'Tis the Season to Implement Call Tracking Solutions

During this holiday season, sleigh bells aren't the only things ringing. Holiday sales represent 20 percent of total retail sales in a year, explaining why call centers' phones are ringing off the hook. How are you preparing to handle the hustle and bustle?

To get the manpower needed to take on the complexity of the holidays, companies like Target are hiring 100,000 temporary employees. For many companies, however, it's more difficult and expensive to recruit, hire and train seasonal employees for such a short period of time.

So what can you do to prep the employees you do have for the massive influx of calls they'll receive? Follow the tips below.

Work Hard

With tinsel-lined cubicles, snowflake decor lingering overhead and office buzz about Secret Santa circulating, 62 percent of companies agree productivity is affected during the holidays. Besides the obvious distractions around the office, 45 percent of employees are also taking more vacation time than usual.

It's crucial to remind your team that they are indeed at work to: work. Consider starting a quota competition and be forthright about the expectations you have for your team this winter season. Setting hard goals and deadlines will remind them that although it is an exciting time of year, they still have to focus on the tasks at hand.

Play Hard

While setting challenging goals to keep your team on track is crucial, you do catch more flies with honey than vinegar...

Help your team find the work-hard-play-hard balance. Celebrate everyone's hard work by hosting an office party even if it's just a 15-minute break on a Friday afternoon. Incentivizing employees during this time and showing some appreciation will keep your team relaxed yet motivated, giving them stamina to answer the ambush of calls you're expecting.

Provide Constant Feedback

Imagine excitedly giving someone a gift, only for them to open it and not thank you.That wouldn't feel great, right? Now imagine an employee continually producing good work and going above and beyond, always seeking recognition but never receiving it. Your employee won't keep up that momentum long without getting any praise.

Sixty-five percent of employees said they want more feedback from their employers. Most companies have annual or quarterly employee evaluations, but providing constant feedback gives many employees the drive to work harder.

A call tracking and evaluation system can help you give more beneficial evaluations of your employees' work. Motivated employees will deliver better service and your productivity will skyrocket.

The holidays are right around the corner, and so are all those phone calls. What other ways do you plan to keep sidetracked phone agents on task and motivated before the holidays? Let us know in the comments.