What is Agent Turnover Rate and What Are the Different Ways to Reduce It at Call Centers?
Call centers, as well as any other business, experience high agent turnover rates. In call centers, high agent turnover rates result when employees are unhappy with their working conditions.
As long as employees are given the opportunity to learn new skills, they are likely to stay at their current employers. Call centers are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. High agent turnover rates can be problematic for call centers.
So what are the main factors contributing to agent turnover or attrition? Is there a way to avoid excessive agent turnover in call centers through strategies, technologies, and tactics? All of these questions are answered here but first read about the different reasons for high agent turnover.
Factors Contributing to High Agent Turnover
According to research, lack of coaching and training opportunities is a common cause of high agent turnover rates. Another factor leading to low morale and decreased loyalty is low wages, inflexible schedules, and poor supervisor relationships.
In an environment where agents are burned out or turnover is high, they may feel disposable or have no meaning in their work. Therefore, they become disengaged, less attached to their organization, and eventually leave.
How to Reduce a High Agent Turnover Rate
Turnover is an inevitable part of doing business. Dismissal, retirement, relocation, or resignation are all possible reasons for leaving an organization. The last factor is the most crucial one, one on which businesses’ actions will have the most impact.
Call Center Recruitment Should Be Improved
Resolving the issue of high agent turnover requires this first step. Identifying potential and talent is crucial to avoiding hiring by default in order to fill a vacancy. Don’t be afraid of investing a little more time up front to save time later. It is crucial to know your mission, your goals, and the responsibilities you face on a daily basis. Under the more junior profile you might find multiple personalities, experiences, and potentials. During recruiting, it is important to emphasize that the call center‘s objective is to establish a human connection in order to solve problems. Consequently, the agent turnover rate is reduced.
Call Center Agents’ Training Needs to be improved
Low agent turnover can be drastically reduced by improving training for call center agents. Integrating social and mission integration within an organization is key to building team loyalty. While there should be a common foundation, you may also choose different courses to customize your training. The most effective way to foster engagement and motivation is to adapt your training to the realities of the market, the field, and the needs of your new employees. That reduces high agent turnover rates.
Tools and Technologies that Agents Need
A high agent turnover rate can be reduced by providing agents with the appropriate tools and technologies. Tools can help identify a good agent. The same is true of call centers. Be sure to equip your staff with the necessary tools. To reduce the high agent turnover rate, decision trees, scripts, customer journey modeling, integration with sales, ERP, and CRM tools should be provided. Your call center agents’ work will be streamlined and optimized using a comprehensive and adapted software package.
Provide your agents with the opportunity to communicate with your customers using the channels they prefer (voice, web chat, email, SMS, and social media). Your customer experience can be excellent from the very beginning if you anticipate their needs. A better customer experience results in a more motivated agent, thereby reducing high agent turnover rates.
Consider Remote Workers When Making Decisions
It is also possible to reduce the high agent turnover rate by involving remote employees in decision making. Remote employees do more than perform. They are active participants in the organization and offer suggestions for improvements. Engage your staff in a co-creating process that benefits both your business and your customers to show your appreciation for their efforts. Make sure you listen to and encourage their suggestions, even if it extends beyond telephone contact or customer service. You will find the agent turnover rate will decrease.
Decide which Communication Channels To Use
Agent turnover can be reduced by identifying the right communication channels for them. In case of inquiries or problems, it is important to know who to contact. This can only be achieved if communication channels are transparent.
To maximize efficiency and transparency, your agents need to know who to contact for technical, administrative, and sales issues, operational inquiries, or customer concerns. Lowering agent turnover can be a significant benefit.
Appreciate and Acknowledge
By appreciating agents once in a while, you can boost their morale and reduce the high agent turnover rate. It is proven that positive feedback and acknowledging good performance motivate people. Call centers may not experience this during busy periods or, even worse, may not experience it at all. To reinforce positive behavior, try these simple, but effective methods:
- Nominate the employee of the month as an award or incentive to recognize peer recognition.
- Organize team events to recognize teamwork and individual achievement
- Introduce a ‘thank-you’ culture (I.e., create opportunities for people to say thank you in person as well as in writing)
A high agent turnover rate can be reduced by all of the above steps
Conclusion
A high agent turnover rate will cause a nightmare for any call center that values customer engagement. Your profits are not only reduced but the overall performance of the call center is affected indirectly as well. To build a high-performing team at your call center, you should implement the tips shared in this article. For further assistance, call us at 91 7097171717 or email us at sales@office24by7.com.
