When outfitting a new contact center, or refreshing the technology used in your existing contact center, it’s a good idea to take a look at how the latest hardware and software can help to make your organization function as smoothly as possible. From team member comfort and ease of use to the experience that will be provided to your customers, the equipment and technology you choose will have a significant effect on your contact center’s performance. Whether it’s the headsets your agents use or the training software you purchase, weigh the pros and cons of each carefully before making that final decision.
One such consideration? The monitors your agents will be looking at all day. LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display screens can be an added benefit to your contact center. They have a variety of characteristics that have caused demand to increase over the past several years. Being lightweight, aesthetically appealing, energy efficient and long-term cost effective, are just a few of the reasons that many contact centers now prefer to use LCD monitors.
More Advantages
Disadvantages
However, there are also disadvantages to LCD screens, just like any other product. These are:
Key Benefits of an LCD Display
Get the most out of your contact center by incorporating LCD screens. And if you are looking to upgrade your contact center software, contact us here at KOVA today. We’d be happy to discuss your organization’s specific needs and customize a package of solutions just right for you.
When many people think of first responders, police officers, fire fighters and EMTs come to mind. Although they may not be first on the scene, 911 dispatchers are actually the first responders to the emergency, listening to and helping people through difficult and often life threatening situations. Dealing with frightened callers and emergency situations can make the life of a 911 dispatcher extremely stressful. With a high turnover rate due to burnout from stress and dealing with tragedy, it is important to remember that there are ways to handle that stress so that you can keep working as a first responder and saving the lives of others.
Before Starting a Shift
Even before you arrive at work for your shift, there are ways that you can help to manage your stress. The most important thing is to make sure you are getting enough sleep each night. Although this may seem like a simple idea, many people don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep each day. This can cause your brain to work more slowly than normal, simple tasks become more difficult, and it can be more challenging to remain calm in a frustrating or problematic situation. While these effects are detrimental in any profession, they are especially harmful for a 911 dispatcher who is dealing with high stress situations under a lot of pressure to help the person on the other end of the phone line.
During a Shift
In between calls, it may seem like there is not enough time to take stress-reducing measures - but think again! Deep breathing exercises, talking a walk outside during your lunch break, or meditation can all be great options to center yourself and prepare for the next incoming call. In general, increasing the oxygen in the brains helps to lower the heart rate and reduce muscle tension, all clear signs of stress. If you start to experience any of these signs of stress during your shift, take a few, slow breaths or meditate while at your desk. After a particularly difficult call, it may be worth it to take a break outside with some fresh air.
After a Shift
Once you leave work after having dealt with numerous calls over the course of your shift, it is important to find ways to unwind and unload the stress that you felt that day. Some proven stress-relieving options are exercise and journaling, for example. Exercise, no matter what kind you prefer, allows you to expend the extra energy that is pent up in your body due to stress. If you’re not keen on exercising after a long day of work, journaling can be just as effective. Getting out your thoughts, fears, and worries about the outcome of the calls you dealt with can be extremely beneficial to your mental health and to reducing your overall stress levels.
At the end of each day, it is important to remember that you are a 9-1-1 dispatcher, a job that comes with a lot of responsibility, but also a lot of rewards. You, as a first responder, play an important role in hundreds of emergency situations per week, making a difference in an enormous amount of lives. In order to continue playing this important role, it is important that you take time each day, whether it is before, during or after your shift, to deal with the stress that the job will inevitably cause.
Do you have other tips for managing stress? Share them with us in the comment section below!
Although it may not seem like it, the furniture in a contact center is pretty significant. Finding the perfect furniture for a contact center has actually been shown to produce improvements in productivity and eliminate stress and injuries in the workplace.
The demanding environment of a contact center is especially in need of comfortable chairs and other furniture set-ups that assist in agents in doing their job while also being safe and efficient. With agents working productively and efficiently, stress is eased away from contact center managers.
To find the perfect chair, here are some guidelines to consider.
The Importance of the Chair
Furniture that is flexible and that can be adjusted for each user is important.
