Leading While Distracted
I know that driving distracted is a serious issue. Nationwide Insurance recently released a study that that includes data from the University of Utah that says “distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver’s reaction as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.” But, as I was driving through the state of Kentucky this past week, I saw something that hit me as funny. The signs that span interstate 65 had a flashing message that read “Driving Distracted is Dangerous Driving!” Is it just me or is it ironic that the big flashing sign that distracted me was put there to remind me that I should not be distracted? Sorta crazy, huh?
So what does this have to do with frontline management and customer experience? Glad you asked!
Do you have metrics and statistics posted throughout your office or call center that are actually distracting your employees from what is really important? Do you have information posted on service levels or statistics but nothing that focuses on the level of satisfaction or quality?
I have been in many call centers across America that post “talk time stats” and “average answer-time” but not one metric anywhere that show quality scores or customer satisfaction. Yet the leadership told me that quality was a top priority.
So, do this soon – walk through your office for the express purpose of reading posters, banners, reader-boards and bulletin boards. What is the message that you see? Is your culture on display? Is the customer represented? Are metrics internal or externally focused?
Another set of questions to ask: Is the metric actionable? If we are missing the goal, does the management team have a plan to correct the situation? What are the specific plans that accompany the failure to meet the metric goal?
I believe that the messages we post are just as important as the messages we speak! Please don’t attempt to lead with distractions. Distractions are dangerous!
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Bob Furniss
As founder and President of Touchpoint Associates, Inc., Bob Furniss has more than 25 years of experience in the customer service field - assisting organizations to increase productivity and profits by bringing out the best in their people. He has shared his experience in the areas of leadership and service with some of the top companies in America - companies like FedEx, Corporate Express, DePaul University, Delta Airlines, Hanley Wood and more.
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