"Hardly a professional approach, if you had an ongoing problem with a piece of software you would 1. Consult specialists 2. Examine best practice 3. Keep an open mind. 4. Trial solutions 5. Evaluate results etc etc. "


Spoken like a true consultant!

But we are not dealing with software here we are dealing with hardware of the most precious kind, PEOPLE!

My original post was intended to put a different slant on things, too many times in this business we are fighting fire instead of trying to prevent it!
Sometimes we look too deeply into problems.
I repeat, this is not rocket science!

I agree with you, if its so simple why does the thread have 4 pages worth of contributions and why does everyone rely on their own limited in house knowledge and strategy?
Perhaps thats the point that needs to be drawn.

Your post astonishes me, not leat because of the team seize you mention but also the fact you could not do the job of an adviser.

That is perhaps my point, that different centres (for better or worse) often operate in very different ways. And while I could perform the job of an adviser (assume this is what you call people on the phones) it is not my job and not something I should be better at than any of my regular advisors.



My suggestions will not solve all of the issues in a Contact centre but they are a start. Too often our businesses are managed by numbers, what about the people!


Sometimes you have to balance the two. If I managed soley by the people I am quite confident centres I have worked for in the past would be out of business and all my people out of work. Not what I want at all!


It's easy to dismiss my suggestion but try it! The dismissive way you have replied to my posts leads me to believe you have almost given up!
One step at a time, you cannot solve everything at once but sometimes the problem is not as great as you think!


Given up? Given up on what? Generally speaking I have always been in the top 3 positions out of a centre of 25+ teams if I am managing them. I am a fantastic manager and do not need to placate my advisors by telling them they had a rough day and I will take some calls for them. I really do not like the idea of throwing off all the centres statistics and my agents statistics while doing this either. In most centres agents are given incentives to improve their metrics, KPI and general statistics. Someone else taking calls for them will skew those numbers.

My post wasn't really meant to be "dismissive" more than it was to broach a subject or offer another point. In many ways I am playing the "devil's advocate" with my arguement.

One example I feel I should bring up is the point of trainers. At one centre I worked in they wanted the trainers to do 2 hours of phone time a week. This was a horrible idea and benefitted no one. While the trainers muddled through it was very tough for some of them. In the classroom these people knew everything and could create classes of brilliant 'advisors' who were confident in their job.

Put them on the phone for all to see...and the trainers learned nothing...and the advisors lost confidence in them. It was (imo) a lose/lose situation. If I am a good manager I will already have their respect and be an excellent knowledge base and resource for them.

I re-iterate but If a person on the phones can not outperform their manager (who is only on the phones maybe a few hours a month) then you have a very big problem.

I agree with you, if its so simple why does the thread have 4 pages worth of contributions and why does everyone rely on their own limited in house knowledge and strategy?
Perhaps thats the point that needs to be drawn.


Sorry, maybe I am not following you.

I see nothing wrong with relying on your own personal knowledge and strategy and sharing those with others. I come here to see what other peoples strategys and knowledge are and to see if I can implement or amalgamate them with my own methods.

Having a forum where every question was answered with "see a consultant" would not be an interesting place.

Agreed and I'm not advcating use a consultant, I am questioning why external knowledge isnt sought first, industry best practice, books, relevant case studies in other industries etc.

Whilst contributors are sharing their own personal perspectives (after the event) they are exactly that and no one has mentioned that they constructed their strategy by referring to external factors before implemetation. All of the answers given, detail 'we'll solve it inhouse first' and then share our experiences. Given that most promotions in call centres are in house then it follows that there is no growth in knowledge or advacement whatsoever, the wheel is constantly remade - as we see.

Feel free to disagree, this forum has been going for years and the same problems crop up again and again. Limited internal thinking is one of them.

One example I feel I should bring up is the point of trainers. At one centre I worked in they wanted the trainers to do 2 hours of phone time a week. This was a horrible idea and benefitted no one. While the trainers muddled through it was very tough for some of them. In the classroom these people knew everything and could create classes of brilliant 'advisors' who were confident in their job.


This point is illustrated nicely in this thread.


THREAD LINK





Edited to make link clickable DA 23-07-05

'Agreed and I'm not advocating use a consultant, I am questioning why external knowledge isnt sought first, industry best practice, books, relevant case studies in other industries etc.'


Isn't this thread is an example of seeking external knowledge even though the responses are in most cases 'in-house' solutions. Case studies are usually examinations of specific issues faced and the different attempts at resolving them, These case studies can include 'In-House' solutions.

I think that whilst there are best practise and case studies, the one thing that they are usually lacking is the personal perspective of staff that manage day to day with the in-house solutions that are implemented, that is (IMO) where this forum gives value to those seeking solutions.

