Cookie Preference Centre

Your Privacy
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Performance Cookies
Functional Cookies
Targeting Cookies

Your Privacy

When you visit any web site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences, your device or used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually identify you directly, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. You can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, you should know that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on the site and the services we are able to offer.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site may not work then.

Cookies used

ContactCenterWorld.com

Performance Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies, we will not know when you have visited our site.

Cookies used

Google Analytics

Functional Cookies

These cookies allow the provision of enhance functionality and personalization, such as videos and live chats. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then some or all of these functionalities may not function properly.

Cookies used

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites. They work by uniquely identifying your browser and device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will not experience our targeted advertising across different websites.

Cookies used

LinkedIn

This site uses cookies and other tracking technologies to assist with navigation and your ability to provide feedback, analyse your use of our products and services, assist with our promotional and marketing efforts, and provide content from third parties

OK
[HIDE]

Here are some suggested Connections for you! - Log in to start networking.

EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Ikhwal Sidiq
Assistant Manager Trade and Remittance Services
408
MEMBER
R. Aju Eko Suprati
Ketua Subkelompok Program dan Anggaran
0
MEMBER
Firas Kurdi
Customer Service Director
0
MEMBER
Selin İcer
Quality - Training & Academy Director
13
MEMBER
Thamer Noori
Director of Industrial Security and Safety Dept.
13

Article : Are Your Agents IT Shy?

With the Multi-Media Call Centre comes the need for multidisciplinary agents that have more than just a good telephone manner and a happy personality. Agents in the modern Call/Contact Centre need to have negotiation skills, typing, written literacy, brand communication all coupled with comfort when dealing with technological advancements that can leave even the best of us a little tense.

The call/contact centre industry has developed significantly over the last few years – even the term 'call centre' is now widely recognised and used in mainstream society. Most customers are aware of what a call centre is and does, however there understanding does not extend to the magnificent and technology super-houses that really exist at the other end of the phone. Considering that first time agents must come from this main stream then it is up to you as an organisation to identify early there level of comfort with the future technological advancements. A great example of this may be video streaming or face-to-face kiosks. If either of these is to be considered in the near future then they must also take an active role in your recruitment process.

In a relatively short period of time we have experienced a revolution: now we need to prepare for the evolution, from call to full customer management centres. With every evolution there is a learning curve that must be established and overcome. If 'your people' are 'your future' then ensure that you start building a team now that can work with the evolving organisation and not against it. Organisations are investing in state-of the-art technology, superb visually pleasing building and vast expansion plans, but investing in the skilling of its people isn't at the forefront of most business plans. In some Call / Contact Centers, agents may be expected to handle telephone – then conduct a series of Internet responses, then handle a eye to eye contact with customer via a PC cam or from a video booth. This may sound like a sci-fi film to some, but to the emerging contact centre it is a day-today reality.

This is not to say that technology is a deterrent it just must be considered when you want to recruit and retain the best of the best in your operation. With the introduction or the redevelopment of a call/contact centre operation, many organisations, if positioned correctly, can now offer career opportunities that have not been available until recently. If utilised correctly this can begin to promote a development path to staff and ultimately take control of staff attrition. Gaining staff that is not IT shy can mean that this ability for diversity will be embraced at an early stage and will assist in the call/contact centre reaching its objectives. However to create this positive path organisations must recognise the core competency that is required and develop staff and trainees accordingly.

A review of recruitment process and IT requirements may reveal the need for a variety of new training and selection techniques. IT is not all about the wires that connect us it is also about giving us new avenues of communications. Emails require a different skill set than the telephone. Writing skills are crucial in using this medium and will need to be identified before the agent is given this as part of their job function. Do not be left having to reinvent the wheel with each new technological advancement – plan early and plan ahead.

The need for well-trained and adaptable staff that can work with the IT advancements in the world of today let alone tomorrow is imperative to the success of Call/Contact Centers. We have some major challenges ahead, however I look forward to seeing how the industry embraces and plans for the future of customer communication. The key is to work with the staff you have and plan to incorporate your future IT requirements with your recruitment process today.

Amita is a Senior Consultant with 14 years management experience in call/contact centres and marketing communications. She has been instrumental in assisting companies to set up and expand Inbound/Outbound call centres. Having trained over 1500 staff for organisations in telephone techniques, Management leadership, Call Centre management, interviewing, presentation skills.

 

Today's Tip of the Day - Utilize Time & Money Saving Tools

Read today's tip or listen to it on podcast.

Published: Thursday, August 8, 2002

Printer Friendly Version Printer friendly version

2024 Buyers Guide Contact Center Assessments

 
1.) 
HiringBranch

Skills-Based Hiring Assessment
HiringBranch makes it easy for hiring teams to define the unique ‘recipes’ of soft skills they need for the roles they’re hiring for - and then hire for them. HiringBranch’s AI soft skills assessment measures candidates based on the presence of unique combinations of soft skills needed for a given position. That means recruiters can know who will do the job well, before giving them the job with 99% accuracy! Our skills-based talent assessments shortlist top-talent candidates not only based on what candidates say but also how they say it, providing meaningful results for in-house hiring teams with high-volume hiring needs, like contact centres.

2.) 
Snapshotz

Snapshotz
Snapshotz is a web-based audit tool with strong analytics that helps large and small organisations understand and benchmark customer experience delivery. Snapshotz reports contain validated CX practices, technology use and operational metrics from over 3,000+ customers globally. These are benchmarked against the ISO 18295 customer service standard, digital service delivery, health & safety and mental health and other global standards enabling validated roadmaps for CX strategy and investment
 

About us - in 60 seconds!

Join Our Team

Industry Champion Award Leaderboard

Most active award (top 10) entrants in the past 48 hours! - Vote for Others / About Program
Submit Event

Upcoming Events

The 19th AMERICAS Annual Best Practices Conferences are here! Meeting Point for the World's Best Contact Center & CX Companies Read More...
 31734 
Showing 1 - 1 of 3 items

Newsletter Registration

Please check to agree to be placed on the eNewsletter mailing list.
both ids empty
session userid =
session UserTempID =
session adminlevel =
session blnTempHelpChatShow =
CMS =
session cookie set = True
session page-view-total = 1
session page-view-total = 1
applicaiton blnAwardsClosed =
session blnCompletedAwardInterestPopup =
session blnCheckNewsletterInterestPopup =
session blnCompletedNewsletterInterestPopup =