Perfecting My Business

As a collection-agency owner, you are likely always looking for ways to improve employee productivity so everyone involved can make more money. Ensuring that you hire quality employees is the first step, but don't stop there. Consider making use of the following tips and tricks to increase productivity among employees and optimize your company's overall profits. 

Offer Some Incentives

An effective way to encourage improved productivity among your collection agents and managers is to offer some incentives based on the amount collected within a specific period of time and based on how long it takes to collect money. For instance, you can offer a fifty-dollar bonus to each agent who collects on at least three accounts within a specified month and an additional percentage of whatever else they collect on top of that. For accounts collected on that were opened within the past two or three months, present them with a set of movie tickets or another small token of appreciation for closing the accounts out so quickly.

As for managers, offer them a small percentage of the overall amount their team collects within a given month once they reach a base goal. Once their team collects a minimum threshold (for example $2,000), they'll be eligible to receive five or ten percent of everything their team collects beyond that. These incentives will give your employees something to work toward, and the better they perform, the more they will be rewarded.

Incorporate New Lighting

If your collection call center isn't already utilizing blue-hued lighting, it's a good idea to consider getting rid of your current setup and replacing it with options that are blue. Short-wavelength blue lighting has been shown to improve performance and alertness when used as a primary artificial light source. So, opt for blue lightbulbs where possible, especially near collection agents' desks as well as in meeting rooms and managers' offices. Natural lighting is just as important if not more so than the right artificial lighting when it comes to employee production. So, situate desks and gathering spaces near windows wherever possible.

You can also keep a cabinet of tabletop light-therapy boxes for employees to use near their computers if they're sensitive to the changing seasons and tend to experience symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, depression, or even attention deficit disorder. As long as employees have a doctor's note on file in your office authorizing the use of light-therapy boxes, allow them to check them out for an hour or so each day, and you'll likely see a significant improvement in their performance.   

Invest in New Chairs

It's crucial to ensure that each of your employees has access to a properly sized ergonomic chair to work in throughout the day. When their chairs provide proper support and ease of movement, employees' postures will improve and back pain will decrease overall, and this will inevitably lead to fewer sick days, increased productivity, and improved efficiency. With less pain and more support, your employees will better be able to focus on their tasks at hand with quality in mind.

Because one size doesn't fit all, it's important to choose a variety of different sizes and styles of ergonomic chairs to furnish your collection agency's call center with. This way, your employees can try the different types out and utilize a chair that will meet their needs the best as possible as they work throughout the day. All the office chairs should have backrests, adjustable arms, a swivel function, and the ability to customize height for optimal support and ease of movement.

Utilizing one or more of these tips and tricks should help to quickly improve employee performance and put your company on a financially winning path.