The Contact Center Coach

Are you just hearing... or are you truly listening? What if the key to becoming a respected leader isn't what you say—but how deeply you listen? In the contact center world, we train agents to listen actively every day—yet many leaders struggle with the same skill. This episode dives into the crucial difference between hearing and listening, and how that one distinction could reshape your leadership, elevate team trust, and fast-track your influence up the org chart. By tuning in, you'll learn: How to eliminate distractions and sharpen your listening focus—even in noisy environments Practical verbal and nonverbal techniques that show your team you're locked in A powerful mindset shift for listening to your leader, your team, and even yourself Listen now to discover the 3 essential techniques that will make you a more present, effective, and trusted contact center leader.

When was the last time you used the term "ROI" at work? One hour ago? One month? Never? If you're leading or want to lead in a contact center, understanding and using ROI should be second nature. In the high-pressure world of contact centers, every decision—whether about staffing, technology, or training—impacts the bottom line. Leaders who fail to measure success in terms of return on investment struggle to justify initiatives, optimize costs, and gain executive buy-in. If you want to stand out and advance your career, you must think like a business owner and master ROI. Learn how to frame your ideas and initiatives in terms of ROI to gain leadership support. Discover why cost-cutting isn't about squeezing employees but about smarter, more efficient operations. Get practical, real-world strategies to balance engagement, efficiency, and profit while improving customer experience.

What's the one thing that could transform your leadership, career, and personal relationships—without costing you a dime? In this episode, I reflect on the life of my late father, an extraordinary giver, and explore what it truly means to be a giver in both life and leadership. Whether it's your time, wisdom, or support, giving can shape your legacy and elevate those around you. But how do you cultivate the right mindset to be a giver? Discover the four essential attributes of a true giver and how they can change your career and relationships. Learn how generosity and empathy can make you a more effective leader in the workplace. Find out why being intentional about giving can create a lasting impact on those around you.

Is AI truly revolutionizing contact centers, or is it just another buzzword? We've heard that AI will make our operations more “data-driven,” but is that really the game-changer, or have we been missing the bigger picture all along? If you're trying to justify AI in your contact center, you're likely being told it will streamline operations, reduce costs, and improve customer experience. But what if the real power of AI isn't just about automation—but about empowering people with the right data at the right time? In this episode, we cut through the AI hype and break down exactly where AI Quality delivers ROI—without losing sight of the people who make contact centers successful. Learn the four key mindsets required to make AI Quality work for your contact center. Discover the top three financial benefits AI delivers—from cutting post-call wrap-up time to optimizing QA resources. Understand how AI-driven insights create a faster, better, and cheaper approach that improves both agent performance and customer experience.

Have you ever worried about what's hiding in the calls you don't review? For decades, contact centers have only monitored a fraction of customer interactions, leaving hundreds of calls in the dark. But what if you could see everything? Traditional quality monitoring has always been limited by time and cost, meaning only a handful of calls get reviewed while the rest remain untouched. Now, AI is changing the game, offering 100% call monitoring. But is it really necessary? In this episode, we dive into whether full AI-driven quality monitoring is the right choice for your organization and what you need to make it work. Discover how AI-driven QM gives agents more confidence, faster feedback, and real success in their roles. Learn how supervisors can streamline coaching, celebrate wins, and focus on what truly matters. Understand how executives can gain better insights into customer experience, compliance, and operational efficiency with data-driven decision-making. And the best part? Everybody wins—agents, supervisors, executives, and most importantly, your customers.

Are you ready for the biggest paradigm shift in quality monitoring? AI is changing the game, and if you're still relying on traditional methods, you might be falling behind. With AI revolutionizing quality monitoring, contact centers can now analyze 100% of calls instead of just a fraction. But what does this mean for your QA processes, your team, and your business outcomes? This episode unpacks how AI is making monitoring faster, better, and cheaper—without losing the human touch. Discover how AI can enhance compliance while redefining soft skills evaluation. Learn what changes you need to make to your QA forms to stay relevant in this new landscape. Understand how AI-driven insights can empower your agents and improve customer satisfaction.

