Cultures vary dramatically from one organization to the next. You’d likely notice some hairstyles that you don’t see every day at Virgin Mobile’s Customer Care center. Nintendo has a break room (yes, with video games) that puts most others to shame. Wells Fargo Banker Connection has a somewhat more formal, polished atmosphere — expected and fitting in the banking environment. But in each case, a people-first philosophy is evident.

Nancy Tichbon, vice president of Customer Care, Virgin Mobile Canada and Bell Mobility/Bell Residential Service, put it this way: “It just makes sense to us: If our people are happy and motivated, our customers are going to have a great experience. And it goes without saying that if our customers are satisfied, our shareholders will be delighted. Thus, if we live by this value … ultimately, everyone wins.”

The most important implication of the trends in the best-managed contact centers is clear: Your people are the key to success.

Excerpt from Call Center Management on Fast Forward, Brad Cleveland.

This blog post is part of a series on the 12 Characteristics of the Best Managed Contact Centers. Read about Characteristic #1: They Produce High Levels of Value and Characteristic #2: They Have a Supporting Culture.