Every year Aspect surveys over 500 contact center agents to understand their attitudes and preferences for our Agent Experience Index.
This year our survey uncovered some interesting predictions of agent behavior never seen before. The survey revealed some interesting characteristics of call centers in general but more importantly, it gave us a glimpse into some of the traits that define a “Golden Agent.” A Golden Agent is an objectively used term associated to the highest rated agents encompassing, personality, KPIs, attitude, productivity, longevity and 360 feedback. Golden Agents serve more than the end user. They also serve as role models to newer agents and employees, they boost morale, and provide mentorship and resourcing for staff. While we’d like to think that every call center agent can achieve gold status, it turns out that there some interestingly specific factors that make this happen.
They’re Obsessive
Golden Agents are notoriously aware of their own performance. In fact, the most defining feature of a golden agent is that they check their KPIs at least once a day. It’s not hard to draw a direct connection between performance awareness and success. The same advantages of owning a smartwatch– immediate analytical feedback, time management, operational efficiency, multiple platform interface ability, to name a few, are the same skills that Golden Agents use successfully in their workday.
Who Run the World? Girls
Smartwatch owners represent the changing demographics of the US workforce (46% identify as minority/POC), but the majority of Golden Agents and smartwatch owners are female. Not only does this reflect the shift in the technologically savvy workforce, but it also represents the changing dynamic of the contact center itself. New survey data indicates that soon, over ¾ of the call center workforce will be female.
They’re Part Detective
Don’t underestimate the Dick Tracy factor. A Golden Agent has numerous skills that allows her to excel. Golden Agents have the technical skills to be able to juggle multiple applications, platforms and interfaces all in real time. Along with that technical savvy, however, comes the soft skills and the ability to decipher and uncover the more nuanced part of the job. A Golden Agent relishes the opportunity to discover information and investigate.
Future Forward
Smartwatches and wearable computers are the new flying cars. Once the stuff of comic books, they have become a mainstay in the new technology driven workplace and in our lives. But research indicates that only 16-20% of the population owns smartwatches. These are the early adopters; the younger, big–picture–thinkers that you want on your team. Imagine a workplace where new technology, SOPs, regulations and technical proficiency is constantly changing. Sound familiar? The ability to adapt and adopt new concepts and applications will become the key to a successful career moving forward. Those agents and employees that already understand this are poised to take over the workplace and drive more innovation, insight and better administration in the future version of your organization.
What traits and skills make up your top agents? Have you noticed their smartwatch? We’d love to hear more about ways your organization identifies Golden Agents and their impact on your business.
Download our Agent Experience Index to learn more.
Sourced from: Aspect Blog. View the original article here.
