Podcast ¦ CX Passport: The one with behavior driven CX – Candy Kothmann Call Center Director at Texas Workforce Commission E207

Key Takeaways

1. Respect and compassion are fundamental to customer interactions, regardless of the sector, whether governmental or for-profit.
2. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) places a high priority on treating all individuals with courtesy, establishing a baseline for service quality.
3. Empathy is essential when dealing with individuals who have lost their jobs, as they often experience fear, anxiety, and anger.
4. TWC employs an optimized performance model that evaluates agent interactions based on accuracy, completeness, efficiency, effectiveness, and courtesy.
5. Agent performance evaluations include assessing their ability to acknowledge emotions and demonstrate empathy towards claimants.
6. The agency does not measure average handle time at the agent level, focusing instead on allowing calls to take the necessary time to achieve the business objective.
7. Agents are trained to recognise emotional distress and engage in crisis intervention, particularly in severe cases involving threats of self-harm.
8. Support systems are available for agents dealing with high-stress calls, including the ability to de-escalate and consult with supervisors.
9. Complaints from claimants are taken seriously and must be registered and investigated to identify valid concerns and improve service processes.
10. Insights from common complaints help inform necessary changes to processes, even when legislative constraints limit operational flexibility.
11. It is the TWC’s responsibility to educate claimants about the rules and processes governing unemployment services to improve understanding and satisfaction.
12. Continuous skill development for agents is essential to enhance their knowledge of the program and their interpersonal communication abilities.

Key Statistics

• TWC has an ethics policy that emphasises respect, compassion, and courtesy in all interactions.
• The agency reports every valid complaint to Texas legislators for further evaluation and potential action.

Key Discussion Points

1. The importance of empathetic communication in customer service interactions, particularly in high-stress situations.
2. How customer experience principles can be applied across both government and profit-driven organisations.
3. Strategies for creating a supportive environment for agents when dealing with emotional or distressed claimants.
4. The significance of a performance evaluation model focused on behaviours, rather than mere metrics such as call duration.
5. The balance between efficiency and empathy in service delivery, particularly in crisis situations.
6. Challenges faced by government agencies in improving customer experience due to legislative constraints.
7. The critical need for training and development to enhance agents’ effectiveness in handling difficult conversations.
8. The role of technology in improving both claimant and employer experiences within the constraints of agency regulations.
9. The impact of structured feedback processes on service delivery and operational improvements.
10. The need for proactive communication with claimants to educate them about processes and regulatory requirements.
11. The emotional and psychological support mechanisms provided to agents following challenging interactions.
12. The recognition of the human element in customer service, particularly in roles that involve assisting individuals facing personal hardships.

Podcast Description
In this episode of CX Passport, the host Rick Denton explores the nuances of customer experience within a government agency context, focusing on the Texas Workforce Commission. The conversation features Candy Coffman, the North Texas Telecenter Director, who shares insights into how her team effectively manages customer interactions by prioritising empathy and respect. The discussion highlights the challenges faced when assisting individuals experiencing unemployment and the importance of fostering an environment that emphasises compassionate communication and agent support. Listeners will gain valuable insights into customer experience strategies that transcend traditional profit-driven models.