Preventing Customer Service Burnout 9 Ways to Motivate Your Reps Presented by Myra Golden MyraGolden.Com

What Matters Most to CSRs? Good wages Job security Promotion and growth within the company Good working conditions Work that keeps you interested

Good wages

Job security

Promotion and growth within the company

Good working conditions

Work that keeps you interested

What Matters Most to CSRs? Personal loyalty to employees Tactful disciplining Appreciation of work done Sympathetic help on personal problems Feeling “in” on things Source: US Chamber of Commerce

Personal loyalty to employees

Tactful disciplining

Appreciation of work done

Sympathetic help on personal problems

Feeling “in” on things

Source: US Chamber of Commerce

4 Dimensions of Employee Engagement = Engaged Employee How can we grow? Do I belong? What do I give? What do I get?

95% of people consider a cash bonus a positive and meaningful incentive. But, employees simply use the money to pay bills and quickly forget the reward.

10 Stress Inducers Little or no control over working conditions Repetitive tasks – 80% or more of their time on the phones Difficult customers Being treated like a juvenile Poor leadership/management

Little or no control over working conditions

Repetitive tasks – 80% or more of their time on the phones

Difficult customers

Being treated like a juvenile

Poor leadership/management

10 Stress Inducers Not knowing what’s expected Extremely heavy call/email volume Pressure to move quickly through contacts Lack of trust, openness, respect Lack of necessary tools, resources, or knowledge to do the job

Not knowing what’s expected

Extremely heavy call/email volume

Pressure to move quickly through contacts

Lack of trust, openness, respect

Lack of necessary tools, resources, or knowledge to do the job

Early Warning Detection of Morale Problems Significant increase in wait and/or abandon times. Staff tardiness/absenteeism rates increases. Increase in escalated calls to supervisors.

Significant increase in wait and/or abandon times.

Staff tardiness/absenteeism rates increases.

Increase in escalated calls to supervisors.

Early Warning Detection of Morale Problems Increase in average talk times. Increase in idle times. Changes in soft measures.

Increase in average talk times.

Increase in idle times.

Changes in soft measures.

About Burnout Burnout is different from stress A burned out employee’s job motivation has been destroyed. They no longer understand how they fit into organization. They feel overwhelmed and powerless

Burnout is different from stress

A burned out employee’s job motivation has been destroyed.

They no longer understand how they fit into organization.

They feel overwhelmed and powerless

Recognizing Burnout…Early Stages Irritability Balk at routine tasks Procrastinate Miss deadlines Tardy, longer lunches, call in sick As symptoms become more severe, can lead to serious depression

Irritability

Balk at routine tasks

Procrastinate

Miss deadlines

Tardy, longer lunches, call in sick

As symptoms become more severe, can lead to serious depression

Minimizing Burnout Take action immediately Showing the employee you are concerned goes a long way Make the first move Offer concrete solutions to help employee improve situation (paid or unpaid leave, etc.)

Take action immediately

Showing the employee you are concerned goes a long way

Make the first move

Offer concrete solutions to help employee improve situation (paid or unpaid leave, etc.)

Minimizing Burnout Make the employee feel apart of the team. Many times, employees on the edge of burnout isolate themselves Offer EAP programs Maintain dialogue

Make the employee feel apart of the team. Many times, employees on the edge of burnout isolate themselves

Offer EAP programs

Maintain dialogue

9 ideas to help you Inspire & Motivate Your Reps

idea 1: call your employee just to thank her

Send an email acknowledgement. Idea 2

Provide an extra break . Idea 3

A Strong Case for Apologizing to Angry Customers Delegate Idea 4

A Strong Case for Apologizing to Angry Customers

Write a thank you note by hand idea 5:

When pay checks go out, write a note on the envelope recognizing an accomplishment. idea 6:

Provide a 2-hour idea 7

Send birthday cards to your employee’s homes idea 8:

Walk up and tell your employees how awesome they are idea 9

Q & A Email me – [email_address] for answers to additional questions not answered today A copy of this slide presentation Blog: www.MyraGolden.wordpress.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/myragolden Web: www.MyraGolden.com

Email me – [email_address] for answers to additional questions not answered today

A copy of this slide presentation

Blog: www.MyraGolden.wordpress.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/myragolden

Web: www.MyraGolden.com