
Our panel share their best advice on managing change in the contact centre.
When it comes to effective change communication, always start with finding the two ‘Why?’ answers.
The first one isn’t ‘why change?’ – it’s ‘why are your people here in the first place?’ What is the shared ethic or commitment your teams have? What is your vision and value which brings people together?
Once you can answer this, link it to the second ‘Why?’ – which is ‘why change?’ What does this change do to achieve the first?
Contributed by: PhilQuickenden
Know your WHY. Have talks with all team members about all the barriers to success. Create a plan to mitigate the barriers using everyone’s expertise. Bring everyone’s focus to the success of the change.
Contributed by: Nichole
For better change results, include your frontline staff in an agile way by giving feedback for projects and work evolution. We have this for senior employees and it goes very well.
Contributed by: Carl
Have regular updates with the management team to check everyone is on track with tasks and how to overcome any obstacles.
Feedback to the wider team with updates on where you are in the change. Have an end-of-change meeting with various stakeholders to discuss what went well and what could have been better to improve how you manage change in the future.
Contributed by: Christine
We have worked really hard to include the frontline team in the changes that are to be made. They are the ones working with the customers and have first-hand experience with what they are hearing, so to move change forward, it needs to be together!
Contributed by: Justine
In our organization we take time with a group of employees and bring them in an agile way to deliver evolution of the job and technology. We observed that it helps the change management to have a bottom-up strategy.
Contributed by: Carl
Teamwork is the key! Invite your team to be involved in the changes made within the business. Trust and empower your team members to be creative and to help provide ideas in order to make effective changes, and incentivize them accordingly for doing so!
Contributed by: Richie
Ask your employees would they buy from you / use your services? Why or why not?
Contributed by: Andrea
Use the insight of the frontline agents. They are your best resource!
Contributed by: Justine
Empower your staff to deliver the change you want to see – they will only impress and surprise you.
Contributed by: PhilQuickenden
Understanding that change is inevitable and always happening is the most important piece of making change and keeping the change in place.
Contributed by: Taryn
Providing ongoing feedback and leading by example is key.
Contributed by: Latasha
The further you are from the frontline, the more ignorant you are. So true – you have to engage and include their views on direction changes.
Contributed by: RoxanneGreen
Let your employees know why the changes are being made, ask their thoughts, and make sure to action any that are relevant.
Contributed by: Karen
People are generally wary of change when it is done to them, and not with them.
Contributed by: Sarah
Having a management member mirror the change to the task shows it’s achievable and positive.
Contributed by: Liam
Have a trained advocate in each team to support other team members.
Contributed by: Karen
Be kind. Everyone is dealing with a hard battle.
Contributed by: Justine
I think one of the biggest challenges is failing to invest in L&D, something many contact centres are still to recognize. People not only want to be coached, they want the opportunity to learn and grow.
Contributed by: Sarah
We have adopted NPS to help assist the agents in the call centre in handling customer calls more efficiently and thus reducing multiple calls/email contacts from the customer.
Contributed by: Justine
For more great tips check out our 2022 webinar ‘Managing Change in the Contact Centre‘.
Check out some more articles on call centre change: