Are you caught in a Vicious Cycle that damages your self-esteem or the self-esteem of your Agents? The cycle can look like this.

This is a Vicious Cycle of Negativity

I hear something wrong on a call, I get Quality to Agree it is bad.  I send out a graded form that tells the Agent what is wrong with the way she handled an issue or a person.  I set up a feedback session disguised as a “coaching” session.  In the meeting, I make sure the Agent sees the error of her ways.  I tell her how to do it right, or how we did it in my day.  I tell the Agent to fix this for their next evaluation. I hope they are repentant and willing to take the constructive criticism well and mend their ways. I watch and listen for improvement and wonder why I don’t hear or see much improvement. I am frustrated. (BTW so is the Agent and now lacking self-esteem)

This is a Vicious Cycle of Positivity

I hear the Agent make an error on a call. He said something that doesn’t please the Customer.  I ‘think’ that Agent needs more confidence and maybe a lesson on Handling the Upset Customers. I am the COACH and I am responsible to help the Agent improve. AND, to give him acknowledgment and show my “confidence in him.”  I set up a time to meet with the Agent for a coaching session. We listen to the recorded call.  I mention that I thought the customer was not happy with the way she was handled or the matter handled.  I ask the Agent if he felt the same.  Aha! We agree.  Okay, Perfect.  Now I ask the Agent, “What can you do in the future to make a situation like this a better experience for the customer?”  I tell the Agent, “I know you can come up with some good ideas and use them in the future.” (Building the Self-Esteem of the Agent) I tell the Agent he is doing a great job and I would like him to come up with some ideas for a way to handle this, and we can agree on it.

Why should you as the manager, supervisor, or coach build the self-esteem with Positive Coaching? If you build self-esteem instead of correcting, you’ll have a Vicious Cycle of Positivity:

  • Higher Agent Retention
  • Agent Pride in themselves and the company
  • Better Performance and
  • A Much Better Customer Experience

It doesn’t take a Miracle, and it isn’t Magic or even Mystical, but it is Vicious!  The fact that we don’t quite understand how to build our own self-esteem and that of our Agents.    What’s the Quickest way to Build the Self-Esteem of your Agents?  Okay WAIT FOR IT. . .

Tell your Agents how wonderful they are!  Find something good about a call.  Give them not only a compliment, but a specific opinion or a measure of something good they did.   People are so micro-managed and they have the computer listening in on their every word.  Imagine what it would be like to hear nothing but good stuff all day long.  Can you imagine that?  Is it mystical to say that…what you think is what you get?  What you think – GOES! Is it Magical when you take time to find something wonderful about your Agent, and then tell them? Is it a Miracle when they SMILE at you and feel proud of their work? If you spend at least one day every week, acknowledging your AGENTS, Miracles will Happen! The best part…the Vicious Cycle of Negativity will be completely obliterated! TA! DA!

*Share your stories with us.  We love to hear how our tips and coaching helps you and your company!