In a business like a call center that’s all about communicating, you would expect your own internal communication to be top notch. But that’s not always the case. There can be a tendency to set up metrics, measure them and communicate mainly around reaching or not reaching those objectives. But your call center reps are not robots. If you want them to provide the best possible service to your customers, it’s important to communicate effectively with them.

Here are a few tips to consider:

Be Transparent

Communicate the company’s goals, priorities and vision with your team and show how their work contributes to reaching them. Clarify how the goals you set for them as individuals or as team corollate to what the company as a whole needs to accomplish. Always let them know what’s going on with the company. Treat them like insiders. It will motivate them to work harder and will improve engagement.

Ask for Feedback

Conversations should go both ways. Your agents are on the front lines and can reveal areas that need improvement. If you’re considering a reward system, get the input of your team first. Don’t assume you know what they want. You may think bonuses or gift cards are the way to go when they would rather have comp time or some other reward you may not have considered.

Let Them Know How They Are Doing

Discuss performance regularly. If you monitor calls either live or recorded, discuss what you hear with each individual. Use the information for training purposes, to correct problem areas and most importantly, to praise your team members for what they do right. Do this regularly so that it’s not a big deal and people aren’t nervous when it comes up.

Create an Open Environment

Effective communication is the result of a supportive workplace where people feel comfortable speaking their minds. Welcome feedback, even if it’s negative and provide a clear path for people to have concerns addressed. Give your people the support they need to do their jobs well.

At Cornerstone, we help companies find skilled people for your call center, whether you need a few representatives for a project or want to add someone to your full-time team. Contact us today to get started.