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Human Intelligence + Artificial Intelligence – The ‘Winning Formula’ to Deliver Remarkable Customer Experience

If I were to ask a bunch of people the last time they had a really great experience as a customer, it probably wouldn’t take them long to come up with a story of how the lasting impression of the experience made them happy and satisfied. And the same goes for a poor customer experience, too- customers could probably think of the story and reason within seconds, and how the feeling afterwards was just the opposite. They probably had felt angry, upset, annoyed, frustrated, or any combination of these negative emotions. When we say positive customer experience, it doesn’t only mean making your customers happy, it also leads to additional revenue. It’s imperative that brands understand the best marketing that money can buy is simply a customer who will promote their business – because they will refer their friends and family to the company, free of charge! Customer Experience – The Only Differentiator in Today’s Business World! Today’s consumers want a positive experience, not just a transactional relationship, with the brands and companies they engage with. So, customer experience plays a significant role for brands to develop a productive relationship with them. According to a recent study, 86% of buyers will pay more for a better customer experience, 70% of the buying experience is based on how customers feel they are treated, and 70% of customers will do business again with the company that resolves their complaints. Customer experience is proactive, cross-functional, feelings-oriented, and also defines the customer’s perception of the company. The customer experience, that is, making each of its clients feel special, has become the critical factor for a business to stand out from its competitors. The rise of the customer experience as a critical competitive differentiator has led to the growing importance of design thinking in the last few years. So, if the customer experience your business has created is not great, you should know how you can improve it and where to start. To leverage the power of Human Intelligence (HI) combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in contact center quality monitoring is probably the most effective way to do that. It’s apparent that AI is quickly becoming a baseline requirement for even the biggest brands to compete in an increasingly globalized market. According to Forbes, more than 80% of businesses are already planning to use automated technology as a customer experience strategy by the end of 2020. However, many businesses still have concerns regarding the effects that AI will have on customer relations. Although the efficiency and economical cost-cutting benefits of automated technology are well documented now, there still exists a widespread myth that customers will always prefer to resolve their issues with live agents rather than a front-end AI-powered chatbot. However, the truth is that AI, when properly integrated with HI, can vastly improve the effectiveness of contact center quality monitoring. This can ultimately transform the customer experience delivered by brands. HI +AI – The Ultimate Way to Transform Customer Insights There are five crucial steps involved in this process: Listen to the customers Identify their problems Analyze the issues Take the right steps to improve customer experience Predict successful behaviors HI and AI Together Can Take Customer Experience to the Next Level   Role of HI to Improve CX Human Creativity and Imagination can better craft the customer experience strategy Intuition and emotion of humans can transform the customer experience Humans can adapt to different customer behaviors and deliver an effortless experience accordingly Human Intelligence offers better foresight about future alternatives and risks Role of AI to Improve CX Provides a larger knowledge base Offers consistent reasoning Drives goal-directed, focused tasks Better evaluation and integration of past observations Artificial Intelligence – The Right Element to Decode True Customer Sentiments Harnessing AI helps contact centers discover people’s opinions, emotions, and feelings about a product or service. AI data-unification tools make daunting tasks such as data cleaning, combining data, etc. very inexpensive and quick. By assessing interaction history, AI tools can predict interaction context and aid in improving customer interaction(s).AI can sift through the data to determine customer trends and several AI- driven tools can help contact centers better manage large customer data sets from disparate sources, and integrate them with existing data to extract valuable insights with speed and precision. Data scientists with the knowledge and power of Artificial Intelligence can identify performance-enhancing behaviors and voice-of-customer insights while analyzing the AI-driven data that’s not easily discernible through traditional quality management processes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies can be integrated into call center Quality Monitoring solutions to overcome challenges of handling and analyzing 100% of customer interaction data. At Etech, we have hands-on experience with this. Etech’s A.I engine which is powered by Artificial Intelligence and machine learning platforms, has efficiently overcome the challenges of handling and analyzing large volumes of customer interactions for years. Delivering Effortless Customer Experience is Impossible without Human Wisdom Etech believes technology represents the HOW of change; humans represent the WHY of change. AI will always be crucial to contact centers, but it’s not the only piece that drives memorable customer experience. We have to go beyond technology and data to reach human wisdom. Some of the effective roles that our people play in contact centers that remarkably help brands deliver memorable customer experience are customer sentiment analysis, gathering insights for strategic decisions, customer effort analysis, training need analysis and coaching and developing agents. Only Our People Can Make the Best Out of Artificial Intelligence The best way to make use of analytics gleaned through AI is to keep the human element involved. Data Scientists are crucial links between pinpointing customer needs and developmental weaknesses among team members. The human element is the key to instituting actionable coaching and development plans to spur continued improvements. The key to continued success and growth for any company lies in embracing new advancements in AI technologies while realizing the importance of utilizing human intelligence. So, we can clearly say that

Are You Prepared Against Cyber Threats?

How does your company overcome a challenge like cybersecurity? This question confuses and disturbs businesses of all shapes and sizes today more than ever before. Don’t we almost every day seem to read stories of such companies that have suffered the consequences of not having sufficient measures in place to protect themselves? It is estimated that the average cost of a cyber threat will be over $ 150 million by the end of 2020, with the global annual cost forecast to be $ 2.1 trillion! And as we are well into this year already, it is indeed proving to be a challenging year. However, the more difficult the challenge, the greater the reward is. We are all aware of the four categories that frame the future of cyber warfare at the organizational level – Employee Training, Hardware Drones, Connected Devices, and Active Defense. We must act mindfully as individuals and as an organization to ensure cyber criminals have no opportunities to take advantage. So how do you make sure not to become the weak link that opens the door to malicious activity in your organization? Be aware of malicious payload campaigns An example of a malicious payload would be receiving an email asking you to click on a link. Clicking on this link would then download a file to the target system (yours) and install software that could be malware, ransomware, or even open a backdoor, allowing the malicious actor to access your system where they will then work to gain access to critical systems and files. Never fall for Fake Invoices sent via email or text You receive an email stating the sender is having a hard time either getting the invoice to the proper location or getting the invoice paid. A PDF or other file is attached, possibly titled “Invoice XXX”, the file can be many things. A credential harvester will attempt to gain access to user credential information, malware, ransomware, etc. Credential Harvesters Credential Harvesters can take the form of emails or messages stating you need to log into your account and verify your information. The message will have a link and will even take you to a site that looks completely legitimate. Always go to the actual URL for the website and never click on a link. This is what the malicious actor is expecting you to do to gain access. Ultimately, companies worldwide should identify any vulnerability that exists within their IT infrastructure. If your company is still using old, outdated technology as part of the IT systems, much of this can be exploited by cybercriminals looking for an easy target. As a result, it is imperative you take the necessary steps wherever possible to maximize defenses or have extra preventative measures in place to deter any hopeful attackers. Cybercriminal is always evolving and testing methods to gain access. All that is needed is for one individual to let their guard down and fall victim to an attack. DO NOT BE THAT VICTIM! Well, indeed, we can’t completely stop cyber criminals from trying to wreak havoc; however, it is entirely within the power of any business to reduce the overall impact of cybercriminals’ actions through proactive efforts. Is your organization being proactive enough? Keep the above safety measures in your mind, stay secure, and make your organization a highly protected one.

