Over the past several weeks Calibehr Call Centres have moved to work from home model in an effort to slow down the global pandemic. As customer expectations and needs for call centre services have evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic situation, it is on us- the business owners, to train our agents to effectively and keep up with all the new developments to meet the customer’s needs. Following tips can help Call-Centre managers enhance their productivity during these testing times-

1. Introduce Remote Options for On-boarding and Training

Now that everyone is practicing social distancing and more and more businesses are moving to the work from home model, remote options for on-boarding and training are the only way to get new hires. Therefore, working on making more robust remote work options should be a win-win for businesses even after the pandemic is in control.

2. Keep interacting with the team

Maintaining touch with the team is quite a challenge in these times but as the pandemic situation has evolved so have the ways of communication. As a manager, you need to come up with fun and innovative methods to keep interacting with the agents who are rendering some essential duties. This will help agents keep their morale high.

3. Educate new agents about your business

New hires must have a comprehensive understanding of business, product and call center operations. They should also be provided with information about company culture, mission, core values and vision and understand their role in achieving extraordinary goals during this extraordinary situation affecting the whole world. With this understanding, agents will be more than ready to interact with customers in a manner that is consistent with business values and the need of the hour.

4. Bring top-performing agents to handle challenges

Encourage your top agents to come to give practical tips on how to be a better agent during the current situation. This will encourage the agents and enhance their insight.

5. Seek Support From Strategic Partners

For companies attempting to rapidly overhaul their call center operations while continuing to deliver top-quality service, there are a host of hurdles along the way. To ensure the security of networks, software, phone lines and other technologies across a remotely distributed workforce, to safeguard the privacy of customer information and for managing new contractors and integrating them into existing teams and processes businesses must seek support from strategic partners. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, strategic partners such as IT, technology, HR etc. can help businesses navigate through the challenges that have been imposed due to the spread of coronavirus.

6. Notice how customers in different industries have been impacted by the pandemic

The pandemic has affected one and all though in different ways. To deliver the best possible services it is important for managers to keep regularly in touch with clients from various industries and look at the unique problems faced by them in the light of the pandemic. This will help call center companies evolve their services to suit the current situation.

7. Embrace cutting edge technology with open arms

If there is one thing that has kept many businesses going during the pandemic, its technology. Keeping the current and future situation in consideration, it is extremely important for call centre companies to adapt new technologies, tools, processes or solutions to navigate through the hurdles experienced while rendering solutions. A small reminder- experts see call centers using top notch technology well beyond the crisis

8. Constantly evaluate your progress

Throughout the pandemic, consistently monitor your performance to get the most valuable business lessons. We are fighting two wars- one is obviously the health crisis and the other one is a tremendous economic crisis. By constantly trying to learn from the current situation we may help our business in the long run.

9. Training never stops

According to The Global Call Center Report, experienced call center agents get six training days per year. While your agents are working from home make sure to regularly conduct refresher courses, training on new products/software to enhance their professional development via webinars.