There are a plethora of articles that can be found on the internet written about building successful contact centers. The question that needs more exploration is the one asked after the contact center is built. “How do you maintain that success and improve upon it?”  When you put your mind to it, it can prove to be a very challenging question. There are various answers and opinions will vary, but here is one possible answer worth considering.

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Many years ago, I worked for a manager that often said “A great business is built on a three legged stool”. The three legs of that stool represented your “People,” “Process,” and “Plan” for the business. “If the three legs are strong” he would say, “then you have effectively created a cornerstone for the foundation to build your company upon.” One thing that has always stuck with me over the years was that he always emphasized “People” as being the one leg of the stool that you had to have the most energy and enthusiasm for. You had to get that right from the start or you were going to risk failing right out of the gate.

“Shouldn’t you have an equal amount for all three legs of the stool?” I asked. “If any leg wasn’t sturdy enough, that stool was going to topple over and damage the foundation that was built.”  He responded “If you are ever going to manage an organization, you have to think about the dynamics of your business. You have to create an environment and a culture that people want to be a part of first and foremost. You can’t do it all by yourself so it begins with the team you build. It is your customer facing employee that is your best company representative in any line of business. So, find the best people that you can and treat them like gold. Create a positive environment that people will want to be a part of and not only will you win over hearts and minds but you will create a winning culture as well. (Tweet this!) Creating a plan to execute the process will fall on the shoulders of the ongoing myriad of people you will hire throughout your career.”

“So again” he said “you have to have the most passion for your people. Because when it comes to the employees you hire, you will only be as strong as your weakest link. Invest in your people and you will always find a way to win.” It was good advice.

Fundamentally speaking, that is also the defining difference in what makes a contact center successful for the clients that they represent.  Creating the positive energy that becomes infectious. Employees are hungry for that. They want to be recognized and feel appreciated. They want to belong and to be a part of something. That is the key to winning… Hire the best people possible and treat them like gold. You will get it back tenfold as they represent your clients and pass it on to their customers.  If you treat your employees as meaningful pursuits you will always build a better business that other companies want to partner with.

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John Capes, Director of Operations, Anomaly Squared