Servant Leadership: A Revolutionizing Concept to Redefine the Corporate Future

If the corporate world has learned anything over the last decade, it is that authoritarian and fear-based leadership platforms are outdated. Not only do they not work, but they have crippled many foundations from the inside out. Not only are employees unable to function in domination based corporate hierarchies, but overall productivity is negatively influenced. The result is unsustainable business practices that lead to decreased profits, shaky undefined leadership roles, high employee turnover, and, eventually, downward trends. It should come as little surprise that savvy corporations are turning their eyes towards servant leadership models. A servant leader is focused on their employees and considers how they can best serve them. Instead of information trickling down the corporate ladder, it trickles up. While this may seem counterproductive, servant leadership has proven to be one of the most effective forms of leadership in modern times. Servant leadership impacts employees by increasing satisfaction and, in turn, productivity and profitability. What is Servant Leadership? Many people are unfamiliar with the term servant leadership, but it is a leadership style that deserves a more in-depth look. Servant leaders turn the power hierarchy within a company upside down. The employees are placed at the top, and the leader becomes responsible for leading the company by serving their employees. Servant leadership is built on the principle that if you empower and uplift employees, they will respond with renewed creativity, potential, and purpose. Replacing authority with humility helps to create high employee performance and create higher profits for the company. Even more critical, servant leadership helps create a corporate structure with meaning, and that sense of belonging and meaning makes it much less likely to crumble. In a world where it only takes one or two employees to shake the foundation of an entire company, unity and serving leaders are an oasis. Why Servant Leadership is the Future If the above is not enough to emphasize the importance and application of servant leadership, these specific reasons may help highlight why servant leadership is the future. Today’s generation of leaders and employees is more knowledgeable and self-aware than ever before, and a servant leader can capitalize on this to create strong foundations for their corporation. Generation X is the Next Line of Servant Leaders To start, generation X is now growing into management and leadership roles within companies. This generation grew up during the ‘80s and ‘90s and saw firsthand how destructive toxic leadership within corporations could be. They are the generation who developed a true disdain for office jobs and watched layoffs happen in spades. These future servant leaders don’t trust corporations and demand better service for them, which in turn, ultimately impacts their leadership style towards their team members. Generation X is very receptive to the idea of servant leadership and keen to the mental and emotional health of their employees in addition to their actual abilities. Sustainability is in High Demand Not only is the new generation of servant leaders more aware of the need for environmental sustainability, but they also recognize that corporations need to focus on sustainable business practices within. Instead of carelessly ignoring illegal or unethical business practices until they get caught, servant leadership focuses on stopping this behavior before it even has the opportunity to start. They recognize the need to treat all employees fairly to create a sustainable workforce that grows and contributes positively to reshaping the image of the corporate world. It’s Time to Rebuild with Servant Leadership To that end, the new generation of managers understands that it is time to rebuild organizations instead of tearing down the base, or the employee workforce. The global economy is still dealing with the effects of the last recession and, in many areas, is teetering on the edge of another business recession. In this environment, servant leaders must focus on engaging employees to retain their top talent. Modern employees know they have choices and are not afraid to leave one business for another with a more desirable work culture- like servant leadership. Servant leadership impacts employees personally and impacts employee retention. Etech Believes in Servant Leadership Etech embraced, developed and implemented a servant leadership foundation in 2009. It took years of intentional training and follow up, but eventually the foundation became the culture of our company. By honoring our people, our customers and our communities and choosing to lead by serving, Etech’s results and impact continue to improve and grow. Etech has a unique vision that leads the company to remain employee-centric. Etech strives to make a difference within the work culture by positively practicing servant leadership and empowering its employees to create a ripple of positivity that spreads into the local community as well. We believe in being accountable and focused on growth, and we bring these principles with us as we consult with other companies and manage our own. Come and join us to be a part of our remarkable team and be a true servant leader!

How to Build an Ideal Call Center Quality Monitoring Scorecard?

It’s crucial for call centers and QA managers to understand the Importance of using a call center QA scorecard and very few know how to build an ideal call center quality monitoring scorecard. With a successful call center monitoring strategy, companies can significantly improve customer satisfaction, employee retention, as well as their bottom line. Decision-makers can understand what does call center QA quality monitoring mean, quickly identify problems, maintain call quality standards, and improve team performance while enhancing customer satisfaction ratios. Putting in place a quality monitoring scorecard, however, can be tricky. Here is a guide to help you navigate the implementation of a functional call center monitoring scorecard strategy. Set Your Goals & Objectives What is call center quality monitoring? Most call centers have a system in place to track, evaluate and improve CX interactions, , however, every call center is unique in the way it monitors those experiences, so it’s crucial to ensure that all elements included in the scorecard are specific to your own customer and business needs, to help you measure what’s important. Ensure you know where you want to see yourself so you can create specific and actionable goals that make your support vision come to life. For instance, are you looking for ways to increase the quality of phone calls, provide faster solutions, ensure adherence to guidelines, or create a foundation for agent’s training and coaching? Accurately Define KPIs What KPIs are essential for your call center? Choosing optimal key performance indicators (KPIs) is the key in assessing call center performance. You will want to choose KPIs that align with your company’s mission, vision, and goals. Indicators that are considered to create the most significant impact on the desired goal must be prioritized. Some components to consider include customer service quality, protocol compliance, and agent’s problem-solving abilities, follow up service or call center etiquette. Make sure that the KPIs are clearly understood by everyone involved. Solicit the Input of Stakeholders Hold a meeting with your whole team to discuss the processes, strategies, and how you are going to execute the quality assurance process. See if anyone has inputs and recommendations to improve your plan. After all, agents are always on the front lines, dealing with customers daily so their experiences can provide valuable input that helps determine the benchmarks that make their customer interactions successful. When your whole team is actively involved in the process, you will have a better chance of adjusting behavior as people will show a stronger commitment to measuring up to the benchmarks they helped define. Determine the Call Center QA Monitoring Scorecard Criteria The effectiveness of your quality monitoring scorecard goes as far as the items included in the evaluation form. If you’re working with a poorly designed call scoring evaluation scorecard, you will eventually have inaccurate data that does not correctly assess agent performance or misses vital performance areas. Once you determine which metrics to hold your customer agents accountable to, creating QA criteria is easy. Develop a checklist taking into account the various metrics that suit your call center, your employees, and your company goals/values. Anywhere between 10 to 15 questions should be ideal. Instead of overwhelming your QA scorecard with dozens of questions, concentrate on the aspects of your team’s interactions that matter most to you. When it comes to the weighting criteria of each of the components, discuss how important each element is and from that determine how it should be weighted. Gather Data for Feedback QA analysts, team leaders, and analysts can gather invaluable data from a collection of scorecards, gaining a broad overview of the employees’ efficiency. From this data, you will have a better understanding of what opportunities are being missed, what areas demand improvement as well as where you are doing well. This paves the way for targeted training that builds your staff’s skills. Continually Review KPIs and Revise Your Plan as Necessary You’ll need to check your KPIs regularly to make sure your changes are maintaining an efficient and effective call center. Check your metrics and tweak them as desired to suit your workforce’s evolution and development. If the metrics on your scorecards fail to correlate with business goals, then you should consider updating them to reflect your company’s values and goals. Always solicit feedback from agents and communicate any changes you made as a result of their input. Multiple scorecards can be developed to evaluate calls, emails, live chats, social media engagements, or whatever elements you want to measure. Your call center scorecard is the foundation of your QA process, so take time to create a proper one that works perfectly for your unique business. With an effective call center monitoring system, your company not only benefits from improved quality scores but will also keep ahead of the competition and build a loyal following. To learn more about how Etech can optimize your current QA department, or help you develop/fine-tune your current QA Processes, feel free to contact us via our website.

The COVID-19 Chaos: How Remote Employees Can Avoid Phishing Attacks while Working from Home

As the world continues to deal with the COVID – 19 pandemic, many of us are finding ourselves working from home and maybe even going a little stir-crazy. Everyone has worked hard, even before most of the shelter-in-place orders, to ensure a large percentage of our workforce could work from home. While many of us have been blessed with the ability to realize a solution to keep going, we must also remain aware that cybercriminals are now going after remote employees through enhanced phishing techniques. A large percentage of these phishing attempts can be blocked at a corporate firewall, but some will ultimately make it through to the end user. The remote workforce must understand what to look for and not fall victim to these malicious actors! Cybercriminals are sending emails with screenshots to sites that look legitimate or embedding links to such sites. Some of the correspondence is attempting to make the site look genuine by acquiring a security certificate. However, anyone can acquire a certificate. Several of us have been told that if a website address starts off with https://, the s at the end of the http signifies the site is secure. This, however, does not mean the site is not malicious in nature. A site with an https:// does not provide any guarantees that the site is actually legitimate! Some of these websites even have a “This site is secure” statement. Specifically, it says, “The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website….” Here’s the deal: The https:// part of an address (also called “Secure Sockets Layer” or SSL) merely indicates the data being transmitted between your browser and the site is encrypted and cannot be read by a third party. However, the presence of “https://” or a padlock in the browser address bar does not mean the site is legitimate, nor is it proof the site has been secured against intrusion from hackers. In other words, while readers should never transmit sensitive information to a site that does not use https://, the presence of this security feature tells you nothing about the trustworthiness of the website in question. Here’s a sobering statistic: According to PhishLabs, by the end of 2019, roughly three-quarters (74 percent) of all phishing sites were using SSL certificates. PhishLabs found this percentage increased from 68% in Q3 and 54% in Q2 of 2019. As stated before, anyone can acquire a security certificate and use https://. Always make sure a site is legitimate prior to accessing. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated each day in their attempts to trick individuals into taking some type of bait such as clicking on a link, inputting private information into a request form, or entering a malicious site made to appear completely secure and legitimate. DO NOT FALL FOR THESE ATTEMPTS! Tips to Remember to Avoid Phishing Attacks Be cautious when opening emails Do not click on suspicious links or attachments, especially if the email was unexpected. If there is a link for a URL that looks legitimate, DO NOT CLICK THE LINK. Go to your browser and enter the URL to the actual browser bar Messages that appear urgent and state that you have a limited time to respond is a tell-tale sign of a phishing attempt If you receive a message that looks like it’s from someone you know, but appears suspicious or is asking for sensitive data, call the person or meet with them face-to-face (Facetime, MS Teams, etc.) to confirm the legitimacy of the communication Check for Spelling and Grammar errors NEVER enter credentials or other details into a form received via email or text. Cybercriminals are good at making their phishing attempts appear to come from legitimate sources such as Microsoft, Facebook, Credit Card Companies, Banks, IRS, etc. They are dependent on individuals falling for these malicious emails. Just clicking on a link or going to a site is enough to infect your system and compromise the security of your information. DO NOT FALL PREY TO THESE CRIMINALS! If you receive an email with an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is Make sure your account has been set up with multi-factor authentication (MFA). If you are unsure if MFA has been activated on your account, contact your company’s security team or IT department Report suspicious emails to the security and/or IT department of your organization As always, thanks for reading and stay safe and secure!

