| Does the person managing your call center have | | | | duration was four times that of the other agents. |
| enough experience for this position. In the smaller call | | | | When questioned the manager was at a loss. |
| centers I have noticed that those in charge do not | | | | Because the reports were not reviewed consistently, |
| understand the complexity of this position nor have a | | | | this agent was unaware that his talk time was so |
| grasp of the technology. I have encountered several | | | | dramatically out of line with the group averages. |
| call center managers who don't even know what an | | | | In the smaller call centers there is generally only one |
| ACD is or how it operates. Generally these people | | | | person who is responsible for staffing, scheduling, |
| have been promoted from some other department in | | | | coaching and training agents, analysis of performance |
| the organization. This position is not just about | | | | metrics, and resolving personnel problems. And so, it is |
| managing people, it is about managing all of the | | | | sometimes difficult to keep up with the daily tasks. |
| resources that keep the call center in operation. | | | | At the minimum when considering someone for this |
| The call center today is no longer a back office | | | | position, look for these traits/skills: |
| operation (well maybe not everywhere). This is a | | | | - Understands the technology - what and how the |
| multi-million dollar industry with new technology | | | | technology (or lack of) is being utilized |
| emerging daily. Companies spend thousands of dollars | | | | - Worked in a call center (preferably) - so as to |
| every year investing in new technology for their call | | | | understand the culture of call centers |
| centers, and yet will put someone in charge who has | | | | - Management experience - likes working with people |
| limited or no knowledge of the operation. | | | | and not afraid of conflict |
| I recently met with a manager who has been in this | | | | - Flexible - open to new ideas Call centers are unique |
| position for over a year. This person rarely looked at | | | | operations and it is not fair to the agents, the |
| performance reports for the center and agents, and | | | | organization or the newly hired manager when filling |
| never looked at the real-time stats throughout the day. | | | | the position is more important than finding the right |
| When someone else in the organization requested a | | | | person for the job. |
| report they discovered that one of the agents call | | | | |