The Me’s of a CSR
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No doubt about it.
A call center customer service agent’s job is not an easy one.
Call after call, day after day, month in and month out.
Expectations are high and sometimes out of reach.
Call center managers routinely measure all aspects of a CSR’s call performance.
CSR’s must manage the components of call handle time, transfer rate, one call resolution, follow program updates and mandatory regulations, handle angry and upset customers, and all the while maintain excellent quality. Then let’s not forget that we expect CSR’s to treat each call as though it were the first of the day.
Not an easy job at all.
We work in an industry that struggles with employee attrition. With performance demands as they are; I can understand why it would be difficult to remain a CSR at one company year after year. We can all believe the grass is greener at the next call center.
As a call center manager, you attempt to balance the needs/demands of the agents with the needs/demands of the company.
I was talking to several call center managers this past week and the topic of how to retain CSR’s came up fast and strong. We decided to take it from a CSR’s point of view and see what the CSR’s would say they need from a team leader and the company. We had emails going back and forth all week as many agents were asked the following question:
What do you need from your team leader to succeed?
While this list is just the tip of the iceberg, here are our top answers….
“The Me’s of a CSR”
• Motivate Me
• Recognize Me
• Pay Me
• Treat Me fairly
• Assist Me
• Understand Me
Motivate Me:
My job is repetitive and usually boring. I need positive reinforcements to keep me interested.
Break up the monotony by providing a positive distraction.
Make sure I know the rules of any incentive being offered
Keep me informed or provide me a means to keep myself informed of my current stats and how I rank in any incentive.
Recognize Me:
I am more than just a voice on the phone to customers and billable minutes to the company.
Know my name, where I am from and a bit about my life outside the job. Know me as a person.
Pay Me:
Ensure that my pay is correct and ready when I am told it should be. My performance bonus or incentives is equally important to me; treat it as you would your own pay.
Treat Me fairly:
No favoritism for me or my team mates. No special treatment or favors should be tolerated. This ranges from allowing extended poor performance, inconsistent attendance practices to disciplinary action going from one extreme to another.
Assist Me:
No matter how intelligent, how well trained, or how customer service savvy I am- there are times that I need assistance on a call. I don’t want to be looked at as a bother because you expect me to be able to handle all calls.
Understand Me:
Relate to me and the job that I do for the company call after call.
Remember that I am real person behind my performance stats.
Gail is a contributing writer for Call Center Cafe, the Community for Call Center Professionals. As the self professed Call Center Quality Queen, Gail shares her experiences in Quality and Training with readers. If you are would like to read more of Gail’s articles please visit: http://www.callcentercafe.com While you are on the site, sign up here for the free email updates: The Call Center Café Feed
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I would add one Ive always found especially important.
“Don’t burn ME out.”
Calls coming fast and furious day in and day out combind with mandatory overtime will reduce my job satisfaction as fast as anything else you can name.