The world is increasingly full of distractions.  There are over 2 million cat videos on YouTube. Netflix released over 1,000 hours of original content in 2017. Apple estimates that by 2020, there will be 5 million apps available in their App Store. All this is available anytime a customer wants it.

Customers want the same instant service on their terms from a contact center, which makes contact center productivity important.  We compiled five ways you can improve how your employees interact with customers. And while we can’t promise that these techniques will make your customer service as beloved as “Stranger Things,” they will help you motivate your agents and optimize contact center productivity.

1. Reduce Interaction Handle Time

Customers are busy; taking steps to reduce call handle time has dual benefits of improving agent productivity and enabling a better customer experience. Many factors can contribute to high call handle times—poor scripting, outdated slow technology or agents having to navigate multiple disparate systems to address customer issues. Analyze your current process, identify your silos and eliminate them.

2. Improve Supervisor Efficacy

A call center agent is only as good as his or her manager. Make sure your call center supervisor has the tools necessary to support and empower the team. Real-time dashboards, along with call and screen monitoring, make things easier. Supervisors can identify certain sticking points for agents, provide opportunities for targeted training and improve overall contact center productivity. Additionally, workforce management tools provide historical data and forecast volume, enabling better scheduling and staff planning.

3. Discover Proven Ways to Motivate Agents

An all-in-one contact center solution gives a comprehensive view of activities—and that enables better visibility into agent actions. Supervisors can easily identify agent handle times, resolution rates and the number of interactions taken—sliced by queue, agent or media type—to pinpoint problem areas and address them quickly. In the new Total Economic Impact (TEI) of Genesys Cloud Report, Forrester found that contact centers who use the Genesys Cloud reported better-quality hires, more informed agents and a greater ease in identifying low-performing agents and areas to improve through training.

4. Understand and Leverage Collaboration Tools

An engaged and informed contact center agent is more productive. Collaboration tools like video conferencing and chat give agents a way to access information from other employees within the organization. Whether it’s the ability to ask questions of company thought leaders or get clarification on an issue from another agent, communication and collaboration make a massive difference.

5. Focus on Agent Retention

The cost of losing an agent is significant. Customers using the Genesys Cloud have seen a decrease in employee turnover from 30% to 15%. And that saves the business time and money associated with hiring and training new agents. Plus, agents who enjoy their work are more likely to stay at the company and move into more senior roles. Creating a culture where agents are nurtured and empowered leads to happier employees and improved customer experience.

Forrester reported, small and mid-size contact centers who use the Genesys Cloud realized a 25% improvement in contact center productivity and saved $2.6 million (three-year benefit present value).  Get the Total Economic Impact (TEI) of Genesys Cloud Report and learn how you can improve agent productivity and customer service.