Management Development in Call Centres

WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?

Prior to defining the management development practices in call centres it is important to first of all define what exactly is meant by the term ‘management’ and place it in a call centre context. The starting point of any training and development project is identifying the training and development need. For example, the training and development need in an induction course would be for employees to be sufficiently trained in the organization’s systems, products and culture to effectively answer customer queries. In management development this may be slightly more difficult to define and it may involve the identification and development of individuals with the potential to manage departments or functions in the future. In addition, it may be the development of individuals who can supervise people to undertake predefined work processes, and also be the strategic development of individuals who are already in existing management positions.

Those involved in the design of management development should start by asking the following question: ‘What exactly is meant by management within our organization?’ A clear understanding of what is expected from managers within a call centre will allow trainers and educators to assess the management development requirements of the department/organization/individual, plan and design how the need will be met, deliver the required training and then measure the success of it against the previously defined objectives.

‘Management’ and ‘manager’ are generic terms that are interpreted differently from call centre to call centre. In some organizations a team leader responsible for the activities of a collective of call centre agents may be called a manager. In other organizations the term ‘manager’ is specific to the strategic hierarchy at the very top of the organization.

The 1995 edition of The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines management as the ‘professional administration of business concerns’. In essence, the ‘occupational group that organizes and coordinates, and makes decisions about what work is done, how it is done (and) by whom’. In call centres the term ‘manager’ is usually applied to those who oversee the administration and, in large centres, the administration of certain functions such as training, HR and planning will be overseen by functional specialist managers. These management specialists will report directly to an individual who oversees all call centre operations. They may not have the title manager but they will be responsible for the management of the centre. Figure 1 gives a basic overview of a typical call centre departmental structure.

 
Figure 1: A typical call centre organizational chart

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REFLECTION

Call centres have a reputation for having a flat structure with mini-mal promotional and career progression opportunities. However, Figure 1 identifies that there are at least seven call centre roles with management responsibilities. It is worth identifying within your own organizational structure how many actual individuals have a degree of management responsibility. This will help you understand the importance and scope of management within your own centre.

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Peter Drucker (1974) and Charles Handy (1993), two of the most widely acknowledged theorists within the area of management, argue that management cannot be defined and a empts to do so are meaningless. This is largely based upon the idea that management, by nature, is something that permeates throughout organizations to all levels of employment. A number of authors argue that management encompasses so much of an organization that all employees, to a greater or lesser degree, must have the ability to manage. Torrington et al  argue that, ‘Management is not just a job done by people called ”managers”, it is an aspect done by all those who have to cope with the problems and opportunities of organization.’ The repercussions of this for training and development is that in essence everyone has to have an ability to manage, whether it be individuals managing their own workload or their personal development plan, relationships with colleagues or large multi-site call centre operations.

The BBC has an approach to management development that reinforces the idea that management skills are not just required for those with the word ‘manager’ in their job title. A management development information pack from the BBC includes the paragraph:

Fourth and most important, management training is available not simply for line managers, but for anyone with a management component in their job. In practice this means most of us. We all have to manage our time, our priorities, the resources we use, our colleagues and our boss.

We are all managers to a greater or lesser extent as we all have some degree of control over our life and a process within the business in which we are employed. The interdependent nature of the modern working environment means we all call on resources and employees to get the work done. Management therefore is a phenomenon that is pivotal to the complexities of modern day life.

Furthermore, despite the organizational re-engineering, restructuring, mergers and outsourcing, practices that dominated the global business climate in the last decade, the number of managers is actually increasing. A report by the Chartered Management Institute identified that the numbers of managers had substantially increased during previous decades and this was expected to continue

MARKETING AND PROMOTING TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

It is not just a case of providing training and development opportunities within an organization: employees need to be informed about them and the provision needs to be structured to ensure that they have access to the courses. Marketing and promoting training provision informs potential consumers of availability and their benefits. To be successful, it needs to:

• use a medium or channels that the learners use;
• use language, tone and style that match those of the learner;
• make contact when it is timely for the learner. Methods of contacting and informing potential learners include:
• e-mails;
• corporate newsletters;
• website;
• online booking services;
• posters;
• advertisements;
• sponsoring events;
• brochures and inserts;
• learning and development newsletters;
• trainers informing delegates of other complementary courses;
• presentations in the workplace;
• using line managers to communicate training details.

