January 28 -

Whether it’s the holidays or the summer months that are the peak season in your call center, we can always “weather the storm” better if we plan ahead. Sail through your busy season by creating a Peak Season Planning Timeline.

In addition to the large scale action items, be sure to include those small, perhaps tedious, items that are easily forgotten. Start off the planning with a kickoff meeting and assign each deliverable to a specific person or group with a due date. This level of detail can help ensure that the work is properly distributed and increase accountability. Setting up meetings weekly (or monthly depending on how far out you are planning) is a great way uncover and resolve any issues and to stay on track.

During the busy time, routines (e.g. performance coaching, team meetings, training) are often abandoned due to the increased workload. Be proactive. Carefully review what must be done and what can be suspended. Identify how long modified operations will last and communicate that timeline to the front line. Communicating the plan in advance highlights preparedness and can help lesson the stress associated with increased volume.

Immediately document what went well and what needs to be improved. It is difficult to remember a year later what did not go as well as it could have. Having a document to which to refer can be invaluable in improving year over year.

Note: This week’s tip provided by SWPP Board Member Kristi White of FedEx. She may be reached at Kr**********@***ex.com.

This week’s tip is brought to you by The Quality Assurance & Training Connection (QATC), a new membership association designed specifically to facilitate the education, sharing of ideas, and distribution of knowledge among quality assurance and training professionals in the call center. For more information about QATC, please visit our website at www.qatc.org. To receive the QATC Tip of the Week each week, register at www.qatc.org/requesttip.html.

Have a tip you’d like to share? Send it to: vi***********@**pp.org. If we publish your idea, we’ll send you an SWPP polo shirt.