If you work in a call center, then you know how important quality score is. A high quality score means that your agents are providing good customer service and meeting the needs of your customers. A low quality score can mean decreased profits and even layoffs. In this post, we share three ways to improve quality score in a call center.
A quality score is a metric that call centers use to measure how well their agents are doing. This score is usually based on how long the customer spends on the call, how many times they have to repeat themselves, and how satisfied the customer is with the outcome of the call.
What is quality assurance?
Quality assurance (QA) is a process that call centers use to monitor and improve the quality of their customer service. QA involves setting standards for how calls should be handled, monitoring calls to see if they meet those standards, and taking action to correct any problems. It also covers contact center compliance.
QA is important because it helps call centers avoid mistakes that can cost them money or damage their reputation. For example, if a call center agent gives out the wrong information to a customer, that customer may never call back. Or, if an agent is rude to a customer, that customer might tell their friends and family about the bad experience, which could hurt the call center’s business.
QA can also help call centers improve their bottom line. By making sure that calls are handled properly, call centers can avoid having to make costly mistakes, such as refunding a customer’s order or sending a technician to fix a problem that could have been avoided.
Improving quality score in a call center
There are many ways to improve quality scores in a call center. Here are seven ways to get started.
1. Have a clear QA strategy
The first step to improving quality score is to have a clear QA strategy. This means that you need to know what you want to achieve and how you’re going to get there. Without a clear plan, it will be difficult to make improvements.
Once you identify a goal you want to hit regarding quality score, work backwards. Which KPIs and metrics do you need to hit to get there? Which tools will help you get there faster? Who on your team needs to be involved? What does the monitoring process look like to help your team stay on track? Answering these questions will help you develop a clear QA strategy that you can use to improve quality score.
2. Monitor all customer support channels
You can’t improve quality score if you’re not monitoring all of your customer support channels. This includes phone calls, emails, live chat, and social media. Customers don’t just want omnichannel support, they expect it. And part of offering omnichannel support means properly managing and monitoring all of them for quality assurance. By monitoring all offered channels, you’ll be able to identify problems and correct them quickly.
3. Assign quality assurance ownership to a team member
It’s important to assign quality assurance ownership to a team member. This will ensure that someone is responsible for making sure that the QA process is followed. While it’s important that this role is filled by someone who’s knowledgeable and experienced in your contact center, it doesn’t have to be a manager. By offering the opportunity to an agent, it encourages growth and ownership across your team.4. Share real-time analytics with your team
Sharing real-time analytics with your team is a great way to keep everyone on track. By sharing data, you can identify problems early and make changes quickly. More eyes on the same numbers reduces the chances that an issue will go unresolved.
5. Invest in quality assurance software
Investing in quality assurance software can help you automate the QA process. This will free up your team’s time so they can focus on other tasks. When looking for quality assurance software, look for a tool that offers features such as call recording, call monitoring, and performance reporting.
Call Recording: Call recording software captures and records phone calls made to and from your contact center. This can be helpful when you need to review a call for quality assurance purposes.
Call Monitoring: Call monitoring software allows you to listen in on live calls. This is a great tool for when you want to make sure that agents are following the script or if you need to offer coaching in real-time.
Performance Reporting: Performance reporting software provides data and insights about how your team is performing. It’s critical when trying to identify areas of improvement for your contact center.
Some quality assurance software tools also offer customer satisfaction surveys. This is a simple way to collect feedback about the quality of your customer support.
6. Utilize calls that follow call center best practices
When one of your agents is particularly successful on a customer call, make sure you use that recording – or simply the insights – in your agent training. One of the most effective ways for agents to improve is to learn from their team members. Foster an open and collaborative environment by taking real examples from your call center and reviewing with your team.
7. Reward your agents for taking part
Finally, don’t forget to reward your agents for taking part in the QA process. This will show them that you appreciate their efforts and it will motivate them to continue doing their best. You can reward agents in many different ways, such as giving them a bonus, offering additional training, or even just sending them a thank you note.
When it comes to improving quality score in your call center, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But by following these tips, you’ll be on your way to developing a strong quality assurance program. Implement these changes and you’ll see an improvement in your contact center’s performance in no time. If you’re looking for the right tool to help you do that, check out our omnichannel quality monitoring solution that enhances agent engagement by embedding quality, compliance, training, and development into your contact center operations.