It is a necessity to ensure that training has a high profile in the organization otherwise the benefits it provides may not be noticed or acknowledged. This lack of recognition may then translate into reduced financial resources being made available. Also, a higher profile can lead to greater influence and encourage stronger commitment to training. Successes should be communicated. For example, one manager described the introduction of a BTEC programme: ‘We implemented it throughout customer services, and made a big song and dance about it! It drew attention to training!’

CONTENT AREAS AND FORMS OF DELIVERY

The main purpose of categorizing learning provision and constructing diagrams based on this provision is so that it can be understood more clearly and therefore properly managed and directed. It is possible to categorize call centre training along a number of dimensions: general training (handling difficult customers, IT training); sector-specific training (work procedures, telephone sales techniques); and firm-specific training (product knowledge, firm knowledge) (Sieben and de Grip, 2004). Another approach is to classify learning as on-the-job and off-the-job, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1: On-the-job and off-the-job learning

On-the-job	Off-the-job
Coaching Monitoring colleagues Buddying Mentoring Computer-based learning Work-based learning	Coaching Monitoring colleagues Buddying Mentoring Computer-based learning Work-based learning

Learning and development can also be classified into what Granered called ‘training modalities’. These were:

• classroom-based training;
• e-learning;
• learning by doing;
• coaching.

Whichever modality is chosen the most important consideration is that, ‘We are trying to create the most effective transfer of knowledge with the greatest amount of impact, at the lowest cost’.

e-learning

The use of e-learning would appear to be growing and approximately half of contact centres use web-based learning. The reasons for this growth are:

• It provides a single learning experience that is common to all learners.
• It can be transmitted to each participant.
• It is interactive and involves the learner.
• It can be self-paced and go at the speed of the learner.
• Once produced it can be cheaply disseminated.
• It can be targeted at specific needs.
• Learning can be assessed online.
• It can be used to confirm that people have completed compulsory training, eg health and safety.
• It can assess and target specific learning needs.
• It can be carried out at the learner’s work desk.
• It can be studied during quiet call periods.
• It can be used to simulate the customer transaction. There are, however, limitations to e-learning too:
• Classroom-based learning is still considered to be more interesting and appealing to learners 
• It is expensive to produce.
• It is not viable for small training needs, with classroom-based learning or other forms being cheaper.
• With the quality of computer games, many e-learning materials are considered inferior and boring.
• It is not as portable as print-based materials.
• There is no social interaction.
• Many of the skills such as speaking cannot be accurately developed.
• The content is not always appropriate.
• It is poorly suited to so skills training.

E-learning presents a number of advantages and disadvantages for the individual and the organization. To manage this to best effect many organizations have instituted a policy of blended learning in which the benefits of more traditional forms of learning and those of e-learning are combined to best effect.

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ORGANIZATION OF TRAINING IN AN INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY

Background

The Dutch operations of this international telecommunications company are clearly structured into specific stages in order to provide continuity and progression. It was decided to use stages in CSR training, because the original induction training became too extensive and too long. Trainees just didn’t remember everything they learnt, as they couldn’t apply it immediately. Moreover, most CSRs develop themselves very well in the period between training, just by doing their job. Not everything can be trained, and CSRs pick up the training much faster once they have some work experience.

First, there is a two-week induction training programme, followed by a one-week traineeship in which CSRs listen in to calls and handle calls with experienced CSRs sitting next to them all the time. After the traineeship, CSRs will work for six to 12 weeks performing normal tasks. After this period, they follow the second part of the training, for example four days training on billing. Again, after a period of work, the third part of the training is given. This could be a two-day training course on technical issues regarding mobile phones and networks.

The first two-week induction training programme deals with the following topics:

• company: organization, vision, mission;
• role of customer management;
• knowledge of products and services;
• system skills;
• communication (dealing with questions, asking questions, handling difficult customers);
• commercial skills (sales).

The induction training is blended and appeals to different learning styles. For example, different training techniques are used: class teaching, e-learning (maximum of two modules a day), quizzes, role plays, working with professional certified actors, games, and listening to taped calls. All standard explanations (ie, trainers telling the same story over and over again) are automated as much as possible in e-learning modules. These modules are all audiovisual, and deal with written text as little as possible.

