How do you motivate call center agents to perform to their highest ability every time they step into the office? Every manager’s job is to increase employee productivity, you want to get the most out of your agents without having to push them too hard. Otherwise, burnout, stress, and job dissatisfaction will creep into the workplace.
Call center agents are under a lot of stress as it is. They are expected to handle a large number of calls while acting in a professional, expert, and courteous manner, no matter how they are treated by the person on the other end of the phone. Agents who are happy are more likely to be motivated to put forth their best effort and thus provide a higher level of customer service.
Using the right call center motivation techniques is the key to increasing the quality and productivity of your agents’ work. So, before you consider how to increase your company’s ROI, consider how to keep call center agents engaged at work.
How to Motivate Call Center Agents Using Specific Goals
In order to stay motivated and determined at work, call center agents need goals to aim at. It’s easy for work to become dull and meaningless if every day is the same as the one before it. Therefore, a worthwhile way to motivate call center agents to work harder is by setting goals for each individual employee to achieve. These objectives, however, must be specific and attainable, or agents will not be able to see their progress. Managers should spend time developing goals for each agent as well as the team as a whole.
Take the time to set realistic, achievable goals and consult with your team before making a decision. Instead of setting long-term goals, break them down into smaller goals that are more manageable and achievable for each team and individual in the short term. Having a clear goal in mind will assist your agents in helping them better visualize the actions required to achieve their objectives. Setting specific and attainable goals in the office is a sure-fire method to motivate call center agents and increase efficiency.
Additionally, a useful method to increase motivation is to conduct regular performance evaluations with your agents. In these sessions, provide the agent with constructive feedback to encourage personal improvement. The key here is to ensure you congratulate them when a goal is met. When you set goals that are realistic and specific metrics have been defined to track the agent’s performance, watch your call center’s motivation soar! After that, make sure your agents can see those key metrics and how their efforts affect their progress.
Implement the Right Tools and Technology
Give your agents the best tools to do their work and notice your call center’s motivation skyrocket! It can be draining to switch between multiple windows, search for information and use a bunch of disjointed systems. Make it easier for your agents by implementing a contact center platform that connects all your channels and customer information. Slow systems or multiple operating windows make handling each phone call frustrating for both employees and customers. Avoid unnecessary stress in the workplace and opt for easy-to-use, practical technology systems.
Grinding through outdated and arcane technology is the quickest way to kill a call center agent’s motivation. Many agents believe that their company does not provide them with all of the technology they need. Managers can make their agents’ jobs easier and keep them motivated by investing in cutting-edge technology with intelligent features. Keep up-to-date with software updates, tools, and technology advancements to maintain a high level of call center motivation.
When agents know they can rely on their equipment, they can confidently work with customers. This is because they work without the fear of calls being dropped or being interrupted by technology. Agents can provide faster service by having easy access to relevant customer information rather than having to switch between multiple platforms or applications. Many call-center software packages can be used in conjunction with high-definition desk phones and headsets to provide a seamless experience for both the customer and the agent. A contact center platform that connects all of your channels and customer information will make it easier for your agents. The better the customer service provided by a call center agent, the more eager they will be to assist the next customer.
By determining which tools are frustrating your agents and affecting their productivity, you can target areas to boost their motivation. Remove any outdated systems and consider what your team’s desired needs are. Don’t forget to address your team’s challenges as well. Some may be easy to manage, such as simply providing adequate equipment like a height-appropriate desk chair. Others may be more difficult, but will ultimately bring greater motivation and productivity into your call center.
How to Motivate Your Call Center Agents With Competitions Between Employees
Knowing how to motivate your call center agents can be tricky. By encouraging team camaraderie and placing emphasis on developing authentic relations between employees, you are sure to find it’s easier than you anticipated. A simple way to do this is by organizing in-house competitions that bring your agents together and remind them of the common goal of the workplace. Implementing interactive, friendly contests where agents are socially engaging with employees and managers will encourage collaboration and communication. In turn, this will increase enthusiasm and motivation in the call center.