Is your contact center drifting? Is your career drifting? Are your teams losing direction, your strategies becoming stale, or your performance plateauing? Drift can sneak in and wreak havoc on your career, your team, and your customer experience. As contact center leaders, drift can show up in many ways: disengaged employees, unaddressed inefficiencies, and missed opportunities for growth. With shifting priorities—new technologies, evolving customer expectations, and the constant challenge of engagement—staying on course requires focus. Without it, you risk letting drift derail your goals and outcomes. 1. Discover how to assess and stop drift in your contact center relationships with employees, peers, and leadership. 2. Learn how to build momentum in your skills and knowledge to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving contact center industry. 3. Uncover actionable strategies to turn your career dreams into structured plans that deliver results.

Have you ever watched a promising leader fall from grace, leaving everyone in shock and wondering what went wrong? This episode dives into the subtle mistakes and blind spots that could derail your contact center leadership career. The pressures of working in a contact center are unique and intense, but those same pressures can sometimes lead to actions—or inactions—that jeopardize careers. Whether you're a leader or guiding one, this episode is packed with insights to help you identify and navigate potential pitfalls. Learn five subtle but critical mistakes that can sabotage your leadership career. Discover actionable strategies to build stronger relationships with employees, peers, and leaders. Gain insights on how to adapt, innovate, and stay relevant in the ever-changing contact center environment.

Are you energized or drained by your BPO partner? Is it time to evaluate if your partnership is fueling your success—or holding you back? In today's fast-paced business environment, outsourcing to a BPO is often necessary, but how do you know if your BPO is truly working for you? This episode explores the signs of a thriving BPO partnership and provides actionable insights for assessing and improving the collaboration, whether you're already partnered with a BPO or considering one. Learn how to identify the metrics that matter most and go beyond standard service levels to measure true success. Discover the human element of agent engagement and how to foster a culture of empathy and motivation across your partnership. Explore the importance of operational excellence, flexibility, and cultural alignment for a seamless, effective collaboration.

What if one hour could define your entire year? Are you ready for your next year-end review to be a career game-changer instead of just another meeting? Your year-end review determines critical outcomes—your promotion, raise, and professional growth. Whether it's a few months away or just around the corner, now is the time to prepare and take control of your career trajectory. This episode dives into actionable steps to ensure your year ends on a high note, no matter where you stand today. • Discover how to transform feedback from last year's review into accomplishments your leader will notice. • Learn the power of volunteering for key projects to set yourself apart. • Uncover strategies to position yourself as a leader who's ready for the challenges of next year.

What if two tiny words could transform your leadership approach in the contact center? Are you a "to" or "for" kind of leader? In this episode, we dive into a core contact center challenge: building a culture that truly empowers employees. Discover the critical difference between doing things for your team versus to them and how this shift can elevate morale, drive better performance, and ultimately enhance the customer experience. 1. Gain insights into using "for" vs. "to" language to strengthen team culture. 2. Learn practical ways to apply this mindset to areas like coaching, quality monitoring, and bonuses. 3. Understand how small changes in your approach can make your organization a place where employees feel valued and motivated.

Do you feel like you have full control over your contact center? What if there was a way to reign supreme in every aspect, from employee engagement to customer experience? In this episode, we dive into how leaders can achieve dominion over their contact centers. By mastering time and harnessing the power of true authority, you'll uncover how to streamline operations, reduce turnover, and boost overall performance. Listeners will learn: 1. How to leverage time as a key asset in improving productivity and reducing turnover. 2. The secrets to achieving a competitive advantage, even against industry giants. 3. Ways to implement customized, scalable solutions for individual employee growth and engagement.

Are you the type of leader who is overcoming the challenges in your contact center, or are you being overcome by them? Interest (I): In this episode, we explore the two sides of leadership in the contact center world: those who boldly overcome the biggest challenges—like turnover, engagement, coaching, and customer experience—and those who feel overwhelmed and stuck, accepting things as they are. Desire (D): Learn how to shift your mindset from being overcome to actively overcoming the toughest challenges in your contact center. Discover proven strategies to reduce turnover, improve engagement, and boost coaching effectiveness. Uncover how to transform customer feedback into actionable insights that elevate your team's performance and satisfaction.

Have you ever faced a situation where everything seemed to fall apart, and yet you had to lead your team through it? How do leaders in contact centers find the strength to bounce back from constant pressure? In today's fast-paced contact center environment, adversity is inevitable. High stress, tight deadlines, and unexpected challenges are all part of the job. This episode dives into what it takes to develop resilience—an essential trait for thriving in these tough conditions and leading with confidence. • Discover how to stay composed and maintain focus even in the face of overwhelming stress. • Learn five key traits that can help you become a more resilient leader and inspire your team to persevere. • Gain actionable strategies to help you develop the mental toughness needed for long-term success in your career.

