How can you manage call center agents with different levels of experience?

There are several ways to manage call centre agents with different level of experience and not limited to the following; 1. Regularly engaging the least experience and encouraging them to share their challenges and concerns on the job and you should ensure the issues raised are resolved on time and in full. 2. Proper monitoring using any of the contact centre tools available such as Genesys to monitor real time call and share feedback as soon as possible. 3. Also using "The One Minute Manager's Game Plan" by praising and reprimanding behaviours, encourage the agents, set goals, laugh, work and enjoy with them.

The first step for me is always monitoring the activity and make sure what are the main areas each team member is good at and maximum 3 areas they have to improve asap (of course the ones with the biggest negative impact in their/the teams KPIs). After the initial evaluation 1-on-1 coaching sessions have shown great results in: 1. Creating great rapport between leader/supervisor/manager amd understanding what are the main drivers and challenges of each memeber of the team 2. Improving understanding of KPIs and more involved individuals in applying the info they receive in trainings. 3. Early discovery of more complex difficulties some team members may have in acquiescing to the team/company values thus make a proper and timely decision.

Implement a tiered training system, assign mentors to junior agents, provide ongoing skill development, use performance metrics for feedback, and foster a collaborative environment to leverage collective expertise.

The approach for each individual must be adjusted to their level of expertise but also their personality and level of engagement within the team and even company. Each technique can be a double sided weapon if the manager does not make the right choices of mentors, for example. Shadowing can destroy a month's work in training if the best approach for that employee would be 1on1 coaching. The main idea is that through whatever way the manager chooses, one must definitely try to know their team as best as possible in order to find the right balance in improving the level and results of the department.

The part of recognition is higly important within the team therefore the processes and the standards must always be transparent and applied in a fair way. Fairness and clarity also help foster a proper environment for collaboration as the call-centre can become onee of the most toxic work environments I've seen. In recognition sky is the limit (or creativity more-so) as you can start by emailing on the spot individually/team announcement about what highs some colleague reached to setting secondary KPIs that could bring the high achievers other benefits and the best part is they don't have to be financial ones. Recognition, if done right, can help the team spirit, and also prepare the next line of managers or coaches we are always in need.

The technology is a game changer for CX and in my opinion should be one of the priority areas to invest in as a company. I have always found that when the IT part works, the team actually has time to do their job. I have always been a supporter and creator of intranet libraries where one can access info instantly, however I would never eliminate the interactive live training sessions as these are the main bricks to build on. I would not use rewarding systems just for completing reading the curricula, I would stick to rewarding results.

I actually believe communication, in all aspects of our lives, should be the first step as it is the only way to understand where everyone is in an initial state and where you can go from there. Also a clear message from the start of the interaction and a well received feedback can save the manager a lot of time and energy from repairing what could easily not be broken in the first place. Not everybody likes clear and organized rules but I found that 90% respect it when faced with it. Also honest and direct expressing or addressing of difficult situations brings a lot more respect towards each other and also sets the boundaries everybody knows can't be broken without serious consequences.

I see managing call center agents with varying levels of experience requires a thoughtful approach to ensure a positive and productive work environment. below are some strategies to effectively manage a diverse team of call center agents: o Training and Onboarding o Team Building Activities o Performance Metrics and Goals o Flexible Scheduling o Recognition and Rewards o Skill-Based Task Assignment o Continuous Feedback o Career Development Opportunities I bilevel by implementing these strategies, we can create a supportive and inclusive environment that allows call center agents with different levels of experience to thrive and contribute effectively to the team.

Skills but check real motivations: agents have different agendas based on performance that can trigger bad habits and competition sacrificing customer experience. Put in front of any variable income scheme and KPI’s what is the most important piece of their job: the customer. Many times, personal experience, the agent repeat: “I am sorry I can’t help. Those are company policies”. But the KPI will show a different story despite the customer move to the competitor looking for a better experience.

Assure that the culture is consistent in delivery and evaluate weekly/monthly on how there maybe possible change for delivery improvement . Learn from the reported complaint/concern as a service recovery opportunity . This applies to everyday operations!!