Contact Center Management: How to Develop an Effective Team

It iContact Center Management: How to Develop an Effective Teams obvious when a team or department is functioning well. Employees are happy and enthusiastic about their work. They display a can-do attitude when challenged and take pride in the success of the company. The opposite is also very clear. When a team or department is not performing well employees are reluctant to share resources, are apathetic about their work, and have trouble reaching shared goals. Customer service training has been proven to increase team effectiveness by promoting the importance of internal customer service and team work.

Improve Internal Customer Service Skills with Customer Service Training

The foundation of good customer service is effective communication skills. A suc­cess­ful center must have employ­ees who com­mu­ni­cate with cus­tomers, internal and external, in an effective and con­sis­tent man­ner. An individual with effective communication skills can inspire and influence other team members to achieve desired outcomes. Customer service training for call center employees ensures team members communicate effectively with each other, and with customers. When all employees are speaking the same service language, individual employee performance and overall center performance will improve.

Create a Team Environment with Customer Service Training

After downsizing, or a company merger, it is common for employees to feel unsettled. Take this opportunity to rejuvenate employees and invest in their success with additional training. Selecting a customer service training program that emphasizes internal customer service will be beneficial in creating a team environment. Being an effective team member is the result of feeling part of something larger. Once an employee understands that his or her efforts truly make a difference enthusiasm for common goals will increase, as will a better understanding of department priorities and responsibilities.

Set Realistic Goals

Increase your team’s effectiveness by using the following performance motivators:

  1. Create a realistic challenge. To motivate and encourage performance increases in a team it is important to set challenging goals. It is just as important for employees to understand the benefits of attaining the goals, and in what time frame. Use visual reminders and celebrate small milestones to keep employees on pace and engaged.
  2. Be accountable for the results. Nothing builds rapport better than showing that your success is directly tied to individual employee and team success. Regularly engage with employees and relay how team goals fit into the long term success of the center.
  3. Solicit support from upper management. Employees who have positive interactions with upper management feel included in the company’s vision and work harder to achieve mutual successes. When setting goals for your team request, feedback from upper management so they can be aware and involved in your teams success.

Customer service skills training is an important step in developing an effective team. Once your team has a solid skill foundation it will be easier for you to focus on the specifics of your product or service offering, and maximize knowledge sharing with the skills covered in training.