Have you ever wondered if you could spot the signs before someone on your team decides to leave? In the fast-paced world of contact centers, employee turnover can feel like an unstoppable force. But what if you could recognize the subtle clues that indicate a team member is thinking about leaving? Understanding these signals could be the key to reducing turnover and keeping your best talent. Learn to identify the early warning signs that an employee is considering leaving. Discover strategies to engage and retain valuable team members before they make the decision to exit. Understand how to manage and mitigate the impact of turnover on your team and organization.

Are your remote agents feeling more disconnected than ever, despite being constantly "connected"? In today's digital world, it's easy to assume that being online means being connected. However, many remote workers struggle with a lack of genuine connection, leading to feelings of isolation and disengagement. This episode addresses the critical issue of disconnection among remote employees, especially in your contact center, and offers practical solutions to help them feel more connected to your organization. 1. Discover how to reinforce your company's mission and values to keep remote employees aligned with your organization's goals. 2. Learn strategies to foster peer-to-peer connections, even in a virtual environment. 3. Gain insights on maintaining employee engagement by linking their performance to personal responsibility and purpose.

130 - Why Loneliness Is Impacting Your Remote Contact Center Agents - 8:14:24, 2.26 PM by The Contact Center Coach

Podcast 129 - Walk The Talk - Why Functional Love In Contact Centers Is Essential For Success by The Contact Center Coach

Do you find yourself constantly checking your phone, even when you know it's distracting you from your work and personal life? In today's episode, we're diving into the surprising ways your phone could be holding you back in your career and personal relationships. With 66% of Americans experiencing nomophobia and 57% reporting feeling addicted to their phones, this is a widespread issue impacting productivity, stress levels, and overall job performance. 1. Discover how to reclaim wasted hours and boost your productivity by limiting unnecessary phone usage. 2. Learn the profound impact your phone addiction might be having on your personal relationships and how to reconnect. 3. Understand the physical toll of constant phone use and how to mitigate its effects for better health and career success.

Have you ever struggled to see a clear path for your career, especially while working from home? In today's episode, we dive into the unique challenges and opportunities remote workers face in defining and achieving their career goals. If you're feeling isolated or uncertain about your career direction while working from home, this episode is for you: 1. Learn how to set clear, achievable career goals even when you're not in the office. 2. Discover practical tips for enhancing your skills and networking remotely. 3. Understand the importance of building a strong personal brand to stand out in your organization. Don't let remote work stall your career growth—listen to this episode now and take charge of your professional future!

Who do you respect most and why? Is it someone from your personal life, a public figure, or a professional idol? Discover how respect plays a crucial role in leadership in this engaging podcast episode. Respect is essential in leadership, especially within contact centers. Whether you're looking to earn respect from your team, peers, or leaders, this episode breaks down how you can cultivate and maintain it, making your professional journey more fulfilling and effective. 1. Learn the four key attributes of respected leaders: competence, integrity, being a team player, and having a strong identity. 2. Understand the importance of continuous learning, trustworthiness, and building relationships to gain and retain respect in your workplace. 3. Discover practical tips on how to communicate effectively, share successes, and mentor others to enhance your leadership skills. Tune into this episode now to transform your leadership style and earn the respect you deserve in your workplace!

Are your remote employees as engaged and satisfied as they could be, or are you struggling with the same old turnover issues despite offering the flexibility of working from home? Many businesses are transitioning to remote work, believing it will increase employee satisfaction and reduce turnover. However, despite offering this much-desired benefit, many companies are still facing high turnover rates and disengaged employees. This episode addresses these concerns head-on and offers practical solutions: Learn how to effectively set priorities for remote employees to ensure they feel valued and engaged from the start of their day. Discover the importance of repetition and over-communication in building a strong, cohesive remote team. Gain insights into the necessity of face-to-face interactions and how to implement them even with a remote workforce. Don't let remote work challenges hold your team back—listen to this episode now and transform your approach to managing at-home agents!

How is your team working? Are they remote? Looking for some new ideas on how to build a strong and unified team? Join us for Podcast 124.

We work in a very stressful and difficult industry. Do you know the signs of depression? As a leader; what do you look for? What do you do? Join us for this important subject. AHT, First Call resolution, Gamification and AI can wait...

Learn some Leadership Quick Hits focused on AI. Are you ready for AI? If not, this is some background discussion for the Contact Center.

