ICMI's Top 5 Articles of May 2019

There's never been a more exciting time to work in customer service but delivering exceptional customer experiences requires continual learning. At ICMI, we're committed to equipping you with the tools, resources, and knowledge you need to lead your team to success. In this monthly article roundup series, we'll highlight the five most-read articles of the month on icmi.com. Missed them the first time around? Add them to your to-be-read list. These resources will help you keep your skills sharp and stay ahead of the trends.

Top Five ICMI.com Articles of May 2019:

1.    How to Train Your Agents for the Next Generation of Contact Center Work by Kaye Chapman

As technology evolves more rapidly than ever, the contact center is on the cusp of transformation. But as AI, RPA, and chatbots continue to generate more hype, there’s still quite a bit of uncertainty about the future. How will this new technology change both the employee and customer experience? What should contact centers be doing now to train their employees to adapt? Kaye Chapman shares her advice in this thoughtful article. 

2.    6 Ways to Improve the Employee Experience and Boost Engagement by Chris Hanna

Employee engagement has become a hot topic, not just in contact centers, but in organizations across all industries. While many companies have spent the last several years focused on getting the customer experience right, some analysts have predicted 2019 will become the year of employee experience. ICMI research tends to support this theory, as our community members ranked it a top three challenge and priority. Keep reading to find out how Chris Hanna and his team have worked to improve morale and engagement.

3.    What Contact Center Agents and Runners Have in Common by Erica Mancuso

With the World Health Organization declaring burnout an official medical condition, employers are turning their attention towards reducing stress for their team members. In the fast-paced and unpredictable world of contact centers, agents are especially susceptible to the effects of burnout. Based on the way runners address their training, what we can learn and apply to help agents in their jobs? Erica Mancuso shares her ideas in this article. 

4.    How to Turn Your Contact Center into an Insight Center by Matt Dixon  

Earlier this month, Matt Dixon led a Contact Center Expo session with Tim Donchez, Continuous Improvement Director at Lutron Electronics. Tim told the story of how Lutron has transformed its service organization from a department that provides great service to its customers into one that provides great service to customers and critical insights to internal and external business partners. Want to learn more about their journey? Keep reading!

5.    Why So Many CX Initiatives Still Fail by Nate Brown

By now, most business leaders realize that customer experience is a competitive differentiator. Why, then, do so many customer experience initiatives still fail? In part, because CX is hard work! Another reason? Nate Brown says that too many projects become a fight for survival, with each siloed department working on their agendas. The solution? Leveraging the CX Power Core can help! Learn about this concept created by Jeanne Bliss in this article.