3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023

Recruiting for contact centres in 2023 is expected to be a major challenge for many companies, and statistics show just that. The attrition rate in the industry has been consistently high, averaging over 20% for almost two decades. This means that companies are losing a significant number of employees each year, which can be costly in terms of time and resources.

However, what are the main reasons behind it and how can you improve your recruitment strategy to attract contact centre staff?

3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023:

1. Provide Career Opportunities.
2. Improve Work-life Balance.
3. Update Your Systems.

Provide Career Opportunities.

3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023.

One of the main reasons for a low retention rate in contact centres is the lack of career progression opportunities. Many contact centre staff feel that there are limited opportunities for growth within the industry and therefore choose to leave after a few years.

To address this issue, you can offer training and development opportunities to your contact centre employees, as well as provide a clear career path within the organisation. It’s even more important today as over the past few years, many new tasks have emerged that previously did not exist, resulting in new or updated job roles.

For example, nowadays, Customer Services Professionals handle complaints, respond to customer inquiries, and resolve technical problems. With a clear understanding of their responsibilities, you will be able to train your staff accordingly to fit these new roles.

“These new titles include roles like data analysts, customer experience managers and digital contact directors, the duties of which will vary greatly from one organisation to another.” 

Improve Work-life Balance.

3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023.

In the past few years, customers have switched to self-service options, leading many businesses to provide their products online, either via eCommerce or website booking platforms.

Although this shift is suitable for consumers, it has increased the issue of micro-management, especially when companies have higher expectations to keep customers satisfied in the current competitive market. With all these requirements, there is an expectation for contact centre staff to have more skills and unique experience.

It all leads to a stressful environment with many agents working long hours or having irregular shifts, which can make it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

“Contact centres are still struggling to overcome old stereotypes of micromanaging people, with many people still believing that being an advisor allows for little creative freedom.” 

On top of it, contact centre staff often have to deal with frustrated or angry customers, which can take a toll on their mental health. This is why it is important for companies to prioritise the well-being of their employees and provide them with resources and systems to help them manage incoming orders and calls.

Therefore, if you have a similar issue, you should address this and improve the contact centre department by offering flexible working hours or remote working options, which can help employees better manage their personal and professional commitments. Although it might not be possible if you have outdated processes, so check how to improve these in the next section.

Update Your Systems.

3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023.

Even with the rise of online shopping and automation of some Customer Service processes, there are still many manual tasks in the Call Centre department.

Initially, Contact Centre advisors had a few basic activities throughout the day. They were chatting specialists responsible for voice or mail communications with customers. Meaning it was easier to recruit and train these employees as there was a limited workload.

However, today, when consumers’ behaviour has changed, and they have a greater choice of technologies to contact the company, advisors are left with various software to deal with upcoming correspondence. SMS, email, video, voice, chat – you name it, consumers choose the preferable contact methods, and the Customer Service team must adapt to it.

Here are a few examples of how technology can make it easier for your Customer Service team to deal with orders in the following year.

Yes, it might not be the first idea that has come to your mind, but it does work wonders.

? No need to have a huge team. With automation, you can achieve all your goals successfully with only a few people because many outdated, manual tasks can be filled automatically.

? Easier to reach your target. Automation allows you to have all Customer Service team targets in one place, showing you the exact areas you need to improve. With smart analytics, you can also find the best way to approach your goals and improve only those areas you want to focus on.

? No paperwork. In a world where many customers care about the environment, it is essential to have a business that aligns with their views. For example, provide your customers with online receipts or email them the latest invoices.

Conclusion.

3 Steps to Improve Contact Centre Strategy in 2023.

In conclusion, while recruiting for contact centres in 2023 will certainly be a challenge, companies can take steps to mitigate the high attrition rates in the industry.

By prioritising employee well-being, offering career progression opportunities, and promoting work-life balance, companies can create a positive and supportive work environment to attract and retain high-quality employees.

Moreover, with the latest technologies and automation, companies can attract new talent and create the best Customer Service for their customers.

By investing in automation and technology, businesses can improve their Customer Service departments, reduce the workload for their employees, and ultimately provide better services to their customers.