Bright Ideas

Reach Out to Customers During Lower Call Volume Times

If you are experiencing lower than normal call volume, have your agents reach out to your best customers and maybe some who have expressed interest recently. Just a quick wellness check with no sales effort could really make an impression on these folks and solidify their loyalty for the long run. You may find some folks in need that you can direct to the right resources and others who are just lonely and would love to hear a human voice. It will help to give your agents a sense of purpose and contribution during this troubling time.

This tip provided by Maggie Klenke. She may be reached at maggie.klenke@mindspring.com.

Safety in the Home Workplace

When you’re setting up a home office, the first thing on your mind may not be safety. Here are some guidelines to help avoid injuries while working in your home workspace.

• Use surge protectors to protect electronic equipment.
• Make sure electrical equipment is connected to grounded outlets, and, avoid fire hazards by never overloading electrical circuits.
• Electrical enclosures (switches, outlets, receptacles, and junction boxes) should have tight-fitting covers or plates to reduce the risk of electric shock.
• Inspect and repair carpeting with frayed edges or loose seams. Where possible, avoid using throw rugs that can cause tripping hazards.
• Locate computers and other electrical equipment in a manner that keeps power cords out of walkways. Leaving numerous cords strewn across your workspace makes you vulnerable to fires, trips, and falls.
• Develop and practice a fire evacuation plan for use in the event of an emergency.
• Check your smoke detectors regularly and replace batteries as needed.
• Having a working fire extinguisher and a first aid kit close by can facilitate a fast response to an emergency situation.
• If you have file cabinets, arrange them so that opened drawers do not block anything.
• Keep doorways, corners, work areas and exits free of obstructions and tripping hazards.
• Organize storage to minimize risks of fire and spontaneous combustion.
• Power down computers after the work day is over.

This tip provided by QATC Board Member Debbie Short of Cokesbury. She may be reached at dshort@cokesbury.com.