Experienced CSRs follow refresher training on communication and analytical skills once or twice a year. This training is given in class and takes about six hours. It repeats the induction training elements on communication skills like general telephone etiquette, opening and closing a conversation, dealing with emotions, etc. In the refresher course, CSRs bring their own observations to the training.

In addition, experienced CSRs follow e-learning about new services and products. This training is needed to be able to move to a higher CSR level. The e-learning is scheduled by the traffic department and takes place in down-time periods. To accommodate this, all e-learning modules take about 10–20 minutes (maximum of half an hour) to complete. Another reason to limit the amount of time spent on an e-learning module is that it is believed this is the maximum amount of information people can take in, as e-learning is quite intensive.

All the e-learning modules are developed in The Netherlands and it is intended that they will be implemented in other countries as well. Five people developed the e-learning modules in close cooperation with the trainers. This ensures that the same concepts are used, and that there is a good harmony between e-learning and the rest of the classroom training.

When e-learning is used in a classroom, the trainer walks around and answers questions from CSRs working on the module. The trainers also keep an eye on the pace at which CSRs are progressing so they know where everyone is in the module. If there are many CSRs struggling with the same problem, the trainer will explain concepts in class. The e-learning module is also followed up in class to verify whether everyone understands the meaning of the new concept. Examples of real-life situations are given, as well as exceptions to the rule. Using assignments, additional skills are taught in the classroom.

The contact centre organized workshops for all trainers on how to give e-learning training, since this role is quite different from classroom teaching. In addition, all trainers are required to follow the e-learning modules themselves. In this way, trainers see what the relationships are between the e-learning module and the rest of the training. Trainers get additional information on the module, for example on which questions to expect at which point.

After each module there is a self-test, so CSRs can check whether they mastered every aspect of the e-learning module. It is not an exam; CSRs do not have to pass this test. They are working towards a final exam at the end of induction training. In addition, there could be an interim exam. However, the company still thinks that trainers are the best to judge the capacities of the CSRs. Trainers talk about these issues with the team leaders before the CSRs start working.

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Informal learning

Most contact centres emphasize the development of teams to reduce the negative aspects of individual working and use the physical architecture of the building and workstations clustered in pods to build camaraderie. Close proximity enables agents to consult with each other during and after calls to share information and experience.

The social nature of call centres is also encouraged during breaks. Even here, agents share stories about work experiences and thus create a constructive cultural environment and an informal individual and collective memory system. In effect, this informal communication builds up communities of practice and these support networks complement the on-screen information.

Operators also develop their own improvised forms of personal information systems that are used for learning and gathering information. These files and personal notes are used to record and store information that is not generally available or easy to locate through the formal systems.

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES | Structuring Learning and Development

Learning and development are not an end in themselves: their main value is to enable employees to support the achievement of organizational objectives. For this reason the starting point for deciding the content and forms of delivery of training should begin with the organizational vision, mission and objectives, which are incorporated within the learning and development cycle (training cycle) in Figure 1.

 

Figure 1: The training cycle

A gap analysis should then be conducted to identify which objectives have not been achieved. These should then be systematically analysed to determine which relate to training, and those that are caused by other factors – technology; organizational systems/structures, market forces, etc. Factors that appear to be connected to employee knowledge and skills should then be subjected to a detailed learning needs analysis.

The next stage in the training cycle is the design of a learning strategy and materials. This is followed by the delivery and implementation of learning interventions and, finally, these are evaluated to assess their effectiveness. The circular nature is then completed by relating the findings to the organizational objectives, and so the cycle continues.

Training structure

It is important to have a systematic approach to contact centre training that reflects organizational objectives.All organizations should have a learning framework so that they can finish the sentence, ‘We train our people because. . .’. He suggested that the final part of the sentence might be, ‘ customer experience is our highest priority’.

Granered also suggested that the learning structure should reflect the organizational culture it supports and he developed a model that consisted of three concentric circles. The innermost circle was titled ‘The starting point’, which addressed the learning the agent receives on the first day, including company information and what is required to be successful.