Wellbeing Leadership Suggestions to Fight with COVID 2019

This is an unprecedented moment worldwide. We should come together and fight this battle against the novel coronavirus with a sense of responsibility and keep calm throughout. COVID-19 has already affected people we know, our company, our customers, our communities and our countries that we care deeply about. There is no playbook for this unprecedented moment in time, not even the experts know how it will play out. Like what we are doing at Etech, leaders should play a vital role in helping organizations tackle this moment of crisis and keep their people safe. Are you leading the right way to help your people beat COVID-19 at the workplace? Here are some points we can all consider as we navigate together through this challenging time. Lead with facts, not fear The situation surrounding COVID-19 is changing minute by minute. Your job as a leader is not to make it seem any better or worse than it is but to stay informed and communicate with clarity, candor, and care. Surface and dispel rumors When we humans perceive a gap, we just try to simply fill it, but this doesn’t always suffice the situation. If we do not address ungrounded rumors with facts, this will be damaging to our people, our work culture, and our business. Don’t forget about the human connection COVID-19 is reorganizing the way many organizations think about work. As much as we want to minimize, I expect organizations worldwide will be heavily engaged in Work from Home temporary stopgaps. These social-distancing strategies make sense for flattening the growth of the virus. Yet, they can unwittingly foster employee loneliness, a loss of “team,” and erosion in the company culture. You, as leaders, cannot allow that. It would help if you continued to communicate regularly with your team members by any and all means possible. Focus on self-care . Global economist Thierry Malleret claims, “Leading a well life boosts our immune system and is, therefore, one of the possible antidotes to the virus.” We all have a responsibility to keep ourselves fine-tuned – mind, body & spirit. You can also help your team members to boost their immunity and cope with stress by encouraging them to get enough sleep, physically move throughout the day, put precise boundaries on how often they check Coronavirus media, consciously breathing when worries arise, engaging in ways to be grateful, staying connected with others, and eating well. Make plans for recovery Our people may feel so consumed by this crisis that it is hard to imagine it ending. Please continue to remind your teams that we will get through this crisis. As some countries already are seeing some light on the other side of this pandemic, now is the time for us also to not only plan our contingency but evaluate how our recovery efforts can strengthen the capabilities and wellbeing of our workforce. How can we capture real learnings uncovered during this crisis that will benefit our people, our customers, and our companies in the long run? Are there any other opportunities to seize in the chaos? As the Coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen day by day, leaders of organizations should review and summarize guidance for fighting against this pandemic. As each workplace and workforce is different, leaders should seek advice specific to their circumstances. Continue to keep your thoughts and prayers with each of your team members, their families, and loved ones during this time.

Thinking beyond Artificial Intelligence to improve the Customer Experience

When people think of departmental barriers, they tend to think of bigger organizations. The larger a company is, the more specialized it becomes, thereby deepening departmental differences. However, Forbes notes that organizations of all sizes struggle with departmental silos. This can make it almost impossible to deliver a reliable end-to-end customer experience. Many companies turn to artificial intelligence as a crutch to resolve the issue, but this is one problem that requires a stronger focus on interpersonal skills. Identifying the Source of Turf Wars Companies require harmonious interactions to maintain high productivity levels and provide a consistently good customer experience. However, turf wars are one of the biggest organizational struggles. This may stem from differences of opinion at the top management level, which trickles down to middle management and then regular employees. Note also that turf wars may stem from competition for scarce resources. Examining the Effects of the Silo Mentality The constant turf wars further drive a wedge between workers, making it more difficult for them to collaborate. Some of the problems this can create include the following: Limited sharing of information between departments Reduced efficiency in the business Lower employee morale and trust Lower productivity levels Lower customer satisfaction All of these problems need to be addressed for a company to run smoothly. However, low customer satisfaction may quickly become the highest priority. While artificial intelligence can certainly help to bridge the gap between departments, focusing on building strong relationships and changing the organizational culture may be more effective. Using Human Intellect To Destroy Silo Barriers One of the greatest aspects of human intelligence is the capacity for change. People do not act on instincts alone. They can learn, change and grow. This is the human trait that businesses need to capitalize on to break down silo barriers. Departments can then take more effective steps toward solving this problem, instead of using artificial intelligence as a crutch. Here’s how. Encourage More Transparency Transparency in an organization demystifies what goes on in different departments. Without this, employees can work for a company for years without ever really understanding how different departments fit together to bring one common vision to fruition. When employees are more aware of what each department, manager or team is responsible for, they can better reach out for assistance when they or a client’s customers need it. Make Interdepartmental Integration Seamless Sometimes a customer may call a contact center with a problem that requires an interdepartmental solution. For example, an employee may have upgraded a subscription, but a glitch in the system led to two charges: the original price and the upgraded price. The finance department will need to provide a refund. The tech team will need to address the glitch. The customer service rep may then act as a liaison. Companies may use artificial intelligence to automate updates to the customer as well as the feedback process. Create More Interdepartmental Goals Companies too often create goals backed by incentives that pitch employees, teams, and departments against each other. Instead, managers should work together to create goals that require collaboration across the board. For example, a company may decide to improve efficiency by 10% in 180 days. To achieve this, they may task the engineers with improving the functions of applications that rely on artificial intelligence, such as data analytics and chatbots. Engineers would need to work with customer service reps to find out more about the customer experience and their concerns. Provide Opportunities for Socializing When it comes to solving serious problems like low customer satisfaction and reduced employee productivity, social gatherings are the last thing on a manager’s mind. However, social events can help to reduce some of the tension between departments by compelling people to get to know each other better in a more relaxed setting. Companies can increase the likelihood of this on a daily basis by providing more interdepartmental common areas. The Bottom Line When It Comes to Silos Companies across multiple industries rely on artificial intelligence to help them tie all the different aspects of a business together. AI also helps them to transform the customer experience for the better. However, AI alone cannot save a business from itself. Managers must encourage interdepartmental collaboration to break down internal barriers. Until this happens, a company’s divisiveness will continue to reflect in increased call transfers and overall confusion when handling customer requests. At Etech, we believe combing a mix of human intelligence & Artificial Intelligence is the key to tackle the damaging effects of silos. By focusing more on cooperating across departments, we are better able to serve our clients and their customers. Contact us today for more information. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

How does Your Company Culture Impact Your Overall Business?

When you want your business profits to grow, if you are like many businesses you probably re-evaluate your strategy and cut expenses where you can. When it comes to delivering for your stakeholders there is one critical element that can trump all others: company culture. Contrary to what some business owners may believe, company culture is more than just a buzzword. Your team is your business, and so serving those you have the previlige to lead by creating and supporting a great company culture must be the priority. Not convinced? Companies that focus on creating a positive culture tend to earn more than their competitors. No doubt why Peter Drucker is known for this famous quote, “culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Here’s how prioritizing a positive company culture can help your business grow. Positive Company Culture Increases Employee Retention and Decreases Turnover Simply put, employees who are happier at work are less likely to quit. While you can find replacement employees, running a business with a high turnover rate can quickly become expensive. Each time you need to hire someone new, your business must invest in advertising; spend time interviewing and evaluating applicants…not to mention the high cost of training. When an employee quits, there’s always the question of how other workers will make up for their absence. More often than not, being understaffed negatively impacts the productivity of your remaining employees. This can decrease company morale. Depending on your industry, you also may need to pay overtime to make sure your company stays on track. The result of high turnover is a combination of overworked, less productive employees, and increased operational costs — two things any business wants to avoid. Great Culture Makes Employees More Productive Employees who feel appreciated aren’t just less likely to quit — they also are more likely to be more productive at work. One study even found that workers who are unhappy at work are, on average, 10 percent less productive than happy employees. It’s a logical conclusion; when employees feel their company doesn’t care about them, they’re less likely to go the extra mile for their company. Of course, culture isn’t the only thing that impacts employee happiness. Adequate pay, health benefits, having a worthwhile cause, sense of community, development opportunities and the ability to achieve work-life balance are important factors as well. But if you want to make sure you’re running a productive company, taking steps to ensure a welcoming environment and overall employee satisfaction is a vital place to start. Great Culture Facilitates Development In a company environment that emphasizes the negative, employees may feel defensive and closed off when it comes time to review performance. However, if your company has adopted a supportive culture of coaching, your employees are more likely to be open. It’s important for your team to know how much you care. A healthy company culture leverages and praises strengths while offering a framework for employee development and growth. If employees sense that you’re willing to invest in them (rather than criticize their weaknesses), they’re more likely to react positively to constructive feedback. A growth-focused work environment also facilitates employee engagement, which usually results in a focused workforce of people who are self-motivated to respond to coaching and improve impacting your bottom line. Great Culture Supports Unity and Brand Recognition A clearly defined company culture has a host of benefits for your employees. Still, it also has the potential to positively shape the way your company appears to customers and clients. When your employees feel your company values are present and know they are more than just words on a wall, they’re more likely to live them. This translates to a focused, unified community that inspires confidence in your customers, making them more likely to want to grow with you. Great Culture Fosters Open Communication While a positive company culture makes it easier for your employees to improve, it also offers opportunities for you to improve the working environment. For instance, many businesses have begun adopting an open office style. In some cases, this is a good thing — it makes collaboration more comfortable, and it helps employees feel like part of a team. It also makes it easier for employees to get to know one another, which can improve morale. On the other hand, open offices also can compromise focus and productivity as they increase distraction risk. Ultimately, the personalities of your employees and the nature of the work they do should dictate which environment is best. If your company has adopted a healthy and communicative culture, you can talk to your employees to determine which setting they prefer. In a culture that’s more closed off, it can be not very easy to get honest answers from those who work for you. When you and your employees can communicate honestly, it leads to better working conditions for everyone, which almost always translates to improved culture, results and profits. The Bottom Line In a business world where many owners and managers value profit above all, it’s easy to disregard the importance of company culture. However, with 20 years of experience in focusing on servant leadership and creating a great company culture at Etech, we have seen the tangible benefits of a motivated, more engaged and happier workforce. When you take meaningful steps towards creating a positive company culture, you’ll come closer to creating a working environment your employees look forward to coming to, as well as a business they’re proud to work for. Find out more about what it takes to create a positive culture in your company today. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Top Human Resources Trends That Are Driving Efficiency in 2020

