KOVA is excited to share a brand new video about our mobile recording platform, SilentPartner, which turns your smartphone into a multi-purpose tool for capturing data while on the go.
There are some apps that help you while away the time with a game, launching birds at unstable structures or decorating virtual cupcakes with virtual sprinkles. There are some that help you become a more savvy shopper, alerting you to deals and specials or allowing you to easily compare various products. And then there are some that help you get work done, facilitating collaboration or putting important information at your fingertips.
But what if an app had the power to completely revolutionize the way you do your job, from the time you get up in the morning to your commute home?
There is an app for that – and it’s called SilentPartner.
If you are a professional who spends any time at all out in the field, SilentPartner is simply a must-have. Policemen, detectives, insurance claims adjusters, health inspectors, transportation inspectors, construction inspectors, social workers, and anyone else who needs to gather data while on-site and away from an office, can all benefit from using the SilentPartner app on their smart phones.
So what is SilentPartner, exactly?
It’s an app that turns your smart phone into a secure mobile recording device.
The SilentPartner mobile recording platform allows users to capture any and all data that their phone can capture, from photos to videos to sound, instantly tag or label that data for easy retrieval later, and then immediately and securely transmit that data to their home office database.
Need a recording of a phone call made with your mobile phone? Record it with the SilentPartner mobile recording platform.
Need to record an on-site interview? Use the SilentPartner mobile recording app on your smart phone.
Need to take pictures of damage from an accident? Take them with your cell phone, and then transmit them to your office database via the SilentPartner mobile recording platform.
It’s clear that SilentPartner will revolutionize the way mobile professionals do their work in the field – but how can it simplify your life outside of the time spent on-site?
Just imagine…rather than having to frantically gather several different pieces of equipment each morning as you head out the door to work – camera, digital voice recorder, laptop, cell phone – everything you need could be contained in a single app on your smart phone.
Didn’t charge your laptop? Batteries die in your camera? With SilentPartner, issues like these are nonexistent.
And what about the work that takes place after the data has been captured at the site? The uploading, tagging, filing, verifying, sending to headquarters, reporting, and re-tagging? All of that extra work is completely eliminated with SilentPartner. With a quick tap on your phone, you can label, categorize, store, and transmit data securely, quickly, and easily while still on-scene – and you’re done.
How often can you say you’ve experienced an app that truly changes the way things are done – for the better? SilentPartner is one of those few. Data capture in the field will never be the same.
For more information on the ways in which the SilentPartner app can revolutionize the way you do your job, watch our video on the subject here, check out our FAQ page, or contact KOVA today.
I am a 911 dispatcher.
I am the one who responds when you call out for help.
I am the one who walks with you, hand-in-hand and step-by-step, during the most frightening events in your life.
But you’ll probably never meet me.
I deliver babies. I administer CPR. I shield people from violence. I put out fires. I catch criminals.
I save lives.
And I do it all without ever leaving my station. I am there. For you.
I became a 911 dispatcher to help. Every caller is a member of my community - a mother, a husband, a daughter, a brother, a friend - reaching out to me for help. To me.
So I help them.
I help them because I care. Sure, the days are long, and the calls are stressful. I wouldn’t be human if the constant stream of tragedies didn’t affect me. And they do affect me.
But I still care.
I care so much that I have nightmares about the screams. I care so much that I will never forget the fear, the panic, the pain in people’s voices. I care so much that when I get home, I can’t help but cry over the suffering in the world, and my helplessness to stop it.
Except that I’m not helpless.
I am a 911 dispatcher.
I am strong.
I am the refuge people fly to when they are in danger. I am the fortress holding back the darkness. I am the guardian angel who guides people through catastrophe unseen.
I am a 911 dispatcher.
And I am proud.
I know what it is to hear the last seconds of someone’s life, and be utterly devastated…but still have to pull myself together to help the next caller perform CPR on his unconscious wife.
I know what it is to be exhausted to my core from a long night shift, but somehow, after helping someone deliver a baby and hearing those tiny lungs let out their first cries, feeling completely energized again.
