All entries tagged with “upset”
Posted by Yasmin Parsloe on Monday Sep 8, 2014 11:42 am
Today marks the 13th anniversary of 9/11/2001, a day marked by terror and grief. Coping with a loss in the workplace often impacts other employees and during this hard time, managers need to take the right steps to help their coworkers recover.
Here are just a few short tips on how to maintain order following a loss:
- Stay in charge. Researchers at Duke University recommend managers acknowledge a loss in the workplace and take charge of representing the organization’s compassion and sympathy. As a manager, it is not necessary to be outspoken or say anything profound, instead, just offering assistance, and a token of your condolences can make a difference. Also, consider being more present in the grieving employee’s lives during this time – making sure that they remain levelheaded while recovering.
- Share information as soon as you know. Supplying coworkers with knowledge after a loss of a team player is important. If you can help obtain information, you should. Also, be understanding of staff member’s time needs to attend the funeral.
- Ask for support from higher management. Consider extending deadlines for employees impacted by the loss. You may have to consult higher management to issue extensions but keep an open line of communication throughout your company until the environment returns to normal.
- Be open. Communication must be at an all time high during times of grieving. Giving people time to mourn requires a mutual understanding and teamwork is required to prevent the sad loss from negatively impacting business.
- Be aware of the healing value of work. While many assume grieving requires rest and quiet time alone, some people bury themselves in work to overcome losses. Don’t try to limit a person’s work unless they indicate they are overwhelmed and need a break.
- Be aware productivity may change. Emotions run high after a loss and often impact the rate of work or level of accuracy. You may want to communicate with a grieving employee to make sure they are overcoming their loss and able to work as normal. Do not be caught off guard if they ask for a lighter workload or time off.
Coping with a loss in the workplace is a delicate matter. As a manager, communication is key to boosting morale and lending your condolences. Don’t be afraid to take charge of your organization in offering condolences and be aware of the changes in workloads that may occur.
Posted by Yasmin Parsloe on Thursday Jul 31, 2014 12:07 pm
“Why is it that you don’t want the faster speed? Help me understand why you don’t want faster Internet?”
 It is streamed across the internet, humiliating one of the largest contact centers in the world as Ryan Block, vice president of product at AOL attempts to disconnect his Comcast service. To the chagrin of listeners who share similar service call experiences, Comcast reportedly released an internal memo to its employees undermining the recorded employee and shunning his customer treatment. To avoid crisis –Comcast’s senior management is directing all further questions to media contacts. As the habit of customer’s recording service calls is becoming more and more common, what can other contact centers learn from one exasperated rep’s mistakes?
While companies often say they record service calls for future training purposes, experts say recording calls is beneficial should legal scenarios arise. Glenn Conley, president and CEO of Metropark Communications Inc., tells Market Watch that most calls are archived and used in the case of a legal or policy dispute. “It’s more in line with covering what legal issues might arise down the road,” explains Conley.
To the dismay of large telecommunication companies, experts are now advising consumers to record calls too. While permission to record is often required, experts warn consumers that there are fewer legal reasons for the second party to seek recording permission to record if one party is already recording, particularly if the conversation is no longer considered confidential.
While some companies, like American Express, have set processes to prohibit consumer call recordings, the Digital Media Law Project by Harvard University reports most state wiretapping statutes permit recording if one party to the conversation (the consumer) gives consent. These laws vary by state, California and Washington being two states that require two-way consent.
As contact centers battle to stop two-way recordings, technology is making it easier for callers to do just that. Google voice is just one app that records all incoming calls and while Apple makes recording more difficult, placing a device on speaker phone makes recording easy for any device user.
Lessons to be learned from one failed retention rep? Customer treatment is key, especially when you’re not the only one recording.
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