We live in a constantly evolving era of innovation and change, and this is no different when it comes to the Human Resources. However, to keep up with HR innovations and the latest HR trends in 2020 while managing your daily work is an exhaustive task. Sounds familiar? Don’t worry! In this blog, we will discuss a summarized picture of the latest Human Resource trends that are driving efficiency at the organizational level. Read on to navigate through the popular topics within HR today. Artificial Intelligence meets Human Resources There are many simple AI applications available today for the recruitment and hiring process. They are useful in reducing recruitment timelines and also help in candidate screening. The experts believe that AI is helping to predict when to start hiring people for a specific department and not end up with any unfulfilled positions during critical times. With AI in place, the HR operations run very smoothly, and people get more done instead of drowning in paperwork. Artificial Intelligence is capable of tracking operations to help HR remain on top of things and create valuable insights by suggesting actionable strategies based on data. With the beginning of 2020, the companies around the world, big and small, have started to use AI in Human Resources extensively. Strategic Thinking is In-House HR’s New Core Competence Recently, a report by the Economic Intelligence revealed why C-suite executives partner with HR to drive growth. In support of that, many experts mentioned that HR needs to increase its strategic value to the business. This includes HR’s ability to make accurate projections depending on understanding the business goals and using metrics that are more than just lagging indicators. With the beginning of 2020, experts believe that this strategic role could never be outsourced. This planning requires in-house expertise. With such a development in Human Resources, there are new job titles created, and HR professionals are soon transforming into HR Business Professionals who not only understand HR implications but also know what business operations and strategies are. To Manage a Remote Workforce is the New Norm Without any doubt, most Human Resources departments are increasingly tackling the challenge of managing a remote workforce. The experts have pointed out that companies should leverage employees where and when they are most productive and impactful – even if it means that they are present in the other corners of the world. But, remote management is not a skill you can pick up and follow. It is a growing challenge to HR managers who need to become better at managing people at a distance. Hence, education and development of resources in this area is critical. New technologies are now used to analyze work production instead of working time. With that, there are more analytical results, and businesses are expecting HR to produce result-driven performance analysis. Increasing Focus on Employees Traditionally, employees have always been seen as a cost rather than appreciated as the most significant source of revenue. By 2020, most of us have realized that nobody has the first-hand experience of a company’s structure, systems, products, and services like the employees. They can not only tell what works and what doesn’t, but they also have the ability to accelerate the changes by getting themselves engaged in the process. Hence, in 2020, the HR department is expected to direct its focus on both employee empowerment and appreciation. Not HR Generalists, HR Specialists are Back Again Janine Truitt, Chief Innovations Officer of Talent Think Innovations, said that a cyclical shift is going to happen soon in the HR field. She explained, “Every decade or so, we fluctuate back and forth from the paradigm of the independent contributor/specialist to the generalist practitioner. We were in a ‘generalist’ mode, and now I think the pendulum may be swinging back toward the specialist.” To put it bluntly: “The designation known as ‘HR generalist’ will soon disappear from the organizations.” There are more specialized roles now, and that is continuing in 2020.The employment landscape has become more involved with changing regulations around employment law and benefit compliance with the Affordable Care Act being one example. Human Resources is Virtual Reality Driven Now If we think about the most famous examples of the successful use of Virtual Reality (VR), the use of this technology by The British Army to overcome its recruitment challenges is one. The results of using this technology have been an increase in applications of 65% in the first month the campaign ran, and a rise of 41% in the second month, respectively. VR is used as a part of the screening process for other hands-on roles too. The tailored VR experiences help select the most efficient candidates pre-interview. Next, when it comes to the interview stage, VR lets candidates demonstrate their practical skills. If a particular role demands a lot of on-the-job training, it can be smart to invest in VR. In a Nutshell The year 2020 brings new developments in Human Resources. Today’s HR professionals should keep learning, take risks, and network to remain updated with what’s new in the HR in order to evaluate what’s right for their companies. If you are an HR professional reading this blog, don’t wait anymore! Come and join us, you will be a part of one such organization that can develop you to get ahead of the curve; learn about the latest HR trends and your industry, your competitors, and pending legislation that affects the business operations.

Reaching Millennials Through Servant Leadership

Though the servant leadership style came into existence several decades ago, the values this approach embraces are still applicable today. In fact, the majority of today’s team members likely view leadership by serving as an effective, approachable style. More than one third of the American workforce is comprised of Millennials, and that percentage may rise to 50% by 2020. Many of the leadership skills organizations have long held as the ideal are now the likely the expectation of most of your team. Immediacy A genuine interest in your team members’ wellbeing is one aspect of servant leadership that Millennials look for in a leader. One way to communicate interest is being consistently available to them and willing to listen. When surveyed on what they consider hallmarks of success, 58% of Millennials factor in work-life balance, but they don’t tend to completely check out of one before engaging in the other. Instead, they want their leaders to understand them as whole people, supporting them in the pursuit of personal as well as professional goals. Engagement Another quality of a good leader is the ability to foster engagement among team members. Millennials don’t just want to do a job to get a paycheck. They want leaders to recognize their strengths, thus giving them the opportunity to do what they do best every day. One leadership quality that is often overlooked is the ability to outline job expectations clearly, but this is an important step in helping your team feel ownership in the work they’re doing. Millennials who don’t feel engaged are unlikely to be motivated to stick around for long. They thrive on going the extra mile, and servant leadership sets them up for success by modeling the goals to which they are expected to aspire. Development Professional development is a keystone quality of good leader tactics. While you want your team members to be fulfilled by the work they’re currently doing, you also want to encourage them to adopt a growth mindset. Many leaders, in an effort to encourage their team, will look for opportunities to praise any effort they make toward learning a new skill. Millennials, however, tend to value being recognized more for their accomplishments rather than just the steps they take in getting there. Servant leadership aids the growth process by providing the tools team members need to further their own leadership development. For example, Ernst & Young report that 74% of Millennials consider having a manager and coworkers who support their choice to work flexibly to pursue personal and professional goals to be an important factor of job satisfaction. Investing in the development of your team can enhance their performance and inspire innovations that make your organization stronger. Collaboration Your millennial team members may be skeptical of managers who try to use their institutional power to get their own way. One way to minimize the power struggles that your team is likely to find off-putting and unproductive is to foster a collaborative environment. Millennials often thrive in communal environments, so making decisions as a group is a good habit to adopt. They are more likely to have buy-in to a decision to which they contributed. Servant leadership involves having the humility to value the input of your team. Communication All team members benefit from consistent and informative communication, but different generations may have very different ideas about how that looks. While older generations may be more comfortable with face-to-face communication, most Millennials are digital natives. They have never known a world that doesn’t involve the opportunity for constant connection through email, social media and other forms of technology. As a result, they tend to be highly competent with these methods and value the convenience they add to communication with the team. They also tend to be acutely aware of the need for downtime when they aren’t available online and are thus valuable sources of information on how to make digital communication more efficient and effective While servant leadership is not a new management style, it can be quite effective with your millennial team members. It breaks down the power hierarchy that puts up walls between managers and their teams, allowing for better communication and more consistent engagement across the board. The more flexible you can be with your team, the better input you are going to get when you are trying to make new decisions. Does your organization strive to reach the maximum of Generation Y? Be a true servant leader and make a remarkable difference in the lives of the people you touch every day. With servant leadership, you can go beyond just driving their professional satisfaction. Explore my blog on Etech, where I have discussed how practicing this great leadership style at the organizational level can help improve your people’s personal lives too.