I also know what it is to be ignored by the public, and even to be shouted at, cursed at, and hung up on by callers. I know what it is to watch the evening news anchor passing judgment on the one time that one dispatcher got it wrong…and never mentioning the hundreds, the thousands of times we all got it right. I know what it is to be underpaid, overworked, understaffed, overstressed.
I’ve seen coworkers leave because it was all too much. The stress, the pain, the lack of understanding. I’ve seen the physical symptoms that start manifesting themselves – insomnia, stomach issues, headaches – right alongside the emotional symptoms – irritability, panic attacks, emotional outbursts.
I’ve seen people affected by PTSD from traumatic calls.
I don’t ask to be appreciated in any great way. I just want to do my job, like anyone else. But a little understanding would mean so much.
I am proud. But I am only human.
I want to help.
I want to help you.
I am a 911 dispatcher.
During certain phases of sleep, our eyes move back and forth rapidly as we process the day’s events in our dreams. Called REM, or Rapid Eye Movement, this phenomenon is connected to the way in which our brains deal with whatever we’ve encountered whether good, bad, or indifferent.
In 1987, a psychologist named Dr. Francine Shapiro discovered that those same eye movements, when done while awake, can actually lessen the intensity of negative thoughts and feelings. And from this new insight, a new way of treating people afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder was born.
The therapy developed is called EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. In a series of meetings with a therapist, patients are guided through an 8-step process until the event that caused their PTSD no longer has a grip on them.
For 911 dispatchers who are dealing with PTSD due to a particularly traumatic call, EMDR therapy can serve as an effective way to work through the negative emotions and thoughts so that they no longer affect them so strongly.
EMDR is a flexible therapy, allowing 911 dispatchers to say as much or as little about their traumatic experience as they feel comfortable sharing. The main focus is not on “talking it out” but rather on making a conscious effort to reshape thoughts and emotions while performing a series of eye movements.
Therapists guide PSAP dispatchers through the following eight steps:
In the first sessions with the therapist, the dispatcher discusses as much or as little as she feels comfortable relating. It could be a detailed account of what happened or something as simple and general as, “I had to take a really traumatic call.” Then the therapist and the dispatcher will discuss the detrimental effects that trauma has had and what their goals for treatment will be.
During this phase, the therapist explains to the PSAP dispatcher what to expect, and teaches her some techniques for calming herself in moments of stress. These techniques will vary, as the therapist wants to ensure that the dispatcher has several options when feeling emotional distress. Techniques include using imagery or stress reduction tactics. The goal is to help reduce the feeling of distress when it arises. It also helps create a sense of trust between the dispatcher and therapist. This step may take several sessions.
Next, the dispatcher is told to choose an image that represents the traumatic event and to identify the negative thought that accompanies it in her mind, such as “I am helpless” or “I am in danger.” She should also identify the physical effects caused by remembering the event. Then, the therapist helps her to choose a positive thought to replace the negative one with, such as “I am in control” or “I am safe.”
Now the therapist leads the dispatcher through a series of eye movements while prompting her to think of the traumatic event, allowing new and different associations to form with it, as she is told to change focus at various intervals. This step also focuses on resolving similar events that can cause emotional distress or are closely related to the target situation. By helping to resolve distress over similar situations, the dispatcher can surpass their original goal (handling their PSTD and associated traumatic event) and be able to better handle a similar situation in the future.
During this phase, the PSAP dispatcher concentrates on replacing the negative thought with the chosen positive one. The goal is to internally replace the negative thought for a positive one and believe it is true. It can also identify steps needed to take in order to truly believe in the positive thought. If the thought is about being unsafe and the positive thought is that one is safe, an individual may have to take self-defense courses to truly believe the positive thought.
At this stage, the dispatcher thinks of the traumatic event and then notices what her physical reactions are, such as a stomachache or shaky hands. The goal is that at the end of treatment, the dispatcher will be able to remember the incident with no physical reaction at all. The entire treatment session cannot be considered concluded if there are still physical reactions when recalling a traumatic event.