If employees can see how their colleagues are performing, it often motivates them to work harder, especially if there is a reward for the best employee. You can improve internal competition among employees by doing so. Recognizing and rewarding excellence are powerful motivators for increasing productivity and retaining employees.
When agents can effectively communicate and work together, they may feel more inclined to lean on coworkers when times get tough. Using the community around you creates a work environment where agents feel comfortable taking paid time-off, request to swap shifts when a child may be sick, or work flexible hours. In turn, this drives productivity and satisfaction in the workplace.
Let your agents feel like they can be themselves and they will enjoy showing up to work each day. Praise your agents’ hard work and effort in a way that will be receptive to them. Learning how an individual expresses themselves to you is a foolproof way to connect with them so they can respect and listen to your advice. This will not only motivate them to work even harder, but will also help them gain confidence in their job. When agents believe in their own abilities and efforts to add value to the company, they are more likely to continue to excel and stay engaged at work.
Take Time To Train Your Team Properly
To encourage call center motivation, consider offering your employees the opportunity to advance in the company. Even if you are a small call center, agents should be motivated to build up their expertise through opportunities to learn about new skills. Perhaps an agent has a passion for marketing and could therefore learn to manage paid advertising and social media channels.
Being open and honest with your agents about what they are seeking from this role will keep them engaged and motivated. Not only will this maintain employee satisfaction and team morale, but it will also reduce staff turnover. Investing in proper staff training and promotion will motivate call center agents to continue striving to meet targets and smash objectives every time.
Whether or not your call center agents want to advance in the company, they will benefit from regular training sessions that teach them new skills and help retain valuable ones.
These sessions can provide new agents with the experience they need to confidently handle customers. For more experienced agents, training sessions should focus on building pre-existing skills. Although some of your call center agents may not plan to stay for the long haul, they will still benefit from opportunities that improve their skills and keep the daily grind interesting. Building your agents to be proficient, confident, and energized through proper training sessions means they will be more motivated to work harder and smarter.
Call centers are under immense pressure to be adequately staffed and available at all times. This can sometimes lead to a lack of training for agents and spur feelings of unpreparedness and stress. Nobody is motivated to work productively under these conditions. Make sure you have appropriate resources for your call center agents at your disposal to avoid a situation like this arising. If agents do not have access to proper coaching and amenities to advance their skills, it’s inevitable they will struggle. So too will customers as they become unsatisfied and disgruntled on the call and potentially lose the company many call center sales and leads. Avoid this and motivate call center agents by investing in their skill base and providing relevant, accessible training.
How to Motivate Your Call Center Agents by Keeping Things Fun And Fresh In The Office
How do you motivate call center agents when they are often repeating the same task day-in-day-out? Cultivating an exciting workplace filled with entertaining activities and fun memories is sure to help keep your agents inspired to come to work. Due to the monotonous nature of the job, call center agents may often feel under-stimulated and demotivated at work. Avoid this and foster a positive attitude in the workplace that is cohesive, cooperative, and enjoyable.
A great way to keep things fresh and fun is to engage in team-building activities. Not only are these activities amusing, but they can also often relieve stress, boost morale and strengthen relationships among your agents. Brainstorming games are an awesome way to encourage employees to relax, learn from one another, and be inspired by fellow agents’ skills and creativity.
Making your call center a fun place to work will not only benefit your business but will also improve your agent’s wellbeing. Agents who feel like they are supported and able to have fun at work, are more likely to feel a sense of belonging. With this sense of belonging, agents are motivated to stay loyal to the company and give their best every day. So consider making your workplace a fun, fresh, and energetic environment and watch your call center agents’ motivation skyrocket!
