The concept is simple and widely accepted:
better-trained contact center agents contribute more
to the bottom line. Unfortunately, there is another
well-known axiom among contact center management:
training is one of the most costly undertakings in the
contact center. According to Hackett Benchmarking
Solutions of Hudson, Ohio, the combination of initial
and ongoing training often accounts for as much as 10
percent of a customer contact center's annual budget.
Because contact centers generally have high agent
turnover rates, more complex business processes and
desktop applications requiring higher-skilled agents,
the absence of even the most basic training system can
cripple a business. According to
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 70 percent of Fortune 1000
companies cite lack of trained employees as their
top-ranked barrier to sustaining growth.
Meanwhile, the Olsten Corporation, a provider of
staffing services to multinational companies, reports
that the average annual turnover rate in call center
is 33 percent. But contact centers that implement a
specific training regimen for at least one month have
an annual turnover rate of 20 percent versus 55
percent for those with less training.
In a typical contact center of 500 agents,
person-to-person training is simply not a viable
option. Classroom training is also difficult to
schedule because only one-half to three-quarters of an
agent workforce is working at any given time and
managers are faced with continually pulling a large
percentage of that group off the floor, in rotation,
to train every agent.
As a result, contact centers are now adapting
e-learning to save both time and money. The beauty of
e-learning is that is can be highly targeted and
self-administered. But to truly reap the benefits of
e-learning, the entire program should be linked to
your quality management solution. In any
group-learning environment, the instruction must be
addressed to the lowest common denominator, which
limits those on a faster learning curve, causes
redundancy and uses up valuable agent time.
Integrating e-learning with quality monitoring
evaluation scores provides the ability to trigger the
delivery of specific training modules to agents based
on their overall quality scores. More pivotal is the
ability to drill down further and trigger agent
training based on the evaluation scores of specific
topics, categories and even specific questions. This
enables the contact center management to prioritize
training and focus initially on those areas that
require it most, thus leveraging time and saving
money.
Let's clarify the definition of e-learning by
borrowing one from WR Hambrecht & Co:
E-learning covers a wide set of applications and
processes, including computer-based learning,
Web-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital
collaboration. We define e-learning as the delivery
of content via all electronic media. On-line
learning constitutes just one part of the
technology-based learning and describes learning via
Internet, Intranet and Extranet.
For the most part, this can be represented by
training pushed to agent desktops via the network,
Internet, Intranet or Extranet. The good news is that
the use of this technology overcomes a number of key
challenges in the contact center. Specifically:
- E-learning itself saves time, money and training
resources, through self-administered, targeted
training consistently delivered to, or accessed
by, agents during low call volume periods and
scheduled learning breaks. This reduces the
downtime required for classroom training and daily
information briefings, and because much of the
training is automatically delivered and/or
self-administered, it empowers CSRs to learn
independently and improve their skills without the
intervention of a supervisor.
- Integrated e-learning and quality management
enable the automatic deliver of focused training
and coaching directly to agents based on their
individual needs identified through evaluation
results. There is no need to train to the lower
common denominator and no redundancy, as is
typical in a classroom setting.
Training requirements are uncovered based on agent
quality management scores. Needs are identified as
agents are scored on various skills for randomly
selected calls. Questions in which the agent's score
falls below pre-defined thresholds will indicate that
training is required. Based on these results, either
existing training modules can then be sent to the
agent's desktop, or if training does not already
exist, it can be easily created with an e-learning
tool.
E-learning increases retention levels
significantly. By providing "as-needed"
training directly to agent desktops, contact center
managers are able to deliver shorter learning chunks
more efficiently, making it much easier for the agent
to then remember. Delivering training in real-time,
triggered by quality management scores, displaces
communications latency with timely as-needed training.
Since agents receive customized learning material
based on their own needs, they get only the material
they need in smaller learning "chunks."
