On the latest KPI Podcast, Irina Hollatz digs into what really causes tech rollouts to fail and why it's not always the vendor's fault.Irina is the Founder of RightWFM and Host of WFM Unfiltered Podcast.Don’t have time to listen? Here are the key takeaways:Most failures stem from mismatched expectations. Buyers don’t know what to ask, and vendors don’t probe deep enough.Accountability matters more than blame. Owning the problem builds trust and speeds resolution.Write everything down. Requirements, limitations, expectations. Put it in writing before contracts are signed.
We know adopting new tech, especially AI, can be daunting.That's why we asked Jessica Lockhart, Business Intelligence Director at Jeff Coat Law Firm, to break down her process for getting teams to buy into new tech.What she covers in this jam-packed 20 minutes:How to get leadership and ethics teams on board earlyWhy experienced team members are often the hardest to convince (and what to do about it)Why onboarding AI tools should look a lot like onboarding a new hireWhat happens when you actually stick with a feedback loopIf you're looking to roll out new tech, you’ll want to hear this one.It's time to turn skeptics into champions.
Ali Joseph is the Founder of Savvy Service Pro and has over 15 years of contact center experience.On this episode she dives deep into operations and her specific Perform Framework that helps leaders set KPIs and improve agent performance.Step 1: Prioritize MetricsIdentify which metrics you should measure that will drive growth/impact the company.Just because you've always been measuring CSAT scores doesn't mean you should keep doing it :)Step 2: Focus on DevelopmentSponsorship versus mentorship mentality.Leaders need to build different types of structures to help agents progress in their careers.But most importantly... do NOT weaponize metrics with your agents. Everything will go downhill from there.
Jerry Ellis, a call center guru, believes that agent attrition is a foundational KPI that is often glossed over. It's just baked into your numbers, not many companies try to implement changes to improve attrition rates.But Jerry believes there is one thing that can drastically change this KPI.That's Engagement.Take the long way to the break room. Take extra time each week to connect one-on-one via Zoom/Teams if virtual.If you can provide a good work environment and engage with agents, then you don't need to be the highest-paying call center.This isn't just Jerry's opinion, though. He shares studies & results that back up his claims.
Scott Hamilton, CEO of ARM Tech Advisors, joins us on The KPI podcast for the first episode of season 3!And we're talking fatal flaws in tech solutions.But first, you have to address the people and process aspects of the business.Some great advice from Scott:1) The way companies dive into voice analytics with technology is flawed.The words or phrases that companies choose to search for are far too generic. And frankly, people spend too much time thinking about this.There is always a new way to say things. When you search for yesterday's phrases, you'll miss tomorrow's.2) The vast majority of companies use technology but still have an entire team doing manual processes.They aren't ready to fully embrace what technology can do for them.Mostly because it takes work to get there.
Tonia Brown, VP of Compliance at First Credit Services, gives you the top 5 compliance requirements in the latest episode of the Contact Center KPI Podcast!If you don't have 20 minutes to listen or watch, here is a sneak peek at those requirements:1. You need a knowledgeable compliance person in-house2. A Compliance Management System (CMS) 3. Executive leadership and oversight4. Documented policies and procedures in your CMS5. Internal audit process
In the latest episode of the Contact Center KPI podcast, we dive into a powerful shift in one's mindset: moving beyond KPIs and focusing on dream outcomes for businesses.Adam Saad, Founder & CTO of Tech Stack Advising, teaches you not only how to approach dream outcomes, but how to achieve them.Here are two things Adam says you can do right now:1) If you're having trouble getting buy-in on the dream outcome, then you're probably not thinking big enough. It's time to think bigger. 2) Tie your dream outcome to math and build a business case around it. How will it affect these 3 things:• Improve efficiency• Improve the customer experience• Reduce human capitalIf you want to rethink how your organization defines success and creates impactful change, this episode is a must-listen!
Daniel Foppen, Head of Product & Product Marketing for Convoso, has over 20 years of CX experience and joins the Contact Center KPI podcast to share his predictions about outbound contact rate.Prediction #1: Customer service teams will be doing outbound dialing in the near future.Outbound is not just for sales teams. Customer service teams will be asked to do outbound dialing to customers to help them stay ahead of issues.For example, a product trigger could notify agents to call a customer if they are receiving an error. Customers no longer have to "wait in line" adding a level of concierge service to your company.Listen to the full episode to hear more about why Daniel believes contact rate in contact centers is valuable.
Ready to look in the mirror?Mike Cowguill, Director of Consumer Engagement & Strategy at Capio, joins us on the most recent episode of the Contact Center KPI podcast to dive into leadership principles.Mike shares some valuable lessons he's learned along the way and we promise they will help you become a better leader. All you need is 20 minutes :)If you don't have 20 minutes, we suggest listening to 10:16-13:46.Here are our favorite parts: The most valuable thing a leader can do for their team is give them their time. If you give them time and truly listen by getting to know them, they will ultimately return the favor by making you successful. Micromanaging will lead to failure. You can't spend all day on the floor with agents if you're in charge of running the entire operation. You're overexposing yourself and you'll lose your manager's trust as they are supposed to run the floor.
Hannah Steiman, President & Chief Strategy Officer at Peak Support, joins us to talk all about Quality and why it should be a top priority.Quality starts with the best agents and people. But you still need processes and technology to achieve those high scores.At Peak Support, they focus on root cause analysis. Their 5 level analysis lets them get to the root cause of the issue so they can continue to provide the best quality of service.Traditionally fingers are pointed at the agent when scores aren't where they need to be. However, in reality, there can be a variety of reasons - process, technology & product, performance management, or a combination of the three.Listen to how Hannah breaks it all down!