Scott

>>>Isn't this thread is an example of seeking external knowledge

NIMHO. I've yet to see any examples that say "as a result of others responses we have changed our policy/process etc". They all say "we did this" and it worked, no comparision of how well it worked with other methods, just it worked (apparently).

This is a thread list of "what we did ourselves without looking externally", not what we have learnt or changed as a consequence. I see no one saying they have learnt or changed anything as a result. Unless you know different.

people posting 'we tried this and it was a spectacular failure'!

Z

But you ought to at least see some evidence of the opposite.

is to celebrate it's acheivements. Unfortunately highlighting ones errors and least successful moments does not come easily. Especially in a forum like this!

"I am a fantastic manager and do not need to placate my advisors by telling them they had a rough day and I will take some calls for them. I really do not like the idea of throwing off all the centres statistics and my agents statistics while doing this either. In most centres agents are given incentives to improve their metrics, KPI and general statistics. Someone else taking calls for them will skew those numbers. "
Oh dear! Just the response I expected from within your blinkers!
How do you you measure 'fantastic'? And is this in your view or your teams'?

Your last sentence is very enlightening and confirms an earlier point of mine which is managing by numbers. In any case a manager would have a different log on and for the 5 minutes or so in question would be attributed elsewhere. And even if they weren't it's not gonna make a big difference is it!
I didn't advocate dismissing all CC stats, just balancing them with a different outlook! Try it, your 'fantastic' may soon become 'indespensible'.

You seem to be taking my comments a bit too harshly my friend, its an open discussion.

Oh dear! Just the response I expected from within your blinkers!
How do you you measure 'fantastic'? And is this in your view or your teams'?

Your last sentence is very enlightening and confirms an earlier point of mine which is managing by numbers. ...


I measure "fantastic" by several different ways. I consider it a balance between my upper management and my workers. If my agents are happy with their jobs, I consider that fantastic. If my upper management or client is also happy with our performance...then I consider that "fantastic". If I only had one aspect of the equation happy then I would not consider that fantastic or a good work place.

I think your viewpoint a lot of numbers should be completly dismissed is rather unusual and I can assure you that your workers or you would not survive in most companys with that mindset. It is perfectly possible to achieve happy workers and manage to numbers!

In any case a manager would have a different log on and for the 5 minutes or so in question would be attributed elsewhere. And even if they weren't it's not gonna make a big difference is it!

In some places...yes absolutely it would... Now...let's say I work in a centre where my AHT is 8 minutes, add another 4 minutes to that for a variety of reasons, logged on, arranging things, etc. Not to mention you would probably loss another 5 minutes of productivity due to your agent not being ready to log back on promptly.

But, let's say just 12 minutes in total everytime you do that. Now..a team of 30 people (conservative, you seem to have significantly less). Now..how many times a week do you need to do this to help your team? Let's say twice.

That is 12 hours a week I have spent on the phones when I could be working to get my agents better working conditions, larger incentives, providing one-on-one coaching,, ensuring they have everything they need, etc, etc. You also want to be sure you are taking everyone off an even amount of time to avoid talk of "preferential" treatment. Could add another few hours for admin work I suppose.

I am not saying that being on the phones is a bad thing for your people, what I am saying is that it is not a requirment to become a "fantastic" manager or motivate your team.

If you are a good manager your team will know this and WANT to take calls for you. They will not want time of the phones. (this is of course a somewhat generalization but neverthless accurate)

I make sure to talk to every member of my team everyday. I have always thought that if my boss asked "what did a member of your team do on the weekend?" that I would want at least a few good solid answers.

I didn't advocate dismissing all CC stats, just balancing them with a different outlook! Try it, your 'fantastic' may soon become 'indespensible'.

The only different outlook you have really presented is to take calls for your people. There are tonnes of different and much better ways to manage your people.

I try to motivate the people on my team to feel indespensible. I want them to know that we need them on the phones and that they are doing a great job that they are qualified for. I want them to know they could not be replaced easily and that I appreciate all their hardwork.

This point is illustrated nicely in this thread.

THREAD LINK

You seem to be very defensive. My original post was one suggestion, It was an attempt to get people to think outside of the box, to see the wood through the trees. To consider other factors, to understand that sometimes problems are not as big as they first seem. To think about prevention rather than cure.
Nothing that you have written convinces me of anything other than management by numbers. A casual'what did you do at the weekend' just in case my boss asks is not what I mean't. (shouldn't you be asking because you are interested, not just because your boss may ask?)
I would be interested to hear how you manage to balance happy with productive and happy with a need to be sometimes strict.