By Candice Roberts. Motivating Call Centre Agents to Enhance Performance

1. Motivating Call Centre Agents to Enhance Performance
Candice Roberts
Managing Director, CallForce

2. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

3. Personal background and experience in staff
motivation and retention
•Grown to 60+ permanent staff over the past 13 years
•Focus on perm and temp recruitment in the Contact Centre industry
•Close to 4,000 flexi-agents placed over the last 24 months
•Clients over broad range of industries
•Selected as Endeavor Entrepreneur in 2005
•Key differentiator in my business is PEOPLE

4. •Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A
Agenda

5. Organisations say that customers are their main
focus yet they remain more focused on cost
Employee dissatisfaction leads to customer dissatisfaction
and lack of profitability in the contact centre

6. Agents believe they are undervalued by
their companies
My role in the
company I work for
is important.
The company I work
for thinks my role is
important.
59.9%
26.9%
25.2%
27.4%
9.4%
27.9%
3.5%
8.5%
2.0%
9.5%
Strongly Agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
85.1% of agents
believe their role in
the company is
important.
However, only 54.3%
believe that the
company they work
for thinks their role is
important.
85.1%
54.3%

7. There are two very important aspects that a
customer expects of a call
Transactional Needs
What was the call
outcome?
Was the call
resolution to the
clients satisfaction?
How accurate was
the information?
Did the agent keep
his or her promise?
Emotional Needs
How was the call handled?
Did the client feel
important?
Was the client the centre of
attention?
Was the client treated as an
individual?
Was the client in control of
the call?
Was the client valued?
Was the agent on the
customer’s side?

8. The emotional needs of the customer are also
the emotional needs of the agent
Does the client feel important?
Is the client the centre of attention?
Is the client treated as an individual?
Is the client in control of the call?
Is the client valued?
Is the agent on the customer’s side?
Does the agent feel important?
Is the agent the centre of attention?
Is the agent treated as an individual?
Is the agent in control of the call?
Is the agent valued?
Is the Contact Centre on the agent’s
side?
The Customer Universe The Agent Universe

9. Organisation wide understanding
• Importance of the agent’s role
• Integration into overall business strategy
• Breaking down traditional barriers
• Gold mine of opportunity
Integral part of the overall business strategy of the company

10. Agent Focus
Customer satisfaction begins with employee satisfaction
The interface between the customer and the
company is directly impacted by the agent
morale in the contact centre

11. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

12. The agents of today are a product of their
times
Traditional Agents Today’s Agents
Work ethic Work/ life
Bank balance Life balance
Task focus Team focus
Commitment Enjoyment
Authority Empowerment
Independence Support
Structure Flexibility
Tell them Involve us
Conformity Creativity
Tradition Innovation
Regional Global
Long careers Many jobs
Learn then earn Lifelong learning
Loyalty Variety

13. There are four main issues that employers
struggle with when it comes to today’s agents
Attraction and
Retention
Motivation and
Recognition
Management
and Leadership
Training and Development

14. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

15. Lack of recognition, lack of career
opportunities, and poor leadership are within
the top five key reasons why agents leave
sooner than expected
(Agents were asked to choose the 3 most likely)
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
A B C D E F G H
68.4%
49.1%
45.0%
25.1%
22.8%
18.1%17.5%
15.2%
A The money is not enough
B
Lack of recognition and
appreciation
C
Feeling that this is a dead end
job
D
A lack of positive and
supportive leadership
E Family responsibilities
F
The distance I must travel to
work
G Problems caused by shift work
H
Poor relationship with team
leader/supervisor

16. Lack of recognition has a negative impact
on agent motivation
Recognition. Growth. Support from
management. This will help me exceed
my targets.
There is no growth. We are not
regarded as important
because we are just contract
workers or outsourced.
I need a chance of growth
and acknowledgement for my
hard work.

17. Although our agents would love a monetary
reward, they consider recognition through
career development rewards important
Invitation to
a Boardroom
meeting
Invitation to
additional
training
Spend "a
day in the
life" of an
executive
from your
company
Opportunity
to attend a
business
conference
Monetary
rewards
linked to
performance
Recognition
- certificates
/ wall of
fame
First option
of choice of
shifts
Time off
22.0%
40.9%
53.8%
45.4%
60.5%
65.8%
37.7%
50.3%
44.0%
41.4%
34.9%
42.1%
34.1% 23.5%
33.9%
29.1%
14.8%
7.0%
9.1% 9.8%
4.3%
8.0%
14.8%
15.1%
19.2%
10.8%
2.2% 2.7% 1.1% 2.7%
13.7%
5.6%

18. Agents are interested in building careers in
contact centres and in the industry they are
currently working in
Would you like to develop a
career in contact centres?
Are you considering a career in
the industry/sector you are in?
Yes
No
64.80%
35.20%
Yes
No
70.50%
29.50%

19. How long do you expect your agents to work
for you?
Less than 6
months
6-12 months 13-18 months More than 18
months
19.40%
33.50%
9.70%
37.40%
What is your understanding of your company's expectation of how long you will be
working here?

20. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

21. Agents do not respond well to hierarchical
leadership structures
“Management doesn't
listen and that's
demotivating.”
“Management does not know
how to speak to staff.”
“Being treated like
children.”
“You are not able to
voice out anything... You
are just not allowed to
be yourself or just
something close to who
you are.”

22. So, what management style works best?
Type of
Management
Style Outcome
Authoritarian
Leader relies on rank
and role
This style will alienate your agents and
ultimately turn them against you
Directing
Leader points the way
from afar and
delegates the tasks
Agents want guidance not gurus; mentoring,
not micro-management
Consulting
Leader asks the
questions and includes
the team
Inviting agents to voice their opinions
recognises them for the individuals they are
Involving
The participative leader
- leading from within
and leading by
example
Empower your agents which will in turn lead to
better performance
Coaching
Leadership that is not a
positional role, but more
an influence relationship
Agents want to be developed and feel
important

23. When agents were asked what they liked
about their job, relationships with
management feature strongly...
“Open relationship with
management.”
“Good relationship
with colleagues
and managers.”
“Self management is
encouraged.”
“Open Door
Policy.”
“Management is very
friendly.”

24. A 2010 vs. 2012 comparison of agents’ views
of their relationship with team leaders and
management
My team leader
gives me helpful
feedback on how
to perform better
My team leader
serves as a
positive role model
for me
My team leader
listens to my ideas
and concerns
Senior
management
treats employees
fairly
I believe senior
management
appreciates the
work I do
Senior
management sets
high standards of
excellence
86.1%
68.9%
76.2%
59.0%
52.5%
70.5%
77.5%
71.6% 68.9%
45.4% 46.2%
65.7%
2010 2012

25. Agents tell us what they need to help them
perform better
Recognition
People-Centred
Leadership
Empowerment
Be given the
opportunity to
perform without
being restricted to
what only temps can
do
(It would help) if I could be
given authority to correspond
with other departments when
it comes to resolving queries
unlike email or telephonically
If training was offered
maybe I would work
much faster with
understanding
Freedom to use my
own leads and
make sales
We seldom get the
recognition from the
current environment
we find ourselves in
Recognise my good
work and offer
incentives Monthly incentives
to top performers
Feedback on
performance
whether good or bad
Our views to heard and
have all systems available
to us, to make our jobs
easier other than running
to team leaders
Have support from the
entire department
Have meetings in the
morning when we arrive to
motivate ourselves
Being permanent and not
being monitored like a
school kid when working

26. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

27. Over 70% of our agents believe they are
performing above average
Agents were asked:
Compared to the
performance of your fellow
co-workers, where do you
place your performance?
• Perception of self
and actual experience
is somewhat distorted
• Agents need
consistent feedback
and training to
improve
Top
Performance
Above
Average
Average Lower
Average
Bottom Tier
27.70%
43.10%
27.70%
1.60%
0.00%

28. Additional and relevant training is highly
rated by agents
“If training was offered maybe
I would work much faster with
understanding.”
“give sufficient training to all
company departments, as
everybody seems to be
confused. “
“Additional training and
more responsibility.”
“Feedback on
performance whether
good or bad.”
“Systems training.”
82.3% of agents
consider additional training
as a great reward
for good performance
“Training process - coming on
the floor we don't have same
info sometimes.”

29. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

30. To attract and retain agents in this high-turnover
era we must meet their top 5 workplace needs
Work/Life
Balance
Workplace
Culture
Varied
Job Role
Management
Style
Training

31. Be creative in how you address each of
these agent needs
Work/Life
Balance
Workplace
Culture
Varied
Job Role
Management
Style
Training
• Job fuels
life
• Juggling a
lot
• Little job
security
• Give
flexibility
• Social
connection
most
important
• Looking for
a place to
belong
• Build a
community
not a
workplace
SolutionsAgentExperience
• Change is
good
• Looking for
added
responsibility
• Bored easily
• Offer variety
in the job
• Increase
responsibility
• Looking for
mentorship,
feedback, and
recognition
• Ideal
supervisor is
one who values
communication
over authority
• Highly value
up skilling
• Over 80% of
agents who
receive training
are motivated to
stay with
employer
• Offer variety
in the job
• Increase
responsibility

