Observations-on-Operations Interactive

[Moderator]

The Observations-on-Operations Interactive segment is a variation of the regular Observations-on-Operations article found at http://www.callcenterops.com/newsletter.htm
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What are the key abilities, skills and qualifications that make the best Team Leaders or Supervisors in call centers today?
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Moderator
CallCenterOps.com

[Tuptonian]

1. To lead from the front.
2. Being able to be a part of, yet stand apart. i.e. set the stage
3. Be Human
4. Be a good communicator
5. Delegator
6. Supportive
7. Co-ordinator
8. A good listener

[Isabella Josephine]

1. Identify potential problems before they arise
2. Good problem solving skills
3. Build rapport with team members
4. Listen to team members and be responsive to their ideas or concerns
5. Be a confident decision maker
6. Remain positive in challenging situations
7. Be enthusiastic about their work - it will rub off on the team!

[Krunch]

I will tell you what you do not want - A Super Grade technical Expert, with absolutely no people skills. How many of these do you see in your Call Center? The best blend of skills for a Call Center Supervisor are strong peple skills and a strong business sense. Couple this with the ability to find the right balance between the two and you can clone, it bottle it and make a forune on QVC.

The Call Center industry is ripe with abrubt, obnoxious, ----y supervisors. Too often the Agents with the best call statistics have them because they mash through customers like cord wood, only to get the personal recognition and promotions that the systems they work in perpetuate.

The hard-working, less visible Agents, with the years of real-life experiences and stronger work ethics, labor on in the background and get "left behind." Move a few of these people up and watch your Center's Performance take off.

[James]

What are the best ways to train for effective Team Leaders?

I see the list of skills and abilities but how do you train your team leaders to be all of those things? What course or other practical training do people give to team leaders?

Looking for ideas ...

[Isabella Josephine]

If your call center agents with the best statistics are those that mash through customers, then you are in need of performance metrics that measure what's important to both you as a manager and your client - if companies outsource to you. Unless, of course, your client wants you to mash through their customers. In this case, though, you would consult your client as the call center experts that you are, and advise this is not good customer service and offer an alternative.
CallCenterOps.com has excellent resources to find articles and benchmarking for performance metrics.

Understandably, resources can be tough to come by. People are getting larger workloads, and many first-time team leaders may be overwhelmed and even unqualified.

CallCenterOps.com has excellent links to management and leadership articles from FastCompany that tell you what good leaders should and could do, as well as what good leaders have done. One article I found actually had this title, "Congratulations, You're Promoted (Now What?). The transition from team player to the leader can make -- or break -- your career." I would like to say it can make - or break - the effectiveness of your management team and success of your call center. Other people's experiences are great to use as case studies, but I have not come across actual training philosophies from FastCompany.

Good training for team leaders/supervisors comes down to time and money. For the short-term, there are a myriad of conferences and training sessions to attend around the US that are posted on this website. I just looked some up, however, most cost $1,400 or more per person. If your budget does not allow for something like this, you may have a training department available to you internally that hopefully has the skillset to research case studies, articles, and first-line leadership books, then create a curriculum focused on how to apply good leadership skills and principals to your specific call center. I used to be with a $16 Billion company with over 140,000 employees where we had the resources to both send leaders to conferences, and set up our own training materials and curriculum.

Now, I am with a $20 million company with 600 employees, no HR department, and no budget for a training department, which lends itself to many challenges. Mentoring costs nothing, however, does take time. I have had team leaders learn side by side with my best managers to take in the best practices of a few different management styles. A whole day of shadowing a manager - or even your best team leader is invaluable. They can see for themselves what works and what doesn't, especially when you include them in team members' performance reviews, verbal warnings, write ups, hiring interviews, and upper management staff meetings when appropriate. Your managers and experienced team leaders can even make case studies out of their own experiences leading team members. Coach your new team leaders both before and after they have either serious or casual dialogue with team members. The best teacher is experience.

[MESW]

Interpersonal skills are critical in the call center "people business." I recommend the DDI (Development Dimensions Intl out of Pittsburgh) Interaction Management modular series for all new Team Leaders and Supervisors. The "cookbook" type approach gives them the basics, is easy to learn, covers 90% of cases they will need in working day in and day out with the front line staff and is reasonable in that it would probably cost about $350.00 in materials per person. Have an in-house trainer certified (travel plus Train The Trainer costs approximately $5000)to teach the classes (they can be done in half or full day sessions) and then its just the cost of the materials going forward. These are great skill building sets that instill confidence and can be used for all new leaders. I have used these modules for over 20 years in many corporations in leading and training call center leadership staff.

[LawrenceK]

What are the key abilities, skills and qualifications that make the best Team Leaders or Supervisors in call centers today?


As silly as it sounds - LEADERSHIP....not Management. Leaders help ordinary people achieve extraordianry results. The Call Center as a place to work, by it's very nature is a challenge to make seem not like a "sweatshop." By having strong leaders in place on the floor, people can see the shared vision and goals of the company and the value in working towards these.

I couldn't agree more with the question in a previosu post which alluded to people with the best Stats, being promoted to Supervisory positions. Im my experience, these people often make the absolute worst supervisors. Being a strong technician does not equate to being a leader, in fact often it is an indicator of the exact opposite. Pick your supervisors based on their past experiences, their performance and that certainty you get only during the interview that "you just know" this is the right person for the job.