Use Incentives, Rewards & Bonuses to Motivate Agents
Incentives, rewards, and bonuses are excellent ways to boost performance and motivation in your call center agents! By boosting the value agents assign to their work goals, call center incentive programs prompt stronger commitment to individual and team goals. An incentive program that provides meaning, rewards, and communication towards objectives will keep agents motivated.
Regularly recognizing agents for a job well done is a simple and effective incentive to boost ambition and maintain morale. When people believe that an organization will support their performance goals and provide incentives fairly, their productivity and enthusiasm will go through the roof.
Rewards that are personalized to agents will also make a huge difference in your call center’s motivation. Try making rewards that are individualized to an employee’s interests and values. This will require careful attention to the way such rewards are distributed, how the rewards differ from commission rates, and the fairness with which awards get disbursed. When an agent feels emotionally engaged and appreciated, large performance gains will follow. A reward could be in the form of a monetary bonus, time-off, or finishing up a bit earlier one day. In order to motivate call center agents, it is critical to provide incentivized rewards and bonuses to boost efficiency and team spirit.
Show Your Employees That You Appreciate Them
Making sure your agents feel appreciated for the work they are doing is a powerful tool to boost motivation in a call center. When employees feel their efforts are met with admiration and recognition, this drives productivity and output. Simply thanking your agents for the work they are doing is a surefire way to boost motivation.
In fact, verbal praise and actions are seasoned methods to create purpose, meaning, and drive in call center work. Other than expressing gratitude to your agents one-on-one, try thanking them in a public setting too. This may be at weekly meetings, newsletters, or on the company’s social media profiles. Building tools into your call center’s weekly routine that are dedicated to offering kudos to team members will keep agents engaged and driven.
Other ways to show your appreciation could be sending gift cards and treats on a regular basis. The holidays are a time to come together, so try sending out a festive card that shows your appreciation in these times of comradery! A catered lunch is also a great way to acknowledge your agent’s hard work and efforts, because who doesn’t love food? With an immense number of ways to show gratitude for your employees, you’ll never be left wondering how to motivate call center agents again!
Build a Safe and Open Environment that Encourages Communication
In a role rooted in effective communication, call centers should foster safe and open environments that allow people to be themselves. In any business, communication is crucial but especially in call centers where agents are constantly engaging with a variety of customers. When communication is poor in the workplace, agents will be unmotivated and unhappy which will hinder their overall performance. Avoid this and cultivate a constructive, safe communication plan for your call center. Build trust and positive relations between agents to maintain a sense of openness and reliance in your call center.
With a variety of ways to achieve this, try to first be clear and straightforward in the information you deliver. This will avoid confusion and stress and foster psychological wellbeing. Additionally, mutual communication between coworkers will welcome an agent’s opinions and thoughts. This should be conducted in a calm, relaxed manner where both parties are sitting down and attentively listening to the other. Effective communication also means addressing issues directly and without delay to avoid any confusion. Lastly, getting to know your agents on a personal level is a great foundation for good communication. Talking to agents in a way that is receptive to them will mean your advice is welcomed and taken on board, in turn boosting productivity. To improve the motivation of your call center team, focus on developing communication with your agents in a secure, honest manner.
Create Opportunities for Career Growth
Working a job with no advancement opportunities is uninspiring and boring, so invest in your agent’s career growth to boost call center motivation! Every agent brings something different to the job and this should be celebrated by developing their skills in personalized training sessions. In these sessions, get a grasp of what their career goals and ambitions are and capitalize on this. Some may not plan to stay for long, while others may want to advance quickly.
Take the time to create a growth plan, coach them one-on-one, acknowledge their goals, and then devise a strategy to get them where they want to be. When agents realize their potential, they will work harder, take more responsibility, and be motivated to show up every day.
Offering regular training sessions that focus on teaching new skills and retaining pre-existing ones is key to developing an agent’s career. New agents get the experience they need to confidently take calls, while more experienced agents can boost their efficiency and performance. As a manager, keep track of your agents’ progress towards their career goals and in response offer relevant training opportunities. Consequently, agents will stay engaged, motivated, and excited to stay in the job, and in turn, keep staff turnover low.
