Summary

In this conversation, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss discuss the essential skills for success in customer service roles, emphasizing the importance of empathy, authenticity, and a positive attitude. They explore how these skills can be taught or innate, and the impact of genuine interactions on customer experiences. The discussion highlights the need for contact center leaders to trust their employees to be themselves and to foster authentic relationships with customers.

Takeaways

Empathy is the most crucial skill in customer service.
You cannot teach empathy; it must be inherent.
Authenticity in interactions leads to better customer experiences.
Positive attitudes can sometimes feel insincere.
Trusting employees to be themselves enhances service quality.
Customer service training should focus on genuine interactions.
Scripts can hinder authentic communication with customers.
Empathy should be felt, not just expressed in words.
Leaders should encourage authenticity in their teams.
Building relationships with customers is key to effective service.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Customer Service Skills
01:17 The Importance of Empathy in Customer Service
05:50 Understanding Authenticity in Customer Interactions
12:44 The Role of Positive Attitude in Service
17:45 Building Trust and Authentic Relationships

Takeaways

Customer service experiences can be frustrating and time-consuming.
Government intervention may be necessary to improve customer service standards.
Companies often fail to address their own customer service issues.
The experience of customers with disabilities is often overlooked.
Regulations in Europe provide clearer guidelines for customer service.
Technology alone will not solve customer service problems.
Organizations need to actively seek feedback to improve service.
Customer service representatives often have limited solutions to offer.
Internal reforms are essential for enhancing customer experience.
The government may step in if companies do not take action.

Chapters

00:00 The State of Customer Service Today
08:52 Government Intervention in Customer Service
13:01 The Future of Customer Experience

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss discuss the challenges of employee engagement and satisfaction in the workplace, particularly in the context of returning from time off. They explore the importance of recognition, meaningful work, and the impact of relationships on employee well-being. The discussion also touches on insights from other industries and the need for a more personalized approach to understanding employee needs.

Takeaways

Taking time off often leads to a desire to stop working altogether.
Employee satisfaction is declining, particularly in service industries.
Meaningful work drives engagement more than financial compensation.
Recognition is a key motivator for employees.
Understanding the grind of work is essential for improving engagement.
Relationships in the workplace are crucial for employee success.
Cultural insights from other industries can inform better practices.
Time off does not necessarily recharge employees for more work.
A personalized approach is needed to understand employee needs.
Attention to employee well-being can prevent disengagement.

Chapters

00:00 New Year Greetings and Reflections
01:37 Employee Satisfaction and Engagement Post-COVID
05:21 The Importance of Meaningful Work
10:54 Recognition and Relationships in the Workplace
15:59 Learning from Other Industries

Summary

In this conversation, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss reflect on the year 2024 in customer service, discussing persistent challenges in contact centers, the evolution of work-from-home practices, and changing customer expectations regarding returns. They also share personal anecdotes about memorable holiday gifts and emphasize the importance of gratitude and understanding during the holiday season.

Takeaways

AI is still not as user-friendly as expected.
Contact centers face ongoing challenges similar to those from years ago.
The importance of people in customer service remains paramount.
Work from home practices have significantly retreated post-pandemic.
Customer expectations for frictionless returns have increased.
Companies need to adapt their customer service strategies accordingly.
Personal experiences shape our views on customer service.
Gratitude and patience are essential during the holiday season.
Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and inclusivity matters.
Memorable gifts often come with personal stories and reflections.

Chapters

00:00 Reflecting on Customer Service Trends of 2024
04:52 The Evolution of Work From Home in Contact Centers
10:13 Customer Expectations and Return Policies
14:56 Memorable Holiday Gifts and Personal Reflections
20:00 Gratitude and Acknowledgment During the Holidays

Summary

In this conversation, Amas Tenumah and Bob Furniss discuss various themes surrounding customer experience, particularly in the context of recent tragic events and the impact of societal anger on service interactions. They explore the quality of food at conferences, the implications of a recent murder related to healthcare dissatisfaction, and the need for empathy and flexibility in customer service policies. The discussion emphasizes the importance of human interaction in service environments and the challenges posed by rigid policies that often ignore individual circumstances.

