My parents had a formal living room, which they used to entertain guests. Here’s how I think a Contact Center is both like and unlike a formal living room.
This article is part of our Contact Center Management Series — a collection of articles that bring together practical guidance and insights to help Contact Centers run better and deliver stronger results.
My parents kept our formal living room spotless, even when the rest of the house was in chaos. Contact Centers don’t have that luxury.
The Formal Living Room
When I was a kid, my parents’ home had a formal living room.
The house had a family room where we kids played, watched cartoons, and spent time with our parents.
And there was the formal living room, which kids were not allowed to enter.
My father was a military officer, and the formal living room was a sacred space set aside to entertain important guests and host weekly bridge games with neighbors.
The room itself was gorgeous. Filled with things gathered from my father’s world cruises on various aircraft carriers.
The living room wasn’t just a functional place to host people. It served social and emotional functions as well.
It was designed to represent the entire home, and by extension, the family.
The Contact Center as the Formal Living Room
I think of the Contact Center as the formal living room of the organization.
Not everyone uses it.
But it’s there when it’s needed.
And just as our formal living room represented our family to visitors, the Contact Center represents the organization to its customers.
It’s one of the places where the organization’s promises meet the reality of its operations.
What Does Your Living Room Look Like?
A recommendation I make to senior leaders is to randomly select 20 calls, 20 emails, and 20 live chats from their Contact Center.
Then find somewhere quiet, sit down, and listen to or read those interactions.
Because this is one way to discover what your Customer Service experience actually sounds and feels like.
And what if it’s not what you expected?
What if the interactions don’t reflect the experience your organization promises its customers?
Before blaming the Contact Center, there’s something important to consider.
What About the Rest of the House?
The formal living room in my childhood home could be kept spotlessly clean, even if the rest of the house was in chaos.
But that’s not how a Contact Center works.
The Contact Center is embedded in the wider organization.
What happens there reflects decisions, policies, processes, technology, and attitudes that originate throughout the business.
You can’t expect the Contact Center to consistently deliver an excellent Customer Service experience if the rest of the organization makes that difficult.
And that’s why I think listening to those customer interactions is such a valuable exercise for senior leaders.
You’re not just evaluating how well your Contact Center people are doing their jobs.
You’re hearing the consequences of decisions made throughout your organization.
Some of those decisions were likely made by people who have never spoken directly with a customer.
If you’re a senior leader, some may have been made by you.
So while the Contact Center may be the formal living room, the condition of that room depends on what’s happening throughout the house.
Is your formal living room ready for guests?
Continue Exploring
Should Your CX Head Be a Contact Center Expert Too?
Should Your CX Head Be a Contact Center Expert Too? — Part 2
Thank You for Reading
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