Don't Talk 'Team' To Your Contact Center Staff While Treating Them As Something Less
David Filwood
CEO | TeleSoft Systems | People & Process Improvement For Contact Centers
‘Undercover Boss’ is a two time Emmy Award winning reality television series – that’s been on the air for 11 Seasons – following high level corporate executives with hidden cameras – as they secretly take lower level jobs within their companies – to find out how things really work and what their employees truly think.
There have been two episodes that focused on Contact Centers and the frontline Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) who work in them.
The results were revealing.
The eyes of each ‘Undercover Boss’ were opened to the value their CSRs delivered – as company ambassadors / the human voice of the brand – creating Empathy / Rapport / Trust with callers – handling complaints – avoiding / diffusing conflict – reducing churn / retaining customers – developing solutions / winning new business.
Both episodes end with the CSRs receiving a reward of acknowledgement – and new wisdom gained for the ‘Undercover Boss’.
But these ‘Undercover Boss’ episodes are also an indictment.
Why weren’t these CSRs valued by senior management already?
Too Many Front Office Senior Executives View & Treat Their Back Office Contact Center CSRs As ‘2nd Class Employees’
On website Glassdoor – where current & former employees anonymously review the companies they work for – Contact Centers average a less than stellar 2.5 Star [Dissatisfied] employer review rating – with negative reviews outnumbering positive ones 5:1.
Common criticisms CSRs post include a sense of estrangement from their employer – a sense of not belonging – a sense of being a ‘2nd Class Employee’:
“Management has a bad attitude like they are better than the employees.”
“The only people that management pays attention to is themselves.”
“Management is out of touch with boots on the ground day to day events.”
“Please start listening to people when they tell you there is an issue.”
“Extremely talented people lose faith in this company because they know they don't have a voice.”
“Management could care less.”
“You can't trust leadership.”
“You are just a number to them.”
“The work atmosphere is hostile.”
“Toxic culture.”
“Life sucking.”
“Dead end job.”
I’m Always Amazed When I Encounter Another Senior Executive – In A Moment Of Unguarded Honesty – Who Shares With Me Their Belief That CSR Work Is ‘Menial’ / ‘Beneath Them’
Many go on to describe the CSRs working for them using all types of unflattering descriptions.
When senior executives hold this outlook – all too often their attitude of superiority rubs off – and becomes pervasive throughout front office personnel – who often gawk at CSRs in the company cafeteria like they’re a freak show – and avoid the Contact Center entirely like the plague.
At first opportunity – these are the companies most likely to isolate their Contact Center in a different building away from every other department – or outsource the work entirely.
There Are Lots Of Indicators Inside A Company’s Culture Of A ‘2nd Class Employee’ Caste System For Contact Center CSRs
The work lives of these CSRs frequently feel like a series of tiny slights – reinforcing their ‘2nd Class Employee’ status – and bruising their self worth.
What appears to wound most deeply are the things taken for granted or barely considered at all by front office employees:
There’s typically a Xmas Party held on site at the Contact Center for the CSRs – and a separate flashier / glitzier event held off site for front office personnel.
For most – the social humiliation of getting excluded is less about not going to a swanky office holiday party – and more about what that invitation symbolizes – appreciation at the end of the year for the CSRs’ hard work.
Being excluded from a company’s social activity is an indication of an employee’s disenfranchisement from being a full member of the community.
Nothing seems to be loathed more than the color coded nametags / identification badges that advertise the lowly ranking of CSRs in the workplace pecking order.
CSRs resent front office personnel who glance at the badge dangling from their neck – see the color signaling Contact Center status – and look right past them.
Regular exclusion from interacting with front office staff on the job / at parties / meetings / off site events – fosters resentment and a sense of division between CSRs and the other company employees.
Many CSRs describe the experience as ‘Morale Crushing’.
Employers Should Actively Take Steps To Make Both Front & Back Office Staff Feel Equally Seen / Included / Heard
Improving the CSR Employee Experience (EX) translates into higher job engagement – and that makes for a better Customer Experience (CX) and higher levels of Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) – which contributes to better business outcomes – and higher revenues for the organization.
CSRs want to feel engaged with their job – enthusiastic about the organization they work for – and have a sense of equal belonging on the company team.
Agree?
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