller feedback!
Fact: Each day an agent takes 50-60 calls or 1,200 calls per month. Many centers have trainers, schedulers, quality teams, coaches, analysts, and supervisors investigating a piece of the service that agent has provided. Only after all the pieces of reporting are pulled together does the agent may get a monthly hour. Is this enough?
Agents change behavior from feedback that comes directly from callers. To gain satisfaction and call completion rates, take a customer survey after calls, at the point of service, and ask specific questions on how to create a positive culture to achieve superior performance.
Excellence in caller satisfaction can be measured easily and effortless by listening to the voice of the caller. One report can give feedback on call time, caller perception of the call, resolution, recording of quality, and even provide a recorded message where the caller answers the agent’s question: “How can we best serve you?”
This information can be combined with the ACD statistics to provide a true 360 degree view of what happened on that call. Use this to provide positive and immediate empowerment to agents so they gain ideas for improvement straight from the customer. It’s a great way to make your mission come alive and provide earned recognition.
