The most challenging of all are the Agents suffering from job "burn out".
We've all met them or worked with them. The Agents who show up for work as scheduled, log in on time and leave at the end of their shift. They aren't rude or overbearing with customers. They don't cause problems. They show minimal empathy with customers. Their tone is polite but flat and they miss opportunities to provide the Customer with above and beyond Moments of Truth. They have been on your team for several years and have tremendous knowledge about your products and processes. You don't want to lose them but it's becoming obvious that they no longer enjoy their job.
These Agents are often seen by upper management as the experts, the valued employees with the technical knowledge needed. Unfortunately, they sound like robots...going through the motions of Customer Service without any feeling.
We need to answer some tough questions:
How do I justify letting them be flat with customers while my Quality expectation is for them to create a wonderful Customer Experience?
Am I using them to mentor with New Hires? How are they demonstrating what you need to happen with Customers?
Have I discussed the possibility of "burn-out" with them or just buried my head in the sand?
What have I offered to do to help them regain their enthusiasm for the Customers and their job?
When I discussed this with them, what are they willing and able to do to improve?
How much time will I devote to Coaching them on this and how long will I wait for improvement?
Instead of making excuses for the Agent, this is the time to do see if you are able to turn them around or perhaps help them realize that they need to move on to a different role where they will be happy and productive. Unfortunately this may mean a role outside of your Center or even outside of your company. But, sometimes, turnover can be a good thing for everyone involved.