5 Ways Servant Leadership Improves Employee Engagement

Perhaps visions of a powerful person making the rules, enforcing company policies, and always having the final say come to mind when picturing a manager. Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership is a type of leadership style that rarely views their employees as partners. Perhaps you’ve worked within an organization with this type of leadership. Servant leadership takes those ingrained ideas of management and creates a new path and style for leading others. If an organization lacks engagement, motivation or skills to reach their fullest potential, the leadership quality within the organization should be examined. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for engaging and motivating each member of a team, however; growing evidence suggests focusing on servant leadership, for all levels of the organization make a positive mark on employee engagement. Understanding Servant Leadership and Employee Engagement Before fully grasping how servant leadership impacts levels of employee engagement within a company, you must understand how these two things are separate from one another. The idea of servant leadership measures the quality of a good leader based on employees putting the needs of others above their own. Servant leaders look at the needs and work diligently to ensure those needs are met. Leaders who put the philosophies of servant leadership into action choose to serve first and lead second. Employee engagement is often an idea that becomes confused with employee motivation and happiness. These are all different things. Team members may be happy at the moment or possess current motivation to complete their jobs or tasks, but things like happiness and motivation are fleeting. Employees are engaged when they harbor an emotional connection and commitment to the goals of the company. Engaged team members believe the organization’s goals are important and they feel compelled and find satisfaction in carrying out their own responsibilities to ensure these goals are met. Simply put, they care about both the company and the work they perform. If a company wishes to bolster its own employee engagement, looking to servant leadership could be the key to making positive change. Servant leaders display a number of identifying characteristics. Read on to explore how five of these leadership skills are connected to employee engagement levels. The Value of Listening Servant leaders display a deep interest in understanding the needs of employees. Employees learn more about those needs through listening intently. Servant leaders value the ideas and opinions of others, and when they take the time to truly listen, employees feel their needs and suggestions matter, thereby bolstering engagement in the workplace. Displaying a Caring Nature Servant leaders tend to show team members empathy, display concern and offer kindness. These actions help employees feel valued and create a sense of belonging. When team members feel the leaders in their workplace care about them as individuals and aren’t simply concerned about the company’s bottom line, a sense of belonging and acceptance blossoms. This paves the way for increased engagement as employees model this behavior. Recognizing the Value of People Servant leaders find value in team members and in the work each of them performs. No matter the job function, all members of an organization bring some form of value. The benefits of putting others first transfer over to nearly any industry, but studies have been conducted to pinpoint the effect of servant leadership in fields known to incubate lowered employee engagement and high levels of burnout, specifically construction work and food service. These studies found a positive correlation between servant-style leadership, increased engagement and lowered levels of burnout, and it’s likely these results transfer to nearly any professional field. Trusting the Team If the team experiences success, the servant leader acknowledges such and recognizes achievements without taking the credit for themselves. In the event of failure, the servant leader takes the opportunity to help team members reflect and grow from the experience. This sense of trust leaves teams feeling competent and empowered. Showing Humility Servant leaders don’t need to take the credit for a team effort. Instead, they are humble and open to learning from others. They provide quality leadership development for employees so that each team member receives the support and coaching needed for growth and promotion. When team members at all levels feel they have the potential to grow within the company, employee engagement blooms as well. When looking for solutions to manage customer experience, choose a reliable partner that values servant leadership. Etech understands that placing value on team members equates to both an engaged team and satisfied, happy customers. Contact Etech to discover the services to help you retain customers and grow your business.

What are the Guiding Principles for Outsourcing Your Customer Service?

Excellent customer service is an integral part of every business. Whether your company deals in retail or offers specific services, consumers look for a convenient and flexible means of contacting the business. At Etech, we strive to provide exceptional customer engagement solutions for our clients. Hence, we have a deep understanding of what exactly customers expect out of an organization. However, not all businesses have an idea of the same. Also, there are small and medium scale businesses that struggle to have the time, funds, or resources to build their in-house customer service center or have outgrown the capacity. For all such companies, customer support outsourcing is a great option. We, at Etech, have a hands-on experience of years on helping such businesses with extraordinary customer support. Well, the decision to outsource customer service is ultimately an integral one for businesses. If your organization doesn’t suffice the customer service needs and you want to outsource, there are certain proven benefits of that. You don’t have to hire and/or train new employees with an outsourced provider. Also, your business will ultimately employ the knowledge and skills of experts who are adept at customer service. However, how can you make your decision about outsourcing the customer service the best one? Below are some guiding principles that you should keep in mind while you outsource the customer service for your organization: Know the Right Time to Outsource Before you finalize your decision to outsource your customer service, you should first consider the best time for your organization to make this big move. If you think there is a significant change going on in your company or if it is experiencing fast-paced growth, this is when you should think about outsourcing your customer support. The outsourcing contact center will ensure your customers are taken care of while your organization can focus on the ongoing internal rapid developments. Make the Most Out of the Outsourced Customer Service It’s crucial to understand and implement the right approach to manage outsourced customer service. Your organization might already have a customer service team in place; however, you are not maintaining the best practice. In such a scenario, you should speak to an outsourced expert company to know what works best. This can be a useful step if your internal support team needs to focus elsewhere. Also, a third-party customer service team can fill the gap if your support team is not staffed rightly. It will help if you think the outsourced team as an extension of your in-house team, rather than as an individual entity with increased domain expertise. Ask for Quality Control Call management (CMS) IT solutions play a significant role in managing inbound and outbound calls efficiently. These can be helpful in monitoring and analyze the call activity to ensure continuous improvement. If you are planning to outsource your customer support, it’s always better to opt for such a company that includes this, too, especially if your business is already handling a high volume of phone call interactions. CMS IT can be highly useful to assess your business’ operational contact center issues and figure out the right ways to resolve them. Quality Control is a big deal! Make Sure to Exceed Customer Expectations Customers expect faster online responses from brands. According to The Social Habit’s survey, 32% of customers expect to get a response within 30 minutes. Only 10% will prefer to wait for 60 minutes. Hence, either way, the answer must be at least within an hour. Otherwise, your organizations will fall short of customers’ expectations. Therefore, when you are outsourcing your customer support, make sure the outsourced team is meeting this requirement. It’s only then your organization will be able to stand out. Look for Social Media Customer Service Customers no longer prefer to call a hotline. Your brand must engage in social media to attain maximum customer satisfaction. Any outsourced customer service provider will typically have the tools for online and call responses. You must consider them to focus on both forms of communication, as today’s customer mainly interacts online. Moreover, social media customer service is a much affordable investment. Forbes reports state that social media only cost $ 1 per interaction. With that, you can enjoy lower costs, and once done right, you can enjoy huge profits. Summing Up Want to outsource your organization’s customer support? Look for a contact center with extensive experience and expertise like Etech. We offer customized customer engagement solutions to fit organizations’ specific requirements. Contact Etech to explore its inbound, outbound, live chat, and quality monitoring solutions, and learn how they can benefit your business, your team, and, ultimately, your customers.

Project Management: Backbone of Call Center

Project management is the backbone of businesses. Managers are responsible for more than just managing people. To add to the need for managing regular business operations, there are often separate projects that require special attention, such as starting a new marketing project for a call center. But what is project management? In a general sense, it refers to the organizing and managing tasks from start to finish for a particular venture. The project manager is responsible for mapping out the process it will take to bring the project to completion, detailing the necessary resources, sourcing who and what is needed, and ensuring all goes according to plan. Though this is the general idea of how call center project management works, keep in mind that every case is different. Here are the five phases that professionals can tweak to fit the individual needs of their various projects. Project Initiation This is the make it or break it phase of a project, where project managers must put the original concept to the test. Here, project managers measure both the purpose and potential benefits of the call center project. This requires the use of two primary tools for evaluation, namely a feasibility study and a business case document. The business case document takes a close look at the purpose behind the proposal and attempts to prove why it is needed. The feasibility tool is used to determine whether or not the company has the resources at hand to support the project and ensure it meets the goals. Projects that do not pass these two tests should be discarded. Project Planning If management decides that the proposed project is profitable and feasible, then the planning phase begins. At this point, project managers take stock of all the moving parts and construct a plan for execution. Even the best-proposed ideas will fail without a solid plan, so this is an important aspect of project management. Below are some aspects of a project that must be taken into consideration: Overlapping tasks Tasks that are dependent on the completion of other tasks The order in which particular tasks must be completed The time estimates for each task Additionally, the project manager must include plans for securing the necessary resources and an estimated time for project delivery. Project Execution Here, the project plan is put to the test as team members begin to carry out what is outlined. Depending on the size of the project, there may be project leaders who are responsible for managing smaller groups. This helps to reduce the need for the manager to handle every detail of the project. Instead, the project manager will be focused on the following phase of this project. It is well to note that the success of this phase relies heavily on regular and clear communication among everyone working on the project. This ensures a smooth transition from one milestone to the next. Project Management and Control It now becomes the role of the project manager to ensure there is little to no deviation from the original plan. This helps to ensure the project is completed on time and within the budget. However, – obstacles often arise that were not originally accounted for, which may result in the project manager returning to phase two several times. Some obstacles may also be outside the project manager’s control, such as natural disasters or the CEO pulling funding at the last minute. Project Closure If activities progressed according to plan, the project should have been completed on time. However, contrary to popular belief, the actual completion of the project does not mark the end of the project management cycle; there is still more work to be done. Good project managers collect information in this final phase to see how to better approach the next project. Surveys may be used to ask about communication, clarity of goals, and other key aspects. The project manager will also consider how well the project stayed within time and monetary budget constraints. Following this, a full report is issued to the interested parties. Project management is not just the key to maintaining the status quo, but the source of innovation. When applied effectively, it can also help to increase company efficiency by shortening some of the product cycles and processes that tack on the additional cost in time and money to key business operations. In fact, Forbes notes that without proper management, companies waste roughly 10% of output. Are you interested in learning how call center project management may benefit your business? Reach out to Etech today. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

