11/14/2016

Question

Are there actual, tangible benefits to “agent engagement,” or is it just hype caused by the influx of Millennial employees into contact centers?

Answer

There is now a deep appreciation that agent engagement is key to delivering an outstanding customer experience. Engaged and empowered agents are strong customer advocates who play an instrumental role in providing a higher quality of service, building a company’s brand, enhancing the customer journey and broadening relationships with customers. A joint employee-centric/customer-centric environment lays a firm foundation for improving customer engagement, increasing sales and revenue, and reducing customer churn.

A higher level of employee engagement also helps enterprises retain outstanding agents and reduce staff attrition. A more stable employee base reduces the significant operating costs associated with recruiting, hiring and training new agents. An organization with engaged and empowered employees can more easily attract top talent when hiring and be viewed as an employer of choice.

The recent emphasis on agent engagement may have been spurred by the increase in Millennial employees, who now represent the largest proportion of the American workforce, but the result is a boon for employees of all generations. Recognizing the importance of agent engagement has led contact center technology vendors to update user interfaces, increase employee self-service capabilities (particularly through mobile devices), offer gamification modules, and support increased scheduling flexibility, improving every agent’s experience.