It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it. How often have we heard that statement? It’s true what they say though. There are many ways to communicate the same message. And not all of them are effective.
If you have a friend who you rarely hear from, there are two very different ways to express your feelings. You can choose between a sarcastic “Some friend you are!” or a heartfelt “I’d love it if we kept in touch more often”. Which of the two statements do you think would bring about a positive outcome?
When it comes to providing feedback in your call centre, the exact same principle applies. It’s imperative that you are selective with your phrasing in order to achieve desired results. In other words, “I’m confident that, with practice, you can boost production” will go a lot further than “You’re really not pulling your weight around here”. Let’s consider some other aspects of adequate phrasing when giving feedback, shall we?
Don’t make it personal.
None of your feedback should come off as if you have a personal beef with the person you’re speaking with. It’s vital you leave negative emotions and personal feelings out of it. Instead, simply focus on providing the type of feedback that is backed up by concrete data. That way, your phone agent won’t feel as if he/she is being attacked.
Avoid such phrases as “I’m getting pretty frustrated by your lack of enthusiasm”. Utilize such phrases as “When listening to your calls, I’ve noticed there is some opportunity for you to engage with your clients more.”
Consider their point of view.
Feedback should always be a two-way street. Are there any concerns had by your agents that should be addressed? Would addressing those concerns result in a more positive working environment? Sometimes, there are changes that YOU can make to help your phone agents improve in their job roles. Be sure to ask questions, during your feedback sessions, that show you care about how your employees feel.
Avoid such phrases as “You should know better than to react like that”. Ask such questions as “If your supervisor was more accessible, would it help you to better satisfy your customers?”
Never omit praise.
Not all feedback should be negative. Your feedback sessions should be a healthy mix of praise and constructive criticism. There is, of course, such thing as positive feedback. Provide it as often as necessary.
Avoid starting your feedback with your concerns and take opportunities to express what you enjoy about your phone agents’ work. Utilize each session to congratulate successes before highlighting their rooms for opportunity.
Could you use some help providing feedback to your team?
At MeloTel, we offer an excellent feedback tool known as Monitor Whisper Panel. The “Monitor” feature allows you to listen to both parties on any given call undetected. The “Whisper” feature lets you subtly drop in to the phone calls to coach your phone agents.
In the event an interaction requires supervisory intervention, you can quickly barge in to immediately assist on the call. This helps you to resolve any pending issues your rep may be unable to fulfill, while still maintaining the overall customer experience. For more information about Monitor Whisper Panel, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-888-MELOTEL.
