It was interesting during the follow up debate around the room that the actual titles used by different brands were far removed from the public use of 'agent' 'CSR' etc. Advisor, colleague were a few of them and I agree with other commentators that a single title which everyone adopts is both extremely unlikely and of little value.
What I would like to see change is the public language used across the Media and amongst ourselves as an industry.
If you think about the word 'agent', the few that spring to mind are travel agent, secret agent or an MBA course in which the budding star is encouraged to be an 'agent of change'. It's a strange term indeed even if it's your passion.
I believe titles are most powerful when they describe the essence of the job undertaken. On that basis my nomination for an industry term of reference is Professional Communicator.
Communication is the core competency, whether inbound, outbound, customer service or sales.
The expectation of the rest of the business is that the customer experience is enhanced every time an interaction via these people takes place. That takes some.
Then there is the range of customer expectations for a style of communication that fits their own expectation. Having sensitivity to that demands the highest standards of empathy and expertise.
Finally all this has to be repeated to standard xxx times a day, every working day.
In my book only a professional could manage that as many a senior manager has discovered when they take their high profile 'turn on the phones'.
I aspire to be a Professional Communicator although I do many roles, speaker, facilitator, writer, consultant etc. Those that manage customers full time are, in my books, in the same category of skilled profession and deserve a turn of phrase that recognises what they do and promotes that.