At the end of every session, the therapist ensures that the PSAP dispatcher is feeling calm again, by performing a relaxation exercise. The dispatcher should leave the session feeling better than they did at the start of it. They also must feel as in control outside of the therapist’s office as they did when they were in the office. The dispatcher needs to feel that they can handle the situation regardless of where they are.
Finally, the therapist reevaluates the dispatcher to ensure that the changes are truly long-term. At the start of each session the therapist will check to see that positive changes made during the previous session have been maintained. At this point additional targets will be identified and new treatment will be discussed.
EMDR therapy has been proven to help people deal with many different kinds of trauma. If any 911 dispatchers at your public safety answering point are in need of this sort of treatment, you can find more information here.
No matter how sophisticated your workforce management software is, the scheduling assistance it provides can’t help if the contact center employees slated to be at work disrupt plans by unexpectedly calling in sick. If employee absences are causing a problem in your contact center, don’t give up hope there are solutions! We’ve put together a list of a few ideas you can implement to keep the number of unexpected employee absences to a minimum and keep your contact center running smoothly.
Every contact center should have a formal policy in place regarding the number of sick days and personal days allowed, but that alone isn’t enough. Your policy should also specify when and how supervisors are to be contacted when an employee needs to take a day off, whether they need to bring a doctor’s note, and what happens when an employee does not comply with the absence policy. Having an official policy in place that all employees are aware of will give you the leverage you need to enforce it. Have the employees each sign a copy and keep it on record in case there are any disputes, showing them that they agreed to what the policy stated.
If unexpected absences become a recurring problem for an employee, make a point of setting up a meeting between employee and supervisor immediately after an absence to discuss the issue. Supervisors should welcome the employee back, ascertain whether they are well enough to be at work again, update them on anything that happened while they were gone, and find out what the cause of the absence was. Then they can delve deeper, discussing whether the recurrent absences are all really due to unexpected illnesses or if caused by preventable, foreseeable issues. This discussion may help those employees understand the importance of advance notice whenever possible so that schedules are not disrupted.
Contact center employees who make that extra effort to be at work every single day deserve to be rewarded for it, and the fact that there is an incentive might just make others more likely to aim high as well. When an employee knows that a small bonus or perk is hanging in the balance, he or she might decide to come in to work after all, rather than taking that day off on the spur of the moment. Such bonuses could be recognition like Employee of the Month or gift cards to restaurants. Bigger bonuses can be awarded at the end of each year at the company’s discretion.
When someone unexpectedly doesn’t show up for a shift, everyone else has to work harder to make up for it. Let your contact center workforce discuss that fact at a meeting so that everyone is aware of the effect absences have on their coworkers. Simply hearing about the experiences others have had while covering for someone who was out can make an employee think twice about taking too many days off. It also helps reinforce that idea that showing up for work is half the job and a crucial aspect of teamwork!
In an effort to cut down on the number of days employees take off shift, encourage the employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. It could be as simple as company-funded gym memberships, healthier choices in the cafeteria or vending machines, or fun classes that teach how to cook simple, healthy dishes. Encourage good hygienic practices such as always washing hands and covering one’s mouth when coughing or sneezing. Keep hand sanitizer and sanitizing sprays/wipes on hand to reduce the spread of germs, especially during cold and flu season. Simple actions like these can make a difference in the number of employees getting ill!
Some unexpected absences are simply unavoidable people will still get sick and it’s vastly preferable that they stay home to recover rather than coming in and spreading their germs to the rest of the workforce. Family emergencies and accidents are unavoidable, too. But the number of unexpected absences can be greatly reduced through the above practices, which will benefit both your employees and your contact center’s performance.
In the fast-paced, high-stress environment that is a public safety answering point, the leadership qualities of a supervisor are vital to the smooth functioning of the dispatcher team. The rest of the PSAP staff takes its cue from management, so it’s crucial that supervisors develop and fully utilize certain leadership skills in order for their PSAP to achieve high levels of performance.
