Good contact center managers possess a certain skill set to do well in their jobs. With many Americans reporting that they are generally unhappy with the customer service they receive from companies, it's important that the person you hire for the role is qualified and understands how to effectively manage a small contact center so that customers are served well and business objectives are being met. When interviewing candidates for the position, look for the following skills:

Strong Communication Skills

Managers of small contact centers need to be able to juggle many tasks at once including interacting with customers and staff through many and various communication platforms. The manager will be responsible for overseeing the quality of the customer service, so he or she should be able to maintain a helpful, friendly demeanor not only with customers, but also with agents.  As a leader within the organization, the contact center manager's positive attitude in getting results for customers will impact how agents will handle customers. The manager must also be able to see issues from the customer's perspective and view himself as an advocate for the customer to achieve positive outcomes.

Solid IT Skills

Long gone are the days when contact centers only used telephones to handle customer service. In today's digital world, call center agents are not only on the phone, but they are online, they work through social media platforms, instant chats, and a number of other communication channels. Therefore, contact center managers have to have solid IT skills.  Workforce optimization solutions, call analytics, quality assurance and may other software applications and databases dominate contact centers. Managers need to be knowledgeable enough to provide technical assistance to their agents.

Customer Service Background

Strong knowledge of the industry and significant experience and training in customer service is also key to the success of a contact center manager. Managers who have spent time in customer care positions will have a keen understanding of best practices to put in place to consistently make customers happy. He or she should be adept at gathering information quickly, evaluating it and using it to assist customers. They should also be flexible and agile and not easily rattled by irate customers or chaotic moments that are sure to arise.

Effective Leadership Skills

Lastly, because managers of small contact centers likely have to train and coach contact center agents, they must be good communicators. They should be able to share company policies effectively and address agent concerns as well as support them in their work. He or she must be able to evaluate an agent's work and then be able to communicate helpful feedback that will help them to improve their work. The call center manager should be a good listener to agent's concerns and suggestions in order to devise ways to make work easier or more efficient. This type of management style helps to retain good workers and promotes a positive atmosphere of team work and increased productivity.