Call centres - POWER TO THE PEOPLE

Learning the tools of the trade

Empowerment can mean different things to different people. It can refer to self-driven teams or independent business unit managers. The problem is that empowerment happens from the moment you hire your new call centre employee. You empower your call centre by three basic means, the first being rules.

Your rules may be the main device used to empower your staff. Take for instance the call centre that uses a rigid script which must be read word-for-word and the rule that states that you must answer the telephone within three rings followed by a standard company opening. Without rules most people would find work difficult and demotivating. Without guidelines, we aren't given success criteria needed to establish our need to feel we are doing a good job.

Second, we will need tools or skills to enable us to become successful. I remember that I was working as a telesales agent for more that five years before I received any formal training. Though I had the 'gift of the gab' and a call guide, I wasn't able to deal with anything outside of the call guide. I only survived by sticking to the rules. The number of opportunities I lost where far beyond what would be acceptable in today's call centres. Imagine an auto-repair shop without so much as a screw driver. When I look for a shop to repair my car, the first thing I look are the mechanic's tools. I look for the verity and quality as well as how they are maintained.

In the call centre we need to develop advanced interpersonal skills these are the tools of our trade. We need to be able to type and talk at the same time. We will need to develop our understanding of people and what makes them happy or disappointed. The skills required in a call centre could well fill multiple books and do, but the point is, that we must impart skills to every call centre member even if they are only product-related information. This, too, is empowerment.

Finally, we come to the third of our three basic means of empowerment, that of self-driven empowerment. This could be called 'drive' or 'self-esteem'. The problem is that without rules and tools, drive isn't going to go anywhere. Giving an objective without giving the tools to enable is like a car without a steering wheel.

So let us return to my fear of self-directed teams. Self direction isn't the key to success. What we need to be talking about are the way we form our rules in the call centre and the amount of tools we impart to our staff. Given enough clear rules for direction (not to many) and tools to enable, you can develop what people are calling self-driven teams.

Once you have your own unique empowerment definition, you are well on the on the way to developing a call centre beyond even your expectations.