Leaders need courage to be successful. Are you courageous? Do you take ownership? Are you able to accept criticism? Do you have the courage to make signficant change? Want to be courageous in the contact center? Listen up!

Successful new technology always has 3 components. Safer, Better and Cheaper. We know AI will be disruptive. Will it be safer, better and cheaper? Join us for a discussion about AI. The answer is a resounding YES and and maybe "no" in some key instances. Join us and learn.

Have you done a PIP recently? Adherence? Attendance? How many successful PIP's have you done? Can we get better at PIPS? Of course we can. Learn some new ideas to get better at PIPS- especially for Adherence and Attendance.

Can you teach confidence in the contact center? Yes you can! Join us to learn how to prepare, model, share success and invest in believing in your team.

A tropical island? No way.. Maybe yes? Learn the attributes of a successful contact center: Be Steady, Have the "wind" at your back and be "One Happy Island". And yes... you should check out Aruba as well!

Part 3 of our Love Series: Love the Results. If you Love First & Love Smart; you can love the results. Learn some quick hit results that can come from being on purpose about engagement, coaching and customer experience. Also learn the two best options for AI in your center to drive performance for your people.

Learn how to Love Smart in your Contact Center. Successful leaders see the big picture; they play the long game and invest in their employees. Do you invest in leaders? You should. Join us to learn more.

Do you love your employees first? Or treat them like "rental cars"? Love your employees and they will love your customers. Join us to learn how to "love first".

If you "talk the talk"; do your employees "walk the walk"? Do you motivate your team to take action and make things happen? Learn the key attributes to being a motivational leader and the results you can expect.

Are you an effective problem solver leader? Do you have members on your team that you can trust to help you solve the BIG problems in front of you? Learn the key attributes of a problem solver.

IVR surveys can be a competitive advantage for your contact center. Join us to learn what your IVR "should be" and "could be" for your center.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Learn the 12 keys to a world class contact center. How many do you have? How many are you planning to have as a competitive advantage in the coming year? Join us.

Engagement? How successful are you in connecting with your employees and driving performance? Do you measure it? Do you reward and recognize behavior that increases your connection to your employees? Learn the key drivers and steps you must take to increase engagement.

Is your career moving the way you want? Do you stand out from the crowd? Join us to learn how to stand out and get noticed in the contact center. Be careful... the answers require hard work, discipline and stepping up to compete. Trust me... it's worth it.

Do you have emotional intelligence? Are you a leader that can take advantage of your "intelligence" when interacting with your team in the contact center? Learn the attributes of success for emotional intelligence as you lead your center.

How do we stop poor performance in the contact Center? Learn a simple and successful way to help your team be successful. "Put the Fire Out"- dealing with poor performance in your team.

Hiring is such a tough challenge in the contact center. Learn some quick hits to improve the success of your hiring. It is all about your culture. Embrace your strengths and put them to use to improve your hiring.

Unlock the keys to success with Gen Z. They want to make an impact!. Help them be the very best they can be. Learn actions you can take today to make you more successful with this generation.

Learn and assess 5 key areas that are important to your leadership success. We focus on Administration, Connection, Teach/Coaching, Working "Up" and "leading". Come learn more!

Learn some steps and ideas on how to be successful with remote agents. We need to pursue maximizing our time with them to help them be successful. We pursue growing their information, skills and desire to make them the best they can be.

Have you heard of the Seven Deadly Sins? The First one is Pride. It can wreck your leadership goals, your career and your life. Join us to learn how to see pride and its effect on you and your future.

Listen now! We put URGENT in the title for a reason. If you want to be successful in your center; you need these 5 must-haves. . Be ready to grade yourself. One more thing; you need all five. Your success, your career, your promotion and your pay raise all go up if you are leading in these five areas.

When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful! Eric Thomas- Does that quote inspire you to succeed? Yes? No? Learn how to inspire others in this podcast. Learn the key steps to inspiring others. Plus there are some really cool inspiring quotes as well!

Knowing the Right answer in a contact center is NOT always the fastest way to solve a problem. This is true in customer calls and coaching. Active listening helps us to get the right answer for our clients and our employees. Join us to learn how to use valuable customer skills to be a better coach.

Thinking about being a mentor. What a great idea and a way to give back. Listen to this podcast and learn some key takeaways for being successful as a mentor. It's a big commitment but also very rewarding.

Learn how to find a mentor for your career. Are you the right person to have a mentor? What should you be looking for in a mentor? Learn more here.