IT Security Breach: How Can You Fight Back Against It?

As cybercriminals find new ways to infiltrate an organization’s private data stores, we are seeing an increasing number of breaches being reported in the news. When a breach has the potential to affect organizations, it must be ensured that the facts are communicated to the teams through the release of an emailed Security Brief. If the breach is critical, organizations must opt to send a Security Alert that will come in the form of an email as well as an SMS. Two recent breaches have been announced by Zynga Inc. and DoorDash. Zynga Breach: What Happened? On September 12, 2019, Zynga Inc., an online interactive gaming company, announced they’d recently discovered that certain player account information may have been illegally accessed by outside hackers. Although Zynga has not yet addressed the scope, media reports indicate that the hacker claims to have breached the data of more than 200 million players of Zynga games, including Draw Something and Words with Friends accounts on both Android and iOS platforms. Players who installed and signed up to play Words with Friends before September 3, 2019 may be affected. It has been reported that Words with Friends player data that has potentially been compromised includes: Name Email addresses Login IDs Hashed and salted passwords Phone numbers, where provided Password reset tokens if one had ever been requested Facebook IDs, if connected to the social media platform Zynga account IDs Zynga has opened an investigation into the breach and has contacted law enforcement. A press release was sent out that states some of the details as well as the steps the company is taking to protect these users’ accounts from invalid logins. DoorDash On September 26, 2019, DoorDash, the food delivery company, confirmed an unauthorized third-party service gained access to user data on May 4, 2019. Consumers, delivery drivers, and merchants who joined the DoorDash platform on or before April 5, 2018, are affected in this breach. The type of information potentially compromised could include: Profile information including: Name Email address Delivery address Order history Phone numbers Hashed and salted passwords For some consumers, the last 4 digits of consumer payment cards (the company stated this information was insufficient to make fraudulent charges). For some delivery drivers and merchants, the last 4 digits of bank account numbers (similarly, the company stated this information was insufficient to make fraudulent withdrawals). Approximately 100,000 delivery drivers also had their driver’s license numbers accessed. In a statement on the DoorDash website, the company said it has taken appropriate measures to block the unauthorized third-party and further secure consumer’s data. It will notify those who have been affected directly What should you do if you think you may have been affected? Change your Passwords. You will especially want to change any passwords you have that may be associated with the breached organizations. Set up Credit Monitoring and monitor for changes in your credit file. Added accounts you did not authorize. Collections for accounts you are unaware of. Etc. Credit Karma is a good freeware credit monitoring solution. If you believe you have been affected, you can opt to freeze your credit. You can put a freeze on your credit report and prevent unauthorized individuals from opening an account in your name. Certain credit cards such as Discover will also allow you to lock and unlock an account. Monitor your bank account and credit card activity. Always remain alert. Keep an eye open for scammers that may be trying to contact you.

4 Proven Strategies to Transform Your Organization’s Workforce Management

To improve the workforce is a constant goal of almost all businesses. If we evaluate the present and peer into the past and expected future by a close analysis of the latest workforce management trends, what emerges as a common objective throughout is nothing but creating a better experience for employees, leading to more efficiency. The quality of the workforce that any organization possesses has a direct impact on the brand’s bottom line; the success of a business crucially depends on how the employees feel about the brand. Hence, workforce management plays an important role in the overall reputation of any brand. And that’s the reason why leaders consider workforce management as one of the essential keys to a company’s success. Workforce Management encompasses everything from scheduling to how an organization compensates its people to what are the benefits it provides. In this article, we will discuss the effective strategies of workforce management that can drive the highest employee satisfaction and a company’s operational excellence too. Read on Focus on Internal Branding A competent workforce management strategy is all about focusing on all the activities that are crucial to manage and sustain a productive, cost-effective, and happy workforce. And, a productive workforce is nothing but an engaged one, which results in striking outcomes like reduced operational costs because of decreased absenteeism and lower staff turnover. It has been observed that the engaged employees do more work in less time, take responsibilities for their roles, and prove consistently excellent customer service. Companies must strive for highly engaged employees, and one integral element of this is internal branding. Hence, organizations should not solely focus on the exterior; it is vital to sell the brand from inside first, to the most important ones: your people. This way, the employees take no time to become the brand ambassadors and a company’s best form of advertising. Encourage More Communications and Interactions One of the significant ways to improve workforce management is by developing an interactive relationship between the management and employees. Also, to encourage more socialization between coworkers does wonder. When it comes to communication between coworkers in today’s organizations, a collaborative approach is gaining a lot of traction. Your organization should encourage employees to communicate and share ideas of one another instead of just merely sitting quietly at their desks all day. With this shared approach, there can be better employee engagement that, in turn, leads to higher productivity. Also, you must include some workforce management software solutions in the process. It will help employees communicate and share information in real-time, irrespective of whether they are working remotely or from a separate location in the office premises. According to the business professor and author Dave Ulrich, technology is all about connections, not just contacts. He said, “HR technology helps employees attach to feel a sense of belonging through personal relationships.” An emotional connection or attachment doesn’t stem simply from the feeling of belonging, but also the meaning and identity. Moreover, with the right analytics driven from the workforce management software, you will always be updated on which employees are performing extraordinarily and who are falling behind. When it comes to healthy workforce management, regular, informal meetings between leaders and employees are crucial. These can be more person-centered and seem to be less strict or pressured. In such meetings, the leaders can casually discuss issues and solutions with employees while they gain one-on-one attention. Offer Flexibility It should be one of your top priorities to offer flexible work timings to the employees. With a strict 9-to-5 grind, professionals end up being frustrated. Instead, if they work on flexible hours, can take phone calls during their commute, or take meetings outside of the office hours, it helps the employees maintain the work-life balance, and they, in turn, become more productive. The organizations should aim to improve the work-life balance of their employees by giving them more freedom to choose on when and where they should work, with reason. It is true that the millennials are driving today’s workforce remarkably, and they look for a better balance between work and life with a flexible workplace. Hence, your business should strive to keep them happy, and, ultimately, they understand your business better. However, if the employees have flexible working hours, and they can work from outside the office too, an ideal workforce management must include certain viable technologies to keep a track of the time they worked, rather than just knowing when an employee punches and in and out. This process might vary depending on your business, but you should undoubtedly have an effective one. Focus More on Middle Management Often, businesses end up making one common mistake, and that is emphasizing their finance and efforts on only the C-suite executive and new employees. However, those who are there in the middle are left quite neglected. Well, the actual scenario should be not like so. The middle-management employees are the ones who usually have the highest impact on the overall performance of an organization. They relay strategies from the executive team and ensure the employees understand what should be exactly done and the crucial requirements of a business. Hence, it makes an integral part of the workforce management to focus more on middle managers. With that, a company can develop more leaders within the organization. Ultimately, it will result in retaining and promoting employees who are actually performing well and already understand how the company works and its vision, goals, and strategies. To discover how Etech’s workforce management solutions can help your company grow, get in touch with us today and allow us to provide you with the freedom to focus on profitability.