Another Contact Center KPI episode has dropped and Peter Ryan is this week's guest!Peter is the Founder & Chief Analyst at Ryan Strategic Advisor and has over 20 years of experience in the contact center consulting world.Company culture discussions seem to be missing within the contact center community and Peter is here to help you set the foundation to help you get it right. Here are 3 things you can do that will directly impact company culture:• Start with internal focus groups. Not online surveys. Find out a few things: what makes your employees want to come to work, what gives them a pit in their stomach, what motivates them, etc.• Act on the valuable information. Once you get your "results", put together an action plan. If you don't do anything, you start to lose employee trust.• Assign one person responsible for company culture that has a strong positive reputation. When you assign a committee, it never works as things don't get done. But remember this person needs to have the authority to be able to make changes.
Berny Miller, who has over 20 years of experience in contact centers, joins us to focus on agent attrition.But this conversation dives into so much more. It was hard to narrow down which three points we wanted to share!If you like what Berny has to say below, we HIGHLY suggest listening to this, even if it's on a drive.1) Step back and listen before you make any changes. This means being on the floor with the agents, being in the breakroom, and getting to know your HR person/team. If you're a remote team, it's harder. You just need to meet with agents and take the time to listen to as many calls as it takes to get an understanding of how things are going.2) Understand - Are your agents quitting you? Or am I having to quit the agents?This will help you find the disconnects and where to start to solve your attrition issues.3) If you help take care of your agent's needs (transportation, daycare, food), you'll start to see a loyalty shift and a drop in attrition. This isn't just "more money", there are many ways to help with this.
Jon Ellsworth, Chief Revenue Officer at ApexCX and over 25 years of experience in the call center space, joined us on the latest episode of the Contact Center KPI podcast.And we dove head first into AI with a new KPI called AI First Resolution.Here are two things you'll learn from this episode:1) Change management is hard. People want to be told the truth on what is happening when you implement an AI solution. This includes what's expected of them.Implementing a pilot testing period will help your agents understand those expectations.2) Adding a new metric like AI First Resolution helps you determine the true impact of AI on your business.For example, if you measure AHT before AI and with AI, the "with AI" metric will almost always win.That's why you need a better representation of how AI impacted your business. Including customer retention, CSAT scores, and a few other metrics will help you accurately measure AI First Resolution.
Jordan Fleming, CEO of smrtPhone, joined us on the Contact Center KPI podcast for a phenomenal episode on agent performance and his steps to coaching & training.Here is what you're going to learn in this episode: 1) Three steps to agent coaching & training: I do you listen, you do I coach, you do I listen.2) The above steps won't work because you expect it to happen quickly. You need to implement the steps properly and realize you're teaching a process - it's not a "trick".3) If you have the agent just "listen", then you're missing the point. You need to break down the call, listen to the recording multiple times, explain each step, and work on building the skill.If you don't have time to listen to the full 20 minute episode, you need to at least listen to 7:50-9:12!
Have you heard of GigCX? Well Nate Nammour, Director of Partnerships at ShyftOff, joined the Contact Center KPI podcast to discuss the gig economy for contact centers. Nate discusses the productivity stats of traditional W2 agents vs. 1099 gig workers.The results are fascinating. If you're looking to move towards a gig model or hire an outside agency,Nate shares his secrets on what steps you should take.
Today's guest on the Contact Center KPI podcast is Oliver Catt, Founder of The Cattalyst.We talk all about agent attrition. A touchy subject in the contact center world.Here are three things you'll learn from Oliver's episode:1) It can cost 105% of an employee's salary to replace, recruit, and train and new person to replace them. 2) It has been normalized to expect higher levels of attrition instead of trying to do something to improve it. Companies just accept the sunk cost.3) Attrition occurs because of one of these three reasons:- Money: Not being paid enough- Motivation: No growth, no motivation to push themselves- Management: Bad leadership
Brian Jeppesen, Director of Contact Center Operations at Landry's Restaurants, has over 30 years of contact center industry experience.Today he is sharing that experience with you. We're focusing on the customer and the return on the experience.If you want to learn how to make it easier for customers to do business with you, you need to hear how Brian breaks it down.Plus he gives you details of how he's implemented AI and virtual assistants. "Digital when you want, human when you need."
Clayton Drotsky joins us on the latest episode of the Contact Center KPI podcast!With 18 years of contact center leadership experience, Clayton is taking a different approach in today's episode.We're discussing the big picture and how leaders should approach KPIs!KPIs are usually decided on at the higher levels and then are communicated down the ladder. But there is usually a communication breakdown which causes a gap in why these KPIs needed to be achieved in the first place. Where do you start? First, ask yourself does everyone at your company (from the agents to the CEO) understand why these goals & KPIs are set? Listen to hear the rest of Clayton's advice!
This week's guest is Dan Smitley, 20 year workforce management industry expert, and he is diving into service level and occupancy.Service level is focused on the customer experience. Occupancy is focused on the business & agency experience. This is why they have to be measured together to get the best results! Most contact centers only measure one of the two. Biggest piece of advice from Dan to workforce managers - slow down and listen. It's absolutely worth it.
Aaron Slavin, a compliance call center expert with over 10 years of experience, joined us on the Contact Center KPI podcast to share his secrets on balancing employee safety with operations.Key takeaways from the episode that you don't want to miss...1) Have a threat matrix in place. Know exactly when to escalate incidents.2) Put safety before sales. The two factors to consider when a threat happens - proximity and the nature of what was said.3) Rely on a team, not just one person to make decisions around shutting down operations due to a threat. This allows people to be more candid and make better decisions together.