Call center managers know all too well that finding quality agents, and reducing turnover, can be an ongoing challenge. The market is quite competitive, and agents will go where they feel their talents are best suited. A smart call center will take a similar tactic when choosing agents.

 

Following are three tips for finding quality call center agents that will add value to the organization by recruiting employees based on talents and needs that are well-matched to the environment in which they work.

 

 

Job recruiting has now officially moved to the Web. As in virtually every other industry, the best and brightest talent can now be found by posting jobs online and setting up systems that allow potential candidates to submit their resumes online.

 

For call center jobs, a site like CallCenterClassifieds.com is the best place to advertise for agents. This site is targeted to the industry, weeding out candidates who are simply looking for work and selecting those who specifically seek call center job opportunities.

 

Although some skills and talents are universally useful in the call center environment (friendly phone manner, patience, analytic abilities), the agents best-suited to their positions are those who have knowledge specific to the type of work being done in the call center. This fact may sometimes be overlooked in favor of simply picking friendly people who show an aptitude for quickly learning new skills.

 

If the call center handles mostly outbound campaigns selling credit cards, the most valuable agents hired likely will be those who have worked and excelled in a similar environment previously. In this setting, a friendly manner and ambitious personality, coupled with knowledge of the credit industry, will be a good fit.

 

Alternatively, in a setting that’s more aptly described as a “contact center” in that it utilizes not only voice but also e-mail and Web chat to serve customers, a different set of skills may be required. If the contact center handles inbound computer tech support contacts, for example, knowledge of the technology and experience using e-mail/chat to answer questions should be required.

 

 

While many call centers prefer to maintain a traditional business with agents who come into work every day, many organizations are finding that to locate and retain good talent, it is necessary to seek home-based agents as well.

 

Many agents prefer to telecommute because of the flexibility this setup provides. Looking for home-based agents expands the pool of talent and can make the entire organization more efficient.

 

To learn more about the call center hiring process, please visit the Call Center Jobs channel on TMCnet.com, sponsored by CallCenterClassifieds.com.

 

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