The second post in this three-part series described how contact centers adapt to change by comparing them to two types of running backs – those that are slow and steady, and those that are nimble and quick. Slow and steady may work for centers focused on traditional call metrics, but today’s enterprise and business climates demand more. Success factors today include strong customer satisfaction and increased revenue, which often requires nimble decision making and increased flexibility. A contact center can evolve from a slow and steady operation to a more nimble and dynamic one, reacting quickly and wisely to changes in its environment. 

In our sponsored white paper with Frost & Sullivan, “Can Your Center Keep up With the Changes?,” the author describes a transformation process that hinges on capable Workforce Optimization (WFO) tools and processes. Efficient scheduling, insightful performance evaluation, effective and persistent coaching and training, and a system that recognizes and rewards success will tackle the common obstacles that slow down contact
center responsiveness.

In my final post of the series I’d like to highlight some key points on WFO’s role in helping centers adapt to change, carrying out the sports analogy I have used in my previous posts:

• - Simplified Interface – Nearly 70 – 75 percent of contact center expenses go to labor costs. This steep investment requires managers to focus on agent performance, but unfortunately, the very technology tools that are supposed to help them often complicate the process. Managers need easy-to-use WFO applications that let them spend less time managing their technology and more time improving agent performance.  Think of the interface as a means to optimize without complexity, not unlike off-season training allows coaches to focus on improving athlete’s performance without distraction so they can prepare top notch teams for their first game of the season.

 

• - Personalized User Experience – Coaches must make wise draft choices when replacing players past their prime. Coaches look for aspiring athletes to continuously evolve their teams – players that will fill gaps to invigorate team performance while working in harmony with the skills of veteran team players. The analogy to the contact center is this. The incoming generational workforce arrives with technology savvy skills and preset expectations of constant connectivity. Contact centers must meet these agents’ expectations with applications that will place them on an even footing with their customer base.  Modern WFO solutions take on this challenge with a customizable interface, providing an up to date work experience for young recruits and a simplified experience for veterans.

 

• - Empowering Agents – WFO tools must empower the agent and enable them to own their performance metrics. Personal agent performance dashboards provide this valuable insight, yet agents also need to understand how their efforts map into the success of the larger enterprise. They need easy-to-access information that will guide them in how to “lift revenue, generate sales, and identify profit-making opportunities.” This can be seen when coaches bring out the best of each individual athlete, paying attention to their strengths and weaknesses and acting on both immediately – providing encouragement along the way.

 

• - Seeing the Big Picture – A great head coach always knows how each player is doing to contribute to the overall outcome of the game. A clear contact center management dashboard provides the right information at the right time to the contact center coach – the supervisor – enabling them to address real issues in real-time for better overall results. An effective WFO system provides that integrated view of how well the contact center is operating.

In order for your contact center to keep pace, you must meet changes and challenges head-on. Your contact center must be smart, fast and adaptable in the face of change. To do that successfully, you need smart, fast and adaptable tools at the core.

Is your contact center sufficiently agile like the perennial season-winning New England Patriots? Or are you waiting for a bolt of lightning to strike up a magical season like the LA Kings? We’d like to hear from you.

Tom

 

2012