Exploring the high pressure of frontline leadership
Groov’s brand new podcast - Dialing In - co-hosted by Sir John Kirwan & Dr Fiona Crichton.
Dialing In - Episode One - Grant Walker
Unlocking the Potential of Call Centres
In the fast-paced and often high-pressure world of call centres, navigating the challenges of frontline leadership can seem daunting. However, the inaugural episode of the "Dialing In" podcast shines a light on the complexities and opportunities that lie within this dynamic industry, through the lens of an expert who has lived it from the ground up—Grant Walker.
Grant Walker, CEO of a successful Christchurch-based company 2B Connected and chairman of the Contact Centre Network New Zealand, joins the podcast to share his invaluable insights and personal journey within the call centre industry. His narrative not only debunks common myths about call centre jobs but also highlights the rich opportunities for growth, development, and career advancement that the sector can offer.
The Journey from the Front Lines to Leadership
Grant's story is one of progression, from starting out on the front lines of a call centre to becoming a leading figure in the industry. This journey underscores a vital message for anyone within the call centre space: the role is not merely a stopgap but a stepping stone to greater opportunities. His experience reveals the importance of understanding the role call centres play in the broader business ecosystem, emphasizing that these jobs are about problem-solving, customer engagement, and, crucially, people management.
Navigating Challenges and Embracing Opportunities
The podcast delves into the challenges call centre leaders face, including managing high attrition rates and the measurement of performance metrics. It also addresses the emotional toll on employees, exacerbated by public scrutiny and feedback on social media platforms. Through these discussions, Grant and the hosts explore strategies for resilience, the significance of empathy in the workplace, and the necessity for supportive leadership in fostering a positive work environment.
One of the key takeaways from Grant's insights is the evolving nature of call centre roles. As these roles become more complex, there's an increasing demand for skilled, resilient employees capable of navigating the multifaceted challenges these positions entail. Grant emphasizes the critical role of effective leadership in understanding and supporting employees' needs, highlighting the importance of listening, empathy, and development opportunities in retaining and empowering staff.
Grant Walker's Advice for Call Centre Managers
Grant offers several pieces of advice for current and aspiring call centre managers:
Understand the Value of People: Recognizing the potential in your team and investing in their growth and well-being is paramount. This investment not only benefits the individuals but also contributes to the overall success of the business.
Embrace Training and Development: Continuous learning and development opportunities are crucial for equipping your team with the skills necessary to meet the evolving demands of their roles.
Acknowledge the Whole Person: Work-life balance is a myth in the modern world; understanding that employees bring their whole selves to work, including their personal challenges, can help managers support their teams more effectively.
Listen Actively: Encouraging open communication and actively listening to your team can lead to better problem-solving, innovation, and a more cohesive work environment.
Lead with Empathy: Demonstrating empathy and understanding towards the challenges faced by your team can significantly impact their motivation, satisfaction, and performance.
The "Dialing In" podcast episode featuring Grant Walker serves as an essential resource for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of call centre management. By sharing real-world experiences and expert insights, it offers a roadmap for developing effective leadership strategies that recognize the importance of people, their well-being, and their potential for growth within the industry.
Plus some bonus material we didn’t include in the podcast!
You mentioned you have 120 agents at your onshore call center - how do you get the balance of performance and care right?
Our team size fluctuates throughout the year which makes it even more challenging as sometimes you have fixed term people who come and go quickly. We look at the care side of it first, as if you get that right normally the performance is much easier to get (poor performance is usually they haven’t got the skills/training they need to do their job, or there is something external impacting it) – it all comes back to looking after the team and making it a place they want to come to work everyday
Is there anything unique in the way you set your team up?
We don’t operate in traditional call centre teams (a team leader for every 10-15 agents). Our structure is deliberately flat, and some of the leadership comes from within the team of agents. More of a in the trenches with the team as opposed to someone being there to tell you what to do.
If Performance and Care are so important, what are your North Star metrics you focus on and obsess over?
Our client satisfaction is the ultimate metric that I obsess over. But that starts right back at the people you bring in, processes you set up and so many other things – they are all linked, you need to look at it all through the lense of “how does this improve our client satisfaction”.
Have you got any tangible example of where your focus and natural bias for agent wellbeing has led to the usual Performance Metrics improving i.e. CSAT, NPS, Resolution Times etc.
Our client retention is much higher than industry average, I put that down largely to our people and having looked after and engaged them. There is absolutely a direct correlation though between the stats and the amount we focus and time we invest in our agent wellbeing.