Call Center Management Featured Article
Be an Authentic Leader in the Contact Center
There’s no one answer to the question, “What does it take to be a great contact center leader?” Answers will vary depending on what type of contact center you run. If your goal is sales and the contact center is high pressure, for example, leadership will take a very different form than in a contact center that has a goal of supporting customers. The better question to ask might be, “How can you be an authentic contact center leader?”
What Does “Authentic” Mean?
Like a coach, a good call center manager can turn on – or turn off – excellent performance in a team. Call center managers need to ensure that they are leading by example. Promote a good work ethic and make time for coaching, encouraging, training and rewarding agents. Authentic contact center leaders foster agent engagement, challenge agents to do their best and remove any elements of a toxic work environment (e.g., harassment, bullying, belittling, unhealthy competition or favoritism).
When agents see their manager striving to improve processes, encourage their best performance and make the workplace positive, they will often return the favor by trying their best.
This Means Building Relationships
The ability to build relationships is one of the best qualities a leader can possess. This skill requires truly understanding people and how they can be encouraged to offer their best performance. Some agents will perform best with a little pushing, others will respond better to leading. Some enjoy a bit of performance pressure, while others need to have their stress minimized. By taking the time and effort to get to know your agents and develop your relationships with them, you can help the contact center work environment thrive. When employees understand you better, it helps them to interact with you in productive ways.
Encourage Continuous Skill Development
Contact center agent training shouldn’t end after the first 30 days of employment. Agents who undergo continuous training to improve their skills and expand their knowledge will take more pride in their jobs and strive to do better. Ensure you never stop teaching hard skills and soft skills, and be sure to provide agents with opportunities for advancement.