Everyone knows that losing contact center agents to turnover is expensive. In fact, according to Quality Assurance and Training Connection, replacing one frontline agent can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $12,000. And when you multiply that by the high numbers of agents who end up leaving their jobs within a couple of years—between 30 and 45 percent—the costs become almost astronomical.
So what are the most effective ways to reduce call center agent turnover? Here are a few steps you can take to make sure your best agents decide to stick around.
Although this kind of pre-offer skill evaluation is gradually becoming more standard, many contact centers are still sticking to the typical resume-interview-offer order of things. While this can give you some idea of whether the person is a good fit, it’s nowhere near as useful as actually asking the candidate to perform a simulated call (with, of course, enough information about your company and the job requirements to help them succeed).
Consider incorporating some kind of test assignment into your hiring practices—it will not only help you weed out those who are obviously unfit for the position, but help you identify people with outstanding abilities, too.
One way you can help your agents achieve this is to make their software easier to use. No one wants to have to toggle in and out of 10 different programs to get their customer the information they need. Consider implementing programs that integrate all the data your agents use.
The same is true for those on the supervisory or management level. Workforce optimization programs like the Verint Media Recorder Workforce Management system can help your managers gain insight into every area of the organization, so they can staff appropriately, automate time-consuming tasks, and more.
Another way to increase your employees’ job satisfaction is to offer flexible scheduling, like allowing them to work from home for a certain amount of time per week or month, or offering three-day weekends at regular intervals.
And if you really want to increase employee retention, seriously consider using at-home agents. According to studies, contact centers using at-home agents experience a 35-50 percent lower employee turnover rate than those that don’t.
Are you working to reduce employee turnover at your contact center? If you’re looking to make your agents happier by implementing better software, KOVA can help. Contact us about our workforce optimization solutions today!