According to WR Hambrecht & Co., customized
e-learning leads to a 60 percent faster learning
curve, compared to instructor-led training. The
delivery of content in smaller chunks contributes
further to a more lasting learning effect. Whereas the
average content retention rate for an instructor-led
class is only 58 percent, the more intensive
e-learning experience enhances the retention rate by
25 to 60 percent. Higher retention of the material
puts a higher value on every dollar spent on training.
To maintain agent knowledge, agents can train and
retrain themselves on their own time.
Self-administered e-learning empowers the agent to
take the reigns of his or her own career path. If
proper incentives are in place, self-administered
training can be professionally motivating for the
agent and can help reduce turnover. This is aided with
periodic tests and quizzes pushed to the agent desktop
by management.
Providing individual ACD stats at the agent desktop
ensures the optimum use of agent time. Agents can view
real-time stats regarding their personal activity such
as average talk time, average hold time, calls in
queue and similar statistics relating to the entire
contact center. In addition, training-related data
keep them abreast of the training modules they've
completed, their evaluation scores and training they
need to complete. When call volumes are low, they can
simply click into the next training session.
The essential link between your quality management
application and e-Learning solution takes place
between the online evaluation form, where questions
and score requirement are determined, and a
"rules wizard" for setting training criteria
built within the e-learning application. Using the
e-learning application, the supervisor can define
rules that determine when and where the e-learning
module is triggered.
For example, an evaluator reviews the list of
training material that a trainer has developed for the
contact center. He then compares the training list to
his evaluation forms and decides which question or
section on the evaluation form should be linked of the
available training modules. The evaluator then decides
what minimum score must be achieved by the agents and
what frequency or threshold should be set. The
evaluator creates a rule that triggers the training
module for "proper hold procedures"
pertaining to question three on the evaluation form,
only if missed two consecutive times. As a final step,
the evaluator decides to whom he wants to apply these
rules: the entire contact center, a group of agents or
one specific agent.
Now that the training rules have been set, whenever
an agent fails to meet the specified criteria,
training will automatically be sent the next day. The
training will appear on the agent's desktop --
accessible through the agent's "desktop
dashboard."
Another advantage is that the quality management
application will uncover new training opportunities
based on trends uncovered in the evaluation of
specific questions.
Using today's e-learning applications, training
content can be easily compiled and created by the
trainer. Multimedia objects, such as charts, graphs,
voice files and/or video files can be imported into
the training module. As stated earlier, quality
monitoring applications that record agent voice and/or
desktop screens enable the trainer to import those
interactions into e-learning modules as examples of
good and bad calls. Now the agent can see and hear the
precise behavior that is expected by the organization
in specific situations.
Meta tags and SCORM, which are industry standards
for tagging and flagging content, can also be used to
easily import existing content available from numerous
providers. Ready-to-service lessons on topics ranging
from harassment, dealing with irate callers, how to
cross-sell, etc. are available for fast
implementation.
Any effective training program must also
incorporate testing and quizzes to monitor progress.
Fortunately today's e-learning applications provide
mechanisms and applications to ensure this process
takes place easily and efficiently. Easy-to-use
wizards allow for the fast input of yes/no, true/false
or open-ended questions that can be pushed to the
agent's desktop during scheduled periods. Naturally,
quiz results and data are available for management
analysis and follow-up.
While e-learning brings many new benefits and
efficiencies, corporate trainers report that
e-learning and live classroom learning (c-learning)
are blending rather than one ruling out the other.
That is, the strongest use of online learning seems to
be an extension rather than a replacement for
classroom learning.
Regardless of the mix, a healthy component of
integrated e-learning and quality management can only
better server your agents, your customers and your
bottom line.
Jackie Wiedner is the global director of product
marketing for NICE
Systems, a provider of customer experience
management. CEM is a business strategy and technology
platform that incorporates integrated quality
management and e-learning applications along with
other solutions to capture, evaluate, analyze and
improve the customer experience. |