There are 6 especially important leadership skills that every public safety answering point supervisor should incorporate into their management style.
When supervisors are bogged down with paperwork and other requirements of the job, it can be difficult to take the time to simply observe how things are going in the PSAP. But such observation is vital to the prevention of problems. If a supervisor notices a trend among dispatchers – anything from arguments to sloppy work – while it’s still minor, it can be nipped in the bud before it becomes a major issue.
When things go wrong, it is tempting to play the blame game, whether we’re blaming people or circumstances. But that’s not productive, and it does nothing to solve the problem. It's important to figure out how the issue came up so that it can be avoided if it were to occur again. But trying to ascertain the cause of something and then only dealing with that part of the problem would be counterproductive. Make sure you don't single anyone out, and just deal with the behavior at hand. Talk to the whole team about it and maybe figure out a solution together so that if another problems occurs in the future, your team will deal with it together, instead of singling people out.
Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do when a problem crops up, especially if it does seem to be because of circumstances that simply can’t be changed. But it’s important to do something, even if you’re not positive it will help. Learn about the problem and try to make a diplomatic decision, where all sides are understood and dealt with equally. The mere fact that you are trying something, rather than doing nothing, will boost morale – and eventually, you might just find a way to fix the problem after all.
With all the emphasis placed on NG911 technology these days, as well as the normal technological training and upgrades required, it can be easy to devote more time, energy, and funds to technology than to the people who will be using it. But the people are the heart of any PSAP, and need just as much, if not more, attention and funds devoted to their human professional development. Make sure your employees know how important and appreciated they are. You could always reward them with small breaks or free breakfast on Fridays. Even the smallest gestures will instill a great amount of motivation.
There’s nothing more inspiring to an employee than to see their supervisor walking the talk, doing exactly as they expect their employees to do. And there’s nothing more discouraging than seeing supervisors act as if they are above the law. If this means having to sit in their spot, doing what they do, then definitely do it. Lead by example, and dispatchers will be glad to follow. Be punctual to work, meetings and when meeting deadlines. Be courteous to all other workers and
Don’t try general motivation schemes without first ascertaining what exactly it is that motivates each of your dispatchers. In order to truly get them on board with your ideas, you’ll need to find a form of positive motivation that will be effective. Ask them what would work, and experiment till you find the right tools. Most of the time incentives work as great motivators. You can use them in a small competition to drive their work. You could also do team bonding competitions and encourage your team members to work together. Another idea could be to have an in-house retreat that has workshops geared towards team bonding, work improvement, and self motivation.
These 6 leadership qualities will give any public safety answering point supervisor the skills they need to effectively help their dispatchers improve performance - as well as morale. It is important that the team leader is humble, cooperative, and diplomatic so that the team members feel comfortable working with them or speaking to them about their own work issues. It is beneficial for the company if each team can get along well together as a whole, which is why it is important that each team leader work hard to keep their team together.
Contact center managers do everything they can to boost their employees’ morale and performance, from holding fun competitions to arranging individualized coaching. But one of the most effective ways to improve morale, and thus performance, is by providing a strategically designed space for employees to work in.
The more pleasant the work environment is, the more easily contact center employees will be able to focus on doing their best. Watch the short video from Officeworks for an explanation and some tips on Feng Shui for home or office. After that, read our list for more great ideas to grow your office chi and create the right atmosphere in your contact center.
Rather than keeping contact centers, and even individual agents, behind opaque walls or partitions, let them see and be seen by installing glass walls instead. Opening up the space in this way makes it feel less claustrophobic and more communal. And if your contact center is located within the same building as other company operations, it will build a sense of connection with those other departments as well.
These glass walls can also provide natural lighting, too! Consider installing large floor-to-ceiling windows to enhance the natural lighting in your office space and allow your employees to connect with the world outside. If those are not possible, consider installing a skylight or two in the office; these serve the same purpose.