If you have ever sat in an office chair for hours at a time you know that selecting a comfortable ergonomic chair is very important to the comfort and safety of the user. A chair is a key component of an ergonomic work environment.
The Importance of Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in a work environment. If agents are working more efficiently and effectively, that helps minimize caller dissatisfaction and provides better customer service.
Ergonomics play a huge role in the selection of the correct chair. The chair should adjust to fit a variety of users. Typical adjustments are height, seat depth, lumbar, and armrest height and width. Matching these adjustments to the user will allow them work comfortably and safely.
Standard Elements to Consider
Some options depend on the contact center, for example, if one person or multiple people sit in the chair each day. If multiple people sit in the chair, the chair should feature a multi-shift upgrade package for durability; however, regardless of the shifts, the chair should be adjustable.
There are different levels of adjustability in chairs. A few different types of chairs are: basic, intensive task, and multi-function. A typical chair with basic adjustments will allow height and adjustable back depth adjustment. An intensive task chair offers many more adjustments, typically including back height adjustment, seat and back angle adjustment, and height adjustment. A multi-function chair will feature all of the adjustments of an intensive task but will add tension control, forward tilt, and an infinite tilt lock.
Mistakes to Be Aware Of
One common mistake made when purchasing a chair is buying a cheap and poor quality task chair. These chairs usually do not last as long as higher quality chairs; less expensive chairs tend to fall apart in a year or two and require replacement.
A chair that is of higher quality and good reputation is more expensive but it will also last longer.
Health Risks to Consider
Not choosing the proper chair may cause a person to work with improper arm, wrist, and back angles. This can cause musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel, and back problems.
The Right Chair Improves Performance
It is not only about having the right chair, but also knowing how to properly adjust said chair so agents are able to perform better. Healthy and comfortable agents will ultimately perform better than those that are suffering from health issues due to improper or improperly adjusted equipment.
Share your thoughts below if you have any more tips on choosing the perfect chair for your contact center. For any other contact center management questions, we at KOVA would love to chat with you. Contact us today.
Your computers already have enough tangled cords coming out of it. You can get rid of the majority of them by going wireless. The best ergonomic keyboard for your contact center will help ease carpal tunnel. However, it may not look like your traditional keyboard. Some may be wireless or have the keys rearranged differently from what you’re used to. A good ergonomic keyboard, for example, will pull apart in the middle and tent vertically, which allows contact center agents to find the perfect fit for them. A good keyboard and mouse can go a long way towards improving customer satisfaction.
Here are a couple things to consider when picking the best mouse and keyboard for your contact center needs.
Check the Range
If you are considering switching to a wireless keyboard and mouse (that is if you haven’t already), be aware that the power and range of different keyboards and mice varies. Some wireless keyboards, for example, can operate through walls; while other keyboards need to be in the same room as your workstation in order to operate. The farther from your workstation, the more interference your wireless keyboard or mouse will experience.
Think Ergonomically
Some wireless mouse designs are ergonomically designed for whether you are a right-handed or left-handed user. If you need a wireless mouse that is usable by both types of users, check for extra thumb buttons or a wireless mouse shape that might make the mouse exclusively right- or left-handed.
Standard keyboards in the U.S. are based on the familiar QWERTY design, so named for the order in which the letter keys appear from left to right on the top row. This setup was prevalent on typewriters. All keys are arranged in a straight line across the device. A standard mouse may take any number of shapes, but all are used by positioning the hand above the mouse to manipulate it. In either case, the wrist is typically turned at an awkward angle, which is a prime cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
The Type of Keys Used
The type of keys used will also have an influence on both typing comfort and the durability of the keyboard. Many keyboards opt for silicone dome switches, which use bubbles or domes in a rubbery layer of silicone membrane as the switches beneath each key. Silicone dome switches are used frequently because they are inexpensive, but they also lose their springiness and responsiveness over time. Other keyboards will use a variation on this style which adds a mechanical stabilizer to each key called a scissor switch. These hold up a little better, and offer a more comfortable typing experience, but underneath it is still a silicone membrane.
Mechanical key switches, on the other hand, have a separate spring-backed push-button switch beneath each key. There are many varieties of mechanical key switches, designed to provide different typing feel and sound, but all tend to be far more durable and comfortable than keyboards using silicone dome switches.
