Evaluating agent performance is a quality assurance strategy used by call centers to constantly improve their productivity. Open Access BPO, an outsourcing provider of call center solutions in the Philippines, discusses one specific approach in evaluating agents that can help call centers have a highly proficient workforce.
When outsourcing to a call center, one of the key elements that can contribute to your success is having a workforce that continues to give favorable results. In order for you to have the best agents, they must be constantly honed to become better customer service representatives (CSRs) over time. Training them to become more effective can help you reach your goals faster and help your call center become more productive.
Coaching is therefore an important tool for better customer service delivery. And when customers are satisfied with the support they receive from your agents, their loyalty can translate to financial stability for your company. Aside from customer satisfaction and loyalty, your agents can also establish a good brand image for your business that can attract more prospective customers. This only means higher profits for your company.
Proper coaching procedures
The main goal of coaching is to assess agent performance in order to come up with objective feedback that can improve weak performance areas and reinforce strong ones. The main difference between coaching and regular agent evaluation is that coaching has a more personalized approach compared to the more general approach of agent performance evaluation.
During a coaching session, a supervisor highlights a performance issue and discusses it with the agent. Together, they create an action plan and exchange feedback in order to address the said performance area and improve it. Agents may also be asked to formulate personal goals or pointers to solidify commitments to do better.
When to conduct coaching sessions
This process is not a one-time event. Over the course of the agent’s stay in the call center, coaching sessions must be given regularly. Scheduled one-on-one coaching can be used when the issue to be discussed is specific to one agent only. This is the preferred method when showing agents individual performance score cards. On-the-spot coaching, on the other hand, can be given when there’s a performance issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
The role of coaching in improving agent productivity is undeniably crucial that every call center must invest time and effort in coming up with a coaching structure that works best for its agents. Coaching can guarantee not only short-term solutions but long-term agent commitment and improved delivery over time.
For a call center to be successful, supervisors need to be effective coaches. They must know how to personalize evaluation and identify individual needs of each agent under their team. They should also be able to use coaching sessions to reinforce positive behaviors of their agents and spread them to other members of the team.