Call center lessons: Insights from an industry veteran

The first known outsourced call center existed in the early 90’s – and it has evolved into the dynamic industry that we know today.

With two decades of call center experience under his belt, CallZent Founder Joe Andere has seen it all—from the evolution of technology to the nuances of managing people.

In the 506th episode of the Outsource Accelerator Podcast, Joe shared the biggest call center lessons he learned in the past 20 years.

4 Call center lessons to learn from Joe Andere

Drawing from Joe’s extensive call center experience, here are four call center lessons that business leaders can learn from:

Lesson #1: Prioritize your agents

Joe’s approach to running a call center is simple: “This is a people business. Your number one focus has to be your agents—how you treat them, how they feel.”

In his view, the success of a call center doesn’t start with state-of-the-art software or hardware, but with the people who operate them.

“If you treat your agents well, if you care for them, it shows in the culture,” Joe explains. “You have less attrition. People are happier. People stay longer.”

This focus on agent well-being not only leads to better employee retention but also creates a positive environment that clients notice.

“When clients walk into the call center for the first time, they notice that vibe. The agents project how you treat them.”

Lesson #2: Recruit for attitude and fit

Joe emphasizes the importance of a strategic recruiting process, noting, “You can tell a lot by a person’s resume. If they’ve had three or four jobs in the last year, that’s probably a job hopper, and you probably do not want to recruit that person.”

Call centers need stable teams to meet client expectations, and high turnover can disrupt operations.

To ensure they’re bringing in the right talent, CallZent employs various tests to measure skill levels and psychological traits. However, Joe believes attitude is crucial beyond these technical assessments. 

“You can teach all the skills, but you cannot change people’s attitudes. If they have a positive attitude and fit our company values, that person is going to stay and be happy with what they’re doing.”

Lesson #3: Build relationships with clients

One of the most significant call center lessons Joe learned in his years in the industry is managing client expectations.

“Clients expect you to do everything, and they’re not involved. The success of any campaign, in my experience, is not outsourcing so much as co-sourcing.” 

Joe describes co-sourcing as a collaborative approach where the client and call center work as partners. “Clients have the knowledge of their services, products, and processes. The success of a campaign relies on both parties’ involvement.”

Without this partnership, campaigns often struggle.

Joe explains, “It’s always best when your client is involved, teaching you how they handle situations. Every client is different, and those nuances can’t be managed by the call center alone.”

Lesson # 4:  Set boundaries with clients

Setting boundaries with clients is just as important as building relationships with them.

Reflecting on his 20 years in the industry, the CallZent CEO notes, “Clients have pretty tough expectations within the call center industry.”

However, he also highlights the importance of setting boundaries. “Some clients expect you to know everything because you’re a call center, but that’s not realistic. Those campaigns usually don’t work out.”

The key is for call centers to be transparent about what they need from the client to succeed. 

“It’s never a good thing when there’s zero involvement from the client. It’s tough to make a successful campaign when client expectations are high, and there’s no engagement from their side.”

Call center lessons: The keys to successful operations

While technology and processes are essential, people and partnerships are what drive success. 

From recruiting agents with the right attitude to fostering a collaborative relationship with clients, Joe’s approach to call center management offers valuable lessons for anyone in the industry. 

“Take care of your agents, recruit for fit, and work closely with your clients,” Joe advises. “That’s the recipe for a successful call center.”

As Joe’s journey demonstrates, investing in people and cultivating strong partnerships are the cornerstones of any thriving call center operation.