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Performance Management and Coaching Requirements Are Changing

TMCnews


TMCnews Featured Article


August 10, 2011

Performance Management and Coaching Requirements Are Changing

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor


The performance of individual agents within the contact center have the most impact on the overall performance of that center. When supervisors employ specific performance management and coaching techniques, they can effectively improve the collective performance of all agents, driving better results overall. 



This Envision white paper highlights the impact of performance management and coaching within the contact center, stressing that such activities have received very little attention in trade journals and conferences. The paper even suggests that there is an implicit assumption that coaching is really an art instead of a science, and the methods are best left in the hands of the supervisor. 

The problem with this approach is the resulting lack of consistency and absence of any objective measure of success for the overall process. With the multiple challenges facing contact centers today, personal one-on-one performance management and coaching has proven to be the most effective method to improve overall contact center performance. To reach this level of success, however, coaching must be tailored specifically to the needs of the individual agent. 

The coaching environment within the contact center arena is changing, yet performance management and coaching continues to lag behind the standard evolution to improved practices. Thanks to the convergence of a number of different dynamics, progressive contact center executives are finally re-examining performance management and coaching practices, as well as supporting technology.

Key trends emerging in the contact center space include the advent of customer experience management, the overall changing role of the contact center, the growing complexity of products and services, the addition of multi-channel communications and the designation of the agent as the king or queen.

Contact centers today are evolving; their roles within the organization changing. Call centers performing today are expected to achieve specific goals that were not part of the performance plan as little as five years ago. For instance, today these centers are expected to increase revenues, grow customer satisfaction, retain customers and supply market intelligence. 

With management demanding so much more from contact center agents, the value of a capable and experienced agent also increases. Turnover can be costly in terms of recruiting and training, yet the greatest costs according to surveyed contact center managers is the deterioration in service quality. There is a correlation between agent satisfaction and customer satisfaction, putting heightened importance on quality performance management and coaching. 

As the scope of the agent’s role is expanding within the contact center, there is an increasing need for problem resolution. Contact center management have determined that in order to bring agents up to speed on what is needed to meet performance expectations, they must implement more performance management and coaching. The real challenge is balancing that time for improvements with the time needed to handle customer interactions. Those centers able to find the right balance are driving the highest levels of performance.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News - Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It's also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.


Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Jamie Epstein






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