The next circle, outwards, is ‘What the employees need to learn next’, which involves systems learning, product learning and an elective. Contact centres are based on a systems approach and this is what the agent should learn. This includes the computer systems, customer relationship management system, trouble ticketing system, etc. It should also include job aids, processes, rules and other things that support the agent. Product learning involves the development of understanding about the products and services the organization offers. The ‘elective’ acknowledges the fact that most employees do not consider that the agent role is a job for life. Encouraging them to develop new skills will enhance motivation and retention.

The outer circle is called, ‘Cultural awareness and communication skills’ and involves a number of so skills that are used to interact with the customer. These include developing self-awareness through cross-cultural training, customer culture, and organizational culture.

Granered described his systems approach as a method that assessed needs, tracked progress and measured outcomes. He recommended that the Kirkpatrick evaluation model should be used and that a learning management system be introduced to track what learning occurs, including e-learning, to ensure that programmes are actually studied.

A more detailed structure for positioning learning and development within the operational framework can be found in Figure 2. It begins with a consideration of the organizational objectives, market and anticipated workload. When these have been clarified the logical workflow can be mapped and then systems and technology used to ensure that all types of enquiry can be handled efficiently and effectively.

 
Figure 2: Positioning learning and development within the operational framework

With information about demand and the systems in place it is then possible to begin recruitment and selection, which should match the required staffing levels. While the estimates of employee numbers can be projected with reasonable accuracy it is only when operations start in earnest that it is possible to refine operations so that they run smoothly and efficiently.

Induction for most call centres is the most intensive period of training. This provides new recruits with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to undertake work responsibilities in a professional manner. Ongoing learning and development, and team and manager training, can be structured around operational requirements. These should be integrated within a performance management framework that can then target specific training needs.

SUPPORTING REGENERATION THROUGH TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Calls centres in Britain, France, Spain, the United States and many other nations have been relocated to other countries that possess suitable language skills and offer cheaper labour costs, eg India, Algeria, South America and the Philippines.

At national levels agencies are competing to attract inward investment and incentives include taxation-free periods, grants and subsidies, and support at organizational levels. Non-governmental organizations have also been successful in positively communicating the skills and financial benefits of offshoring, eg Nasscom in India.

Promotional material from Trade New Zealand highlights an advanced telecommunications infrastructure; support from the local government; well developed language skills; and a well educated and low-cost workforce. A Call Centre A raction Initiative encourages the development of an infrastructure of call centre consultants and training providers to deliver advice and support. In addition, Work and Income New Zealand also provides support for relocating companies through the supply of training course.

In England, support for inward investment is also provided at regional levels as a means of boosting local economies. Regional Development Agencies such as North West RDA funded the development of CallNorthWest and Yorkshire Forward funded The Yorkshire and Humberside Call Centre Network to provide the supportive infrastructure for the industry.

One means by which regeneration agencies provide support is through education and training initiatives, which are considered to be a very important strategy in providing potential employees. This is because some incoming employers believe certain groups do not possess the necessary skills. To address this agencies have funded pre-employment training courses thus creating an employee supply line.

These pre-employment programmes can be relatively expensive and given the high rates of employee turnover it is important to select suitable candidates. To add to these challenges, one employer was still reluctant to recruit programme participants because it believed the trainees might not have the required levels of skills. Therefore, it is important that development agencies carefully direct their funding. ‘We need to make sure that the money we spend on training these people isn’t wasted’.

The objective of regeneration agencies is to improve the economy and get people into employment. Pre-employment training is one means of achieving this but it would sometimes appear to be of a variable standard. Belt and Richardson noted a mismatch between training providers and call centre employers regarding skills requirements. They recommend that training providers avoid playing the ‘numbers game’ of ge ing people into employment and instead focus on long-term employment sustainability.

The links between trainers involved with pre-employment training and employers would sometimes appear to be inadequate. One piece of research noted:

[There is a] general lack of engagement between trainers and employers. In fact, in one of the case study training programmes, none of the trainers had even set foot inside a call centre. Meaningful and ongoing dialogue between trainers and employers on skills issues was infrequent or nonexistent in all but one of the case studies. Unsurprisingly, this situation seriously restricted the ability of the initiatives to meet employers’ skill needs.

