As a Team lead, particularly in a new call center you are in a unique and, if your organization is set up properly, influential position.
As a Director I want to first applaud you on your desire to excel in your position. I could use a couple like you myself.
As a team lead you can/should be the eyes and ears of the management staff. By utilizing the tools of a team leader you are in a position to gauge the effectiveness of your centers policies and procedures.
My expectations in your new call center environment would be as follows:
1) Monitor your staff regularly. Look for areas of improvement. Are there gaps in the training program (e.g. are you seeing a consistent area that agents are struggling with) if so what are they. Document these gaps and provide feedback on what can be done to improve training to better equip agents to effectively service your customers.
2) Look at your online resources (if you have them). If you are a new call center chances are they are incomplete and in need of quite a bit of additional information. Also the resources themselves may not be laid out the best possible flow to allow agents to find the information they need in the quickest possible time. Make recommendation for additional information to include in your online resources, complete with documentation of what that information should be.
3) Keep your eyes and ears open to how the policies within the center are being received by the agents. Provide feedback on how these policies are effecting agent moral. There may be nothing that can be done about it, for instance if the agents don't like the attendance or tardy policy but nonetheless this is valuable information for the managment staff. On the flip side based on the information you provide the management staff may decide to make changes to ensure a higher employee moral.
4) Evaluate work flow processes. Are there redundant steps in work flow. Can a piece of work (e.g. crediting an overdraft fee) be done in less steps and therefore save the company salary dollars. Is there a more streamlined way within the system its self to complete a task than is currently being utilized.
Theses are just a few examples but I assure you that just these 4 items together with your standard TL duties would keep you busy every day all day for the remainder of you employment with this company.
There are also decided benefits to being involved in the call center in this way. As you continually make observations (always with supported solutions. I have a rule with my staff: don't bring me a problem without a suggested solution) your ideas, and solutions become part of the management teams discussions. Pretty soon your name is common place and when that advancement opportunity comes up you have positioned yourself well.
I will echo what Vonnie said as well, don't sit back and surf the web. You are in a leadership role and the reps are going to look to you to see how to behave.
Stay engaged in the business and you will be rewarded. Just remember its all about attitude.
If you would like to discuss further please feel free to contact me at
Jerusalem122000@yahoo.com