By John Magliocca, Senior Advisor, TPI
“You can improve what you can measure” is an adage many contact center managers strive to realize. But while data collection and reporting systems are critical contact center tools, access to statistics alone will not ensure success in improving performance. Improper communication, unnecessary complications and inconsistent application of performance measures often cause the best contact centers to underachieve and cause key programs to fail.
How do you acquire the biggest bang through measuring performance? Here are the TPI Top 5 steps that can boost your chances of operational improvement:
1. Plan your direction carefully. Determine which key measure(s) is/are most critical to the success of the operation and develop the plan for improvement around that measure.
2. Limit key measures to a core four or five. Do not be trapped into developing multiple simultaneous improvement plans.
3. Ensure that all goals are achievable. In an attempt to improve numbers rapidly, do not be fooled into thinking a lofty, unachievable goal will provide sufficient incentive for an agent to stretch performance that much further.
4. Avoid metrics that send conflicting messages to the staff. Key performance indicators and metrics that are contradictory in nature can lead you down a path to failure.
5. Carefully explain the objectives to all members of the contact center team. Every member of the team must clearly understand your objectives and work together to achieve the primary target.
Following these tips may not ensure performance improvement, but it can certainly improve your chances of success. TPI can help you to compare your contact center technology to best-practice enterprises and identify key technologies and how best to apply them.
E-mail John Magliocca, Senior Advisor, TPI, or phone him at +1 412 527 8964 to learn more.
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