Servant Leadership: An Ideal Approach to Enhance Job Satisfaction in Employees

Satisfied employees work harder and better. This adage has been repeated over and over again in business psychology courses across the US. Yet, many companies continue to fail at the task of creating satisfied employees. At Etech, we take this principle seriously. Through trial and error, we have determined the following is the key to creating happy employees: Servant Leadership. Etech invests significantly every year to ensure that our entire leadership team is trained and challenged on the principles of Servant leadership. As with the anything, the proof is the outcome. Our results speak for themselves! What is Servant Leadership? Servant leadership first made its emergence as a leadership style when the term was coined in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf. Since then, it has grown to an internationally accepted leadership style because it creates unmatched performance results. Servant leaders put their employees first. The revolutionary leadership style flips the traditional power hierarchy of a company upside down. Instead of a leader sitting isolated at the top, employees are placed at the top, and the leader is held responsible for serving them. Leaders are tasked with putting employees first and considering how to uplift and empower the employees that work for them. Their role as a leader is redefined, and instead of commanding or intimidating employees, they show humility and work to develop the potential of their employees to create a higher sense of purpose. As an employee, this may sound like a highly desirable situation, but what’s in it for the leader? CEO of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership Pat Falotico describes it as “magic.” When you put the employee first, their performance increases exponentially. For decades researchers in knowledge management and business psychology have been preaching that valued employees perform better. The proof is in the data. Study upon study shows that employees that are supported and valued return the favor with high rates of satisfaction and performance. Servant leadership positively impacts employees and allows them the freedom to reach their career performance goals. How Do You Create Servant Leaders? The process of creating serving leaders does not happen overnight. Etech began this journey in 2009 and continues. Many people who have achieved leadership roles were trained in competitive atmospheres. Creating Servant leaders is a process that requires retraining and adopting a new approach to interpersonal relations. It is not impossible, but it does require looking within to identify how you can alter your personal qualities to become more dedicated to service in the workplace. Former president of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, Larry C. Spears identified ten qualities of a Servant Leader. They are an excellent place to start if you want to learn how servant leadership impacts employees. 10 Qualities of a Servant Leader Studying the ten qualities of a Servant leader helps a leader learn how to prioritize employees’ needs over their own. Short term, the focus is on serving employees better, long term, the goal is to increase satisfaction levels and performance goals. Listening It’s not enough to listen to what your employees are saying, you need to hear what they are telling you truly. Servant leaders are committed to giving their employees their full attention and demonstrating that they understand the importance of what they are being told. While listening, show you are considering their information by taking notes, looking at their body language, and offering immediate feedback. Healing To be useful as a leader or an employee, people need to be emotionally healthy and whole. Not all employees will come to you in a fully healed state. Servant leaders are aware that people may need to support mentally and physically. Have a directory of resources in place to offer people the support, resources, and knowledge they need to do their job effectively. In addition, Servant leadership requires leaders to ensure their workplace is a healthy and engaging environment for employees to prosper within. Empathy Servant leaders understand that perspectives and viewpoints can differ widely, so they put aside their thoughts while listening to others. This allows them to be more empathic and gain a deeper understanding of their employees’ intentions. Conceptualization Conceptualization is a quality that allows you always to see the bigger picture. It is easy for leaders to get caught up in the day-to-day shuffle, but it is more important to understand the long term mission and vision of your company. Etech reminds its leadership team to stay focused on our long-term objectives to make sure that our employees’ and teams’ daily work align with the vision. A long-term focus helps everyone remain motivated and avoid unnecessary distractions. Self-Awareness Before becoming a Servant leader, an employee needs to be able to look deeply at their behavior and emotions to see how they affect others. Many people in the modern world are only concerned with how they feel, but a servant leader is more concerned with how their behavior is affecting others. As part of self-awareness, servant leaders readjust their behavior to be sure that it affects employees positively. This ensures that their actions and emotions remain aligned with deeper values. Developing emotional intelligence is an invaluable tool for a Servant leader. Persuasion A Servant Leader does not demand that their employees fall in line but instead encourages people to work towards a group consensus. Everyone must believe in decisions for them to become useful tools in the workplace. Building Community A cornerstone of Servant leadership is that the organization is not a place of business, but instead a unique community. As a leader, it is your job to create a community that your employees want to be a part of. You can do this by offering plenty of interactive experiences such as social events and daily social chat before meetings are underway. Many employees will spend more time at work than they will with their family; the goal of a servant leader is to build a second work family that welcomes and comforts

What are the Important Operations Management Trends to Follow?

Call center operations are vital to the success of any business enterprise. Representatives in these pivotal positions are often the first line of contact with the consumer, meaning the client’s first impression of corporate vision and culture is through a chat or phone conversation. Therefore, it is crucial that these interactions are well-crafted and do not put off potential customers. The best way to ensure satisfaction and control is to enlist the most updated tools in operations management. The following five trends offer the most support and significance to contact center operations. Artificial Intelligence There is no need to fear artificial intelligence. The technology is not a threat to employment but rather a useful tool to aid in the management and collection of essential client information. Many call center operations use chatbots and automated voice systems to help sort through the incoming call logs. This in no way eliminates the human element. AI systems assist call operations by providing consumers with the most frequently requested information, which enables contact center employees to spend more time with customers who really need it; this is especially helpful for IT assistants. However, any company currently operating will find great value in the implementation of some AI elements for their contact solutions. Serverless Computing and Cloud Storage Upgrades to infrastructure are necessary for all business operations, including call center operations. Through the integration of serverless computing and a reduction in data centers, companies will be able to conduct business at a more rapid pace without the need for redundant operations. These tools are especially useful to contact center workers because much of their job involves the repeated entry of data and the repetitive use of forms. If any of these operations can be sped up, then these individuals can perform complex tasks in less time and assist more clients in a single day. Automating Processes Automating contact points or call center operations is not the same as eliminating the human element of your business. Instead, it is aimed at improving efficiency through the use of improved software and tools. For example, reservations, check-ins, even translations once ate up significant amounts of time, but now, with advanced technology, these things can coincide in chatbot windows without needing to distract employees or take away time from customers. Beyond improving customer relations, tools for automating processes will also have a tremendous effect on internal communications, scheduling, group messaging and other operational processes that directly affect the day-to-day corporate culture. Mobile and Digital Communications Cell phones, tablets, laptops are all signs of the growing trend of mobility. While it has been a trend for some time, the technology and abilities of smaller and smaller devices to carry out complex tasks has made mobile and digital communications an essential part of any growing business model. Also, Call center operations are heavily rooted in communications, which is why mobile and digital platforms serve as the cornerstone of successful contact centers. However, not every company is on-board or updated on these current trends. Some critical elements of a mobile platform are team apps, client portals, accessibility, messaging and other features targeted toward frontline and remote workers. Culture and Workplace Experience Beyond the technological advancements necessary for call center operations, over the last two decades, it has become overwhelmingly clear that managing call center operations are also about developing and nurturing a positive culture. The benefits of an influential company culture have long been known, but only as the world has taken a closer look at work-life balance have businesses really understood what it means to be a team. A healthy team atmosphere establishes an identity and improves employee retention, which is critical in call centers. Also, when a team mentality is correctly developed, it enhances the level of satisfaction people have in the workplace, allowing them to be more productive with their time and energy. Call center operations are a crucial element of any business, but they must be nurtured. It is not enough for an operator to simply answer the phone anymore. Customers expect more, and team members deserve more, especially when there are technologies that can significantly increase productivity and effectiveness. However, implementing such a change is not easy and demands a skill set that not every company has on-hand. Therefore, when your contact center solutions are lacking an expert in the field, contact Etech Global Services. With over 20 years of experience, Etech understands the shifting trends and growing need for effective and efficient call center services. Contact a representative and find out what they can do for you. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

How Can You Benefit Your Call Center Operations with Social Media?

