The ‘softer side’ of contact centers
Individuals generally have different soft skills, and most of the time, those hiring contact center agents don’t have good ways of evaluating those skills in applicants. While there are definitely ways to improve the interviewing process, Call Centre Helper in the UK says that contact center managers should make developing workers’ soft skills a priority—through self-study, live training or, ideally, a combination of both. The place to start: a list of several of the most important soft skills:- Communication skills
- Professionalism
- The ability to gain customers’ trust
- Product knowledge
- Problem solving
Is empathy king of the soft skills?
But one “people skill” often trumps the rest among brands that want to deepen their customer connections and relationships: empathy. True brand empathy, according to the Content Marketing Institute, is about creating a shared journey between a brand and its audience. It involves a deeper connection to, and understanding of, that audience on an emotional level, as well as on rational and transactional ones.Can brands deliver? a Forbes article asks about the current focus on empathy. Although some see empathy as the “flavor of the day,” dismiss it at your own peril: Increasing numbers of consumers believe that it’s more critical than ever for brands to demonstrate empathetic qualities and take action to maintain customer loyalty and support. Even in the healthcare industry, where one would expect to find it in the water supply, empathy has become so important, it’s being studied and taught to doctors and other professionals. Across the board, we’re researching empathy, hiring for empathy, and monitoring for it on the job.Empathy as a core cultural value
So how does empathy become a demonstrable attribute of employees—or even a “best practice?” For some companies, empathy supersedes brand strategy and is embedded in the culture. A perfect example is NiCE customer Bayada Home Health Care—an organization that has always viewed empathy as a core element of the care it provides. Founded in 1975, Bayada is a mission-based company that provides nursing and assistive care to patients—seniors, adults, and children—at home rather than in a nursing facility or hospital.“We have about 25,000 nurses across the country in 22 different states where we actually provide service,” says Martin Jones, director of contact center operations for Bayada. “We care for our clients in their homes, when that’s their preference or it’s more comfortable for them or just a better place for them to recover and be surrounded by their family rather than being in a facility. Our nurses are really the backbone of our organization,” he continues. “They are the ones who, as they take care of each one of our clients, are always building on our values of compassion, excellence and reliability.”Says Division Director Melissa Burnside, who oversees Bayada’s contact center and other areas: “For our frontline workers—nurses and aids and therapists and others—this is a calling. They do it with heart and soul.”
But, Martin emphasizes, the empathy doesn’t end with direct patient care. At a profound level, it’s what the organization is all about. The empathy that is seeded in the company culture by its clinical staff extends naturally to its contact center employees. “We go above and beyond during every interaction,” he says. “ We deal with about a thousand contacts a day. We understand that every single one of those contacts is a client or another person who is in need.”“Our core values—compassion, excellence and reliability—translate well to our contact center team,” he says. “Every person displays those values. And in every interaction we have—with our callers, with our clients, with our providers—[those values] come through. It's really a critical part of who we are and what we do. [As a company] we focus on ensuring that every associate has that at all times, because we, too, see ourselves as taking care of clients with the values they expect, beyond direct home health care.”
The all-Important first contact
Martin explains the important role the contact center plays in setting the tone for building relationships with clients and their families. “Our call center very often is the first voice that anyone hears at Bayada—and sometimes in the entire home health care industry,” Martin explains. “So it’s important… that every call is based on empathy, understanding and reassurance that we can assist them with their needs—much like putting an arm around them and helping them through the process in a very challenging time.”Does software have a role in empathy? (Yes)
While empathy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about software, Martin and Melissa emphasize that having the right contact center software is in itself a way of responding to—and having empathy for—clients’ needs.“People don't necessarily call that a home health care on their best day,” Melissa says. “So people are calling us when they're challenged. They have a loved one that they need to find care for. It’s critical for our IVR to be simple and effective. NiCE has allowed us to do that. It’s very easy to transact through. And [with skills-based routing,] we get that caller to the right associate the first time, every single time.”Melissa says CXone has significantly improved the contact center's performance, which enables it to help more customers more efficiently. Average speed of answer (ASA) has decreased by 97%, and the abandon rate has decreased by 87%. “Our customers are often in situations where they need quick answers,” she says, “and we rise to the occasion to help them.”