Instead of providing a small, enclosed break room, try creating an inviting, open, communal space where agents can gather during their breaks. An assortment of comfortable chairs, couches, pillows and rug alongside conveniently placed tables will encourage your contact center workforce to relax and chat, thus boosting their sense of connectedness with their fellow employees. The break room can also be positioned near the perimeter of the floor as well, so the windows can offer a moment of peace.
This goes for the rest of the office area as well. If the desk or cubicle areas are too close together and cramped, the employees may feel uncomfortable. Open desk areas allows for employees to breathe easily, and consider it their own private room where they can enjoy a private lunch, if needed, or a short break with their neighboring cubicles, or co-workers that stop by. The ROI from making these changes is ultimately happier employees. They do not feel secluded from each other and a positive company culture will thrive.
For new hires or any employees going through training, it just makes sense to provide a quiet area that’s conducive to study and concentration. This doesn’t mean that it needs to be completely cut off from the main space, however; an adjacent side room with a glass wall will keep trainees feeling connected to the pulse of the contact center, while also giving them a place where they can focus. They can even be structured towards the perimeter of your contact center area, so they can include windows. With conference rooms around the perimeters, the desk areas can stay unified within the middle, instead of being separated by the rooms, making the area seem disconnected.
If phones and computer systems allow, it’s ideal to make seating arrangements flexible, so that different teams can easily gather and disperse. Rather than being tied down to one cubicle or desk all day, having the freedom to take a call on a couch, or to interact with a customer on a laptop at a table surrounded by colleagues, is a significant boost to morale.
If phones and computer systems do not allow for flexible seating arrangement, each employee's desk should have enough space for them to feel comfortable in. A small space can make an employee feel claustrophobic, which in turn can increase stress levels. A larger desk space will allow the employees to decorate their area and feel more homely. If the employee feels at home in their area, it can improve their work performance.
There are some activities, even in a contact center, that simply require silence. Whether an employee needs a quiet spot to take a challenging call or meet one-on-one with a supervisor, access to a private, quiet room should be provided so that employees aren’t forced to search the building for somewhere to go. Small conference rooms or an area around the break room would be great places for employees to take advantage of quiet time.
Especially with the varying shifts worked by contact center employees, it’s important that the workplace feel comfortable and homey. Two factors are of the utmost importance here, where employees will be spending so much of their time – lighting and temperature. If the spaces are too dark, or the lighting is distracting in any way, alertness and comfort will be negatively affected. And if the workplace is too hot or too cold, employees will likewise not be able to focus.
Contact centers are unique environments that require unique workspace solutions. Implementing some of these tips in your contact center might just give your workforce the boost they need to improve performance and customer service.
After going through extensive preparations before attending a career fair and then making the absolute most out of the actual event, don’t forget to top your career fair experience off by following up afterwards.
As important as the career fair itself is, it’s the follow-up that can make or break an applicant for a position. Even if you made your conversations with recruiters as memorable as possible, when they head home with stacks of resumes, they’ll still need some prompting to keep you top of mind.
So what’s the best way to follow up with these recruiters to ensure that you’re the one they think of when it comes time to fill the position? We’ve put together a list of tips to help you do just that.
It’s important that you follow up with recruiters with 24 – 48 hours after the career fair. Wait any longer than that, and you risk losing the job to other, more eager applicants. It might even be a good idea to call and leave a voicemail the day of the career fair, and then follow up on that with an email.
Because recruiters saw so many individuals that day, share a tidbit that will help them remember you, such as “You complimented my tie!” or “We shared our love of surfboarding.” Just as you needed to stand out on the day of the fair, your follow up email needs to stand out, too. Keep it short and make sure to let them know that you appreciated them taking their time to discuss the opportunity with you.
Recruiters are used to getting follow-up emails and even calls, but a good old-fashioned handwritten thank you note can really set you apart from the crowd. Again, be sure to mention something specific to jog the recruiter’s memory as to the conversation you both had at the job fair. Taking the time to write and mail an actual letter will show the recruiter your drive. Because the post can take a day or so to be received, write it after you leave the fair and mail it out that day. Make sure you are spelling the individual’s name correctly!
