Call Center Management Featured Article
How Call Center Management Can Fight Attrition
There are a number of different cues business leaders notice that point to internal problems. A lack of strong sales growth could mean an ineffective sales team. A shrinking market share could point to a stripped marketing budget. The high attrition rate often highlights problems in recruiting, hiring, training or all three. For call center management, this is a topic that demands attention.
High agent churn is often the symptom of internal problems. Yes, there could be a close competitor that is enticing your key employees with better pay, increased benefits and an on-site gym, but this is the exception and not the rule. It’s not uncommon to simply assume the call center industry is going to have a high rate and do nothing, but is this really the best use of your resources?
Call center management solution provider, Monet Software recently published a blog on this topic, pointing to the standard industry attrition rate of 30 percent. When this number doesn’t change, management may simply assume that it comes with the territory and they’re doing what they can to protect the base. The cost of attrition is already built into your budget, so why do anything different in your already busy day?
This kind of strategy is dangerous, however, as it ignores the additional hidden costs to your organization. Agent churn can impact customer churn and when too many new agents are on the job and delivering less than stellar service, you have a bigger problem on your hands than you may have originally thought.
For instance, a recent inContact study found that a 1 percent increase in churn represents a 1 percent decrease in revenue. Attrition improved by 50 percent could generate a 1.2 percent increase in company revenue. If your firm is in the $500 million in annual revenue space, this improvement to your attrition rate could represent $6 million saved in hidden costs.
This example is powerful when considering the bottom line, but you also have the reality of your internal culture and morale. It’s difficult to build a solid, high-performing team if members are constantly changing. Fortunately, as a member of the call center management staff, there is something you can do about it.
Hire the right individuals for the job; create an environment where people want to come to work; respect your team members and what they bring to the table; offer the right training and rewards; build an environment of trust and demonstrate patience when your agents are learning. Use innovative technology to help you accomplish these tasks and demonstrate that the agent is important enough to your operation that you’re willing to make the investment. When you do so, attrition numbers will start to fall and you can concentrate on working together to accomplish your goals.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi