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What are the Five C’s of Employee-Centric Company Culture?

In today’s competitive recruiting environment, the significance of an engaged and active company culture can’t be overstated. The statistics reveal that 94% of executives and 88% of employees believe a distinct workplace culture is crucial to organizational success. A company culture that is employee-centric impacts everything from employee productivity and happiness to customer retention and market growth. Etech believes in this fact; hence, we treat our workforce just like the way we treat our customers, and it reflects in our vision statement. Etech’s Vision To make a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and within our communities. Building and protecting an employee-centric culture might seem daunting to the HR leaders, especially as a company grows by thousands of employees. However, it just needs some straightforward steps to transform your workplace. In our 20-plus years of experience in fostering an employee-centric culture at Etech – growing from only a few people to more than 2,000 we have today- we have focused on the below five integral pillars: Commitment Commitment comes first because it’s not possible to build an employee-centric culture without committing to doing so. The foundation of any organization should be a genuine commitment from each one, from the C-suite to interns. It will lead to an environment where a healthy and connected culture can flourish. Commitment is also important because a great culture can’t develop overnight; it’s something you have to work on and evolve continuously. How can you develop the commitment that you want? You’ve to ensure that everyone in your organization understands the company’s mission and vision, and most importantly, believes in it. Complete buy-in from the leading executives in the organization can instill a companywide tone. When every individual in the organization feels connected to the same central mission, there evolves the real employee-centric culture. Communication Communication is the most significant cornerstone for any successful relationship, whether between a manager and his/her direct report or a company’s CEO and the employees. If there is clear and consistent communication, it strengthens trust, one of the vital elements of employee happiness. 93% of employees have said that if they could trust their direct manager, it drives their overall satisfaction at the workplace. That trust can only grow if you communicate with your employees about the goals of the company. You must ensure that your employees are aware of the right path that can help achieve those goals and how they can individually contribute to the company’s success. Also, it is crucial to share every good and bad news about the company with the employees. You should communicate with employees at all levels, across different channels, so that everyone is well-informed. Care Remember, there’s a reason why it is called ‘human’ resources. All types of great cultures thrive based on empathy and human understanding. A healthy employee-centric culture is the one where people care about everyone, every day. Establishing this mindset should start with your company leaders and the HR (Human Resource). There must be policies that encourage respect for all individuals working in your company. As the ‘Golden Rule’ from the kindergarten says,- Treat others as you want to be treated. This concept is an important lesson today, and we should keep this in mind as we walk through our professional lives. At Etech, our core value is rooted in this guiding principle. Our North Star is ‘People First.’ We genuinely believe that if we care for our people, they will reflect that back towards us. We think you should always focus on doing the right thing and show care for your employees and the community. Community A positive employee-centric corporate culture extends beyond the workplace. To volunteer in the community and charity should be core to your company values. You must ask your employees what they are passionate about and plan to contribute to those causes, supporting the non-profit organizations that align with your company values. To understand how your company can contribute within the community can be helpful for everyone around you, letting the employees feel a sense of social responsibility inside and outside the walls of your organization. Make it a priority to set aside some service days for companywide volunteering or you can offer paid volunteer time as a benefit. It will help your employees take time on their own to support various social causes that they strongly believe in. These initiatives won’t just benefit several noble reasons- they’ll also add to the company’s morale and culture. Undoubtedly, it will help to build a feeling of camaraderie amongst your employees. Celebration The company that celebrates together stays together as a family. You should be proud of what your people achieve and recognize them for that. You must celebrate the financial and professional successes of the company, but also don’t forget to appreciate personal milestones- the employees getting married, having a baby, or completing a marathon. People like to sometime spend a cheerful time amid the hectic work schedules; it brings good and positive vibes in the workplace. If you create a culture of professional and personal celebration, it will make your people feel appreciated, which has a vital impact on employee satisfaction. 79% of people who quit their jobs said ‘lack of appreciation’ was the reason why they left. In a Nutshell The above “Five C’s” of an employee-centric culture have proven to be effective for years. We, at Etech, believe they keep us focused and accountable. With these pillars in place, we could build and protect a positive workplace with happy employees. Hence, the five pivotal milestones mentioned above can have a profound impact on the way your business operates and help you redefine your company in such a way that people feel motivated to work with it.

Committing to ‘Teachability’ Takes You One Step Closer to Becoming a Great Leader

There’s one characteristic that separates a successful leader from an unsuccessful one in every walk of life: teachability. A leader who is teachable continuously evolve by exploring ways to improve himself so that he can help educate others. At Etech, we have embraced “Teachability” as one of our character commitments. But what does it mean to commit to teachability? Below are some tips to help you on your journey! Know your subject It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. Coach John Wooden of UCLA won 11 national championships in 12 years, yet he never stopped searching for ways to learn more, improve himself, and improve his teams. He leveraged the knowledge of basketball from his experience as a player and the wisdom of his coaches (Earl Warner, Glenn Curtiss, and Piggy Lambert). As a college player, he interviewed opposing coaches to gain insight into their strategies. As a high school coach, he attended Frank Leahy’s Notre Dame Football practices and learned time management. After every season, he sent out his research survey on a particular basketball topic to coaches who were outstanding in that field. Through the end of his career, he attended every coaching clinic he could, always with an open mind, wanting to learn more. Although many considered him a “subject matter expert,” he always sought more knowledge. Whether it is the BPO industry or hospitality, one should never stop reading, researching, attending seminars, expanding your subject expertise, or seeking advice from those around you. General knowledge Gandhi once said, “Learn as if you were going to live forever, live as if you were to die tomorrow.” Coach Wooden took this message to heart. He took several classes in psychology as he thought it would help him become a better teacher. He was an avid reader on a variety of subjects. The numerous books that he read about Mother Theresa and Abraham Lincoln helped him formulate his philosophy of life, which he shared with his students. He truly had intellectual balance. When people ask one of Etech’s leaders, Dilip Barot, what he does, his first response is always, “I am a student of life.” His life works back up that statement. Professional attitude Learn to disagree without being disagreeable. There will be conflict in any work environment. Working through these situations with an open mind, calmness, and reason is the mark of a true professional and enables unparalleled growth opportunities for you and those around you. Discipline You cannot antagonize and be a positive influence, and you will antagonize when you discipline through emotion. Discipline is required in any learning environment. It is helpful to remember that the purpose of discipline is to teach, not to punish. Organization There is no substitute for hard work and careful planning. At the core of Etech’s success are project plans. Everything we do starts with a detailed and documented plan to drive success. At times, it seems we spend as much time in planning as in execution, but it works! Community relations The happiest moments in life come from making someone else happy. At Etech, we have been blessed. It is our responsibility to help others, especially those less fortunate intentionally. When we do, not only we will find it rewarding, but we will learn some valuable lessons along the way. Teach by example and not always words Our youth need examples more than critics. When we set a great example, instruct with reason & not criticism, and listen — we’re likely to have a productive relationship – one that benefits both student and teacher. A genuine concern for others People truly do not care what you have to say as much as they want to know that you truly care about them. In my 35 years in business, my best leaders were more concerned with loving than been loved, giving than receiving, being a motivator rather than being motivated. You will discover that when you learn to put the needs of others at the forefront, the whole organization will benefit. A burning desire to Improve When success blinds you to your opportunities, you will face failure. The burning desire to improve, even when others view us as successful, is the trademark of a truly great teacher. Never lose that desire to improve! Be an ideal teacher, a great leader, and until next time, may you make a remarkable difference in the lives of the people you touch each day.

