I'm frequently asked for tips but I'm always looking for more. If anyone has any good ones, please post them here!

Yeah more money and holidays! Welchie

Don't we all want those things. I was thinking about more attainable goals (heaven forbid what management would think if I recommended giving all their staff more holidays and money - I think I'd be out on my ear ;-)

I think that a good start would be to remove some of the negative aspects of work in this industry. I mean, we've all heard about the operators asked to hold up their hands to go to the loo, and so on, so I reckon taking away some of these potentially degrading activities would help boost morale. Pay and holidays will, of course, always make a difference, but even with great pay and holidays, there are some circumstances *none* of us would want to work in. John

atttainable goals and a little bit of credit where it is due will go a long way in motivating and keeping your staff, as well as making "work" a fun place to be!
you would be surprised how hard people will work when they are also allowed to have fun

Hi

This non monetary motiation has been brought up time and time again at meetings and conferances that we have at our company. A smile, a pat on the back, a well done, and a good morning or a good night would do most of my colleagues at the moment. My call centre has supervisors with faces like stone.... and it is not as if the sharks are at the door... we are way ahead of target. Courtesy (sp?) goes a long way, I just wish more people would lighten up - even just a little.

This poem I read it in Occupation Psychologist Peter Viles book.I have changed it to suit current scenario :

I am working with the feeling
that the supervisor is stealing
five pounds from my pocket everyday
but for every pound i lose
company will lose as many as i sound
by the speed by which i bounce the call around

for it makes me so disgusted
that my headset shall be adjusted
so that nevermore my ear will hear that customer ring;
when they are in an awful hurry
someone else can pickup and worry
till an increase in my wages do i get

No malicious thoughts i harbour
for the supervisor or the manager
who get enough an ghour from the start

nearly three years i've been working
like a fool, but now i am shirking
when i get what's fair, i'll always do my part
someone else can run the races
till i'm on an equal basis
with the ones who learned the job by making call

though i can do the work, it is funny
new agents can get money
and i can't get the same to save my soul

Any comments Jim/John/Penny/Shane
Vedula

I like it! More, please; we're creating a new forum later this week dedicated to humour and things like this; I'll ensure that there are links to funny comments and articles, as well as topics in their own right.

Meanwhile, keep contributin' :-)

John

Hi Vedula,

I like your poem..... it is nice to see people bringing in new ideas to this forum / community. Regards Penny

Greetings y'all...I'm new to this forum and i'm currently employed as a c.s.r in our new call centre team in our company [ telecom fiji limited ]. We've just been operating for the last 4 months and yes, we also have some motivation from our managers, ceo and team leaders. Sometimes we do get together on a Friday afternoon and have some snacks, juice to share and congratulate everyone for a hard and good week of work...

thanks

great poem indeed...more.more..more.....

regards

I've heard of everything now - call centre poetry :-)

very good, will have lots of fun posting funnies once that sectiion is up and running!!

Special contests, bringing in pictures of yourself as a baby, theme dress up days, and a million more ideas -- are all fun and necessary in the call center environment. However, if you're looking for long-term commitment and self-generated enthusiasm, research shows that the #1 motivator is accomplishment.

This means we need to provide call center professionals with the skills to do their jobs, clearly identified goals, and a ton of support when they struggle or fall short of expectations. When call center professionals see and feel the company's committment to them, and they see their own personal growth, they will be energized, not for a day or a week, but for their career.

Related motivating activities are offering a career path within the call center or company, and, believe it or not, getting rid of employees who are chronically out of adherance or just plain have bad attitudes.

This is a complex and vexing issue -- I don't mean to simplify it here. It's a challengecall center managers face daily - and it's esssential that the managers themselves are motivated before than can motivate others.

JoAnne Jarecki
President
Premier Consulting

JoAnne wrote:

"it's esssential that the managers themselves are motivated before than can motivate others"

Very true indeed. Those in a position to influence others (e.g. managers or supervisors, not to mention people in public positions, celebrities and so on) must be aware that there is a certain amount of responsibility which they must shoulder for setting a good example. In the case of motivation, de-motivated managers, etc., can be extremely counter-productive, and yes, in that sense I would agree that every effort to ensure that they are 're-motivated' is undertaken...

John

I like it JoAnne, you are spot on.

The crux of what you are saying here is based around sound, simple, human psychology.

The two issues that drive people at the most fundemental of levels are security and happiness - in that order. So to motivate them you have to deliver them a feeling that if they contribute they will achieve better levels of security. This is typically done in the work place by managers demonstrating, not just saying, that they 'value' the contributions a person (always base the response on the individual) makes.

When you are listened to, or your opinion is sought etc you feel great and you want to do more. We've all been there and few of us can get enough. 'Apparently' it's a hell of a buzz... Just ask John.

David

David

Hi folks.

I haven't been around this site for a while - looks like I've been missing out on some good ideas.

David I like the ideas you've mentioned but it strikes me as theory not practise - how do we demonstrate that we value the contirbutions that our staff make? I could do with a few pointers.

Loved the poems, folks, brightened up my morning.

Jim

Show appreciation to all the different persoanlities and skills within your team. Set team tasks and remember to celebrate those team achievements. A pat on the back and a personal e-mail to those concerned can go alot further than a bottle of champagne.

Sorry I have not been around for awhile - and thank you to John for reminding me to come and visit, and haven't you ( call center voice ) grown !!!!! Looking very, very good guys.......

I think that motivation comes from clear communication. Relevant and frequent information helps motivation. It avoids speculation about those "secret" managment meetings. Most of all it helps to build trust and respect.

"motivation comes from clear communication" - I agree with this. It's important (as a 'foot soldier') to have some kind of handle upon what the 'captains' are doing, and an overview of what the 'generals' are planning.

Translated into business terms, workers want to be kept informed. As David would probably say at this point, information is key to security, and security is one of the cornerstones of happiness and therefore motivation. Managers and those who determine strategy should keep all staff informed, as everyone wants to be a part of the organisation and failing to keep everyone involved tends to create a 'them and us' situation.

John