Ah, the daily grind of managing a customer support team’s schedules. It’s a delicate dance of trying to balance workload, agent availability, and maintaining sanity for both managers and employees. But what if we told you there’s a better way? A way that brings out the best in your team, boosts productivity, and keeps everyone happy? Yes, you heard it right.

It’s time to loosen the reins a little and let your team leads take charge of their own team’s daily schedules. Buckle up and get ready for an empowering ride!

Flexibility for the win

Picture this: You’re a support team lead, responsible for a group of talented surfers. You know them best—their strengths, their weaknesses, and their preferred working styles. By allowing team leads to manage their own schedules, you’re giving them the freedom to tailor the day-to-day workload to match each surfer’s skills and availability.

Whether a surfer is a morning person or a night owl, a flexible scheduling approach enables them to work during their most productive hours. It’s like giving them a magical time-turner (minus the Harry Potter references) that optimises their output and boosts overall team efficiency. Who doesn’t want that?

Empowering team leads

When you let team leads handle scheduling, you’re not only delegating tasks but also empowering them to take ownership of their teams. It’s a win-win situation. Team leads gain valuable leadership experience, develop better communication skills, and learn how to handle challenges effectively.

Moreover, empowering team leads to manage schedules allows them to be more responsive to their team’s needs. They can easily adapt to unforeseen situations, accommodate last-minute requests, and handle sudden spikes in customer support demands. The sense of ownership and autonomy they experience not only motivates them but also creates a positive ripple effect throughout the entire team.

Enhanced collaboration

Remember the age-old saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth”? Well, that’s not the case when it comes to letting team leads handle schedules. In fact, it encourages collaboration and fosters stronger bonds within the team.

With team leads at the helm of scheduling, they can efficiently coordinate shifts, facilitate cross-training opportunities, and ensure smooth handovers between agents. This collaborative approach not only helps team members build trust and camaraderie but also leads to a more cohesive and supportive work environment. After all, who doesn’t love a workplace where everyone is on the same page?

Agility in action

In the fast-paced world of customer support, adaptability is the name of the game. Things change at the drop of a hat, and it’s crucial to respond swiftly. When team leads manage schedules, they become the frontline heroes, armed with the power to adjust and pivot as needed.

Need to accommodate a surfer’s personal appointment or an unexpected surge in ticket volume? No problem! Your trusty team leads can juggle schedules like seasoned circus performers, ensuring the show goes on without a hitch. By giving them the tools and authority to make real-time decisions, you empower them to keep the customer support engine running smoothly, no matter what comes their way.

How to give team leads control with Surfboard

Surfboard was built for collaborative scheduling and has a number of tools to enable your team leads to control their own schedules.

• Create unique shift patterns and round robins for individual teams using Shift Plans. Shift Plans can then be applied to different periods of time to adapt to how different teams need to work. Team leads can manage, edit and apply their own timezones without disrupting anyone else.

• Empower team leads to manage their own daily schedules using Activity Plans. Team leads can create their own individual activity plans to prioritise their team’s activities, adapt how their surfers work best with session lengths and rotations, and of course, ensure they’re providing the right amount of coverage.

• Collaborate on schedules using draft and publish mode. Any edits to the schedule are automatically shown as a draft – meaning fellow managers and team leads can review and make changes before publishing out to the team when they’re happy.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! By letting your team leads take charge of their own team’s daily schedules, you’re unleashing a world of empowerment, flexibility, and collaboration. Your support team will flourish, agents will thrive, and you’ll be amazed at the positive impact it has on your organisation as a whole. Remember, the key to success lies in the hands of those who know their team best. So, loosen those reins, give your team leads the freedom they deserve, and watch your customer support soar to new heights!

Want to hear more about how Surfboard can enable your team to work more collaboratively?

Check out how the product works or book a demo with our team today.