Optimize Your Call Center Layout with These 5 Tips

Call Center | 3 minute read

Traditional call center environments are often busy, fast-paced environments, but it doesn’t need to be that way. Conversations around call center optimization often focus on technology, training, and metrics, but call center workforce optimization also includes the physical elements of your operation.

The physical environment in your call center can be just as impactful as the technology you use. Ensure your space works for you, your agents, and your customers. #CCTR #ContactCenter Click To Tweet

If you’re looking to boost your performance metrics and optimize your processes, rearranging your contact center space is a good place to begin. But how do seating arrangements really factor into your contact center, and is it worth the time and initiative?

Whether you’re starting a new call center operation from scratch or you’re planning for your team’s return to the office in the post-COVID world, this is one factor that you shouldn’t overlook.

Why is a workplace layout important for call centers?

The concept of assigned seating is not a new one, and the methods that businesses use to assign employee workstations can directly impact employee satisfaction.

Coworker dynamics are restricting policies are among the leading causes of employee burnout. While it’s important to address the roots of these challenges, call centers can mitigate these factors so there are fewer opportunities for these issues to arise.

The way your office is organized also impacts the ambience of your call center. It’s much easier for your agents to engage in meaningful customer conversation where there is minimal background noise. Consumers are always looking for a quality experience as well as outstanding support, so it will definitely be worth your trouble from a customer satisfaction standpoint.

5 tips for optimizing your call center workplace layout.

1. Develop agent seating plans.

Assigned seating may remind you of grade school, but this approach can really help support your agents so they can do their best work on the daily. Having a dedicated workstation give your employees a sense of ownership over their space, even if they technically share the workstation with other agents.

2. Focus on your floor plan.

While circle pods are great for engagement and a modern aesthetic, it’s not very effective for minimizing noise. The traditional cubicle arrangement, while dated, offers agents a quieter workspace while optimizing use of floorspace. Adding barriers between workstations is now an essential consideration for the post-COVID work world, and it can also help minimize noise and improve concentration.

TIP:

Voice Call Backs are quickly becoming an industry standard tool for its ability to reduce abandon rates, improve customer satisfaction, and manage spikes in call volume.

3. Prioritize quiet zones.

Keep meetings and training sessions in separate rooms, preferably with soundproofing. Consider how sound carries in your workplace, and the general office foot traffic so you can anticipate challenges and minimize the risk of interrupting customer calls. In that same vein, make sure that locker rooms or entryways are also separate to minimize the noise from agents coming and going.

4. Optimize placement of management.

Having your managers integrated throughout the office makes it easier to monitor and support your call center agents. Consider agent dynamics and pay attention to their interactions. Junior agents should not be placed too far from a senior agent in case they need a helping hand. This is also a great practice for hands-on training!

5. Ensure your technology complements your strategy.

Contact center hardware are software can make or break your success. According to a study by Ultimate Software, 92% of employees say that technology efficiency directly impacts their work satisfaction. Invest in flexible and scalable platforms and cloud-based solutions so your agents can worry less about troubleshooting and focus more on your customers.

Measuring your success.

You’ll know that the seating arrangement portion of your call center optimization is working when you see a number of positive metrics that prove you’re running a successful call center.

TIP:

There are a lot of factors that can impact your contact center KPIs. Don’t roll out multiple tactics at once. Rather, test your strategies individually over a few weeks to isolate the factors and their impact on your operations.

Adherence.

A quiet and peaceful contact center will boost your adherence numbers as your agents won’t be setting themselves to “busy” so they can chat with their neighbor, or because they are distracted by activities around them.

Customer satisfaction (CSAT).

When there is no annoying background noise, your agents and customers can have unhindered conversations as your agent can focus fully on the customer’s issue, providing a better overall customer experience.

Fonolo Resource cover image

A Guide to Contact Center Agent Engagement

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A Guide to Contact Center Agent Engagement

Fonolo Resource cover image
DOWNLOAD NOW
Fonolo Resource cover image

A Guide to Contact Center Agent Engagement

DOWNLOAD NOW

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