Unfortunately, I had to be straightforward in this report. and the news is not good. Contact center leaders are currently facing a crisis. It is alarming that very few people are covering this issue. The crisis is getting worse by the day, and companies don't have an effective approach to turn things around. It's worth noting that many people think AI is the solution, but it is not.
Few people understand the immense challenges contact center management, so I want to encourage contact center leaders. You are the change agent to bring organizations out of the crisis. Meaningful work is a viable solution that provides a win for employees, customers, and the company, but leading change is not easy. That is why we created this report, and below is an overview of what you will find inside (download the executive summary or the full report)
The Crisis in Contact Center Management
The customer experience is at a 17-year low, agent turnover remains high at 7-8% a month, and quiet quitting is at 59%. This crisis is severely impacting company profitability, leading to “The Great Termination” of leaders.
There is a Crisis in Contact Center Outsourcing
Contact center outsourcers are experiencing even higher agent turnover and worse performance than internal centers. Outsourcers are losing clients at an abnormally high rate, putting them in financial distress. Also, AI is a concern for investors because of the fear it will dramatically reduce the need for outsourcing. Within the next five years, 50% of the brands of large to medium-sized contact center outsourcers could disappear because of consolidation.
Meaningful Work is a Win-Win-Win for Contact Center Leaders
Meaningful work occurs when a person’s work makes a difference in someone’s life. The most important part of the employee experience is how they feel about their job, not compensation or the company they work for. If they find their work meaningful, it significantly reduces turnover (25-50%), increases engagement, and improves performance (10-25%). Meaningful work for leaders and managers comes from making a difference in their team members’ lives, thereby making meaningful work infectious.
Grind Destroys Meaningful Work
Agents experience “grind” when management is out of alignment with the customer, and the agent is caught between them. Grind destroys meaningful work, and poor management is its leading cause. When employees feel management is preventing them from authentically serving the customers, the agent will disengage during interactions because engaging is too painful.
Experimenting is the Best Way to Get Buy-In From Executives
Because leadership is highly resistant to change, contact center leaders should experiment with a small group to implement a meaningful work proof of concept. Then, they can present the program's success to executive leadership, demonstrating a better way to improve profitability. The meaningful work program should eventually extend beyond the contact center. It is a universal approach that applies to everyone, regardless of their job level or department.
Please reach out to me if you would like to discuss this report.
Brian Kearney
720-600-2724