For many the OOO (out of office) was in action over the summer, the best I ever received went along the lines of “I’m away, returning on DD/MM, when I return I will delete all my emails, so mail me again after that date” I was outraged at the time, but now I’m older, well… I still couldn’t do it.
Anyway, now people are back and it seems, are back to the actual office in increasing numbers, what 5 things would make our roles more productive and effective between now and the end of the year?
We are fortunate to speak with lots of people at Contact Centre Panel and through our conversations over the years these are my standout quotes:
- If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority: wise words, if you are trying to do too many things then it is likely that none of them will get done, make a shorter list or ask for help where you need it.
- Focus on your core: I do mean business not the type developed by doing the plank (that said I maybe need to do both types), clearly all businesses need to evolve but know when you need to perhaps outsource part of the work so that you can focus on what you do best.
- Learn from others’ mistakes: come on we can’t all sit here and pretend we got it right all of time, taking the experiences of others to improve your own operations, customer experience or sales doesn’t mean you have to hand everything over to an outsourced solution it may be that you need someone to come in and support for a while, but use their experience, it could be a shortcut.
- If you are going to automate it: make sure you fixed the processes first. Also ensure that you are automating the right processes not just the ones that you don’t like doing.
- Look after your people: there is a well quoted Richard Branson post that I’ll probably be paraphrasing but make sure you give your people the tools and the support they need to shine, helping to do the right thing for your customers. Those things may not be easy, but if you train and support your people right they’ll be loyal to your brand and create fans.
If we can help with any of these then don’t be shy, just ask.