Analytics and the Power of the Human Touch: 5 Predictions for the Future

Everyone knows the story behind the demise of at least one brand or company that eventually failed to thrive due to an inability or refusal to innovate and change with the times. Many of these major businesses that experienced failures were, at one time, hugely successful and popular. Perhaps you remember the joy and anticipation of searching the shelves for that newly released video on a Friday night at Blockbuster or browsing aisles of new toys at Toys R Us. These are just two examples of large companies that thought incorporating new and evolving technologies into their game plans weren’t necessary, and ultimately paid the price for those decisions in the end. The truth is new technology is king and it’s constantly evolving. When it comes to successful business strategies, staying up-to-date on what’s new and what’s to come in the world of analytics is a must. To be clear, there’s certainly expected to be huge advancements in technological resources in this field over the next decade. The question is, which of the technologies should you keep your eye on and how can you ensure you don’t lose the human touch needed to get the most out of the analytical breakthroughs? You read that right: while artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics continue to grow and become increasingly important for sustained success, so will human intelligence (HI). Read on for five predictions on what’s ahead and how AI and HI will need to work hand in hand to reach their maximum potential. AI Isn’t Going Anywhere and Is Growing Larger Currently, most businesses across a wide expanse of fields utilize AI in some way. The technology is often used for providing predictive analysis on customers and for automating some work processes. It’s expected that AI will eventually be interwoven with how consumers communicate and engage with nearly anyone and anything, including friends, companies, other technologies and even their homes. What’s important to not lose sight of in this technological advancement equation is the equal importance of human intelligence. AI is only as good as the people that know what to do with it. In the case of analytics, if it can’t be deciphered and put to good use to make positive and effective changes, what difference does having the data make? The best way to make use of analytics gleaned through AI is to keep a human element involved. Experts, such as Data Scientists, will be a crucial link between pinpointing customer needs and developmental weaknesses among team members. The human element is the key to instituting actionable coaching and development plans to spur continued improvements. Evolving AI Will Allow Team Members To Reprioritize Tasks While many companies already rely on some form of AI or system to generate their customer and performance data, most of them still count on people to detect anomalies, compile reports, score leads and any number of other manual processes. It’s predicted in the not-so-far-off future that most, if not all, these tasks will be automated thanks to marketing software and analytics updated with more advanced AI features. This provides benefits to help companies improve two-fold. First, this technology is able to evaluate all the data points available to it, not just a single one at a time. This provides a deeper look into a brand’s performance and where additional focus is needed. Second, with the software compiling the data, leaders are free to focus on training and coaching team members and putting actionable plans in motion. Consumers Will Demand Personalized Service The cold, hard truth is that many businesses will only be as successful as their customers are happy in relation to the experience they’re provided. The customer experience (CX) offered by a brand can easily make or break it. According to a survey from the Sitel Group, more than half of the consumer market is willing to spend extra money on a product or service from a company that provides top-notch CX. Businesses would be wise to take note of this important statement. It will no longer be enough for a brand to take a channel perspective and expect all customers to want the same experience and modes of engagement. Businesses will require a deep understanding of the various ways customers wish to communicate and will then need to act and deliver upon these customer expectations. Continued and heightened engagement over social media, online chat services and email will likely stay relevant and popular for the time being. This doesn’t necessarily mean all automation, bots, online interactions and the like. Sitel points out in its study that human interaction is still preferred by 70% of consumers, so having a live voice ready to assist will continue to be crucial to delivering excellent customer experiences. The Goal of Personalized Customer Experiences Will Be Achieved Through Prescriptive Analytics Speaking of exceptional and personalized customer experiences, prescriptive analytics may well be the key that pinpoints what that customer will need or want next. For some businesses, that may take the form of offering the right product or service at just the right time to the right customer. For other companies, implementing more effective prescriptive analytics may involve putting into play a recommended solution to a found problem. Human intelligence will drive positive outcomes here as solutions are implemented, monitored and adjusted in real-time, as needed. No matter what this looks like for a particular brand, inviting in some form of prescriptive automation will be imperative for quickly meeting customer needs. Businesses Will Gain a Better Understanding of End-User Happiness With Sentiment Analytics Gone will be the days of solely relying on traditional surveys and call-center data. The wave of the future is gaining a sense of customer attitudes, loyalty and satisfaction through the collection of additional behavioral data. This could include the analyzing of customer interactions through a brand’s website and any other offered channels of communication and engagement. Although it’s still in the very early stages and not nearly ready to be rolled out in

10 Steps to Prepare Your Business for a Cyberattack

In 2017, cyberattack incidents cost companies, consumers, and governments around the world $600 billion. If this figure sounds unsustainably high, consider that projections show it will only continue to rise. Forbes estimates that it will reach $2 trillion by this year. In the past, cybercrime was a problem reserved for more substantial, wealthier companies with money and consumer data to attract hackers. However, smaller businesses have also become a target. Follow these steps to help prevent data breaches at your company. Raise Awareness through Training CNBC notes that a company’s most significant cyber security risk is its employees. In fact, employee negligence remains the most significant cause of data breaches. This may come in the form of losing company equipment or writing down passwords on sticky notes. Raising awareness and regularly training employees on updated best-practices can help to eliminate many of these problems. Use Antivirus on all Devices Forbes asserts that antivirus software still plays an indispensable role in preventing cyberattacks. It helps to patch some of the vulnerabilities present in a company’s security system, smart office features, or local network. Most antivirus systems are reasonably priced and easy to use, eliminating any legitimate reasons for companies to neglect this critical step. Use Firewall to Protect Networks According to Indiana University, firewall systems block unauthorized access via private network traffic. MacOS, Windows, and Chrome OS include basic built-in firewall protection. However, additional protection may be necessary for businesses, particularly those that use WiFi networks and store large volumes of consumer data. Rely on Data Loss Prevention Tactics DLP methods help to protect cyberattacks that originate externally, internally, and even unintentionally. It involves the use of behavioral analytics and data management. Some examples provided by Forbes include the following: Conducting regular inspections Observing the movement of data Blocking Bluetooth and disabling USB ports on key devices Conduct Vulnerability Scans As one of the main DLP tactics, this involves scanning devices and networks to look for vulnerabilities. These are the loopholes hackers might exploit to get into a system. Sometimes simple updates to a system for reasons unrelated to security can create security vulnerabilities, so it is important to conduct a scan at least after each new update or patch. Monitor and Log System Use When it comes to the general security of premises, a guard’s primary role is to observe and report. To do this, they watch cameras, make patrols and log routine checks, and any abnormalities. Technology professionals can use similar practices to prevent a cyberattack or at least catch on as soon as possible. Monitoring system use and maintaining logs help to determine suspicious behavior and track illegitimate log-ins. Encourage Multi-Factor Authentication Few people like to use this feature, even for their accounts. The extra step of copying and pasting or manually typing in code is one many people would prefer to skip. Still, this is one of the best ways to protect accounts. According to Google, two-factor authentication can block 66% of targeted attacks, 99% of phishing attempts, and 100% of automated bot hacks. Use Change Control and Lifecycle Management Change control management limits and monitors system changes. For example, employees may be prohibited from making changes to firewall settings, installing new software, or removing antivirus. The tech team then logs all permitted changes. This goes hand-in-hand with managing the lifecycle of devices. For instance, some older operating system platforms are no longer supported by Microsoft, thereby creating a vulnerability issue if not updated. Physical devices also need to be properly disposed off at the end of their lifecycle. Enforce Policies through Auditing Conducting regular audits of holistic cyberattack prevention methods helps to protect data from hackers. Unlike vulnerability scans, this also includes evaluating whether or not employees have received proper training. Audits may even include budget assessments to see if more money should be allocated to cyber security and whether or not the current budget is used wisely. Incident Response Plan Every company should have crisis management plans. These include emergency plans for fire and natural disasters relevant to that area, such as tornados, earthquakes or flooding. Incident response plans for cyberattacks should follow a similar vein. Just as companies conduct fire and earthquake drills; they should also conduct routine testing of this plan. The more consumer data a company stores, the more important it is to make cyberattack prevention a priority. At Etech, we rely as much on our call center employees as our information technology team to keep consumer data safe. Contact us today for more information on how we maintain high data security standards for our clients and their customers.

Developing the Ideal Leaders of Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond

During some quiet time this week, I was thinking about and praying for our Etech team members. My thoughts took me to the vision statements for our organization – to make a remarkable difference for each other, our customers, and within our communities. I then pondered how this vision could become a reality, and I thought about these words of wisdom from one of my favorite business writers, John Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” I concluded with the following ….. My hope, determination, and prayer are that the world would overflow with great leaders! Leaders who …… Choose to come to work each day with a positive attitude. That even in the midst of trials & challenges, they would look to encourage each other, support each other and give authentically of themselves to each other. Value others by involving them, recognizing them, giving of themselves to them. That they would respect and encourage the person even while in the midst of holding them accountable. Lead with integrity. That they do what they say and say what we do … all the time. That they would be consistent in how they treated all team members. That they would realize that the ability to influence those around us starts with integrity. Show humility. That they would not gloat of personal accomplishments but that would recognize the accomplishments & contributions of those around. That they would not think less of themselves, but would think of others more often. Are courageous. That they would not retreat or give up in the middle of the battle but would look for ways to win and have the courage to take risks. That they would have the courage to challenge the status quo with customers and each other and were never satisfied with being average. Are great communicators. That customers and team members would know how important they are because these leaders communicate consistently, effectively, and authentically with them. That communication was over the top! Understand what it means to be a team player. That they would leave titles and egos at the door and embrace being part of a team. That they would not look to find weaknesses in each other but that they would recognize, leverage, and celebrate each other’s strengths. Hold them accountable first before earning the right to hold others accountable. Adapt well to change. That they be skilled at finding ways to win by changing the course of action and influencing those around them to embrace the change with them. Commit to a life of learning and investing in them, knowing that the more knowledgeable and skilled they became, the better WE become — leaders who look for opportunities to teach and be taught. Seek out creativity and innovation by enrolling those around them. Those who understand that the ideas of all of us together will always be more robust than the ideas one can generate on our own. Embrace the vision to make a remarkable difference. That they understand it, live it, and cast it to those they meet each day. We all should have this dream, and it is a great dream! And it is a dream that is becoming a reality! Until next time, won’t you join me in living this dream and continuing to strive to make a difference in the lives of the people you touch each day?