Although most regions and countries consider the introduction of new jobs positively there are some critics. Call centres have been described by Belt as being mainly ‘careerless’. She referred to the TUC and stated that employers were ‘accused of providing large numbers of part-time, low-skilled, highly repetitive, pressurized and dead-end jobs’. She also concluded that because call centre jobs tended to be located in old industrial areas there was a developing production of geographic inequality.

To achieve the best outcomes inward investment agencies and call centres need to work cooperatively together and develop their relationship. For example, in a list of ‘top tips’ employment agency Adecco  recommended that contact centres, ‘Assess initiatives, such as pre-employment training as a way of demonstrating commitment to the local area and building links with potential employees of the future.’

BARRIERS TO LEARNING, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Although there are many forces encouraging learning, training and development there are also a considerable number of barriers. Not surprisingly the financial cost of agent downtime is the principal obstacle to the provision of training. Budgetary constraints have also resulted in external training being stopped after initial training, which affects the skill levels in the sector. Furthermore, Chamber Business Enterprises reported that 23 per cent of employers cited training barriers; specific ones identified were the cost of training (42 per cent); staff time (37 per cent); and timing of training (25 per cent). CallNorthWest also noted practical difficulties with staff signing-up for a programme and sometimes not being able to a end because too many had applied for the programme. Also, there were a significant number of ‘no-shows’ because there was no mechanism for ensuring that those who registered actually a ended a programme.

Another significant barrier to training is the fact that some employers suggest that the benefits of training were greater for the employees than the organization: ‘Staff come here, undertake the training, get the experience and then leave; we are not going to invest in people who are going to go elsewhere for higher wages.’ One case study trainer commented similarly: ‘A number of staff have le to take up other jobs in other organizations. We train them too well.’

It is not just the employer who is responsible for learning. The most successful forms of learning occur when the individual has developed a personal ‘hunger’ or interest in learning. Where people are self-motivated and take personal responsibility the quality and quantity of learning are found to be much higher.

Another obstacle to training is the flat structure of call centres, which have few hierarchical levels. This may result in few positions becoming vacant even though there are advisers queuing for promotion.

It is largely financial pressures that affect the degree of support for employees. With staff expenditure representing 71 per cent of the overall budget it is inevitable that it is regularly targeted for cost reduction; however, the savings have potentially negative implications. Dimension Data  noted that:

The reduced levels of agent training, performance appraisal and staff satisfaction investigations. . . support the observation that many centres are failing to focus enough attention on the development of the agent. The long-term consequences of declining agent development and focus could be extremely damaging to organizations and the risks far outweigh any short-term cost improvements that have been realized as a result.

DRIVERS OF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of training within an organization is to improve knowledge, skills, attitudes and ultimately financial performance. Learning at individual and organizational levels is not a goal in itself but a major foundation in providing a successful interaction with the customer and ensuring that the organization prospers and survives into the future. There are a number of primary drivers for call centre training.

Business opportunities

Commercial organizations are frequently looking to expand provision and increase market size and share. Thus, each contact with the customer is o en used as an opportunity to sell new or upgraded products and this may result in wider and more complex demands on CSRs, requiring different knowledge and skill sets.

Problems

Problems within the organization are o en addressed through focused training, which can provide a quick solution to unanticipated situations. This form of reactive training may reduce resources and limit the potential for delivering ongoing development training. Furthermore, it can be stressful for trainers because of the need for rapid responses to the sudden challenges.

Management planning

Managers have responsibility for the smooth operational running of centres and for this reason need specific knowledge and skills as well as generic management skills. In particular they need training in the specific technologies, systems, so ware, planning, queuing principles, industry developments, etc.

Changes in technology

One of the main reasons for the growth of the contact centre industry has been the advancement of technology and this continuing development means that employees need to regularly update their knowledge and be able to use the various systems and technologies. In addition, as the number of communication channels increase, eg e-mail and text chat, agents will need to develop new skills in written communication. Furthermore, the so er skills of selling and customer service may alter when provided with different contact media.

Changing customer requirements

Customer expectations of quality of service are continually increasing, o en as a result of competition. For this reason increased knowledge, skills and rapport need to be developed to attract new customers and prevent existing ones from defecting to alternative providers.

Political/regulatory changes

As the main point of contact for the organization with the customer, CSAs (customer service agents) must be up to date in order not to put the organization at risk of negative publicity or legal action. New legislation, product recalls, etc need to be conducted accurately.

