| Reduce Turnover - Raise Productivity - Lower | | | | |
| AbsenteeismA typical Call Center employs 3 | | | | - Part of a Legally Defensible Hiring |
| Different Types of Call Center Agents:1. Top | | | | Process.The Job Candidates who pass through |
| Performing Agents - "Grade A" Agents with the | | | | your 24 Hr. "Employment Information Line"/" |
| "Right Stuff" that pushes them to Succeed, | | | | Phone Screen should then be promptly followed |
| and the seemingly Natural Compatibility with | | | | up with using a Structured Telephone |
| the Duties of the Position. You probably have | | | | Interview.A Structured Telephone Interview |
| a few in your Call Center Operation now and | | | | is:- Used to Further "Sell The Job |
| wish that you could duplicate | | | | Opportunity".- Used as 2nd Screen of |
| them.2. Adequate Agents - "Grade B" Agents | | | | Candidates for "Must Have" Skills & |
| who Perform their Duties Adequately Enough | | | | Attributes (Start Date, Shift Availability, |
| "to get by" - but No Better.3. Marginal | | | | Wage Rate, Typing Speed, Specific Product |
| Agents - "Grade C" Agents who have a High | | | | Knowledge, Sales Ability, Security |
| Level of Absenteeism, Low Productivity, Poor | | | | Clearances, etc.)- Used to Further Evaluate a |
| Performance & Poor Customer Satisfaction | | | | Candidate's "Telephone Personality".- Where |
| Ratings and who have a Negative Impact on | | | | Appropriate, Used to Schedule a Candidate |
| Agent Team Morale.We ask for a lot from | | | | Visit at your Office for Going Forward with |
| today's Call Center Agent: Handle More | | | | Hiring Process.Delivered consistently, a |
| Customers & Calls, Order Taking, | | | | Structured Telephone Interview is part of a |
| Cross-Selling/UpSelling, Being Proficient | | | | Legally Defensible Hiring Process - as all |
| with Computer & Support Systems, Being | | | | Candidates are asked for the same information |
| Non-Confrontational & Good-Humored, Work Well | | | | in a uniform and consistent fashion.STEP 4: |
| in a Team Environment, etc., etc.As a Call | | | | Deploying Pre-Employment Assessment Testing - |
| Center Hiring Manager, your Challenge is | | | | to Confirm Personality Traits/Job Fit and |
| Twofold:1st - How Do You Find a Sufficient | | | | Skill Set(s).Candidates for Call Center Agent |
| Quantity of Quality Applicants for your Call | | | | Positions need to have a Unique Constellation |
| Center Agent Positions?Many North American | | | | of Traits - and Specific Amounts of those |
| Labor Markets have reached the Saturation | | | | Traits - in order to Successfully Complete |
| Point for Call Center Agent Applicants in the | | | | the Job Requirements.A Call Center Agent's |
| Local Labor Pool. In fact, 64% of all North | | | | Success Depends Much More Upon Personality |
| American Call Centers now find it a "Major | | | | Job Fit Factors than Product Knowledge, Past |
| Struggle" or "Somewhat of a Challenge" to | | | | Experience or Skill Set.Merely knowing how to |
| Find Quality Applicants for Call Center Agent | | | | react in a Customer Service Situation is Far |
| Positions. And 37% of Call Center Employers | | | | Different from Actually Engaging in the |
| are now Reporting "Severe" Competition for | | | | Necessary Appropriate Behavior - Consistently |
| Call Center Agents by Other Employers.2nd - | | | | - and for the Long-Term.This is what Call |
| How Do You Weed Out the Job Candidates Who | | | | Center Agent Personality/Job Fit Testing |
| Will Burn Out Fast Because They Aren't Suited | | | | Measures.SPAS - Service Personnel Appraisal |
| For The Work, and Identify the People With | | | | System - is CD-Rom based Call Center Agent |
| the Skills, Motivation, and Work Ethic to be | | | | Pre-Employment Screening Software, which is |
| Your Top Call Center Agents?While Almost | | | | Easy to Deploy, Very Cost-Effective and |
| Everyone can Use a Telephone, Not Everyone is | | | | Highly Predictive of an Individual's |
| Cut Out to Work Successfully as a Call Center | | | | Suitability for a particular Call Center |
| Agent.Hiring the Wrong Call Center Agent is | | | | Agent Position.SPAS Weeds Out Job Candidates |
| the Root Cause of Turnover and Absenteeism, | | | | Who Burn Out Fast Because They Aren't Suited |
| and is a Significant Drain on your Bottom | | | | For The Work, and Identifies The People With |
| Line, on Customer Satisfaction, and on your | | | | The Skills, Motivation, and Work Ethic to be |
| overall Call Center Agent Team Morale.Today, | | | | Top Call Center Agents.There are Specific |
| the Average Annual Turnover Rate of Full-Time | | | | Versions of the SPAS Call Center Agent |
| Call Center Agents is over 30%. The Turnover | | | | Pre-Employment Testing Software Validated to |
