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How do you recruit competent call centre associates?

Like most call centers, our organization has a somewhat high rate of turnover. Unfortunately, that number has been creeping higher as the last few people we've brought on board haven't worked out at all. Where do you find competent and successful call center associates? Our facility takes inbound customer service calls, so it's necessary that we find people who are empathetic and truly enjoy helping customers. Are there any industry specific job boards that you'd recommend?

1
David Filwood
Principal Consultant, TeleSoft Systems
Posted on Aug. 23, 2010

Hi Annie,

While most everyone can use a telephone - not everyone is cut out to work in a Call Center environment. And while someone may have “The Right Stuff” to be a great Customer Service & Support CSR – it doesn’t necessarily follow that the same individual is also cut out for the more demanding & sales-oriented requirements of Up-Sell/Cross-Sell/Customer Win-Back.

Typically there are three grades of Agents found in a Call Center: (Above Average), (Average), and (Below Average).

(Above Average) Agents seem to have “The Right Stuff” that pushes them to succeed & a natural compatibility with the duties of the position. They work hard - exceed expectations - do more than asked - achieve high-quality consistent results - can always be counted upon - need little direction & work extremely well with everyone.

(Average) Agents perform their duties adequately enough “to get by” - but no better. They are the partially competent. Generally they’re strong from a Skills standpoint but missing a key ingredient or two from a Job Fit standpoint.

(Below Average) Agents are the people who just don’t fit somehow. Sometimes they’re good people in the wrong jobs. They need extra coaching & supervision just to achieve average results. Often they cause unnecessary conflict. (Below Average) Agents have the Highest Levels of Absenteeism, Lowest Levels of Productivity & Sales, Poorest Performance & Customer Satisfaction Ratings, and generally have a Negative Impact on Team Morale. They represent the real problems in a Call Center workforce. While (Average) & (Below Average) Agents may seem fully qualified at the Interview Stage – they’re a Poor Job Fit – the cost of hiring them is enormous – with little value add to an organization.

Top performing Call Centers drive Revenue & Performance through superior hiring tactics. Deploying tools that give you better insight & more accurate predictions as to which applicants from a pool of Job Candidates would perform up to, or beyond your established standards contributes most significantly to increased productivity and higher levels of customer satisfaction.

SPAS Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Screening Software is a Proven Technology that meets and exceeds all Government Employment Standards Requirements as a Hiring Tool in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia/New Zealand, South Africa and everywhere else in the world where the ‘Language of Work’ is English.

SPAS Software screens out the Job Candidates who will burn out fast because they aren't suited for the work - and identifies the people with the Personality/Job-Fit, Soft Skills, Motivation, and Work Ethic to be Top Call Center Agents.
Interviews are a subjective & potentially biased process. An Offer of Employment based only on a strong interview has just a 14% chance of predicting the long-term effectiveness of a Candidate for a Call Center job.
Reference Checking increases the likelihood of predicting long-term effectiveness in a Candidate for a Call Center job to 26% - and we all know that it’s getting harder to perform meaningful & insightful Reference Checks.
Job Previews only increase the likelihood of predicting long-term effectiveness in a Candidate for a Call Center job to 44%.
Skills Tests such as Typing Tests, Audio Transcription Tests, Windows Literacy Tests, etc. increase the likelihood of predicting long-term effectiveness in a Candidate for a Call Center job to 53%. That’s just a bit better than flipping a coin!
Every Version of the SPAS Software is Validated with at least a 90% Predictive Ability.

SPAS Software is sold on an Unlimited Usage License basis - there are No "per Test" Fees - "Annual Renewal" Fees or any other User Fees. Technical Support for the SPAS Software is free & unlimited as well. SPAS Licenses are also sold with a 6 Month 100% Guarantee of Satisfaction.

You can find out about a Free Trial of SPAS Call Center Agent Pre-Employment Screening Software at: http://www.telesoftsystems.ca/64201.html

0
Ayman Radwan
Posted on Aug. 6, 2010
  • Recommended by:

I just want to share my humble opinion to comment on your question. First for sure you need to focus and do some tests and role plays while you are selecting the candidates to ensure that they are somehow can do the job and ready to work in call center. However i beleive hiring is luck, the candidate in the end may will be good and may not:)
I think maybe there are another reasons behind the high turnover rate like the non friendly atmosphare in the call center, salaries and compensation is not competetive, very high call volume which burns the staff, not well structured call center. check what is the real reasons that makes them run away.
maybe you can ask the staff and do blind surveys to find out what are the reasons as well.
I wish my comment helps you:)

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