6 Steps to Nirvana in Customer Care
A customer service agent's job is not restricted to answering phone calls, like we all would like to believe, and neither is it
mechanical and boring as it is made to sound. Look at the tens of spreadsheets an agent toggles between to give you the
right answer, and you will realize how complicated and stressful the job can be.
An agent has to maintain strict quality standards, handle huge call volumes, deal with irate callers and adhere to strict
deadlines – all of which are undoubtedly stressful. Combine this with the current economic scenario of lay-offs, cost-
cutting measures, and rising workloads, and clearly employee morale can hit an all-time low. But we at WNS recognize
how that can impact our client's business and take many measures to keep our agents happy and inspire them to deliver
better customer service.
Here are a few areas we focus on and the initiatives we undertake toward achieving the same:
Employee Engagement: Front-line employees are ambassadors of an organization, and there should be continuous
efforts to keep them aligned with the business strategy. Customer service executives must understand that they are a part
of a bigger whole, and must constantly work towards that. It not only builds their self-esteem, but also makes them realize
how important their job is. At WNS, Town hall meetings are hosted by business leaders at regular intervals to brief
employees on new programs. Communication calendars are published every month to keep employees informed on all
company initiatives.
Open Communication Channels: I have always believed in ‘tell them what they need to do, but also listen to what they
want to do'. The leadership team must focus on two-way and ongoing communication by inviting feedback and
agents on the floor to get a feel of the employee morale and resolve any concerns with the team managers. Night-walks
are conducted by team leads / business leaders, to spend time on the floor with agents. We also aim to provide flexibility
with rosters to accommodate leave / shift requests, and have set in place secure grievance and complaint handling
processes.
Recognition and Rewards: Recognition is an integral part of employee morale. Who would not want a pat on the back!
Progress made by individual employees should be awarded and appreciated publicly to retain talent and accelerate
performance.
Celebrate their achievements through formal channels, team meetings, bulletin board announcements, cash incentives
and awards. WNS initiatives such as Blooming Tree, weekly rewards on performance, the Kalpavriksha Recognition Tree
for agents who get appreciation calls, issue of Green Flags for handling calls effectively, continuous projection of
achievers, coffee with the leadership team for top performers are compelling initiatives to boosting agent morale.
Encouraging Innovation: We believe that some of our best business ideas have actually come from the floor! Our
Brainwave program encourages innovative ideas from all the employees in the organization. Our experience at WNS
shows us that this allows employees to have a sense of ownership. Always remember that the contact center staff
receives direct customer feedback on a regular basis and their insights can provide valuable ideas.
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Investing in Training and Development: Employees need to be constantly upskilled on best practices. This helps
increase their commitment to the organization as it chalks out a path for professional and personal growth. At WNS, we
ensure that at least 10-15 percent of the employees undergo training and development exercises. We conduct Manager
Marathons, where managers compete on parameters such as performance and other critical areas (attrition and
unplanned leaves). Senior agents are given additional roles and responsibilities in an effort to break the monotony of day-
to-day work.
Organize Recreational Activities: We believe that a break from the usual day is always welcome. Talent hunts, theme
parties, team outings help in team building and make the work place interesting. At WNS, a ‘fun committee' comprising
agents and the HR team come up with new and creative ways to unwind while at work. These include parties to celebrate
success or process milestones, parties around important festivals, summer getaways, dance competitions, spot quizzes
and various contests. An interesting concept we recently introduced was ‘Call the Parents', wherein supervisors took time
out to call family members and speak to them about the great work being achieved by the agent.
Having happy, involved and committed customer care agents has a direct correlation to improved customer service,
increased efficiency and revenue growth. There is undoubtedly a tangible impact that happy agents have on the customer
experience, and at WNS, we strongly believe that employee happiness creates the optimal customer experience
Questions and Answers
I came across a recent survey called the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, which talks about how companies must place increased emphasis on customer service. No marks for guessing that one. But here's the interesting part ─ according to the survey, American consumers spend 9 % more on companies that provide excellent customer service. Sixty-one percent of Americans surveyed felt that the quality of customer service is absolutely essential given today's economic environment.
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