Equip Your Team Leaders to Truly Elevate Service

If you’ve ever felt that your team leaders in customer service are being left to figure things out on their own, you’re not alone.

A webinar hosted by Megan Jones, featuring industry experts Martin Teasdale (“Get Out of Wrap”) and Ian Chapell (Centrical), took a deep dive into the challenges team leaders face, the gaps in training, and how contact centres can shift towards a more employee-first approach.

And let’s just say, it was eye-opening…

Unrealistic Expectations Are Holding Team Leaders Back

Team leaders are the glue that holds customer service teams together. They set the tone, provide coaching, and ensure agents feel supported in what is often a high-pressure environment.

Yet the webinar revealed a major issue: many organizations neglect proper training and development for these key figures.

Not only this, but too often, unrealistic expectations are placed on team leaders. They’re often promoted because of their performance as agents, yet leadership requires an entirely different skill set.

Without structured training and ongoing mentorship, many find themselves drowning in:

Admin Issues

Instead of focusing on coaching and development, team leaders are often swamped with reports, paperwork, and tracking performance. It’s like they’re spending more time as administrators than actual leaders.

KPIs That Miss the Mark

Metrics like call handling times and customer satisfaction scores dominate expectations, but they don’t always reflect the full picture of employee effectiveness.

Feelings of Isolation

A lot of these leaders are working in their own little bubbles. They’re missing out on the support and mentorship that could really make a difference. No one should have to figure it all out alone.

Isolation can lead to loneliness, which if left unaddressed can cause issues. For advice on handling this, read our article: 10 Strategies to Help Agents Feel Less Lonely

Tech Troubles

Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, right? But if it’s not implemented with the leader’s role in mind, it just adds another layer of complexity. It’s frustrating when tools meant to help actually end up being a hindrance.

Technology Alone Isn’t the Answer, But It Can Make Life Easier

This is where technology done right can actually alleviate workplace stress, for example, through AI-powered coaching, gamification, and real-time feedback – three key elements that can enhance both team leader effectiveness and agent performance.

So, what does that look like in practice?

AI-Based Coaching

Automated insights that help leaders provide targeted feedback to agents based on real interactions.

Gamification

Encouraging engagement through friendly competition, rewards, and recognition.

Real-Time Feedback

Instead of waiting for monthly performance reviews, agents receive coaching in the moment.

These tools, Ian explained, are designed to reduce the stress of customer interactions, making it easier for agents to handle difficult calls and feel supported in their roles.

But as Martin pointed out, technology should complement leadership, not replace it.

Five Strategies for More Effective Team Leadership

With all these challenges on the table, what can contact centres do to better support their team leaders?

1. Make Coaching a Daily Habit, Not a Last Resort

Why wait until a quarterly review to address issues?

Quick, consistent, and constructive micro-coaching sessions keep team leaders and agents aligned, motivated, and continuously improving – without the stress of high-pressure meetings.

2. Turn Work Into Play With Gamification

A little competition goes a long way. Leaderboards, incentives, and recognition programmes not only drive engagement but also create a culture where progress is celebrated, and motivation can stay high.

For advice on adding gamification to your contact centre, read our article: Play to Win! 10 Steps to Gamify Your Contact Centre

3. Give Leaders More Time to Lead

Drowning in admin work? It’s time to streamline your internal processes and automate reporting. Freeing up team leaders to focus on coaching and development leads to stronger teams and better results.

4. Build a Leadership Network

No leader should feel like they’re on their own at your contact centre. Structured peer support – whether through internal communities or external networks – provides team leaders with shared insights, best practices, and a sounding board for challenges.

5. Develop Leaders in the Way They Learn Best

One-size-fits-all training doesn’t work. By customizing leadership development programmes to suit different learning styles and career goals, contact centres can build stronger, more adaptable leaders who thrive in their roles.

If you are looking for advice on getting an agent’s leadership journey off to the best possible start, read our article: How to Prepare Agents for Their First Leadership Role

Tried and Tested Ideas From the Frontline

There are lots of other great ideas you can try too – as shared by our live webinar audience:

Make Sure Interactions Are on Camera

For me, I make sure my interactions are on camera so we can connect even if we are not in a room together.

Contributed by: Lisa, a Call Centre Helper reader

Get Back to Basics

KPIs are helpful, but to really help get everyone on the right track, you need to focus on what really matters: your customers.

Contributed by: Alex, a webinar attendee

Set Customized Daily Group Goals

Customize daily group goals and assign them to your team, then be sure to give out rewards and praise when these goals are achieved.

Contributed by: Angel, a Call Centre Helper webinar attendee

Invest Time in Getting to Know Your Team Leaders

Make sure 1-2-1s are not just about work!

Invest time in getting to know your team leaders and their team.

Contributed by: Tahaba, a regular Call Centre Helper reader

Get Team Leaders From Different Areas of the Business to Spend Time Together

Get team leaders from different areas of the business to spend time together – looking at shared challenges, individual strengths, and where they can support each other with their own areas for development.

Contributed by: John, a regular webinar attendee

Train for Independence!

Train for independence! Equip team members with problem-solving skills so they learn to rely on their own judgement, not just scripts or the ‘Black and White’ procedures.

Contributed by: Jacqueline, a Call Centre Helper reader

Encourage Team Leaders to Do Some Micro-Learning Each Week

Social contagion is very powerful. The team leaders should be role models, and that will filter to their teams.

Empower them to take advantage of self-development by micro-learning something new each week and sharing it with their agents.

Contributed by: Amarie, a webinar attendee

Give Your Team Leaders the Support They Need and It Will Pay Dividends

One of the most striking moments of the webinar was the discussion around the disconnect between corporate leadership and frontline workers.

Executives often focus on efficiency and financial outcomes, while team leaders and agents experience the day-to-day realities of customer service first-hand.

Yet the way contact centres treat their team leaders directly impacts your customer experience.

Those that fail to invest in their leaders risk high turnover, disengaged employees, and ultimately, unsatisfied customers.

But shifting towards an employee-first model, organizations can create workplaces where leaders feel empowered, agents feel supported, and customers receive better service. It’s a win–win!

If you are looking for more information on developing and supporting your team leaders, read these articles next:

• Team Leader Experience (TLX) Explained
• How to Coach Resilient Contact Centre Team Leaders
• Top Reads to Boost Your Contact Centre Leadership Skills

Author: Stephanie Lennox
Reviewed by: Jo Robinson