Make your contact center agents more productive throughout the day with the perfect keyboard and mouse. There are also headsets available that can also help agents provide more efficient customer service.
Do you have any other tips on choosing the best keyboard and mouse? Share your thoughts below.
In the current Internet age, information is flowing faster than ever before. While this increased access to information facilitates communication and the ability to stay up to date with world news, it does put users at risk for theft, fraud or other consequences of online activity. Due to the increasing risk of privacy online, the Department of Homeland Security named October “National Cyber Security Awareness Month” for the first time in 2003. There are a wide variety of safety tips to keep in mind; take a moment to review three important online public security tips that can help you protect your online identity.
Creating complex passwords is one of the first things you can do to protect the information that you have online. From bank account numbers to your home address, a password can stop people from easily accessing this personal information. There is, of course, a fine line to walk between creating a complicated password that others cannot guess and a password that is too complex for you to remember. To solve this problem, create a private, off-line location to keep your passwords. You can write down the entire password or just a small part to help jog your memory at a later time. The most important thing to remember about a password is to not share them with anyone.
No matter what operating system your computer runs on, it most likely prompts you to install updates rather frequently. While it may seem like a pain in the neck at the moment, updates to operating systems typically involve changes that can make it more difficult to access your personal information, track your activity on web browsers or other updates crafted specifically to protect your identity.
Have you ever heard of the saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?” The same rule applies to online activity! Acting as a community rather than an individual can be beneficial for everyone. If you don’t want your friends posting your personal phone number or vacation plans to be away from home, then don’t post that information about them. Simple status updates on social media can alert hackers of your whereabouts or a change in your routine that can make it easier for them to hack into your information without you noticing. In addition, if you notice strange online activity or see that you have been a victim of cyber crime, report it to the authorities. While you may not recover whatever they’ve stolen from you, you can be sure that they do not continue to do it to others in the future.
When talking about online activity, the name of the game is cautiousness. The Internet makes it easy for people to fake their identities, whereabouts or anything else they need to fabricate in order to get access to you. For this reason, remember not to give out personal information or passwords to anyone. If you are looking for more cyber security tips, contact KOVA today.
More than 90% of American adults own a cell phone, with two-thirds of those owning a smartphone. With so many smartphones in use around the country, Americans are taking advantages of the tools that smartphones offer them including navigation, text messaging and access to social networks. Have you ever thought of a smartphone being so smart that it can be used as a public safety solution? If not, continue reading to learn more about how KOVA’s cell phone and mobile recording system has brought smartphones to a new level.
This cell phone and call recording software is known as SilentPartner, the only software program that works as an all-in-one tool that can record audio and capture text messages, photos and videos, organize them into case files and transmit them securely. Essentially, it makes a smartphone even smarter than many people thought possible.
Not only is the audio from a call recorded, but the SilentPartner app also captures Caller ID, dialed digits and GPS location, among other details. First responders, investigators and law enforcement officials are the personnel who have the ability to utilize this call recording software as a public safety solution. Those in control of the app can configure it to automatically record all calls, record only when the start button is pressed or record all calls with the option to stop recording at any point during the call.
In addition to call recording, SilentPartner works as an all-around recording device, securely capturing crime scene images or on-site interviews, as examples. The app has the potential to revolutionize the way first responders and investigators do their jobs, and capturing important data is just the beginning.
There are many strengths of the SilentPartner app, starting with its capability to record calls, interviews and photos to its ability to instantly organize that data. Data can be immediately filed into its corresponding case number and available to all other investigators on the case. Facilitating processing into the conventional phone logger at headquarters, the data is encrypted to ensure a secure transfer and simplification of its retrieval at a later point in time.
Among the advanced features of SilentPartner are speech analytics, which allows you to playback the content of the recording that were made on site. The speech analytics feature will look for trends in content from various cases to discover similarities that may have otherwise gone undetected. This feature can be especially useful for investigators who work across multiple precincts, facilitating the connection in a shorter amount of time than otherwise possible. Other advanced features of SilentPartner include transcription of calls, keyword and phrase searches and communication indices.