Managing call center operations can be a challenging role in today’s highly social and digital environment. Comments, downvotes, unlikes, and there are many other trends for showing dissatisfaction with a company. Unfortunately, most traditional call center operations are not equipped to handle the growing and evolving criticisms from social media platforms and networks. However, to be effective in this current cultural climate, it is more necessary now than ever before to adapt to the times and grow with your customer base. Therefore, the days of being closed off with only a toll-free number for customer contact are over. Your business must embrace these new platforms, even if only through your contact center operations. There are at least six ways that your call operations will benefit from adopting social networks, and the millions of people using those platforms. Easy Customer Interaction When a company has a social media presence, it allows consumers multiple ways to contact them, which is necessary for creating an approachable brand. More often than not, consumers approach companies on these platforms to express their praise for them. While this praise is nice, it is not the most critical factor to consider when creating the social media presence for your business. By providing multiple avenues for contact, you are demonstrating an eagerness to interact with your consumer base, which ultimately increases brand loyalty. Mobile Capabilities While call center operations have traditionally focused on telecommunications, now it is equally important to focus on mobile capabilities and accessibility. Consumers want businesses to think about the convenience to the customer. Therefore, having chats and email support are crucial to contact center solutions. Also, when companies embrace mobile and technological capabilities, it becomes easier for call center team members to perform their daily duties. For example, when a bot can sort through communications to find those items that require immediate attention, it saves time for the professionals. Open Dialogue People working in call center operations are well-aware of the bad calls. They know the calls that leave the adrenaline pumping and the tears flowing. Many customers become agitated when forced to wait on hold, especially when they feel that their purchase or service is not meeting expectations. While aggravation is no excuse to blow up and blame the call center representative, consumers do lose their tempers from time to time. By using a social media strategy, contact centers can use a preemptive customer care approach, which can help to reduce consumer frustration and team members’ stress levels. Mostly, when a team member notices a negative complaint online on a social media platform, they can then reach out to the customer in a reply offering an apology, if necessary, and a possible solution. If no resolution is clear, then the representative can recommend the customer to call the appropriate help desk. This form of customer care is two-fold. On the one hand, the angry or disgruntled client is addressed and provided an explanation or assistance. On the other hand, the hundreds or thousands of people that might come across the complaint see that the business cared enough about this one individual to offer help, which means a potential win-win for the company. Improved Customer Satisfaction In addition to basic call center operations, a company can improve customer satisfaction by showing their appreciation for loyalty. For example, your contact center can have a team devoted to social media work, and part of their job can be saying thank you or retweeting positive customer stories and posts. Consumers want to feel like they are a part of the brand culture, and by acknowledging them, even in a simple retweet, companies can improve customer satisfaction. Also, it is worth it to note that improved satisfaction leads to fewer complaints and higher team retention. Versatile Communications If social media and mobile platforms are ignored, then call centers might be overworked, which leads to stress. However, if a company embraces a versatile communications strategy by implementing mobile apps, chatbots, and automated email responses, then the team can focus on the clients that need real and actionable support. These communications strategies can even be as simple as using alerts on social media platforms for when your company name is used, allowing representatives to take notice and engage the consumer through dialogue. Reduced Training Last, call center operations through social media does not require a significant amount of additional training. Most platforms are similar enough, and most team members are familiar enough with the technology to begin work on day one. Call center operations are integral and can be complicated for businesses. Etech Global Services has over 20 years of experience in call center solutions. Contact us to find out what we can do for your business.

Are Your Contact Center Quality Monitoring Parameters Effective?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly revolutionizing the world of business. Almost every process is now automated in one company or another. When it comes to contact centers, managers may even use AI for quality monitoring to provide call center quality assurance. This is just one of the many ways that businesses can ensure a consistently good customer experience. Before companies can expect customer service reps to meet quality standards, they must set quality monitoring parameters. These criteria help agents to know what expectations they need to meet. In a large contact center, however, the obvious problem is that it’s not possible to monitor every call. Here are some of the ways managers can pair artificial intelligence with a human touch to determine effective parameters. 1. Evaluate the Parameters When managers notice a quality problem, their go-to solution is often to try to improve how reality matches up with expectations. Instead, managers should first take a good look at the expectations. Parameters are not effective if they are not clear and reachable. Because these are objectives, they should meet the same criteria as SMART goals, i.e., they should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-constrained. When looking at the different aspects of SMART goals, managers must also be realistic. When managers do not play an active role in the day-to-day activities their team handles, they may fail to do this. Other times, managers may set big goals stretched over a long period. This makes it difficult to track progress. Creating milestones can help employees to better move from Point A to B as they work hard to meet company objectives. 2. Automate Some of the Process It is impossible for a supervisor to manually go over every phone call to or from the contact center. Because of this, many companies turn to automation with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In these instances, AI can transcribe and analyze phone calls. Bots can scan the transcripts for problematic words or phrases that indicate the need for a closer look. This is where the value of human touch comes in. Supervisors will need to listen to these flagged calls to better understand what went wrong if anything went wrong at all. AI systems do make mistakes, and tone can significantly change the meaning of a sentence or word. Sarcasm, for instance, may require a human ear to detect and understand. Some AI systems are even capable of alerting supervisors of noncompliance concerns in real-time, while the customer is on the phone. This creates the opportunity for timely intervention. Supervisors can then deescalate the situation before it costs the client a valued customer. 3. Use Artificial Intelligence for Sorting Managers focus most of their attention on the phone calls and chat histories that agents have with customers. However, this is not the customer’s first point of contact with a business. The first point of contact occurs when the customer calls or initiates a chat. An automated operator or chatbot then provides the customer with options to direct them to the best possible team for solutions. Sometimes customers become frustrated at this point before ever speaking to an agent. When consumers have to navigate numeric options, 73% skip the AI operator and press zero to reach a human being. In addition to this, 55% of customers prefer to speak to a human agent, but 54% would gladly take the chatbot instead if it saved them even just ten minutes. Even so, the first contact may have also occurred at 2:30 in the morning, while the business and customer service lines were closed. If the company has a chatbot at the ready, it could help to provide solutions to the customer. Failing this, it could schedule an appointment with the customer for a representative to follow up at a later time. The Bottom Line: The Need for a Human Touch While artificial intelligence provides many initial benefits for a company, it is the human touch that makes all the difference. Yes, when it comes to solving a problem, 56% of consumers prefer to reach out via chat before calling the company. However, as illustrated above, this is often to avoid the wait time before reaching a human being. At Etech, we understand the importance of an omnichannel approach to communicate with different employees in the ways they prefer. We also appreciate that they just want to have all the queries and problems solved as soon as possible. For more information on how we combine artificial intelligence with a human touch to satisfy the needs of our clients and their customers, contact us today. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Overcoming Organizational Adversity with a Servant Heart

Most team members appreciate a leader who is committed to helping them grow and achieve their personal and professional goals. A leader who is heavily invested in this mindset, also called a servant leader, helps team members develop & build upon their strengths which in turn will make the team and organization stronger. When your organization experiences a setback or something goes wrong, these leadership skills get put to the test. You may be tempted in these times of stress to adopt a more dictative or authoritative stance to maintain controls, however, a servant leader will remain consistent with serving the needs of the team. The best way through a rough patch, is the same way you built a strong team to begin with – by being a servant first. Lean on the Skills You’ve Honed Consistency is a leadership quality that most team members appreciate. It communicates stability and focus. Maintaining the servant leadership skills you use during times when everything is going smoothly can reassure your team and lets them know that although there may be some turmoil, everything around them is not going to change suddenly. In fact, some of these very strategies can help pull your organization out of a slump: Adaptability – Adjusting a process that is not working as well as you planned can often resolve major problems. By modeling this tactic to your team, you show them that you are able to be flexible. You also demonstrate that you are willing to lead by example by re-examining something that is not working well. The humility and maturity required to adapt to solve problems can increase your team’s confidence in you. Reinventing continuously with your team demonstrates that you value adaptability and creativity, and you are there to support them through the process. Connection – During times of adversity, it is imperative that you maintain your connection with your team and support their collaboration. You may be tempted to withdraw and figure out the problem on your own. On the surface, this may seem like a good way to save time. In reality, though connecting your team with the decision-making process can help everyone get on board with it more quickly. It’s easier to implement a solution that the whole team created together than it is to convince others to try something new that they have no ownership in. Leaders skilled in servant leadership understand the importance of listening to their team members. This type of collaboration often leads to the best solutions. A servant leader is one who is focused on ensuring the best ideas win, not being a hero or proving they have all the answers. Selflessness – One quality of a good leader that tends to rise to the surface during hard times is a willingness to put the team and the business ahead of selfish concerns. A servant leader understands the priority is to take care of the team and help those they serve achieve their personal and professional goals. You must be willing to support those you serve through giving of your time, creating opportunities, and by ensuring the necessary resources are available. You may not have to go so far as to take a pay cut to raise everyone else’s salary but you must be willing to put everything on the table to support your team’s long term success. You cannot achieve long term success without ensuring those around you have what they need to be successful. This may require putting some of your own personal goals on hold to get your business back on track and safeguard your team in the process. Continue Pursuing Professional Development Goals Putting your own goals on hold does not mean that you should stop growing, in fact, the opposite. Growth requires growth, and to grow your team you must continue to grow your own skills. Failure to do so could stunt the growth of your team members. As much as 87% of millennials, likely the largest portion of your workforce, consider access to professional development opportunities as one of the key factors in engagement. Always remember that one of the main goals of servant leadership is to empower people to take your place. No organizational problem is large enough to justify a lax approach to leadership development and thoughtful succession planning. You need to continue to take steps to further your development as well as that of your team: Make regular appointments to discuss goals. Each member of your team deserves to have time each month to discuss their professional goals and get advice on how to pursue them. These check-ins don’t have to be lengthy, but you should set aside enough time to discuss their strengths and learn about the skills they want to work to improve. Suggest professional development opportunities. Once you know where someone wants to take their career, it is easier to find learning opportunities that help them get there. Keep up this practice during difficult times to remind team members of their future potential. Set a realistic timeline. A common struggle for people who want to advance their careers is knowing when they’re ready to take the next step. Loyal team members may feel stuck when the organization is not growing at a pace they expect or they do not see a clear roadmap for growth. Continuing to discuss goals in the context of their unique professional growth can put their minds at ease. A servant leadership management style can increase team members’ level of commitment to the organization even through adversity. Credibility is tested during these times. Employing the leadership skills that work well during times of growth when there are setbacks reaffirm your commitment to your team and will help you set your organization on a stronger course. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

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