Labour issues

Training is o en used to address agent attrition and when the labour market is tight good quality training is used to attract potential advisers. The delivery of induction training has been found to retain new recruits for longer if the induction programme is provided at intervals rather than in one intensive block. Staff who receive ongoing training feel that their skills are progressing and recognize that this may then enable them to advance within the organization.

Reward

Training is also provided as a form of reward rather than being essential. It can be motivating in its own terms without being directed at specific issues. In one organization it was reported, ‘The mentality of training used to be that it was a reward not a necessity’.

High involvement work practices

In high performance work organizations  that have integrated human resource functions, productivity and profits tend to be higher. Also, in high involvement work practices ‘unions are likely to spend less time in workplace grievances and more time on initiatives such as joint training programmes’.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF CALL/CONTACT CENTRES

Although there have been switchboards and telephone operators since the early days of telephone systems the contact centre industry in its present form is relatively new. It plays an increasingly important strategic role within the organization and its rapid expansion has occurred for three main reasons.

Firstly, the starting point for the growth of call centres was the development of information and communication technologies combined with reduced telecommunication costs. The second factor driving the development of the industry was that organizations could achieve large-scale economies through the increased systematization and consolidation of office functions. 

Traditional back-office functions have increasingly become front-of-house operations as organizations have a empted to build closer communications with the customer. Knowledge management and customer management systems have created an environment in which the call centre is moving from being a peripheral, and o en geographically distant operation, to one that is now pivotal and central to the organization.

The third major factor is that expectations of service among customers have risen and contact centres have enabled swi er and cheaper contact with organizations. The greater efficiency of organizations has meant reduced prices for customers, but this has o en been achieved through transferring labour costs onto the customer through self-service. Furthermore, mechanized delivery systems have tended to restrict customer options.

Scientific management and contact centres

The scientific management approach of F W Taylor has been highly influential in the development of contact centres. Indeed, it has been suggested that call centres represent a return to Taylorism with ‘an assembly line in the head’. In a similar vein, ‘Tayloristic work organization minimizes skill requirements, discretion and job cycle time. Learning is limited to repetition of simple rationalized tasks (“practice makes perfect”).’

There is little doubt that mechanistic principles have influenced the design and operations of contact centres from the choice of technology and building design through to the greetings delivered by the CSRs (customer service representatives). If savings can be made without unduly influencing performance they will most likely be introduced, eg a one-second reduction in call time for directory enquiries in the UK could translate into a saving of £2 million. Similarly, replacing ‘Good morning’ and ‘Goodbye’ with ‘Hi’ and ‘Bye’ in a US centre was believed to save the equivalent of $22 million.

Market segmentation and differentiation

Yet, this Taylorist approach to contact centres does not present the whole picture. A consideration of expenditure is important and according to Dimension Data (2005) the main purpose of the call centre is cost reduction. But competing on cost alone implies a commodity market where all the offerings are indistinguishable. In reality, there are significant differences between providing a telephone number and giving detailed advice and guidance to someone contemplating buying a pension plan. Essentially, it is the combination of cost and quality that are the main mechanisms by which service provision can be differentiated.

Research into the interplay between cost and quality of service provision has indicated that there are, in general, three main types of business model which organizations tend to use in their interactions with customers; see Figure 1.

Figure 1: Types of service and efficiency

 

1. Mass production model – transactions

Some organizational strategies are based on minimizing costs and providing a very limited no-frills service. These transactional operations maximize call volumes and limit costs, creating a mass production model. Where there are low-value customers and a simple service, the process is highly scripted and there is little discretion for employees, eg telephone directory enquiries.

2. Professional service model – solutions

At the opposite end of the scale is the professional service or relational model which is frequently directed at high-value customers and where detailed interactions occur. In these circumstances there is o en more discretion and empowerment for the agent to find specific solutions for the customer, eg customized personal insurance.

3. Mass customization model – sales

Between the two extremes of the mass production and professional service models lies a hybrid version that a empts to balance the competing demands of cost and quality. This is the mass customization or pseudo-relational model which offers a medium-service, medium-efficiency interaction with the customer, eg simple holiday bookings.

