Proverbial Performance Management Tips

Love them or hate them, proverbs exist because they resonate with experience and wisdom. So, should we “throw out the baby with the bathwater” and ignore the wisdom they bring?

Here are some thoughts on how proverbs can help when deploying performance management systems.

“Don’t let the tail wag the dog”

Just as a wagging tail means you have a happy dog, achieving your KPIs should mean you have a well-run business. So, make sure you choose the right KPIs. Short handling times might get your KPI tail wagging.

But, if customer satisfaction falls through the floor, there’s clearly something wrong. A good workforce optimisation system will help you to assess the best KPIs and create a balanced scorecard that’s right for your business.

“Stick to the knitting”

This might be good if you’re knitting a jumper. But what happens if fashions change? Do you carry on knitting because that’s what you’ve always done?

Risk increases with change, and failing to change will leave you lagging behind your competitors. So, consider improving processes, introducing customer self-service and reviewing your customer’s multichannel experience.

“Trying to please all of the people all of the time”

Customer satisfaction is extremely important. In striving for a net promoter score of 100, many other performance metrics are likely to fail. And the perfect 100 score is unlikely to be sustainable.

The impact on costs may even result in raised prices and fewer satisfied customers. Understanding the end-to-end customer experience will help in setting the most effective targets.

“The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing”

Make sure you recognise the needs of various stakeholders. Imagine you’re ready to deploy a new speech analytics system which involves recording calls. Failing to consider the needs for data protection, or payment (PCI) compliance could stop the project in its tracks.

Even a simple system change can impact the way that agents work, their targets and how they’re rewarded. Finance and HR will need to be informed and considered.

“Too many cooks spoil the broth”

This doesn’t mean that there can’t be lots of cooks in the kitchen. Implementing a performance management system will need support from a broad team of people.

However, without clear ownership, the project is likely to fail. Just as every kitchen has a head chef, every project needs a clear owner.

“When in Rome do as the Romans do”

Actually, there’s a lot to be said for copying what others do. And, to quote another proverb, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. But, if you’re looking for competitive advantage, it may be better to be different.

The most successful companies compete by being different. Simply choosing the same performance management systems as your competitors could be a very big mistake. Transformation could be just what you’re looking for.