There is also a feature in SilentPartner that allows an officer to select the appropriate language, and then Miranda rights will be read to a subject being placed under arrest from the speaker of the phone, while the video camera of the phone records their response. In a landmark case, a conviction was overturned due to the improper delivery of Miranda Rights. This feature allows for multiple language support, not just English and Spanish, and can be used to announce Consular Rights as well for LEO’s working in areas with Foreign Nationals.
Professionals who spend time out in the field, including policemen, detectives, insurance workers and health inspectors can benefit from using the SilentPartner app on their smartphones. It goes above and beyond the typical functions of a smartphone, converting it into a call recording software tool that works towards a public safety solution.
For more information about SilentPartner, call us at 1-800-204-5200 or contact us online.
We all get frustrated when we call customer service for help only to get a response of, “Can you hold for a moment?” That moment can easily feel like forever. Here are some of the worst mistakes a contact center can make – and how to avoid them.
There is nothing more frustrating than being on hold with customer service. Chances are if your contact center agents are putting callers on hold, they are bringing down your customer service.
It is understandable that contact center agents are very busy and probably have multiple calls they are attending to at one time. However, it is important to make each client feel they have the agent’s undivided attention. Although it may be unrealistic to never put a customer on hold, in their mind, it would be ideal.
Being put on hold simply translates to the realization that the call is going to take longer than they expected. To try and avoid the caller from getting upset, have your contact center agent ask themselves, “Can I sufficiently resolve the caller’s issue without having to put them on hold?” If so, instead of pressing the Hold button, have the agent talk to the caller while searching for information.
To also prevent calls from being put on hold, make sure your contact center software is up to date, so your agents have access to comprehensive information about the caller from all of your business tools available in the browser as the phone rings.
What is worse than waiting on hold for longer than a few minutes? Waiting in a call queue for a long time! It has been said that one of the most annoying phrases to a caller is, “We’re sorry, but we’re experiencing unusually heavy call volumes.” The other phrase is, “Your call is important to us, please hold.”
If your contact center has been known to have long waiting queues, maybe you should consider hiring more agents or moving around your schedule so that there are more agents on hand during the busier call times. Or, you can hire on-call agents that work only during the high call volume periods.
Another thing that can annoy callers is being unable to find an agent that can help solve their issue. So instead of being on hold or in a long queue, they are bounced around from agent to agent, with each transfer becoming more frustrated.
The only thing worse than getting bounced around is asking the caller to do the bouncing themselves. This is done by hearing the phrase, “We are unable to answer your question. Please call xxx-xxx-xxxx to speak with a representative.”
Luckily, there are ways to avoid having a caller being transferred around at all. To avoid this, consider cross-training your agents. If callers are jumping from agent to agent, it may be because your agents do not know how to adequately resolve the callers’ issues. Through training your agents to handle a large variety of questions or be able to provide support and sales, the chances that they have to transfer a caller are significantly decreased.
You can also utilize conference calls. If the agent has the ability to resolve the issue but needs a little help, do a conference call. Conference in a manager, more experienced agent or tech support agent to assist. By adding an agent to the call, you can ensure the call is more efficient and there is less of a need for the caller to be transferred around.
This can be a common, but still annoying, habit that contact centers have. Either while the caller is on hold or in a long queue, an automated recording suggests that they go to the contact center’s website for more efficient service. This is easily one of the largest mistakes a contact center can make.
They called you for a reason, and probably checked the website for help, prior to calling. Or perhaps they simply prefer the phone or have a unique question that cannot be answered via the FAQ section. The solution to this is simply don’t do it; you can mention the website as an option but do not force a caller in that direction.
To improve your customer service by leaps and bounds, check out all the contact center solutions that we offer here at KOVA. Our workforce management software makes running a contact center easy. Contact us today for more information on how we can help you avoid the above mistakes and many more.