Get Involved to Create a Passionate Workforce

One of the most important characteristics of servant leaders is that they understand the value of getting their hands dirty to support and lead their team effectively. These are the leaders who are not above participating in any task to get the job done. Being involved and supportive of your team helps to create a work environment where your team is engaged and feels inspired to innovate. Here are four tips to help you lead and inspire your team to create a culture of engagement, innovation, and inclusiveness. Assess the Workplace Culture One of the main reasons aspiring servant leaders fall short of creating an efficient workplace is not assessing and acknowledging the starting point. It is easy to entertain grand perceptions of a team’s performance and how organizational culture helps and hinders this. However, an objective assessment is necessary to see where your team or company truly stands. You must ground yourself in reality and understand both where you are and where you want to go to create a roadmap between these two points. Sometimes there are clear signs that a company needs this assessment. Reduction in employee morale and productivity or increased turnover can all be signs. Another common factor is employee complaints. If the same complaints keep resurfacing, it is time to consider what cultural factors are driving this. Inc. suggests that servant leaders can become involved in this step by creating surveys and scheduling more one-on-one time for performance assessments that can be used to generate ideas. This can also help to increase engagement and build stronger relationships over a period of time. Try to Find Your Center Harvard Business Review conducted a study to determine what characteristics make leaders truly inspirational. The study made some surprising findings. For starters, responders said that less than half of leaders inspired them or unlocked any motivation in the workforce. Even fewer said their leaders made good role models. When asked what traits defined good leaders, one stood out above the rest. This trait was “centeredness.” It involves a state of self-awareness that allows leaders to remain calm under even the most stressful situations. Centeredness also reportedly helps leaders to practice active listening, show empathy and remain fully present. Because this is a trait that can benefit all team members, leaders can make this a group effort. On-site meditation classes, mental health services and even yoga classes can assist with this. Almost every team member plays a leadership role at some point of the work process, so everyone can benefit by tactics that help create a level head. Get to Know Your Team In the words of Forbes, when it comes to inspiring employees, leaders need to know more than the recipe; they also need to know the ingredients. Many leaders acknowledge that employees are the building blocks of the organization and its culture; however, they may take a more collective approach to assessing team members. The larger the workforce, the more likely this becomes. Forbes encourages leaders to rise above this tendency by getting to know the inner makings of each team member. What motivates them? What are their hobbies? What are their values? By understanding the ingredients, servant leaders put themselves in a better position to create a recipe for success and best support those they serve. When leaders take a hands-on approach to becoming involved in workforce management and day-to-day tasks, they create more opportunities for creating community. This helps to provide the contact point they need to better understand how each team member thinks and what further resources they may need to level up their performance and achieve their personal and professional goals. Help Create Purposeful Work When you understand what drives your team members, you are in a better position to create work with a purpose. Ascribing a strong value to each aspect of the work process caters to the underlying values professionals may hold on to. It also helps to nurture the feeling of doing work that makes a difference. One way that servant leaders can achieve this is by tying individual objectives back to company goals. For example, a contact center may take over an account with poor customer service reviews. To raise customer ratings, agents may need to earn five-star ratings from customers in a post-call survey when they creep forward from two stars to three starts with a prescribed time, rather than focus on the gap from five-stars, encourage them to continue on their improvement trend and push toward five stars.. This is far more motivating for your team than being told the work they do is not enough or has little effect on the overall organizational goals. Next work together to create a plan to continue this momentum. Lastly, create rewards for positive milestones achieved and you will create energy within your team. Employee engagement plays an integral role in productivity levels at every company. When servant leaders play an active role in encouraging a culture where team members hold themselves and colleagues accountable for high-performance standards, the results can be phenomenal. At Etech, we put these principles into practice every day to maintain a workforce that is as excited about happy customers as our clients are. For more information about our contact center services, send us an email at info@etechgs.com. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Human Resource: The Key to Corporate Social Responsibility

In today’s world, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a lot more than just a nice-to-have. It has become an integral part of doing any business. The customers are likely to get involved with any brand with the organizational CSR activity as one of the major deciding factors. Hence, it is crucial to create a corporate social responsibility driven culture, and none other than the Human Resource (HR) department should play the central role here. If HR drives CSR within the organization, every employee will come forward to take it upon themselves and uphold the company values consistently. Ultimately, this would create an automatic environment, staying true to the business vision. Corporate Social Responsibility should Reflect in All the Company Decisions   CSR is all about considering the benefit that your company and its decisions can have on society. Even the smallest decision at the initial stage can have an impact. It is the reason why corporate social responsibility should be placed on the radar of every employee. The role of the HR manager is to figure out a link between the issues that your employees care about and what the company can do to support them. It encourages more individual responsibility, make employees a part of the decision, and cuts down the likelihood of mavericks hampering your brand’s reputation. When corporate social responsibility becomes a part of your company culture, it triggers the element of authenticity. People like to see businesses committed to CSR through several actions that are taken regularly; it’s just not about the public statements that happen once or twice a year. However, CSR is not the sole responsibility of HR. Everyone who is working in an organization should uphold this aspect. But, HR has the highest impact on recruitment, people, management, or learning and development, and it’s these activities that can make sure the CSR permeates your entire business. How can HR Integrate CSR into the Company Culture?   Employees should be a part of Any Decision Taken Your company can focus on different social causes to extend the helping hand: inequality, education, the environment, and much more. It is HR’s responsibility to split the resources between all of them and create a significant impact. It should be not only HR’s viewpoint to decide the right cause for the organization. Instead, the role of human resource management is to survey the entire company, which lets the employees feel that they are part of the decision-making process. Employees are an excellent source of new CSR initiatives. It is HR’s role and responsibility to create a few easy ways for them to share their ideas and encourage the same behavior across the company. Once this becomes an integral part of the company culture, you will never fall short of ideas for new Corporate Social Responsibility activities. Let Corporate Social Responsibility be a Part of the Brand Millennials are the largest generation in the US workforce, and they are expected to represent 50% of the global workforce by 2020. If your business wants to attract them, CSR should be at the heart of your brand, as the statistics reveal that 76% of millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments while deciding their workplace. HRs should talk about the CSR initiatives in interviews and mention them in the job descriptions as well. There should be time off for volunteer work in your company, or it is even smart to introduce a policy that exactly matches employee contributions to charity. What’s more, it is recommended to have a page on your website about Corporate Social Responsibility. Still, potential employees will look for policies and internal behaviors that reflect your brand’s values once they join. If not, the employees will feel disillusioned, leading engagement issues in the future. Go for CSR Driven Manager Training and Development Managers should demonstrate a commitment to corporate social responsibility. It helps them encourage the employees to make use of the company’s CSR policies like volunteering and matched contribution ideas. If HR conducts the right training for managers, they can explore varied ways to align particular work-based goals with company-wide Corporate Social Responsibility goals. It can be anything from creating marketing campaigns that promote your products and also raise the awareness for sustainability to hosting various customer events that address the issue of gender inequality too. Managers should be trained more about team-building activities. It can help them approach their teams to participate in any CSR activity, whether it is collecting plastic at the beach or volunteering at a food bank. Summing Up   There are infinite ways a company can contribute to society, but they all require the contribution of HR to encourage the people that work in an organization. CSR is a people-driven approach that creates authenticity, and this process encourages your employees to stay loyal to your company. If the HR department considers CSR to be a part of the company’s recruiting process, it will create a self-sustaining cycle of corporate social responsibility. The world can now easily differentiate between a company that genuinely believes in giving back and one that issues a nicely crafted public statement. CSR has to be in your employees’ DNA to have it in the company’s DNA. And that is only possible when HR takes it as a priority to integrate CSR into the company’s culture and values.

