Changes, the ones that we are electing to make and the ones we’re adapting to are happening at a pace that few of us could ever have anticipated. Even the Change Superstars amongst us can get caught up in running from task to task, doing what needs to be done next. So how do we give ourselves and our organisations the best chance of making our changes successful ones?
Call & Contact Centres Already Have the Advantage
The good news is that for those people working in contact centres worldwide, change is a regular part of working life and so even for those who might feel that they struggle, compared to many, they are likely to already be streaks ahead of the rest.
Still, there is a delicate balance to be struck between identifying what to change in order to thrive in the face of disruption, and ensuring that you do it well.
When Your Pace of Change Is Amplified
We’re adapting, creating new processes, new products, working from home and juggling commitments outside of the workplace. So when it comes to the changes we’re making and responding to, what control are we taking of our environment in order to help us make the best decisions?
Did you just skip your due diligence because you needed to make something happen by close of business? Are you right now scrambling to put right an impact that you didn’t realise you were going to have when you rolled out a change last week? Are you struggling with mixed messages and confusion amongst your team and customers?
As an industry, contact centres excel in change management. We know cultures that are built for success have teams who embrace growth and innovation mindsets. We know that to manage change successfully we need to scope, explore and implement changes with a clear vision of the outcomes, then communicate them effectively and consistently.
So why isn’t that happening today and what can we do to put it right?
What we are often seeing, is that where just a short time ago there was a dedicated team of specially selected people to work through change proposals, make assessments, seek approvals, and prioritise which changes to make, today we are all being empowered to innovate and deliver change, and to do it quickly.
Making great change decisions is therefore essential to avoid headaches and recovery actions if thing’s go awry. Here’s some guidance to help you ensure your changes are the right ones.
Clarity
Keeping a sense of clarity is critical. With clarity you will positively impact your ability to adapt to change at a personal level, your decision making in response to disruption, and your ability to tune in to and recognise when your people need additional support. Take a step away from the screen, look out of a window, go for a walk or talk your change through with a trusted colleague or mentor. View the change from different perspectives. If I’m a customer, what does this mean to me? If I’m the product team, what does this mean to me?
Take a moment to gain clarity on the full and detailed impact, and with clarity will come confidence.
Continuity
Although your organisation is facing disruption and making changes in response to this, don’t underestimate the importance of taking a moment to assure your people and customers that your core reason for being, your overarching values, and your commitments to them are resolute. It will go a long way to providing confidence, a sense of stability, and to demonstrate that leadership is strong. A sense of security will be critical to the productivity of your operations, as your people can focus their time and attention on what you need them to do; adopting your changes with positivity and supporting your customers.
Communication
No-one will know what your changing unless you tell them, right? The volume and pace of change will impact the ability for you, your teams and your customers to absorb the information and respond accordingly. Avoid information overload. Your people are working through a lot and may not be taking information on board as effectively as they did before. Take your time to communicate the important things thoroughly, give time for questions and allow your change(s) to be fully understood before launching – it’s going to save you time and corrective measures by getting it right the first time. So, when it comes to your communication – choose wisely. Think about how to break the information into right-sized chunks. Consider who needs to know, what level of detail they need, and what’s the best channel/way to share this information with them. A little time spent in planning early will pay dividends later.
Because There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Support
The contact centre industry is undergoing immense disruption. From employees working remotely and resizing their teams, to businesses changing their product offerings. During times of change the need for experienced change partners to help contact centres navigate change successfully is paramount. At Athena Consulting, we are committed to helping you evolve with change and overcome obstacles along the way.
Change doesn’t have to be hard, so we have created some resources to help you through this. A free e-book download to dive into these concepts deeper The Ultimate Contact Centre Change Guide, and a DIY Change Kit Library full of templates and resources to short-cut your road to change mastery.
We’re seeing teams doing great things in response to massive disruption, and we’ll do anything we can to help you be one of them.
About the Author
Lea-Anne Warren is a highly regarded change and communications management specialist.
With 16 years experience working within the contact centre industry, she has helped large banking and utilities organisations design, implement and adopt highly complex change initiatives. Whether improving business operations or driving large scale cultural change, her passion and commitment to excellence is unwavering.
Lea-Anne’s strengths lie in balancing the needs of the people with the needs of the business, and creating a change framework that provides the flexibility needed to make great things happen.
She is a dedicated mother, a master multi-tasker, and a tenacious perfectionist who never backs down from a challenge.