The Top 4 Qualities of an Outstanding Call Center Supervisor

Written by KOVA Corp

There’s an old saying that goes, “Agents don’t leave their call center job – they leave their direct supervisor.” And it makes sense. Supervisors who see their role as that of disciplinarian, or who feel it’s necessary to push their agents relentlessly, will create a much higher turnover rate than those who see themselves as coaches and mentors who lead by example.

But the turnover rate is not the only aspect that is undeniably influenced by the attitude and behavior of the supervisor. Employee engagement is also determined in large part by the atmosphere in a contact center. If it’s one of fear and stress, agents will not be able to reach nearly the same performance heights as they would in a culture of growth and appreciation. And of course, the level of customer service provided directly correlates with the level of employee engagement in evidence. Agents can’t give customers what they don’t receive themselves so treating employees with respect is vital.

With that in mind, here are five qualities to look for in an outstanding contact center supervisor.

Supervisors need stellar people management skills.

Contact center agents look to their supervisors for leadership, coaching, feedback, and assistance. Supervisors have to be able to provide for these needs things in a friendly, respectful way and without sarcasm, condescension, or indifference. A team leader or supervisor should be aware of the fact that he or she sets the tone for the whole team, determining the atmosphere of the work environment through his or her words and actions. The ideal supervisor is also always available to his employees is a presence on the floor, and quickly accessible when needed.

Individuals may have a difficult time confront the supervisor about issues regarding the supervisor’s behavior or performance. Therefore, it is in the supervisor’s best interest to conduct a bi-yearly (or even quarterly) survey to receive employee feedback about their leadership skills, company culture, and overall happiness. The supervisor can then use each previous survey as a benchmark to identify improvement.

Supervisors have to be able to ensure call quality.

All contacts with a customer require quality control management and thus it is imperative that a supervisor can do a good job of monitoring calls and other contacts, determining what needs to be improved, training the agents in specific areas, and then checking to make sure the training was effective. Each of these steps in the process requires a different skill set, however, ranging from data interpretation abilities to tact, from teaching ability to evaluation skills.

To ensure that the supervisor is able to do their job effectively (and, in turn, help their employees), they should take refresher courses on a bi-annual or annual basis, if not more frequently. Such refresher courses could be general professional development, specific courses relating to call quality assurance, or even a review of the company’s policies and procedures. When the supervisor is on top of their game, the rest of the staff will be too.

Supervisors must be able to manage staffing levels well.

Another skill set entirely is the ability to fully meet demand in the contact center while still scheduling agents efficiently. This requires a great deal of planning and analysis. At the same time, issues like ensuring schedule adherence and keeping track of administrative details such as payroll are also demanded of a supervisor.

As mentioned previously, a supervisor should highly consider taking professional development courses to refresh their knowledge on these subject areas. It is also necessary to frequently participate in professional development courses because new methodologies are crafted all the time as a means of conducting certain areas of business. To ensure that their call center is in its prime, a supervisor must be aware of all current information/education.

Supervisors need extensive problem-solving skills.

What is the final resort of any angry customer? “I want to speak to a supervisor.” Contact center supervisors must have not only the people skills to deal with angry customers politely but also the problem-solving skills to actually make a difference in diffusing the situation. They hold the keys to the final decision in any customer’s case, and must be sensitive to the company’s needs as well as the customer’s.

A supervisor’s employees should only ask for assistance on a call if a) it is requested by the customer or b) as a last resort. To prevent these situations from occurring, supervisors should utilize their problem-solving skills and instruct the employees on how to best handle various situations. Create a presentation and conduct mock calls to see how the employees will react and provide suggestions for improvement. Each situation is different, but by having the proper tools and an understanding of how to diffuse the situation, contact center employees will be able to more confidently take care of a customer and rely less on a supervisor’s intervention.

To help support your supervisors in their job, take a look at KOVA’s offerings in the realm of workforce management. Our Workforce Optimization solutions, powered by Verint Systems, Inc., give you the ability to assess, train, and evaluate your contact center agents as well as manage scheduling and other administrative tasks. Contact us to find out how we can custom-build a plan around your needs today!

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