Measuring the ROI of Implementing Live Chat on Your Website

Have you considered implementing live chat features on your business website? If not, there are many reasons you should. For example, marketing experts say that implementing live chat support generates a 305% return on investment and a 20% increase in conversion rates. As a direct result of all this, more companies are implementing live chat services, making it an integral part of the customer experience. However, is it right for your business? Here are a few metrics to include when measuring the effectiveness of live chat services and calculating your return on investment. Forecasted Live Chat Volume As with all company investments, the ROI of implementing live chat support is directly impacted by economies of scale. Generally speaking, the more customers you expect to engage with live chat support, the more support agents you will need. The more support agents you need, the higher the cost, which has a negative impact on investments. However, as conversions increase, this should offset the cost of agents, thereby generating a high ROI. In short, when live chat volume continues to rise, the ability to maximize ROI will depend on keeping the cost of the live chat support low. If the cost of implementing live chat services increases parallel to the revenue it brings in, ROI will be negatively impacted. Technology Costs Another initial investment that will affect economies of scale and ROI is technology. This can be for better or for worse, depending on efficiency, the human element and how it is applied. For instance, some companies have mastered the art of creating live chat bots. These bots speak with customers and allow them to respond by selecting from a list of predetermined answers. If the bot is unable to assist, the customer may be forwarded on to a human agent via live chat, email or even phone. Some bots are so advanced that they can respond to typed responses. This type of implementation reduces costs drastically after the initial investment. Other technology costs may include furnishing a department with new computers and licensing software to run your live chat support service in-house. This can be very expensive, leading many companies to outsource the function. Value of Average Sale In order to calculate if conversions are high enough to offset live chat costs, you must look at the value of an average sale. The higher the value of an average sale, the better the opportunity to maximize ROI, even with a large team of agents to field multiple ongoing queries. However, small sale volumes mean that more agents will eat into company profits. The good news is that live chat offers the perfect opportunity for upselling and cross-selling i.e. increasing incremental sales. When customers purchase without engaging with the brand, they may choose the least expensive option. However, live chat agents may be able to persuade them to purchase more expensive options or a few add-ons to increase the value of the sale. Monthly Website Traffic Another way to measure ROI is through monthly website traffic. However, you can look at more than just the number of visitors to measure the true effect of live chat services. Here are some of the metrics you should take into consideration when measuring ROI based on website traffic: The percentage of visitors retained from the week or month before The average length of time a customer spends on your website Most active times of day The conversation rate The bounce rate Gross Sales Margin There are many different elements to consider when looking at ROI. However, the final calculations are perhaps best described by the gross sales margin. The gross margin is calculated by subtracting the cost of goods sold from the net sales revenue. What is the purpose of the gross sales margin? It signals to a business how much of each dollar that the company makes actually remains inside the company as profit. Returning to the concept of economies of scale, it’s well to note that if a company is efficient, this dollar value will increase over time. As discussed earlier, the cost of live chat support services should not increase parallel to the revenue obtained through conversions. This helps to widen the profit gap as more and more conversions are made over time. Inc. states that 51% of customers prefer live chat so they can multitask while problem-solving, and an additional 21% prefer live chat support so problem-solving doesn’t interrupt their shopping. Moreover, when customers use live chat services, 92% are satisfied with the feature. Are you ready to implement this high-demand feature, while ensuring a high ROI? Contact Etech today to see how we can help you get started. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Best Practices: Password Security 2019

Did you know that 81% of data breaches occur due to poor passwords? This is a staggering statistic and yet one of the simplest things for you to address. What can you do to ensure your passwords are strong enough to drive hackers absolutely bonkers? Creating passwords to ensure the security of your protected systems and information is one of the most overlooked items when it comes to cyber security. However, with a few simple precautions, we can protect ourselves and our organization from malicious actors looking to wreak havoc. Take a moment to review the tips below and begin using them to strengthen your password profile. Create a strong password: over 8 characters both upper and lowercase; do not make them too long One of the easiest ways to secure is to generate passwords that are more difficult to hack. However, as we do create more complexity, cyber criminals continually evolve in order to bypass these additional measures. With this in mind, it is no longer best practice to simply use a password consisting of alpha characters with a number or special character inserted. What we can do is create additional complexity by adding caps into our password (“AbcD”) as well as special characters and numbers (“Ab@567_cD”). Consider adopting a passphrase instead of using a password This may actually prove easier than remembering a complex password. To mix things up even more than substituting special characters, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommends creating long passphrases that are easy to remember but difficult to crack. The popular web comic XKCD compared the strength of a complex password—”Tr0ub4dor&3”—and a long passphrase—“correct horse battery staple”. They found that it took only 3 days to guess the password created in with special character substitutions, while the passphrase would take 550 years to crack. Do not use words commonly found in the dictionary One of the easiest ways for a hacker to compromise a system is by launching an attack that goes through tens of thousands of dictionary words in a few seconds. Use random passwords and stay away from words commonly found in the dictionary. Use different passwords for different accounts Using the same password for multiple accounts means the hacker now has access to every account that uses the compromised credential. Secure your mobile devices; strong password and fingerprint or facial recognition We all use mobile devices to shop, work, communicate, etc. This is now a major concern in the security industry as mobile devices are becoming a primary target for malicious actors. Make sure you set your devices up with strong passwords. Use fingerprint and facial recognition technology when available. Set your device up with MDM. In the event it is lost or stolen, Etech security can remotely lock and wipe the unit. Do not store your passwords or write them down Would you write your bank account number and all access information down on a piece of paper and leave it out in the open for everyone to see? Protect your password. It is associated with your account and your activity. If can be used to access your systems and files. Do not write it down where someone else could see it and possibly use it to compromise systems or breach data. Always be on the lookout for malicious activity Remain vigilant and aware that cybercriminals are always on the lookout for someone to compromise through weak security controls. Make sure your system is running anti-malware software and report to Etech DTS if the system is behaving erratically or giving you popup messages and/or alerts. Do not click on anything suspicious. Always report anomalies. Use a password manager More and more businesses and professionals are using password managers as a means of practicing high levels of security and to help keep their sanity. With password managers, you only need to remember one password, as the password manager stores and even create passwords for your different accounts, automatically signing you in when you log on. Thanks for Reading. Have a Great Week and Stay Secure!

How Can a Servant Leader Use the Amplification Hypothesis?

True leadership skills are in short supply and in high demand in the modern-day workplace. In the past, team members often responded immediately to authority based on a person’s position. This is no longer the case. An empowered workforce brings many advantages to the table. Still, one aspect of that is resistance. Servant leadership provides managers with the tools to turn resistance into an opportunity for creative input, which spearheads positive change. One item in that leadership development toolbox is the amplification hypothesis. According to a study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, researchers have been fascinated by the effects of the amplification hypothesis since the 1990s. This particular study in 2008, however, helped to bring the amplification hypothesis out of the social psychology vacuum and into the work environment. What Is the Amplification Hypothesis? Everyone believes in something or holds opinions. Some people have stronger convictions than others. Similarly, people feel more strongly about some of their beliefs than others. When someone has a strong sense of commitment to a particular belief, social scientists call this attitude certainty. When servant leaders disagree with team members, this certainty comes to life. The knee-jerk response in these scenarios is to fire back with facts and directly attempt to persuade a team member to your side. However, a strong leadership quality is an ability to find common ground. The amplification hypothesis, therefore, states that if your team members disagree with what you desire, find common ground and start your negotiation there. If you instead exhibit certainty about a particular opinion or belief, it may increase resistance. However, when servant leaders give some leeway and take a softer approach, it softens the resistance and may lead to a more positive outcome. How Servant Leaders Can Put This Into Action It sounds good on paper. However, managers may wonder how they can act smartly and use the amplification hypothesis as part of the servant leadership model? Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind. Practice Active Listening: Finding common ground with team members requires understanding what the pain points are. What people say may only indicate or suggest what they really mean, especially in a professional setting. Too often people spend the time they should be listening on formulating a response. Always listen for the true meaning behind the words. Engage With Questions: One way to amplify your active listening skills is to verify your understanding by asking questions. Showing a genuine interest in what team members have to say further offers validation, even when you disagree in the end. It also provides you with greater insight and may challenge any initial assumptions you had about their pain points. Respect Their Competence: Team members often believe managers do not respect their ability to do their work well. The less autonomy they have over their own work and the lower their job position, the more likely this may be. To make it worse, poor leaders often find a weak point in an argument and use that as a foundation to push their own agenda. Servant leaders should place more emphasis on showing team members how much value they offer now as opposed to pinpointing flaws. Approach as an Equal: A study published by Springer Nature illustrated that humility was an important quality of good leaders. Humility in servant leadership helps managers to build trust and earn respect from their team members. This often facilitates more honest input so that managers may create changes that directly address real problems. Consider Personal Biases: Humility requires identifying and acknowledging your shortcomings too. Team members aren’t the only ones with strong convictions. Your own personal beliefs backed by your authority may hinder your active listening and bias you toward acting on your own opinions. Beware of this and find ways to ensure biases do not get in the way. Create a Positive Environment: A 2017 study on servant leadership found that it can help to create a positive work environment. Focus on developing characteristics, such as compassion, empathy, and philanthropy. The study found that these contribute to the emotional well-being of workers. This, in turn, increases teamwork, strengthens social relationships, and improves performance levels. At Etech we promote servant leadership as not just a managerial principle but a strong component of our customer relationships and our service model. From motivating our own team members to neutralizing tough situations with customers at our call centers, we put the amplification hypothesis to good use on a daily basis. Contact us today to learn how we use these principles to manage client relationships and interactions with your customers.

