What actions do you need to take to insure that your office and its agents survive while everyone else "melts" away?
You must get your agents treating this like a real job. The manager must lead by example, in by 8am out by 6pm, dressed every day to meet with clients. Agents need to get up every day and come to the office - even if they have nothing going on.
The office manager has to be positive with a balance of realism. You have to put "fun" into the environment any way you can. Recruit your agents every day with a breakfast or lunch with groups or individuals from the office at least a couple of times a week.
Hold back-to-basics training classes in the office, getting top agents involved in these if you can.
Weekly office meetings become a "touch point." Make them informative and high energy. Call those agents you don't see at the office meetings, and have a conversation at least once a week with every one of your agents.
Do quarterly reviews to find out what the agent is working on and set written goals for the quarter and year.
Implement a steering committee in the office so that you can hear what the office needs from the agents and so that you can run ideas by the members on ways to motivate and improve the office.
Personalize your office by remembering birthdays, etc. and recognizing agents for their outstanding achievements throughout the week with notes and voice-mail messages.