Keeping the children of our community safe is one of the primary responsibilities of a parent and, on holidays such as Halloween, a common responsibility of the entire community. Halloween time is an exciting time of year for many people, especially children. Not only can they collect dozens of pieces of candy; they can dress up like their favorite characters or the celebrity they admire most. While Halloween is the favorite holiday for many people, it is important to keep in mind a few public safety solutions specifically for Halloween, in addition to more general child safety tips. At KOVA, we put safety first, providing you with these three tips to keep your children safe while trick-or-treating this October 31st.
Depending on the age of your child, they will be able to handle different styles of costumes. Intricate costumes, with masks, props and long jackets or coats are more suitable for older children. In contrast, younger children should stick to simpler outfits with one piece; perhaps some face paint and a fun hairstyle. Simplifying their costumes will provide them with fewer distractions and make it easier for them to walk around collecting candy for a few hours at a time.
It is a great idea to talk with your children before trick-or-treating to outline a few key safety rules. The most important of these rules should be to never enter a stranger’s house. This rule may be easier to enforce with younger children, since you can personally accompany them to each door and be sure they don’t go inside. For older children who will be trick-or-treating with friends, however, it may be harder to enforce. Since you will not personally be there, be sure they know to only approach well-lit houses and provide you with the streets where they will be trick-or-treating. This way, if their safety was compromised, you will be able to narrow down the area where it occurred.
The most important accessory your kids need with their costume is a flashlight. Since trick-or-treating typically happens around sundown and into nighttime, it is important that you and your kids are visible to other trick-or-treaters as well as cars that may be driving by. Utilizing a flashlight and walking on grass or sidewalks, when possible, are the best ways to create a public safety solution for all people out celebrating the holiday. Another great option is to include reflective items in your child’s costume, such as neon colored props or flashing lights, which will make them easy to spot by people passing by.
To be fully prepared for trick-or-treating this Halloween, take a moment to educate yourself about 9-1-1. At KOVA, we are committed to public safety solutions, providing software and systems for public safety answering points. If you would like to know more about our products or have questions about how to keep your family safe, do not hesitate to contact us.
For a business like a contact center, customer service is one of the keys to success. Striking the right chord between dealing with irritated clients looking for a quick solution and well-intentioned agents trying to provide the best solution can prove troublesome for many contact center employees. The key to providing better overall service, and increasing your contact center metrics, is to train your contact center agents to deliver the best customer service out there. In this post, we provide you with five of the most important tips to get you on your way to providing top-notch customer service.
Have you ever noticed that you can hear a smile in someone’s voice? It may sound crazy, but it is true! Physically smiling while assisting a client over the phone emits a friendly and engaging tone, ready to confront whatever problem is about to be thrown your way. With these attributes in your voice, it will be easier to build a trustworthy relationship with each client, improving contact center metrics and the overall satisfaction of each client.
Spending each day listening to customer complaints may become monotonous and, slowly but surely, each complaint slowly molds itself into the same thing. Instead of jumping to a conclusion of what the customer needs, remember to stop and listen to each, individual customer to be sure that you’re addressing his or her specific problem. Taking a few minutes to understand the problem allows the customer to fully express themselves - and you the ability to solve what they need.
After listening to the customer’s need, each agent needs to be able to suggest solutions based on an in-depth knowledge of the products and services. Agents should be able to answer any customer question or concern instantly and with 100% accurate information, or enable the customer to find the information if it is out of their area of expertise.
A major customer service solution that is often overlooked by contact centers is to offer customers a call back option. Many customers call in with a complicated issue that takes time to explain and be sure that the agent understands. A classic situation: just as they complete their description, the phone line drops and they have to call back and start the whole process over with a new agent. This situation can be easily avoided with a call back option by asking the customer for their number at the beginning of a call. With this information, the agent can then call the customer to follow through on the solution.
The last step when implementing new customer service solutions such as these is to monitor its effectiveness. Utilize call recording software and other tools to monitor calls and learn which methods are the most effective for satisfying customers and increasing the level of customer service. This is the most important step to ensure there is an improvement in the long-term.
Keeping customers happy and solving their issues without frustration can often be a balancing act but, with these customer service solutions, you can increase your contact center metrics and leave your customers satisfied. For more information on software programs that can help you in your contact center, contact us today.