Characteristics of a Good Project Manager That Translate Into a Great Customer Experience

One of the goals of project management is to create a positive experience for your customers. According to a recent survey conducted by Gartner, within the next two years, 81% of respondents expect that the company that rises above its competitors will do so on the basis of quality customer experience. It’s still important to have a great product, but among top quality producers, you need something extra to make you stand out. The project manager is the person who has the most contact with the customers and thus is the one who is likely to have the most influence over their decision to choose your product or service over the competition. There are several characteristics that this vital point person needs to exhibit in order to build a solid customer relationship. Solution Orientation   Project management involves fostering collaboration and cooperation in your team to come up with the best solutions for your customers. While ideally, every person on your team is going to be a talented problem solver, the bulk of that responsibility lies on the project manager. A good manager leads the team by thinking outside the box when the standard answer doesn’t address what the customer actually needs. To offer good solutions in a timely manner, it helps if the person in charge of the team has a broad range of knowledge. When customers contact a company, they often don’t know exactly who at the organization will be able to answer their question the best. This can result in being shuffled around from person to person until it gets to someone who can give them a clear solution. This may make sense from the inside, but from the outside, it can feel like they’re getting the runaround. As the project manager, if you have a general grasp on a lot of the questions customers typically ask, you can satisfy them without having to pass them off to someone else. Good Time Management   Time management is a key component of project management toolbox. In a world where customers can make a few clicks and have what they want delivered to them in record time, being able to offer swift, efficient service is not optional. Be available to your customers, and return calls and emails promptly. In fact, if you find a way to serve them better, don’t wait for them to contact you. Follow up with them to make sure that all their needs have been met. Taking the initiative to contact them to ensure their satisfaction can make you stand out and give you a loyal customer for life. Open Communication   Many of the characteristics of good project management are made possible by great communication skills. These skills start with your team. Aside from brainstorming sessions, you can utilize other tools to make sure everyone stays on the same page: Email Task management tools Instant messaging software When it comes to customer service, the main role of the leader in charge of project management is to act as a liaison between the team and the customer. You want to communicate regularly with them but not excessively. By having one person who is tasked with keeping the lines of communication open, you can better manage the relationship with the customers. As a project manager, you are in a unique position to listen to your customers. You are the face and voice of the company to them, and as such, you are likely the first person they will contact to voice a complaint. Pay close attention to this feedback. It will tell you where you need to focus your service efforts. Good customer experience doesn’t usually involve revamping the entire way you do business. Identify the one key element that makes customers happy, and you can soar above your competitors. Extra Mile Service   Good project management involves paying close attention to the service you provide to your customers. As the project manager, you should ask yourself six questions about the experience of your customers: What are the unique qualities of your product or service that satisfy the specific needs of your customers? Does what you offer meet or exceed the customers’ expectations? What extras can you supply to surprise your customers and add value to your service? Is the overall customer experience pleasant? How can you simplify the buying process to make it easier for your customers? How quickly do you respond to both positive and negative customer feedback? You need more than a great product or service to attract customers and keep them coming back. The characteristics that make you excel at project management are the same skills that you need to please your customers. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

5 Ways to Handling Workplace Conflicts

Are you Conflict Exhausted? Are you looking for a productive way to move forward in conflict? CONFLICT in itself is not bad at all. It is how we handle this conflict that could use some strength training. Here are 5 ways leaders can strengthen their conflict strategy skills. 1. See Conflict as an Opportunity Change your mindset first. Conflict gives you an opportunity to come to a resolution in a healthy manner maintaining a relationship and, in some cases, enhancing the relationship. On the other hand, handling conflict in a strategy to win at all cost will damage relationships. Address conflict in a way the other party wants to be treated. Chose to respect and trust first. 2. Practice Active Listening Handling workplace disagreements in the earliest stages also prevent them from spiraling out of control. However, this requires paying close attention. Is there an employee’s name frequently coming up in discussions with negative connotations? Is there one specific problem always dragged to the forefront in meetings? Entrepreneur recommends active listening without interruptions so that you always get the message employees are trying to send. 3. Look for Common Ground Managers should always try to find the similarities that bind people together rather than play up the differences that drive them apart. For example, Sarah and Raj may have recommended completely different ways of improving customer retention, but they may have also both factored AI into their propositions. Use this as a starting point to move forward. Work to establish what good looks like for each involved. Find the common ground and work backward. 4. Focus on the Situation Emotions are a natural part of conflicts. Unfortunately, they can play a damaging role in workplace conflicts. Emotions can distort the facts and cause people to say things they do not mean. By keeping conversations focused on the situation and forward to an outcome, people may feel more compelled to set personal differences aside and focus on the good of the collective unit. 5. Admit When You’re Wrong Sometimes the manager is the person at fault. For example, you may have reprimanded someone in front of the team for not submitting work on time, but then realize you accidentally missed an email. Make a habit of admitting when you are wrong to set an example for other employees to follow. Egos eat relationships! During the conflict work to see where you made a mistake or could have misunderstood or was misunderstood. Admit gaining common ground. The Bottom Line Handling workplace conflicts is one of the many essential skills of a good manager. Etech leaders understand that healthy conflict helps us to grow and be innovative by pushing us to achieve our best self. Unhealthy conflict does not serve our teams or those we value. Our goal is to make a Remarkable difference in resolving conflict in a healthy way. To learn more about our leadership development skills and how we SERVE our customer, contact us today.

What does the Cyber Security Awareness Month Have to Empower You?

We are almost at the end of Cyber Security Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Own It, Secure It, Protect It.” What does this mean exactly? Internet-enabled crimes and cyber intrusions are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and preventing them requires each user of a connected device to be aware and on guard. “It’s no longer enough to be on the lookout for something in your inbox that appears suspicious,” said FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Matt Gorham. “As criminals have grown savvier and their efforts more targeted, individuals and organizations need to scrutinize messages and requests that appear legitimate.” Some of the most common and damaging Internet-enabled crimes begin with an employee clicking a link in an email that appears to be from a colleague, following the instructions in a message that looks like it came from a supervisor, or opening an account link or file that seems to be from a trusted source. “These routine actions can be what exposes a computer or an entire network to a ransomware attack, data breach, or another crime,” said Gorham. “As we mark National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we hope to focus attention on the efforts required to safeguard individual computers and accounts and secure and protect critical data and infrastructure.” Now in its 16th year, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is hosted every October by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance. Multiple agencies and organizations, including the FBI, collaborate to raise awareness about cybersecurity and stress the collective effort needed to stop cyber intrusions and online thefts, and scams. “Today’s cyber threat is bigger than any one government agency—frankly, bigger than the government itself,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at a cybersecurity conference in March. “But I think no agency brings the same combination of scope and scale, experience, tools, and relationships that the FBI has.” The FBI works in close coordination with the private sector as well as with state, local, and international partners to understand and anticipate cyber threats and pursue cybercriminals. During National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the FBI joins in asking every user of a connected device to Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT Own IT Understand Your Digital Profile – Internet-based devices are present in every aspect of our lives: at home, school, work, and on the go. The constant connection provides opportunities for innovation and modernization but also presents opportunities for potential cybersecurity threats that can compromise your most important personal information. Understand the devices and applications you use every day to help keep you and your data safe and secure. Secure IT Secure Your Digital Profile – Cybercriminals are very good at getting personal information from unsuspecting victims, and the methods are getting more sophisticated as technology evolves. Protect against cyber threats by learning about security features available on the equipment and software you use. Apply additional layers of security to your devices—like multi-factor authentication—to better protect your personal information. Protect IT Maintain Your Digital Profile – Every click, share, send, and post you make creates a digital trail that can be exploited by cybercriminals. To protect yourself from becoming a victim, you must understand, secure, and maintain your digital profile. Be familiar with and routinely check privacy settings to help protect your privacy and limit Internet-enabled crimes. Thanks for reading and stay secure!