If the recruiter has told you the next step to take in the application process, such as applying online or contacting another person within the company, then make sure you follow his or her instructions to a tee. Not doing so will make the recruiter think that you either aren’t serious about the position or that you don’t follow directions well and thus wouldn’t be a good fit. Keep the recruiter updated on your progress, as well, by emailing him or her whenever you take that next step, and asking when you should expect to hear an update.
In order to ensure that you continue to have access to the recruiters you spoke with, connect with them online through networking sites such as LinkedIn. That way, even if this particular position doesn’t pan out, you’ll be building your network, and you’ll still have that connection if future openings arise. Be sure to follow the company’s page, too, especially if you desire to work for that particular company. Companies often post new job openings on LinkedIn and share the update on their page so you can stay in the loop regarding new positions.
If your communications show a lack of real interest in a position or even a faked enthusiasm, recruiters will be able to tell. Your emails and calls need to reflect the genuine passion with which you are pursuing a job not too little and not too much. You should also explain how your passion specifically relates to the position, company, or industry for which you are applying. Doing so shows that you have an understanding of the needs of the position, company, or industry and how your talents can fill this need.
Get organized with your follow-up and create a schedule to keep track of who you’ve contacted and when as well as setting dates for the next time you’ll make contact with each recruiter. This way you won’t be contacting too soon before a decision is made or too frequently. Checking in on a regular basis will show the recruiter your commitment and help keep you in his thoughts long after other candidates have given up.
Keeping these six tips in mind as you follow up after a career fair will help to ensure that you’ve made the absolute most out of the opportunity and that you’ll reap the best possible rewards from it as well.
In the business world today, relationships are everything. Purchasing decisions are often driven by the strength of the connection a consumer feels with a certain company. This rapport with a brand is what leads to true customer loyalty ─ an emotional connection with a business that turns a one-time buyer into a repeat customer.
So what’s the best way to make customers feel that they have a meaningful relationship with your company? By asking for their input, and then acting on it. Implementing a Voice of the Customer (VoC) program makes customers aware of the fact that you care about their opinions so much, you’re willing to make changes in your business based on their experiences and ideas.
According to Verint Systems, Inc., our partner in enterprise intelligence solutions, there are seven ways to use VoC initiatives to inspire customer loyalty.
1. Implement a formal VoC program. It’s one thing to develop a nebulous VoC strategy, and quite another to implement a formal VoC program. Without solid plans in place for collecting and then acting upon the data gathered with a VoC initiative, any customer loyalty results achieved will not be measurable. Management buy-in and program coordination at all levels of the enterprise are vital.
2. Use a common platform to collect VoC and VoE data. Regular customer and employee surveys are crucial to developing a well-rounded picture of customer attitudes. But if all the data gathered from these surveys is not stored together in one central location, important pieces of the puzzle can be overlooked. Using a common platform to organize all feedback puts every detail at a company’s disposal.
3. Integrate CRM data into VoC programs. By incorporating Customer Relationship Management data into a VoC program, surveys can be personalized, which leads to a greater response rate and a richer set of data to analyze.
4. Share VoC data throughout the enterprise. Every employee in an organization needs access to the VoC data pertaining to their area of responsibility. Only in this way will it become truly actionable.
5. Measure and share VoC data with employees. Employee performance is a significant factor contributing to customer satisfaction and loyalty. As such, any data collected from customers on this topic must be shared with the employees concerned, in order for them to be able to improve.
6. Co-create with customers. VoC data must be utilized if it is to inspire loyalty. Customer input should be taken into consideration at every point in the lifecycle of a product or service, from planning and development to implementation and marketing.
7. Share VoC data with customers. If customers aren’t told that their ideas are being implemented, they won’t feel that their feedback has had any effect. Customer loyalty can only be developed when a business reports back to customers with the specific action being taken in response to their comments.
By putting these seven tips into action, enterprises can harness the power of a VoC program to inspire customer loyalty. If your enterprise could benefit from increased customer loyalty, contact KOVA to see how we can customize a VoC program to fit your unique needs.