How to Motivate Your Call Center Agents by Investing in Your Employees Future
When all your employees want to do is make it through the day and bring home a paycheck, their motivation to go the extra mile plummets. That’s why investing in your agent’s future goals, desires and needs is a crucial tool to ensuring high productivity and engagement. The pressures of everyday life are unavoidable, get to know your agents on a personal level so they feel comfortable discussing aspects of their private life that could be affecting their work performance. When employees feel like their managers are aware of their circumstances, they are more willing to disclose their future plans in your company. So try this approach and couple it with providing practical, relevant, and feasible training opportunities.
Using this approach, you are sure to attract and keep the best agents under your wing. By carving out a clear path for the future, employees are more willing to take initiative and run with ideas. Having a coherent, easy-to-understand plan for your agent’s future will also make your life easier because you can offer specific training tools to them. If leadership is something an agent has expressed to you they want to improve upon, invest in workshops that focus on communication, decision-making, and confidence-building. When an agent feels like you are investing in their future stake in the company, enthusiasm, and motivation to achieve big is sure to increase.
Encourage Downtime and Avoid Micromanaging
As a manager, keeping track of your agent’s progress and output is crucial to your company’s success. However, many agents’ motivation in a call center is hindered when a manager is constantly monitoring their performance. Instead, get creative with your policies and think of innovative ways to encourage regular breaks and agent autonomy. When your agents are battered with one bad customer after another, their motivation to keep going drops. Giving them the freedom to allocate their own breaks, choose their days off or pick a shift they’d prefer are great ways to enlist trust and belief in your employees.
With proper tools and guidelines, your agents can make the job something of their own without you hovering over their shoulders constantly. Allowing them to be creative and free to alter parts of the script is a simple, effective way to avoid red tape. Praise your agent’s efforts in this regard, and be there to mentor them if you notice difficulty. Furthermore, encourage them to get out of their desk, take a minute to breathe, and walk around after an unpleasant call. Not only will they appreciate this freedom, but it will also improve motivation and productivity.
Dedicate Resources to Your Agent’s Happiness
Let’s face it, nobody is going to be motivated to turn up to work if they are unhappy to be there! Eventually, they’ll lose so much motivation that they’ll eventually quit their job and this will raise your staff turnover numbers. Avoid this and invest in your employee’s happiness! When a work environment is positive and cheerful, agents are invigorated and perform better. The number one hurdle to achieving this is stress, so aim to manage this as best you can. Activities or incentives that are stress-relieving are great tools to prompt happiness and motivation! Sports games, a bit of chess together, or a nice lunch out with your team are fantastic ways to boost satisfaction and spur motivation.
A more holistic approach to knowing how to motivate call center agents is to consider the role of mental health. Taking on initiatives that promote regular discussions on mental health issues can help your agents in whatever they may be going through. In doing so, managers can also gauge how to help their agents in more specific ways, rather than guessing what could work. More often than not these days, companies are now investing in professional psychological services, such as counseling for their employees, whenever they may need it. Consider how this could be executed in your call center and the profuse impact this could have on your company’s performance and productivity.
Want to Learn How to Motivate Your Call Center Employees? Share Positive Feedback With AutopilotReviews!
Call center agents who are motivated are more productive in the workplace, and only motivated agents can provide high-quality customer service that ensures happy customers. It may take some time to find the right motivators, but it will be well worth your time and effort when everything comes together.
Managers can keep their call center agents motivated by creating a positive work environment, providing plenty of feedback and opportunities for growth, and investing in the right technology. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different methods until you find the ones that best suit your call center agents and the company!
Want to find out more about the ways to motivate your call center employees? Autopilot Reviews lets you collect information and provide feedback directly from customers in real-time, so contact us today to learn more!
