Now that Millennials are officially the largest population segment, they can no longer be ignored. Organizations must come to terms with the idea that Millennials have different needs and skills, and make the appropriate changes in the workplace to maximize them. It seems that many businesses have a ways to go in achieving this, as research studies have shown that roughly 2/3 of today’s employees are disengaged in the workplace. So why is this? And what changes can be made to provide an engaging environment for this growing segment of the workforce population?
The Challenge: Too Much Information!
Let’s look at the environment of today’s contact center workers, and where frustration may arise. Contact center employees undeniably have a tough job. With the rise of more customer service channels—and as service issues have grown in complexity—the associated processes and systems to respond have also become far more complex. Employees are required to memorize far too much information, follow incredibly complex processes, and look for answers across a scattered set of websites, file systems, applications and even paper binders. Further increasing these complexities is the need to do all of these things while on the phone, often with customers that expect quick, easy and personalized service. It’s no surprise when employees feel frustrated and even disengaged.
Employees are required to memorize far too much information, follow incredibly complex processes, and look for answers across a scattered set of websites, file systems, applications and even paper binders.
Ideally, contact center employees would have all the information needed to help a customer sent directly to their screens, so they could focus on connecting with the customer and meeting his/her needs. Rather than trying to remember the right information, or searching through multiple repositories, employees could do what they do best—serve the customer. Knowledge management is a software solution that can do just that.
Knowledge Management to the Rescue
There are many features of knowledge management that directly drive employee engagement. First, it provides a central repository of information that can be trusted. Employees only have one place to look for answers, and these answers are consistent and up-to-date across all users and all communication channels. Because all of the information is in the knowledge base, there is far less for an employee to memorize. As a customer interacts with the contact center, knowledge articles that are most likely to answer their question are contextually presented directly to the employee. If the employee needs more information, he/she can perform a search. Finally, through the ability to provide feedback and suggest content, employees can feel like a part of the solution, further driving their level of engagement.
Contact center employees, especially Millennials, have grown accustomed to having immediate access to information in their personal lives. Answers to questions are just a click or a tap away. In fact, information is so easily accessible that memorization is often unnecessary. On the other hand, when they arrive at their workplace, these employees are asked to memorize vast amounts of information, and have no efficient way to look for information they cannot remember. When these daily conveniences of information access are not provided, frustration is bound to grow, and engagement is likely to decline.
Contact center employees, especially Millennials, have grown accustomed to having immediate access to information in their personal lives. Answers to questions are just a click or a tap away.
In today’s complex world, access to information is critical, and knowledge management is a fundamental tool that provides that access. With knowledge management, your customer service employees are empowered to focus on the customer and their needs, knowing that a consistent source of reliable information is available right their fingertips. This empowerment can help heighten employee engagement, which translates into better customer service for your customers.
About Author Kelly Koelliker
Kelly Koelliker is Director, Solutions Marketing for Verint Systems.