19 Aug Avoiding Boredom and Burnout in Customer Service Careers
The Great Resignation. We all hear stories about it. We all see it on the hiring signs at our favorite stores and restaurants. We all feel the effects waiting longer at the grocery store checkout, for packages to arrive and for customer service support. The experts list many reasons for it, but for many it comes down to boredom and burnout.
It’s safe to say a majority of people have or will deal with either boredom or burnout or both on the job at some point, whether you’re a rocket scientist or a have a customer service career at a call center. It’s when boredom and burnout go on unchecked for a while that it becomes a more serious problem for not only your personal wellness, but also your job satisfaction and performance.
We were reminded of this when we came across an article published on CNN’s Health channel about reducing stress and the importance of downtime (or what some called boredom). Basically, the gist was that people who performed easier tasks over six hours of time made better choices than those who had performed difficult tasks over the same time period, because their brains are able to maintain “the integrity of brain functioning.”
Customer service careers, especially in call centers, can be a bit stressful or boring on any given day (much like the majority of other jobs in other areas). That’s why it’s important to Centrinex’s leadership and managers that our company culture and benefits support our customer service representatives in several ways.
Constructive Feedback, Not Watching Like Hawks Over Shoulders
For a call center, this is a fine line to walk. Our clients require we reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs). That means monitoring and tracking time spent on supporting their customers. There is no way around that. But there’s a difference between monitoring a customer service representative’s time spent giving support and hovering like a hawk.
All of Centrinex’s managers are promoted from within, so they’ve been in an agent’s shoes. They observe and are there to support agents with constructive feedback, not nitpick. Feedback is designed to help agents and make them feel appreciated. Our executive team strives to ensure that manager training is focused on creating thoughtful and positive managers.
LEARN MORE: Why is Centrinex the Best Call Center to Work For? Because We Listen.
Customer Service Representatives are Human
Centrinex has and will continue to invest call center technology that makes it easier for our customer service agents to do their jobs efficiently and well. For example, answering the same easy questions over and over again can be boring. Centrinex has integrated a variety of technology solutions that take the burden of support like this off our representatives’ shoulders. Between phone support, software, email, chatbots and such, our agents have the tools they need to be productive and successful.
A Work Environment Where Customer Service Representatives Feel Valued and Appreciated
Providing a workplace where people feel valued and appreciated is easier said than done, which is why a lot of call centers give this lip service, but don’t follow through with action. Centrinex does by offering a wide range of financial, fringe and fun benefits designed to support our customer service representatives on the personal and financial levels.
Financial Benefits
- 401k Matching
- Health Insurance
- Holiday Pay
- Paid Time Off
- 90-Day Evaluations
- Employee & Client Referral Program
- Payroll Advance
- Hardship Program
- Upward Mobility
Fringe Benefits
- GO365 Personal Wellness Program
- Employee Recognition Program (Employee of the Month, Rookie of the Month, Referrals/Referrees, Anniversaries)
- Centrinex University
- Leadership Development Program/CSR Prep Academy
- DeVry University & MidAmerican Nazarene Programs
- Tuition Reimbursement
- CSR Bill Of Rights
The Fun Stuff
- New Hire Welcome Lunch
- Spirit Weeks, Popcorn, Field Day, Holiday Contests, and More
- Holiday Meals & Treats
- Employee Morale Focus Groups
- Relaxed Dress Code
- Convenient Location off I-35
- Park & Track Across the Street
- Kudos for Employees Posters
It’s normal for everyone to feel bored or burned out with their work. The key is to look objectively at your work environment and focus on taking advantage of all the opportunities available to you, whether that involves taking a walk at the park across the street on breaks, committing to the employer-sponsored wellness program or taking paid time off.