This differentiation within the market has implications for the role of training and development. Tayloristic job designs enable the employment of less skilled and cheaper labour, which requires less investment in recruitment, training and development. Alternatively, with organizations competing on quality, contact centre employees require skills which will enable them to provide a customized service and this requires detailed and specific training.

There is an increased emphasis for organizations to encourage customers to go down the self-service route on the internet because it is so much cheaper. The use of automation, interactive voice recognition, internet and other channels represents a movement to reduce costs and increase accessibility. Thus, customers seeking to make simple and low value transactions will be encouraged to use the internet, eg most budget airline bookings are undertaken on the internet.

Figure 2: The provision of service in contact centres 

 

Yet there are limitations to the types of interactions that can be conducted electronically, ‘For complex interactions where a high speed of response is required, a real-time human touch is required’. However, employing people to operate like machines is self-defeating: ‘No sane business today would want a workforce of automatons: after all, anything an automaton can do, we can automate’.

Interacting with a customer builds the relationship, which benefits the customer and the organization. So, for this reason it ‘ensures that the human operator will never be entirely superseded by a machine’.

THE NEED FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT | Call Center

Supporting learning and development is important for a number of reasons:

• The industry is increasingly competitive and any centre (commercial/ public/not-for-profit) that does not support learning will find itself trailing behind more enlightened organizations.
  
  
• Call centres employ approximately 1 to 2 per cent of the working population in many countries and consequently are an important part of their economies. In some regions as much as 4 per cent of the population are employed in call centres.
  
  
• There is a significant local, regional and national economic imperative to ensure that the contact centre industry is successful and this can only be achieved through well trained, skilful and knowledgeable staff.
  
  
• The call centre industry has become a major part of economies worldwide and if they are not functioning effectively the impact will be felt widely across each economy.
  
  
• Call centres are frequently at the centre of organizational restructuring. Without educated and knowledgeable staff all efforts in other parts of the organization will be severally hampered without a well functioning call centre.
  
  
• Learning and development provide a key competitive advantage for organizations.
  
  
• There is insufficient information about the nature of learning and development with which to make an informed assessment and evaluation.
  
  
• A holistic picture is needed regarding learning and development.
  
  
• Inbound calls are increasingly viewed as an opportunity to cross-sell and up-sell. The competencies for selling are sometimes quite different to handling regular inbound calls.
  
  
• Call centres need further information with which to benchmark themselves and identify best practice in learning and development.
  
  
• Training helps retain and motivate employees.

A 10-point call center development process

The following 10 guidelines provide a logical, step-by-step process for developing and managing a call center operation.

Select a location for the call center where there is an educated workforce

Determine the size of the facility and the number of service representatives. Real estate and labor are two key cost factors in any call center operation.

Select the underlying technology components

These will include: PBX, voice mail, automated call distribution, computer telephony integration, and network equipment, such as routers, servers, and desktop PCs.

Decide which channels to support in the call center

Channels will include e-mail, chat, phone, Web forms, text chat, VoIP.

Select software solutions that meet requirements and will integrate with existing systems

Typically, these systems will be those that contain customer information—data warehousing systems, accounting systems, and contact information.

Integrate systems when feasible

Call centers must be able to handle multiple customer channels. Integrated systems help customer representatives answer questions more quickly by having more customer information available to them. Integrating with the Internet is critical, as it provides more avenues for assisting customers with chat, self-help, and live agents.

Determine SLAs and business processes

Implement best practices—workflow and e-mail routing—for skills-based routing capability. Establish hours of operation and standard procedures for handling calls.

Hire and retain staff

Establish a hiring and training budget. Hire skilled individuals and provide training, retraining, motivation, and rewards. Identify required skills and set appropriate goals to keep representatives trained.

Finalize the budget

Make presentations to management regarding budgets and benefits. Factor in all costs, including training, hiring, hardware costs, deployment, and integration.

Establish measurement and performance processes

Software for monitoring service levels and performance is the key to measuring call center results. Survey customers to ensure satisfaction. Evaluate response times. Utilize reporting tools and continue to improve service.

Establish on-going policies for training and updating CSRs

The CSR is the lifeblood of the call center and it is important that these employees be kept up-to-date on the tools used in the center and that their job functions be kept interesting and challenging.