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Having competent and well-trained workforce is a prerequisite for successful call center performance. Other important aspects are adequate hardware and software, network setup, and proper management of workforce.
While selecting suitable hardware and software may not be that difficult, workforce management can be a much bigger task. It is not just about hiring skilled candidates. Getting the recruited professionals in sync with the team and motivating them can be challenging.
In this regard, well-designed, tried and tested workforce optimization software and strategies are something that is good to have in place. Genesys PureCloud Workforce Management (WFM) is one of the solutions that can help call centers manage their employees with utmost precision.
Listed below are some of the tips for optimizing workforce performance in a call center.
Keep infrastructure in shape and updated
In call centers a lot of operations are dependent on the web and call center specific software solutions. It is important that the IT infrastructure remain in shape and be functional 24×7. Quite a few call centers have chosen Workforce Management Integrations with PureCloud to manage their employees and maintain adequate productivity level.
Even experienced agents may find it difficult to work efficiently if their hardware or software are outdated. From keeping the software up-to-date to having a tech team dedicated to fixing network and hardware woes, these are the things that need to be in place.
Track agent performance without being intrusive
Since it is necessary to maintain service quality and make sure that the agents adhere to protocols when assisting callers, tracking individual agent performance is important. However, performance tracking should be done carefully – contact centers often have stressful environment, so performance tracking should not be adding to the agents’ stress level.
Careful and accurate monitoring can be done by using PureCloud workforce management integration, or through a similar solution. Other Genesys software products can be considered as well.
Intensive agent training
Once new agents are recruited, intensive training is often the next step for them. In addition to using existing training modules, using recorded calls as examples, and mentoring by experienced agents can be of great help. Not every individual has same capability, but a well structured training helps the novice to catch up quickly.
Collect customer feedback
Keeping note of customer feedback is helpful in understanding what areas require improvement. Collecting feedback can be done through online survey forms and calls. The feedback may help make decisions on operational strategies that should be used to improve agent performance.
Keep communication channels open
Contact center management needs to be aware of issues faced by individual employees. Feedback from supervisors and floor managers may not be enough to learn about individual employee performance. Employees need to have a way to communicate their concerns directly to the higher management.
Maintain realistic work schedule
Most call centers use rotational work shifts. It would be the best to plan the schedule so that the employees would be able to get enough rest between their shifts and be productive at the workplace.
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