32. Team work and customer interaction rate
highly for an agent’s job satisfaction
Talking to
customers
Being part of
a team
Opportunity
for personal
growth
Opportunity
for
professional
growth
(within the
industry I am
currently
working)
Opportunity
for
professional
growth (into
new roles at
the company
I work)
My pay
package
The benefits
offered to me
The
leadership
style of my
management
47.2% 51.5%
30.0% 31.2% 27.7%
5.5% 5.6%
20.0%
42.5%
40.1%
23.5%
25.6%
27.2%
13.6% 13.1%
39.0%
9.3% 7.4%
22.0% 19.6% 21.8%
34.2%
29.3%
24.5%
1.0% 1.0%
24.5% 23.6% 23.3%
46.7%
52.0%
16.5%
Very satisfied – this is a main reason why I'm still employed here Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Not satisfied

33. Apart from salary, a medical
aid, provident fund and access to
study loans benefit come out tops.
Competitive
wages
Medical
Plan
Provident
Fund
Access to
study loans
Employee
Assistance
Programme
(ICAS)
Benefits if
I’m injured
while using
public
transport
Access to
home loans
Funeral
Cover
Access to
personal
loans
Travel
Allowance
Cell Phone
benefit
Meal
Allowance
69.6% 69.6%
64.4% 62.7%
47.1%
52.9%
46.3%
52.0%
33.9%
25.4% 23.7%
12.6%
23.8% 22.1%
25.0% 26.0%
35.9% 22.4%
28.0%
22.2%
27.5%
27.2%
26.0%
22.2%
Strongly agree Agree

34. Attraction and retention of agents
Less than 6 months
6-12 months
13-18 months
More than 18 months
19.7%
35.3%
13.3%
31.8%
19.4%
33.5%
9.7%
37.4%
How long do you expect to stay in your current position?
What is your understanding of your company's expectation of how long you will be working here?
There is a strong correlation between how long agents plan to stay in
their contact centre and how long they think their company expects
them to stay

35. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

36. The checklist to agent motivation and
retention
Robust and integrated
Contact Centre Strategy
•Communicate to all staff
•Acknowledgement in broader organisation
communications
Effective communication
and commitment to
brand strategy
•Communication forums
•Constantly re-enforcement
•Link to performance management
Acknowledge the role of
the agent and value to
client satisfaction and
retention
•Performance awards
•Variety in job function
•Increased responsibility
Understanding what
motivates staff through
effective communication
•Actively listen
•Conduct Agent surveys
•Hold Agent forums
•Provide feedback
•Translate into practical plans

37. The checklist to agent motivation and
retention
Reasons for Attrition •Conduct exit interviews
•Analyse results
•Conduct follow up exit interviews
•Feedback to organisation
•Devise practical plans to address issues
Recognition of agent
successes
•Effective performance management
model
•Public recognition
•Link to rewards
Investment in
developing skills
•Provide excellent training
•Link additional training to performance
incentives

38. The checklist to agent motivation and
retention
Leadership approach •Clearly define accepted leadership style
•Invest in top leadership training particularly at
Team Leader level
•Do not tolerate unacceptable behaviour –
Collusion!
•Open and honest feedback to managers
regarding leadership
•Performance management model to drive
right behaviour
•Linked to performance incentives
Life Style •Provide flexibility to staff and link to
performance
•Community approach
Job security •Career development plan
•Permanency where appropriate
•Monthly salaries vs. weekly wages
•Offer temporary staff benefits

39. The checklist to agent motivation and
retention
Recruitment Strategy •Develop correct profile of staff suited to the
culture and job function
•Robust recruitment process to ensure
accurate selection of staff
Remuneration and
benefits
•Offer market related remuneration
•Stepped salary scale based on
performance and skills acquired / added
responsibilities
ROI Model Create model to motivate and substantiate
investment

40. Agenda
•Introduction
•Agent and Customer Satisfaction
•Understanding Generational Diversity
•Motivation and Recognition
•Management and Leadership
•Training and Development
•Attraction and Retention
•Check List for Agent Retention
•Stories of success and Failure
•Q&A

41. Stories of Success and Failure
• Share your experiences
• Think about your own experiences within the workplace
• Wealth of experience in the room
• Create think tanks with colleagues in the industry
• Creating a plan is essential and specific to each environment
• Effective implementation and consistent application is the
real key to success

42. Agent satisfaction leads directly to customer
satisfaction and overall contact centre success
Agent Universe
=
Customer Universe
Agent
Focus

43. Open
Discussion