Call Center Scheduling Featured Article
Better Success with Qualitative Rather Than Quantitative Contact Center Metrics
Every contact center spends at least part of its time tracking some type of metric. Whether it’s a simple approach that measures average handle time (AHT), one of the most commonly tracked metrics, to a complex measurement system that pursues first-call resolution and net promoter scores (what percentage of your customers become brand advocates for you), metrics are bound to be at least part of your operations. Without metrics, companies couldn’t quantify performance and results, and would be unable to evaluate the quality of service being offered.
Where many companies go wrong is in failing to differentiate between quantitative and qualitative metrics. Take average handle time, for example: agents pressured to keep call times down often do so at the expense of customers, who they rush off the phone in order to meet their metrics. The result is a confused and possibly angry customer who will wind up calling back again. In the long run, focusing on AHT only can cost a company more, not less. First-call resolution, on the other hand, is a qualitative measurement. It takes into consideration the fact that though a single call may have lasted longer than average; it created a happy and satisfied customer who will have no need to call back.
A recent presentation by Impact Learning Systems examined the benefits of qualitative measurement systems. In the presentation, Impact Learning System notes that quality metrics in a contact center fall into two categories: standards and objectives.
“Standards describe the minimum acceptable level of performance for all agents,” wrote the company. “These will vary from call center to call center, but will include behaviors such as giving the appropriate greeting, verifying the customer name and address, giving accurate information. When measuring standards, you determine whether or not they were met.”
Objectives, on the other hand, are even more qualitative, wrote the company.
“They describe something that will be accomplished to different degrees depending on the agents’ skill level and on the unique properties of the call, e-mail or chat session. Typical objectives include building rapport with the customer, handling challenges effectively, and using empathy as appropriate. When measuring objectives, you assess how well they were met.”
Whereas standards can be taught to agents very quickly – and evaluated just as quickly, by ticking a check box – objectives will be more of a challenge. Achieving these will mean teaching more soft skills, which is a trickier prospect than teaching ways to meet more quantitative metrics. The effort will be worth it, however, and companies that implement an effective policy for boosting these objective and qualitative metrics will find that it pays off quickly, in improved customer loyalty.