Treating Your Contact Center Like A 'Farm Team' Delivers Positive Results

Most Contact Centers are pretty flat organizations – and opportunities for Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) to be promoted beyond the Supervisor level are limited.

The ratio of Supervisors to CSRs in a Contact Center generally ranges from between 10:1 to 15:1 –? so there is really only a career path for somewhere around 8% to 10% of the workforce.

For the other 90% to 92% of CSRs – a Contact Center job offers no career path at all.

The ‘Youth Bias’ In Contact Center Hiring Has Always Been Significant

75% of CSRs are under the age of 35 – and more than 1/3 are GenerationZ (age 27 & under).

Just over half of GenerationZ CSRs (51%) would consider staying with their employer longer if opportunities to change career paths within the company – and out of the Contact Center – existed.

Global HR Software & Services company Ceridian published those findings in their latest ‘Pulse of Talent’ report – surveying nearly 9,000 entry level hourly wage workers.

• 90% of surveyed GenerationZ employees stated they’ve felt stuck in their role over the past year.
• More than one third (35%) stated that they found the idea of a change in career paths within their company appealing.
• More than four in ten surveyed GenerationZ employees (43%) stated they were interested in moving into a new role in a different department or team within the company.

In Professional Sports – A ‘Farm Team’ Is A Junior League Club – Whose Role Is To Provide Experience & Training For Young Players – With The Most Successful Moving On To The Parent Organization

The Banking / Finance / Insurance (BFI) sectors of the Contact Center Industry are leaders when it comes to viewing their CSRs as members of a valuable ‘Farm Team’ – where frontline workers with strong customer facing skills are developed – and from where above average CSRs are considered for Internal Promotion / Department Transfers to other positions within the company.

• Senior executives can be seen & heard assuring CSRs that their opinions are valued when it comes to dumping bad processes and coming up with better ideas.
• Additional training – and chances to learn broader business & people management skills – are also made widely available to CSRs – giving them the opportunity to gain valuable experience out of the Contact Center – while being able to showcase their newly gained expertise back in the office.
• CSRs are recognized with chances to speak at conferences / business events.
• CSRs are encouraged to grow & form relationships with front office coworkers who may be beneficial in their next career move out of the Contact Center.

Banking / Finance / Insurance (BFI) employers report that their Contact Center ‘Farm Team’ strategies result in significant tangible benefits:

• Improved CSR morale.
• Improved CSR job retention.
• Increased new hire referrals from CSRs.
• Reduced time to fill for open roles.
• Reduced recruiting & hiring costs.
• Shorter ramp up times for new hires.
• Increased long term success for new hires.

Put another way – when younger CSRs feel valued and invested in – and can see a career path with the company outside the Contact Center – they’re more likely to have better morale – which generally leads to higher job engagement & employee retention – which typically generates more employee new hire referrals – which means less trouble filling open roles – which reduces recruiting and hiring costs.

Internal Promotion / Department Transfers of CSRs from your Contact Center also shortens new hire ramp up times – as these newly promoted employees already know your customers / products / systems.

Year after year – Banking / Finance / Insurance (BFI) Contact Centers record high levels of CSR job satisfaction – nearly 2x the Industry average.

Banking / Finance / Insurance (BFI) Contact Centers also post Annual Staff Attrition Rates in the range of 20% to 25% – 1/3 lower than Industry averages.

That’s a strong list of positive outcomes for a Contact Center ‘Farm Team’ strategy.

Career Development Is Often Overlooked As An Important Part Of A CSR’s Rewards Package

Regardless of age cohort – all CSRs value their base hourly wage the most – but younger GenerationZ CSRs also care a lot about the chance to develop skills that will lead to a better job in the future.

A chance to be considered for other positions within the company outside of the Contact Center motivates & engages younger CSRs.

Opportunities for Internal Promotion / Department Transfers are key to a positive & productive work environment for younger GenerationZ CSRs – who either won’t apply – or will quickly disengage from – jobs they perceive to have little to no possibility for growth and promotion.

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