How To Give Service Agents More Control of Their Time
Studies continue to show that giving employees more ownership and flexibility with their time improves job satisfaction and work-life balance. Parents are getting more time with their kids. Those with longer commutes can plan around rush hours. Breaks in between spurts of productivity are proving to enhance focus and creativity. A reshuffling of meetings allow individuals to coordinate task lists with the ebbs and flows of their energy.
But how do these new workplace shifts fit into the life of a customer service agent, whose performance may be measured by productivity numbers and whose schedule is likely dictated by customer service volume?
Here are six ways you can grant customer service agents more control of their time.
#1: Become an Expert Planner
People have much more control of their time when their workload is predictable and manageable compared to when they’re surprised or responding to a crisis. While you can’t predict everything your service team will encounter this year (nobody expects a product defect or carrier delays), you can prepare as much as possible.
It starts with service leaders creating volume forecasts and adjusting those forecasts regularly as promotions are planned and sales volume fluctuates. Work closely with other department heads to understand how their initiatives may impact your team’s day-to-day. Have a playbook in place for how to respond to the most likely service issues. Hire before you really need the manpower.
#2: Communicate Openly and Honestly
Being transparent with your customer service team on what to expect will help them plan not only their work days but their personal lives. If you’re relying on them to put in some overtime in a few weeks to meet the demands of a sale, or planning to make some changes to shifts, share that need with them early.
When it comes to communicating deadlines for a project, be open, realistic and sincere. Rather than say “I need this by tomorrow,” give them the full timeline. “How doable is it to have this back by Tuesday? That will give me a chance to review it on Wednesday so I can share it with our VP on Thursday.” This opens a dialogue, eliminates false urgency, and conveys a big picture perspective so the team member understands the why behind your ask, and where there may or may not be wiggle room in the proposed schedule.
#3 - Find Alternatives to Mandatory Overtime
If your organization still relies on this unpopular tactic to get out of a jam, it’s time to consider your other options. Consider creating an incentive program, offering Amazon or Visa gift cards, cash bonuses, or extra days off for those willing to put in the additional time. You could make changes to your service structure, leveraging contractors or virtual assistants for certain tasks during peak seasons. If these options aren’t available, ask your team members if they would be willing to dedicate at least two hours of their time at some point during the week. Be as flexible as possible with when and where they put in their time. Always make it clear that your team members have a choice.
#4 - Operate at 80% Capacity
It can be tempting to staff with the assumption that your team members will handle x tickets per day, where x is at capacity. This is not realistic. Not only will team members tire quickly, it diminishes the customer experience, and it sets you up for a backlog the moment someone quits or something breaks. Creating a little space in your customer service agents’ day allows them to put more thought and care into their communication, clear their heads after a challenging interaction, have a stimulating conversation or two with a colleague, and have the stamina to go hard when the need does arrive.
#5 - Have Options for Slow Seasons
Should you temporarily find yourself with too many agents and not enough work for them to do, resist the urge to assign busy work. You can better honor their time by offering a variety of options and letting them decide what makes sense. While some may feel refreshed working on a special project, others may be more interested in catching up on your organization’s video content, while another group decides to improve their skills by watching a webinar or taking an online course. Many may choose to leave for the day and spend extra time with family, and that’s okay too!
#6 - Offer as Much Choice as Possible
The majority of us like having a say in how our workday plays out. Service professionals may have more restrictions than other roles, which is why it’s even more important to offer flexibility where you can. If agents need to leave early or come in late, allow them to make up the time another day. Giving them a voice in their shift, lunch, break and channel schedule or the choice to work from home can for sure make planning a little harder on leadership, but it significantly improves their experience, which improves the quality of the service.
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