How Workforce Optimization Can Help You Reach Greater Heights

When it comes to service-oriented businesses, the labor force is the core of the company. Whether the employees are human or robotic, workforce optimization helps teams to work smarter instead of harder. How so? As the name suggests, contact center workforce optimization involves using managerial practices to ensure maximum productivity meets maximum efficiency. Naturally, this is just a general idea of how call center workforce optimization works. Read on for details. How To Implement Workforce Optimization   Even the best concepts fail if they are not properly applied. Here are just a few ways you can implement best practices for WFO at your organization. Focus on the Customers   When handling WFO tasks, it is easy to lose focus on what is important. Yes, your starting point is your labor force, because they play an integral role in the success of your business. However, the focus is still your customers. When looking for ways to improve the workforce, use surveys or other forms of customer feedback to better understand what customers want and how you can best fulfill these wishes. Automate the Process   Technology is one of the best ways to ensure objectivity and accuracy when tackling WFO. Companies may consider employing the use of WFO software suites to analyze current workforce performance and find areas that require improvement. Some important patterns to watch out for in a call center include the following: • Inefficiencies or inadequacies with scheduling • Long wait times for callers • Queries requiring several transfers to other departments to be resolved • Average time spent assisting callers Performance Management   By relying on data analytics, you will have objective information to present to employees about their performance — for better or worse. Use this information not just to reprimand workers who fall short of goals, but also to congratulate those who go above and beyond what is expected. The reward does not always have to be monetary. An extra day off, a gift card or even recognition in the office can go a long way toward motivating employees to be more productive. By speaking with employees, you are also in a better position to discuss and implement effective solutions to correct any patterns in the data analytics that give you cause for concern. Training and Coaching   Rather than wait until analytics show something is wrong to focus on workforce optimization, be proactive. Investing time in training and coaching employees help to keep them working at their best. Remember to create interesting training material that workers can engage with, or they may simply go through the motions and then return to work with few changes — if any — to their productivity levels. The Benefits for Call Centers   When implementing new policies at the call center, you should also continue to monitor progress to ensure you receive your return on investment. If the first attempt fails, revisit your original policies and craft new solutions. Once you find solutions that work, here are some of the benefits you can expect from effective workforce management. Improved Decision Making   When employees are well-trained and empowered, they are in a better place to make good decisions that benefit customers and the business. For instance, a customer may call to say they can no longer afford their subscription service. A worker who is not empowered would perhaps try to discourage that customer by mentioning all the key benefits they would give up, or perhaps try to get a supervisor involved. They may even simply assist the customer with canceling their service. Thanks to workforce optimization, an empowered employee may ask the customer if a 20% discount would make the plan more affordable. They may even suggest a temporary pause rather than a cancelation. Chances are that the customer might take the offer. Reducing Cost   The thought of allowing employees to hand out 20% discounts and pause accounts may make you start to think about your bottom line. However, there are efficiencies that save you money. Forbes notes that one benefit of business intelligence tech is that they assist with letting you know peak hours and slow hours of business, so you can schedule employees accordingly. This prevents your business from losing customers to long wait times during peak hours and paying call agents for twiddling their thumbs during slow periods. Another way workforce optimization reduces cost is by removing or improving steps in the product cycle that tack on unnecessary time. This helps to reduce wait time for callers and reduce time spent on specific tasks for employees, thus increasing productivity. Would you like to see these WFO benefits realized in your own call center? Send an email to info@etechgs.com to see how we can make that desire a reality.

Debunking Common Myths About Servant Leadership

When the concept of servant leadership was first introduced in the 1970s, it received a lot of push back from business leaders who were used to operating according to traditional power structures. Today, some of those attitudes still exist, even among mainstream management. There are many myths about the effects of this leadership style: Servant leaders are weak. Servant leaders have low standards. Servant leaders don’t have successful organizations. None of these myths accurately reflects the outcome of true service-based management in organizations that use it, though. When company leaders put their employees’ needs before their own, the results are usually more positive than if the leaders focus primarily on what they can demand from the people who work for them. The guiding principle of this style is that the best way to inspire employees to take care of your business is to take care of your employees. Each of these myths represents an inadequate view of how much people can achieve when they work in an atmosphere that is empowering rather than overpowering. Myth #1 – Servant Leaders Are Weak   Sometimes when people think of servant leadership, they assume the leader in question is inherently weak. They hear the term “servant” and often automatically interpret it as “subservient.” They think of a person who is afraid to disagree with or correct errant employees or one who is more concerned with clinging to peace rather than taking the lead. This connotation couldn’t be further from the truth. According to Ken Blanchard, those who lead by balancing service with leadership inspire not only loyalty in their employees but also improved service to their customers. They don’t completely abandon organizational goals or give employees carte blanche on how to go about their workday. In fact, they do the exact opposite. They set clear goals and then work with their team to understand what everyone needs to make those goals a reality. By removing obstacles that impede progress and supplying the tools needed to succeed, these leaders strengthen rather than weaken their team. Rather than react with apathy or rebellion, employees whose supervisors communicate a regular commitment to their professional development tend to reciprocate that commitment and pass on this excellence to those whom they are tasked with serving. Myth #2 – Servant Leaders Have Low Standards   Traditional leadership hones in on productivity as the measure of an organization’s success regardless of the method used to get there. Servant leadership, on the other hand, is the understanding that productivity is the result of a well-equipped workforce. Leaders who serve their staff don’t have to sacrifice quality work to do so. In fact, service is one of the best ways to help employees focus on organizational goals, allowing bosses to set even higher standards than organizations who use traditional management styles. Because many workers may be used to a more hierarchical structure that relies on top-down power dynamics, they may misunderstand the care and concern expressed by those who practice servant leadership and perceive it as an acceptance of mediocrity. To ensure the service you extend to your employees fosters their professional growth, consider adapting these five ways to be a strong servant leader: Set clear expectations. Give timely and constructive feedback. Hold both employees and leadership accountable for their behavior. Provide excellent training, mentoring and other resources for growth. Reward performance excellence with the freedom to make more independent choices. Myth #3 – Servant Leaders Don’t Have Successful Organizations   The rise in the popularity of servant leadership over the last two decades coincides with an increase in employee engagement in many organizations across the country. Gallup reports that employee engagement is up to 34% nationwide. Those who display strong leadership in call center not by their power over employees but rather by working to make sure employees have everything they need to perform well and have the opportunity to do what they do best often have employees who are highly engaged. Highly engaged employees are significantly more productive. Their commitment to the organization naturally results in its success. Those who practice servant leadership set their organizations up for success by gathering information on what the people doing the work need to get it done. Great servant leaders know how to understand that different people have different strengths. Rather than trying to force people into roles that don’t fit their natural skillsets, they use this vital information to maximize the productivity of their teams. Traditional leadership styles recognize the importance of employee productivity and organizational achievement. Despite widespread misunderstanding of its effectiveness, servant leadership has proven to be a better way of achieving these goals. When business leaders develop their staff, they set up both employees and the organization for success.

Why Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Are Crucial To Your Business?

