Monitoring for the perfect call

[Linn]

I have worked in an ACD environment for the past 11 years and yet the perfect call still eludes my staff. Has anyone found a way to blend an effective and efficient sales call with outstanding service components? What are your measurements?

[Frank A. Engle]

A better question for me is what are your components for a "perfect" call.

Perfect calls imply you are using perfect standards to measure the agents. Perhaps they are inhumanely perfect and virtually impossible for anyone to achieve.

Are you or one of your managers able to perform a "perfect" call? If not, your criteria is oviously flawed. If so...you have your perfect call taped..you win either way!!

Good luck!

[doug_helvig@cbmg.com]

Looking at your existing requirements to achieve a perfect call is a good first step. Does your observation form have an accompanying "background document" that has a detailed explanation for every point on the form, with scripted examples that the agents can learn from? When was the last time you met with the agents to openly discuss the expectations of a client call, in a workshop format, utilizing role-playing and coaching? I would also look into your coaching process and the actions you and your management team have taken to increase your coaching effectiveness and perhaps, frequency. What are the goals of the organization in terms of monitoring and observation goals? Do the managers understand what the behaviors and expected outcomes are from every coaching session and are they following up? Are you holding regularly scheduled calibration sessions with your managers, listening to calls and discussing each point of the call, making sure all of you are on the same page and hearing the same thing? In those sessions, are you role-playing calls so that all of you are better prepared to coach your agents? Are the coaches being coached? When someone has a "perfect call", what were the key differences in that call compared to the others and were those differences immediately shared with all as a coaching opportunity? At this point, take some time to back up, clarify your vision, and communicate it to the organization stating your dream. At the same time establish goals based on the vision and make the necessary plans to achieve the goals. Then, take action and track the results, providing feedback and coaching, coaching, coaching. Celebrate successes and maintain a high level of motivation to keep everyone focused on the vision. Then, as you see your outstanding results, challenge your team to attain a higher percentage of "perfect calls". More than anything.......have fun in the process!

[Lana]

I am looking for any taped samples of outstanding calls. Is there anybody out there who uses this as a tool to demonstrate to trainees what is considered an exceptoinal call and sets the standard that your staff works toward?