20 Tips for Managing Change in the Contact Centre Related Articles 46 Tips for Managing Absence Top Tips for Managing Attrition in the Call Centre Recorded Webinar: Managing Change in the Contact Centre 6 Tips for Managing High Call Volumes During COVID-19 © blackdiamond67 - Adobe Stock - 351402022 1,295 Filed under - Hints and Tips, Feedback, Team Management Our panel share their best advice on managing change in the contact centre. 1. Where to Start When it comes to effective change communication, always start with finding the two ‘Why?’ answers. The first one isn’t ‘why change?’ – it’s ‘why are your people here in the first place?’ What is the shared ethic or commitment your teams have? What is your vision and value which brings people together? Once you can answer this, link it to the second ‘Why?’ – which is ‘why change?’ What does this change do to achieve the first? Thanks to PhilQuickenden 2. Know Your WHY Know your WHY. Have talks with all team members about all the barriers to success. Create a plan to mitigate the barriers using everyone’s expertise. Bring everyone’s focus to the success of the change. Thanks to Nichole 3. Include Your Frontline Staff in Feedback For better change results, include your frontline staff in an agile way by giving feedback for projects and work evolution. We have this for senior employees and it goes very well. Thanks to Carl 4. Have Regular Updates With the Management Team Have regular updates with the management team to check everyone is on track with tasks and how to overcome any obstacles. Feedback to the wider team with updates on where you are in the change. Have an end-of-change meeting with various stakeholders to discuss what went well and what could have been better to improve how you manage change in the future. Thanks to Christine 5. Include the Frontline Team We have worked really hard to include the frontline team in the changes that are to be made. They are the ones working with the customers and have first-hand experience with what they are hearing, so to move change forward, it needs to be together! Thanks to Justine 6. Create a Bottom-Up Strategy In our organization we take time with a group of employees and bring them in an agile way to deliver evolution of the job and technology. We observed that it helps the change management to have a bottom-up strategy. Thanks to Carl 7. Invite Your Team to Be Involved Teamwork is the key! Invite your team to be involved in the changes made within the business. Trust and empower your team members to be creative and to help provide ideas in order to make effective changes, and incentivize them accordingly for doing so! Thanks to Richie 8. Ask Your Employees Ask your employees would they buy from you / use your services? Why or why not? Thanks to Andrea 9. Use the Insight of the Frontline Agents Use the insight of the frontline agents. They are your best resource! Thanks to Justine 10. Empower Your Staff to Deliver the Change Empower your staff to deliver the change you want to see – they will only impress and surprise you. Thanks to PhilQuickenden 11. Understand That Change Is Inevitable Understanding that change is inevitable and always happening is the most important piece of making change and keeping the change in place. Thanks to Taryn 12. Provide Ongoing Feedback Providing ongoing feedback and leading by example is key. Thanks to Latasha 13. Engage and Include the Frontline Agents’ Views The further you are from the frontline, the more ignorant you are. So true – you have to engage and include their views on direction changes. Thanks to RoxanneGreen 14. Let Your Employees Know Why the Changes Are Being Made Let your employees know why the changes are being made, ask their thoughts, and make sure to action any that are relevant. Thanks to Karen 15. People Are Generally Wary of Change People are generally wary of change when it is done to them, and not with them. Thanks to Sarah 16. Have a Management Member Having a management member mirror the change to the task shows it’s achievable and positive. Thanks to Liam 17. Have a Trained Advocate in Each Team Have a trained advocate in each team to support other team members. Thanks to Karen 18. Be Kind Be kind. Everyone is dealing with a hard battle. Thanks to Justine 19. Invest in Learning & Development I think one of the biggest challenges is failing to invest in L&D, something many contact centres are still to recognize. People not only want to be coached, they want the opportunity to learn and grow. Thanks to Sarah 20. Adopt NPS We have adopted NPS to help assist the agents in the call centre in handling customer calls more efficiently and thus reducing multiple calls/email contacts from the customer. Thanks to Justine For more great tips check out our 2022 webinar ‘Managing Change in the Contact Centre‘. Check out some more articles on call centre change: How to Create the Case for Performance Change Communicating Change in Your Business How Do I – Manage Negativity to Change? Author: Rachael Trickey Published On: 8th Mar 2023 Read more about - Hints and Tips, Feedback, Team Management Recommended Articles 46 Tips for Managing Absence Top Tips for Managing Attrition in the Call Centre Recorded Webinar: Managing Change in the Contact Centre 6 Tips for Managing High Call Volumes During COVID-19 Contact Centre Reports, Surveys and White Papers Get the latest exciting call centre reports, specialist whitepapers and interesting case-studies. Choose the content that you want to receive. Contact Centre Reports, Surveys and White Papers Invites to exclusive Webinars & Events Weekly Newsletter