Artificial intelligence often brings to mind images of sentient robots and futuristic science fiction movies. However, human intelligence gets assistance from AI and machine learning every day. Even if you don’t live in a smart home, you may use AI for tasks you have long detached from the pop-culture idea of AI. One common use of AI and machine learning at work and home is Google search. This is true whether you shout “Hey Google!” across the room to ask questions, or manually type it into the search bar on your computer. Because of how accessible AI became in everyday life, it became easier to introduce technology into the workplace. Proactive businesses have now become so dependent on technology that it is crucial to their continued success. Here are some of the recent developments and why it may become an essential ingredient in your business’ recipe for growth.   New Trends in AI and Machine Learning   You can hardly go a full month without hearing about new developments in technology. It is a rapidly changing market, bringing innovations with each sweeping change. One impressive test of technology comes in the form of artificial intelligence in call center settings. Many companies now trust chatbots to answer customer queries until the office re-opens during regular business hours. Call centers also employ technology to recognize customer requests. As Forbes points out, AI operators were initially programmed to understand one or two-word requests, such as “make a payment,” but many are now able to accept and understand full sentences. Another aspect of sales that AI penetrated is inventory management. From auto parts to the food and beverage industry, companies now rely on AI to tell them what items are out of stock. Some systems are so advanced that they can even place new orders on the company’s behalf. Doctors often think of their jobs as the most secure, but they have recently received a helping hand as well. Because medical errors are frequently caused by burnout, many doctors may welcome the assistance. Google recently launched a pilot project aimed at predicting whether or not a patient will die. The AI system did so with surprising accuracy. Artificial intelligence also powers and secures many homes. From security systems, you can access via an app to strategically placed AI assistants. People can now pay bills, open and close doors, or set reminders without lifting a finger. Why is AI and Machine Learning Important?   Workers often worry that machines will soon take their jobs. They envision walking into work one day to see a robot comfortably seated at their desk. Fortune predicted that 40% of jobs would be replaced by AI in the next decade and a half. Naturally, customers do not ask companies to fire their valued workers. However, they do demand better service, at faster speeds, and for less money. The only way to achieve this without underpaying and overworking humans is to pass jobs on to machines. This helps companies to remain competitive while keeping their customers satisfied and happy. Netflix, for instance, estimates that its personalized recommendation engine saves the company $1 billion every year. Consistently receiving tempting recommendations encourages customers to stay.   How Does AI and Machine Learning Benefit Business and Commerce?   However, businesses aren’t the only ones who benefit from AI. Customers benefit too. How so? Take Uber, for example. There are plenty of cab companies that hire human agents to handle calls from customers and match them with a cab driver, but the cost of a ride is significantly more expensive. Machines do not get paid days off, health benefits or wages. They also don’t need their cubicles or a corner office. That translates to savings for Uber customers and better satisfaction. As companies continue to rack up savings from these investments in technology, they can bring customers even better value for their money by expanding. This could mean growing their service areas, or it could mean increasing the products and services they offer. In Uber’s case, this resulted in self-driving cars and electric Jump bikes. What Should You Expect in the Near Future?   As machines learn better techniques to emulate human intelligence, menial and tedious jobs will begin to disappear from the market. This will help companies to become more and more efficient while reserving actual human intelligence for jobs that require creativity, ingenuity, and real human touch. As a result, workers who refuse to grow with technological changes may be pushed out of the job market. However, for those who are willing to adapt and even create these advancements in artificial intelligence, the possibilities are endless. Are you ready to embrace AI and ML to increase customer satisfaction for your business? Contact Etech at info@etechgs.com to see how we can help. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

3 Reasons Why Long-Term Focus Can Benefit Your Team

Effective customer service is a large part of business success, and much of that success depends on how we as leaders lead. Servant leadership facilitates growth and performance by putting the needs of others first leading to better equipped, happier employees that are ultimately able to deliver better business outcomes. As powerful as that is, the work environment is not the only focus of a servant leader. Servant leaders must focus on short-term milestones that will translate to the long-term success of the team, customers and company. There are at least three reasons leaders can and should develop and communicate long-term plans and progress along the way. Improves Business Focus and Strategy A real servant leadership approach to business is found in the understanding of patience versus immediate gratification. It is relatively easy when dealing with stakeholders and other financial obligations to get caught up in the idea of money over model. Most companies when starting go to great lengths to develop a business plan and model that are cohesive to their product and goals. When the actual venture begins, these plans can get lost in the day-to-day pressures of making a dime. While making a profit may be the ultimate stakeholder objective, a company cannot build long-term success by merely chasing the dollar. Profit should be an outcome but not the sole focus. If it is, you may make choices that are short-sighted and not helpful in building long term success. Servant leadership is about establishing a model that is capable of sustained growth over time. Patience helps to build credibility in an industry and loyalty among your team and customers. In other words, taking your vision from dollar signs, and shifting the focus to people and product improves your ability to create a more meaningful corporate strategy. The business goes from chasing money to chasing solutions to tough team and customer problems that naturally lead to sales and profits. A company focused on solutions evolves from thinking about short-term gains to long-term and lasting results. Long-Term Approaches Allow for Short-Term Milestones Unfortunately, there is no denying the need for short-term milestones. An important part of a leader’s job is to help everyone understand where they are today, where they are going, and the path that will be taken to get to where they want to be. This path can be drawn out in milestones. Achieving these milestones will help create excitement and a desire to continue toward the next achievement. In other words, short-term goals help to build enthusiasm, and drive motivation which can build loyalty. Servant leadership demands we equip our teams to achieve short-term milestones that lead to bigger and better things. The small and immediate objective cannot be the only reason to be here or else we are not thinking on a grand enough scale to help our team grow and achieve all they can. It’s important to acknowledge the need for immediate gratification, but also understand that achieving long-term objectives is essential to loyalty and longevity. Multi-year projects broken into several smaller projects help leaders, employees and even stakeholders understand the direction of the company. Servant leadership is not only about encouraging growth and development in team members; it is about demonstrating a commitment to serving the needs of customers, stakeholders and thereby company-wide growth and dependability. Increases Focus on Innovation Last, the reason that servant leadership demands a focus on long-term success is that it focuses the company on delivering innovation. As stated earlier, the short-term is too reliant on day-to-day activities and gains, which leaves little room to discuss strategy and where or how a company would like to grow. By shifting gears to the long-term, leadership is forced to ask where they see the business in five years or more, which will likely lead to conversations about where the competition will be in that same timeframe. These conversations intuitively lead to a creative dialogue, with discussions about new products or improvements to old ones. Through servant leadership companies expand their focus to include long-term and innovative objectives. Short-term focus is good for the coverage of day-to-day processes and projects, but the financial pressure will likely overcome any urgency for company vision or ingenuity, leading to a stressed-out team and a poor business model. However; with a long-term servant leadership mindset, a company can shift focus from the immediate financial obligations to more significant outcomes and innovations that can lead to success, profitability, and longevity. With the company’s focus on the long-term, team members will feel more secure in the direction of the company and customers will have more faith in your ability to meet their needs. |Here at Etech, we pride ourselves on developing consumer-focused solutions that work for your business. If you are in need of a new consumer approach, then contact an Etech representative today, and find out what types of solutions we have for you and your operations. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Characteristics of High Performing Teams

I recently read an article about the characteristics that high performing teams share. After reading the article, I reflected on my 35 years in the contact center industry. I have seen and led many teams over the years …. Some great, some good and some not-so-good! What became very evident to me was that the great teams I have witnessed all had one thing in common – an effective leader! As John Maxwell attests, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” Effective leaders foster collaboration, value diversity, build trust, value people, empower their team and enjoy the journey. They focus on the process, not the destination. When this happens, great results follow!! Here are some things that leaders must do to be effective: Establish, document and discuss clear expectations and goals Effective leaders ensure that each team member knows what is expected, what good behavior looks like and why “what they do” is important. They tie the individual’s contributions into the company’s vision. Everyone wants to be a part of something that is bigger than just themselves! Our vision? To make a remarkable difference for our people, our customers and within our communities. Maintain open, active and consistent communication This is critical, people want to be informed. They want to know how they are doing, how Etech is doing and what can be done better. Effective communication includes being an active listener. Everyone likes to believe that their input matters. A final comment on communication – don’t restrict effective communication to just your team but demonstrate this behavior with your customers, suppliers, your leader. Remember – customer and suppliers are both external and internal. Value diversity by including everyone An effective leader recognizes the value that each team member brings to the table. He encourages each to contribute ideas, methods and opinions, even if they differ from his own. He refuses to allow clichés or silos to develop but strives to demonstrate what being inclusive looks like. At the end of the day, it is important to the leader that each and every one of their team members feels valued. Create a culture on trust and integrity Effective leaders do what they say they are going to do, every time …. Even when nobody is watching. Effective leaders build trust through delegation. They are first to recognize the team and team members for great accomplishments, and they are first to accept accountability when things don’t go as well. Make no mistake, one of the best tools you can have is a great culture. As the saying goes, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast every time!” Lead with a servant’s heart While I have learned, taught, experienced and practiced various leadership/management styles over the years, I have come to fully embrace the fact that servant leadership changes lives. Servant leaders selflessly develop others – and not just in the workplace; their teams deliver better and more consistent results; they focus on the process, not just the scoreboard; they embrace, enjoy and learn from each person and each moment along the journey; and they truly make the world a better place. In closing, please understand Servant leadership is many things but one thing it is not is soft. Servant leaders set high expectations for themselves, as well as others, and they hold everyone accountable. There are many kinds of leaders, but when it comes to describing servant leadership there are really only two: those who serve themselves and those who serve others. Will you join me in serving people, each other, customers, and communities? I hope you do!! Until next time, may you make a remarkable difference in the lives of people you touch each day. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

