5 Ways to Ignite the Passion in Your Call Center Reps

Why on earth would any one aspire to be a call center rep?

Let’s be honest, no one ever had a passionate dream that someday they would grow up to sit in a tiny beige cube all day solving other people’s problems. And they definitely did not fantasize about the joy of waiting for that one dreadful, day-ruining, call from a totally irrational customer.

To be even more honest, most reps came to work for you only because they needed an income. Timing brought the two of you together. It wasn’t an overwhelming desire to work for your company.

So if they aren’t passionate about being a call center rep, then what are they passionate about? And what can you do to ignite that passion and harness it to help you create great customer experiences? Numerous studies have shown that what fires up employees is to work in a great environment.  And that is something you can provide! Here are 5 ways you can ignite the passion in your reps:

1. Show Trust and Respect – Create an environment where reps take ownership of customer care. Get their input on how they can meet goals and where they should focus their energy. Reps who are engaged in goal planning are far more likely to achieve those goals.
2. Over-Communicate and Be Transparent – Make everyone of your reps an “insider”. Keep your reps in the know by communicating about practically everything. Send short notes about the small stuff like who the visitors are today or why the bathroom is closed. Share as early as possible details about major coming events such as how you are going to handle the holiday call volume or what merit increases will look like this year. Actually, there is no such thing as over-communicating when creating a great workplace in your center!
3. Be Fair and Consistent – We work in a world where everything is measured and compared; from how long you take for potty breaks to how fast you work to how your customers feel about you. Talk about high stress! The one gift you can give your team is to make sure you handle these measurements fairly and consistently. Reps want you to be consistent in your reaction to changes in the numbers, both good and bad. There is great comfort in knowing exactly what to expect.
4. Exhibit Kindness and Empathy – It can be hard to be empathetic when someone’s personal life goes a bit crazy and causes more work for you. When Sandra calls off at the last minute because her child is ill and you have no one to cover the closing shift, can you muster up an empathetic response? Showing kindness and empathy to your reps demonstrates to them that you see them as people you care about. Make sure they know that you see more than just worker bees who must hit the numbers.
5. Express Encouragement and Recognition – Celebrate the small wins. Celebrate the big successes. And when someone is struggling let them know that you believe in their ability to get over the hump. Reps who believe that you believe in them are much more likely to be engaged in every aspect of their job.

Ignite the passion in your reps about your work environment, and they will reciprocate by embracing your customers, and help you achieve your business goals.  Why, not because they always dreamed of being an awesome call center rep. But because they appreciate and respect the core values of your company. You have created the place where they want to be.

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5 Rules to Keep It Simple, To Keep It Sane, And Reap The Rewards When Planning Call Center Fun Activities

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