Life as a Contact Centre Team Leader 

Team Leaders are the beating heart of any Contact Centre.  

From monitoring quality and performance to lending a helping hand and a listening ear – they’re a vital gamechanger when it comes to campaign management and staff development.  

But no one can spotlight what being a Contact Centre Team Leader is like more than someone who works in the role every day.  

In this week’s blog, we chat with Karen, one of our very own Team Leaders. 

Covering everything from her journey to becoming a Team Leader to what her role entails – we learn that no two days are ever the same in this rewarding yet busy job! 

Karen’s Team Leader Journey 

After working in the healthcare sector for over 30 years and seeing first-hand the struggles and pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, Karen decided it was time to try something different. 

“I was looking for a new challenge, so I applied for a Call Centre Advisor role at Mango. 

“As I’d never been in a Call Centre environment before, I received immense support from the Training and Quality Manager and Team Leaders. The more I was taught, the more I wanted to learn!” 

Over time, Karen gained new skills in other areas that extended beyond call handling. She began supporting the wider teams with email management and live chat responses, and the more she mastered, the more confident she became. 

“As Mango’s demand continued to rise, an opportunity for Team Leader became available. After lots of positive encouragement from the Call Centre Management Team, I decided to go for it, and haven’t looked back since! 

“I now manage a large team and I absolutely love them. They know they can always come to me, regardless of what the issue is. 

“It’s funny looking back – what I originally imagined being a quiet retirement job has become a passionate career for me. My life really did restart when I joined Mango.” 

Team Leader Qualities 

They say the three most important roles of a Team Leader are motivator, communicator, and uniter. 

For example, Karen motivates her team members to do great work, consistently communicates expectations and the Contact Centre’s culture, and unites them with a shared sense of purpose to achieve the company’s overall vision.  

Karen achieves this through positive reinforcement, something she believes is the real key to keeping staff morale high. 

“I know my team perform at their best when they feel their best. My approach revolves around the fact that there’s always something positive to focus on.  

“If people feel like they’re valued and realise just how integral they are to the bigger picture, then their approach to work will be positive, too.” 

What are Typical Team Leader Tasks? 

As Karen admits herself – “No two days are ever the same, and every day is a learning day!” 

A typical day for a Team Leader covers everything from campaign management to staff development, with the main goal being to maximise performance and satisfaction for both clients and employees. 

Karen tells us a few of the key tasks she juggles in her role day-to-day… 

Staff Coaching and Training 

Training is one of the most important tasks for a Team Leader. Not only has it a direct impact on productivity and performance, but training also gives employees a better understanding of their responsibilities and improves their confidence which positively impacts performance. 

“Training can be anything from one-to-one coaching to client training sessions, where our staff come together to be trained on a campaign by a client, with the Team Leader asking questions on behalf of the Call Centre team to cement understanding.” 

Echoing the benefits of training, Karen says: “I am passionate about coaching and training staff – we are a people business at the end of the day – so our team is our best asset! Training encourages questions, addresses learning gaps and areas for improvement, as well as keeps morale and performance high.” 

Employee Engagement Activities 

At Mango, we have a busy employee engagement calendar, with multiple activities scheduled each month! 

Team Leaders play a vital role in spreading company culture and aiding social relationships, which is important when it comes to: 

• Encouraging staff to have an emotional connected to their job, co-workers, and organisation as a whole 
• Boosting job satisfaction 
• Supporting alignment with organisational values 
• Making going to work an enjoyable experience 
• Helping staff feel more connected to the wider community 

“By taking part in employee engagement activities, it ignites friendships for life, I know from experience on my Mango journey!” 

Quality Monitoring 

A Team Leader manages their teams to ensure quality across all services is high and consistent, whether it be handling calls or writing responses via email or live chat. 

“I call listen daily to ensure my team are using best practices and maximising their potential. Even if it’s something small they can improve, like using a customer or supporter’s name more often to build rapport – it makes all the difference between a good call and a great call! 

“I always say to staff that they should never be afraid to ask for help, and that the more questions they ask, the better it is for their confidence, compliance and quality.” 

For more tips on ensuring high call quality, check out our blog: Tracking Call Quality: Our Top Hints and Hacks 

Allocating Campaign Work 

As a telemarketing outsourcer, at Mango, we support and work on behalf of so many organisations across the globe! 

Our Team Leaders are key in supporting the Resources and Planning Manager with allocating campaign work to their teams in order to meet demand. It requires strong organisational skills, as well as liaising with the Client Management team to determine any specifics.  

But for Karen, it doesn’t just stop at divvying out tasks to her team: 

“I also like to jump on calls too! It means I can get a better understanding of my team’s experiences, pinpoint any potential script improvements, and sharpen my knowledge of our current campaigns.” 

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Special thanks to Karen for her interesting insights into what life’s really like as a Contact Centre Team Leader! 

If you would like to learn more, please feel free to ask us questions in the comments, or reach out to us by dropping us a message via our website or over on socials!