Why Education Remains a Critical Piece of the Cyber Security Puzzle

If you owned a store in town and someone asked you how you plan to protect it, you would probably refer to traditional security measures. Chances are you have a security guard, video surveillance, and an alarm system managed by a third party. All of these help you to keep the premises safe, but what about cybersecurity? Without securing your wireless and online (technology-based) platforms, even a company’s surveillance footage can become compromised and erased eliminating video evidence of any crime taking place at the business. When it comes to contact center cybersecurity, the focus is primarily on protecting consumer and client data. While an organization needs antivirus software, firewall systems, and data loss protection tactics, it is critical they continue to educate employees on best practices and what to look for. The Risk   Failure to create an awareness program and bring employees on board with your cybersecurity initiative means that your organization will always be vulnerable to an attack. Malicious actors understand the weak point in any system may be the human firewall. By exploiting this, a hacker can gain access to even the most secure systems. According to one CNBC article, employee negligence is the biggest cybersecurity risk companies must confront. In a report cited by the article, 47% of business leaders blamed human error for a data breach at their organization. Here are some of the many ways that failure to create awareness can put an organization at risk. 1. Failure of an Employee to Lock a Workstation   Roughly 25% of employees admit to leaving their computers unlocked. The more sensitive the information is that they handle, the more dangerous this can be. By leaving work stations unlocked when they are away from the desk, any passerby could access files on the computer. What is worse is that this would show up under the employee’s name and they might be held responsible for fraudulent activities until an investigation proves otherwise. At the very least, the workstation should be configured at the network to auto-lock after a specified time of inactivity. This will greatly reduce the chances of someone else gaining access to the workstation. 2. Password Vulnerabilities   One of the common recommendations in the cybersecurity community is that employees should regularly change passwords. However, one Federal Trade Commission article cautions businesses about forcing employees to change passwords too often, especially when they manage multiple log-ins. Employees may work around this by creating simple passwords with easy modifications to keep up. Even worse, they may write them down. These actions create password vulnerabilities that make the accounts easier to hack. Password requirements should be complex in their nature but something easy for the employee to remember that is not easily guessable such as an acronym based on a favorite song. 3. Disabling Multi-Factor Authentication   There are many different types of multifactor authentication. When it comes to MFA, or specifically 2FA, adding a phone number provides a second means of verifying every log-in attempt. Yet, many employees may choose to turn these off, especially on smart devices when they work away from the office. This creates potential access to company data. According to Google, even just adding a recovery number provides the following benefits: • Prevents up to 100% of automated bots • Stops 66% of targeted attacks • Blocks 99% of phishing attacks that occur in bulk The Proposed Solutions Some employees will continue to exercise poor security judgment for the entire duration of their tenure unless educated on best practices and the organization’s cybersecurity policy. To do this, companies must do more than send out bulletins with safe practices or publish info in an employee handbook that few workers read. Here are a few recommendations to follow instead. 1. Regular Training   Employees should receive routine training on best practices. If the training is never updated, then they may skip through the slides or yawn through the meetings just to get it over and done with. Update these practices based on changes in the news or recommendations from professionals. If possible, let cybersecurity professionals teach the course. Keep the employees engaged and request feedback. Allow them to be part of the solution and you will see continued interest and improvement in cybersecurity best practices. 2. Lead by Example   When managers set an example, employees feel more inclined to follow. The manager who leaves their computer unlocked while at lunch or leaves critical paperwork/passwords/etc. lying around carelessly is unlikely to inspire employees to act differently. However, by being an exemplary model of a worker that prioritizes data protection, you will inspire more employees to follow your lead. 3. Hold Each Other Accountable   For this to work, employees and leaders must hold each other accountable. Harvard Business Review notes that the highest performing teams operate under a principle of universal accountability. Put simply, any member of a team should be able to respectfully confront the other about a lapse, irrespective of power differences. The Bottom Line   In a digitally transformed workplace, cyber security awareness can help companies effectively close off security breach points. However, for this to work effectively, everyone in the organization must be on board. A company’s data breach defenses are only as strong as the weakest access point. Hackers believe this to be the human factor and are now setting up their attack vectors accordingly. At Etech, we regularly train our employees to keep them updated on new developments in contact center cyber security. We also invest in information technology resources to keep our clients’ and their customers’ data safe. For more information about the role, cyberattack prevention plays in our business model, contact us today.

Trust Me!

Confidence is king. Trainees need confidence! What changes an interaction from a minimal communication to a truly engaging, superior interaction? The answer is confidence! With confidence, we feel empowered to make choices that support our customers whether it be a sales or customer service conversation. Without it, we act unsure of the right process, we convey the idea that a solution is quite possibly unobtainable. We want to inspire our clients to be comfortable with solutions and this is done when our team is confident. During the summer I occasionally get to spend lunch with my family. We have a local park that is close to where I work that has amenities to allow our kids to play and my wife and I can sit, enjoy a meal, talk and even do some playing on the park equipment (a sight to see if you know me). We have a great time! The park has several features that my kids love including a play fort with several levels, slides, bars to hang and slide on, tires, chains, stairs, swings, and ramps. The “wooden fort” has holes in the floor with ladders to other levels and a bridge that takes you from one section to another. It has a balance beam and contraptions that allow you to slide/swing from one end to the other. Like a Spartan obstacle course, the playground can be an amazing amount of work to navigate. My children think I am up to the challenge each and every time we go. We have made some real memories there just playing. One such memory had a different lasting impression. My daughter, a very petite six-year-old and small for her age. She is often confused for being much younger. She was using one section of the park that has a fence which separates equipment that is usually used by younger, smaller children from the parts used by older, bigger children. There is a path that allows everyone the ability to travel from one section to the next. This fence is made from wood and smaller children can’t see what is happening on the other side of the fence. We can see her over the fence but if she doesn’t look up, she can’t see us. I hear her calling “Mom, Dad” and then “MOM, DAD” with that tone. That tone that alerts me to the fact that she is increasingly becoming worried, scared, and anxious. She doesn’t know where to go or how to get there. She can’t hear us calling her because fear has started to creep in further to her mind and clouds her senses. Fear starts to take over everything and her pace is quickened along the fence line while her brain is wondering which direction she should go. She is struggling to maintain her composure and her voice is betraying her confidence with the emotions hidden within starting to find the way out. We all have had times in life when we temporarily lose sight of what brings us confidence. As a trainer we see it happen with each class. The collective class will have this ebb and flow to their confidence levels that mirror the amount of new content that is being rolled out. Great building blocks are a foundational level(s) to their learning transfer, and we will build confidence within our trainees. If we don’t it will be almost as if we can see their confidence get up and leave the room. Sometimes this will happen even when we have built the right foundation as people struggle with change on many levels. Change can be a confidence killer! What can we do to bring everything back into focus and restore their confidence? We can do the following: Provide working examples or situations to work through (practice) Stop and take a moment to recap what they knew and then summarize the additions Repeat, repeat and repeat. Repetition is key for learning to occur Use the relationship that you have built with them, the role as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), coupled with a genuine desire for them to be successful to show them how much they know Be present, show them you are a support mechanism for them while demonstrating other resources Practice (yes, it is purposefully on here twice) For my daughter, her confidence was gone, and stress was gaining a grip on her reality. Then, out of nowhere, at that seeming last possible moment she sees her mom and me over the fence line and everything is okay. Life returns to normal without incident. She is just a little clingy for a minute or two before her confidence is renewed and she is off again. Her trust is in us as her parents and this trust builds her confidence. Our trainees must trust us as trainers to take them where they need to go which will build their confidence. We must use that trust to bridge the gap from learning to do the job to actively contributing to production. The examples above will help us to be trustworthy. This blog was earlier published on LinkedIn.

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