Every year, our Agent Experience Index, a survey of call center agents across multiple industries, uncovers interesting trends and astounding traits. In our last index, we discovered that golden agents do indeed wear smartwatches. While this wasn’t the only indicator of how to spot a golden agent, it’s helpful to gain some insight into the traits that define a “golden agent.” While we typically define golden agents by their habits, e.g., checking metrics at least once daily, golden agents are, simply put, the stars of the show in a call center. Typically defined by outstanding metrics and KPIs, it’s their attitude, productivity and ability to support the team that make them so valuable.
Every agent has a toolkit. These resources are provided to nearly everyone and in most cases require training, practice and application knowledge in order to use them effectively. But a golden agent has a slightly different toolkit. Not only do they know what they don’t know, but they possess an ability to know where to go for answers. They possess the brand and product knowledge to be savvy and confident in the business and in their own decisions. Likewise, a team-oriented agent and problem solver knows that a whole is greater than the sum of its respective parts.
Golden agents possess acute thinking. Your team members that thrive under pressure possess a unique ability to think critically and make decisions. Wading through multiple layers of an issue in order to make a real discovery is a hallmark of a super agent. These agents often discover that ultimately, a resolution may require unique methods and iterations.
Innovation is often attached to experience. We tend to believe that the only way to develop innovative ideas is that if you possess the background and experience of the past, you can drive future vision and ideas. New hires and those with diverse experience can often be very successful despite having never worked in a call center. Why? The most innovative agents know that sometimes you benefit from not knowing the way things have always been done.
The delicate balance of competing priorities is something not easily navigated. An agent that can maintain allegiance to the company that employs them but to recognize what’s in the best interest of their immediate client is an asset to the organization and to the consumer. Agents who understand the balance can help customers find creative and useful solutions. Golden agents can see that brand loyalty and a positive customer experience is worth its weight in – well –you know.
One of the biggest asks of agents in a call center is the ability to remain adaptable and flexible. Knowing when to fall back, when to stand down, and when to be at attention. The ability to understand your role and keep perspective on even the smallest of tasks can greatly benefit the company on multiple levels and allows others to bask in the spotlight when necessary. A golden agent is unfazed, and in fact, motivated by a challenge. Golden agents are unmistakable in their uncanny ability to remain focused and steadfast in high pressure situations– and even thrive in them.
Join me for the Accelerate webinar: Agent Experience Index, Tuesday April 11th at 12:00 PM EDT / 9:00 AM PDT. Ahead of the release of the full report, I’ll share more details about golden agents and what our research uncovered about agents’ changing needs and preferences.