Chapters

00:00 Conference Experiences and Food Quality
02:05 Tragic Events in Healthcare Leadership
06:48 Customer Service Challenges and Societal Anger
09:17 Policies vs. Empathy in Customer Service
16:36 The Human Element in Customer Interactions
17:15 contact center show vertical outtro.mp4

Summary

In this episode, Amas and Bob discuss the complexities of hybrid work, particularly in the context of contact centers. They explore the evolution of remote work, the challenges of engaging employees in a hybrid environment, and the strategies leaders can implement to ensure success. The conversation highlights the importance of digital communication, effective training, and the need for organizations to adapt to the changing expectations of the workforce, especially among younger generations.

Takeaways

Hybrid work presents unique challenges for leaders.
Effective communication is crucial in a hybrid environment.
Training and coaching must adapt to hybrid models.
Employee engagement strategies need to be rethought for hybrid teams.
Digital-first approaches can enhance remote work experiences.
Management by walking around is still important, even remotely.
Organizations must be ready to support hybrid work effectively.
The future of work is influenced by generational expectations.
Contact centers are lagging behind in remote work adoption.
Success in hybrid work requires careful planning and execution.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Hybrid Work Challenges
02:56 The Evolution of Remote Work
05:56 Navigating Hybrid Engagement
12:03 Key Strategies for Hybrid Success
16:05 Future of Work and Generational Expectations

**Key Highlights:**

1. **Introduction:**
- Bob enjoys the banter with Amas about customer service challenges.

2. **Sister's Experience:**
- Amas shares a story from his sister about difficulties in returning items, highlighting widespread customer service frustrations.
- Discussion shifts to training as a core issue in service quality.

3. **The Training Debate:**
- Bob emphasizes that training isn't just a simple problem; it encompasses various methods (classroom, online, interactive).
- The importance of hiring effective trainers with strong facilitation skills is noted.

4. **Expectations vs. Reality:**
- Unrealistic expectations on agents’ knowledge vs. what’s feasible in training are discussed.
- Example from Bob’s experience with product training illustrates gaps in knowledge expectations.

5. **Realistic Training Goals:**
- Focus should shift from rote memorization to understanding concepts and finding information.
- The need for open-book assessments and emphasis on problem-solving skills.

6. **Importance of Context:**
- Understanding the “why” behind questions is crucial for effective customer interaction.
- Agents should connect with customers rather than just provide scripted answers.

7. **AI’s Role:**
- AI can aid in information retrieval but cannot replace the need for agents to engage with customers on a deeper level.

8. **Living Training:**
- The best training comes from real-life experiences, not just theoretical knowledge.
- Importance of “nesting” (support after training) for new agents to apply what they’ve learned.

9. **Closing Thoughts:**
- Bob quotes Ben Franklin: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
- Both hosts encourage listeners to consider how to improve training practices.

10. **Live Podcast Announcement:**
- Bob and Amas will be at the ICMI show in Orlando from October 21-25.
- Listeners are invited to join, engage, and share their thoughts during live recordings.

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**Podcast Summary: Tackling Contact Center Attrition**

In this episode, Amas and Bob dive into the persistent challenge of attrition in contact centers. They reminisce about Amas's experience running a center in the mid-2000s, where the attrition rate hovered around 7-9%. Surprisingly, even after 15 years, the current rate remains about the same. They explore whether this issue is truly fixable and discuss the implications of attrition rates comparable to those in retail environments.

Bob emphasizes the importance of analyzing data beyond just averages to identify specific areas of concern. He points out that while some centers perform well, many still struggle with high turnover. They agree that rather than relying on superficial employee engagement tactics like pizza parties, contact centers should focus on improving the job itself and fostering trust between employees and supervisors.

Amas shares a personal anecdote about an employee who preferred working at McDonald's due to lower stress levels, prompting a conversation about the real factors affecting job satisfaction. The duo highlights the need for contact center leaders to rethink their approach to employee experience, advocating for genuine relationships and understanding the needs of their teams.

Bob suggests actionable steps for supervisors to build trust, including knowing employees' names, recognizing their strengths and areas for improvement, and understanding their personal passions. They conclude by stressing that relationships are key to employee retention and satisfaction.

Tune in to hear insights on creating a positive work environment in contact centers, and learn how to shift the focus from temporary perks to meaningful change.