| Rate for Part-Time Call Center Agents is | | | | Test for Call Center Agent Positions such |
| Worse (84% - with 15 Month Avg. Job Tenure). | | | | as:- InBound Customer Service |
| And, the Average Cost to Recruit/Hire/Train a | | | | |
| Replacement Call Center Agent ranges from | | | | - OutBound Telephone Sales (B2B) |
| US$2,600 - US$15,000 (depending on the type | | | | Business-to-Business |
| of Agent Position).Every Failed Hire Causes | | | | |
| You to Throw Precious Budget Dollars Down the | | | | - OutBound Telephone Sales (B2C) |
| Drain Retraining Recruits for the Same | | | | Business-to-Consumer |
| Position. Not to Mention the Lost Sales & | | | | |
| Service Opportunities, Poor Customer | | | | - Inside Sales Agent |
| Satisfaction Ratings, Lowered Productivity | | | | |
| and Higher Absences associated with a Poor | | | | - Tier 1 Technical Support/Help Desk Agent |
| Job Fit.There are a Series of Best Practices | | | | |
| Steps you can take to address these Two | | | | - Central Station Monitoring Operator |
| Issues in order to Recruit More Top | | | | |
| Performing Call Center Agents:STEP 1: Create | | | | - Telephone Collections |
| an Agent Success Profile - What are the Core | | | | |
| Competencies, Personality Traits, Skill | | | | - Telephone Answering Service Operator |
| Set(s) and Demographics of your Optimal | | | | |
| Performing Agents?Who are your Top Performing | | | | - Reservations/Guest Service Agent |
| Agents?You should be Profiling your Top | | | | |
| Performing Agents for their Gender, | | | | - Government Information & Referral Operator |
| Diversity, Economics and Education.Across all | | | | |
| Call Center Industry Segments (except | | | | - Tele-Counselor |
| OutBound TeleSales and Technical Support/Help | | | | |
| Desk), over 75% of all Top Performing Agents | | | | - Mystery ShopperWhatever Call Center Agent |
| are Female and 66% of them are Working | | | | Personality Testing Instrument you Deploy - |
| Mothers. Only 5% have College Degrees, and | | | | make sure it is Validated for the Specific |
| 30% of them participated in | | | | Call Center Agent Position you are looking to |
| "Welfare-to-Work", Unemployment Insurance or | | | | fill - and Use it Consistently - at the Same |
| Public Assistance within 6 months prior to | | | | Point in your Hiring Process - and with All |
| their Hiring.Is there Specific "Must Have" | | | | Candidates.You should also perform a Skills |
| Skills/Knowledge that your Top Performing | | | | Test on your Job Candidates. Skills Tests are |
| Agents need?How do your Top Performing Agents | | | | designed to Identify a Candidate's Skill |
| Profile in Terms of Typing Speed/Accuracy, | | | | Level in Specific Areas such as Keyboarding, |
| Computer Literacy, Specific Industry | | | | Software Literacy, Spelling, Telephone |
| Knowledge/Experience, etc.?What are the Key | | | | Etiquette, Listening, etc.STEP 5: Using a |
| Personality Traits of your Top Performing | | | | Structured Face-to-Face Interview - based on |
| Agents?Are you looking for an InBound Agent? | | | | Core Competencies, Personality Traits and |
| (A Persuasive Communicator Motivated by | | | | Skill Set(s).This Style of Interview has |
| Security, Work Environment, Coworkers / Team, | | | | Great Value in Call Centers because it allows |
| Service and Recognition).Are you looking for | | | | you to Identify Candidates' Past Behaviors |
| an Inside Sales Agent? (A Persuasive & | | | | and Use Them as Good Indicators of Future |
| Persistent Communicator who is Service | | | | Performance and Behavior.Before you conduct a |
| Oriented, yet Motivated by Sales | | | | Structured Face-to-Face Interview, you need |
| Opportunity).Or are you looking for an | | | | to go back to your Original Success Profile |
| OutBound Sales Agent (An Assertive & | | | | and Core Requirements Document. Identify the |
| Persistent Closer who is Motivated by Income | | | | Most Appropriate Core Competencies for the |
| and Conquering Challenges and who Initiates | | | | Position and Build your Questions around |
| Customer Interactions).STEP 2: Create a | | | | these Competencies.They should be Very |
| Recruiting Strategy - Create a Recruiting | | | | Specific Questions Designed to Determine How |
| Communications Plan that Identifies & Targets | | | | Candidates Behaved and Thought during Certain |
| the Job Seekers that Meet your Agent Success | | | | Situations.Structured Interview Questions |
| Profile Criteria.Your Recruiting | | | | could include:"Tell Me About a Time When You |
| Communications Plan should include: Personal | | | | Went Far Beyond What Could Normally Be |
| Referrals Print Advertisements Elementary & | | | | Expected In Order To Satisfy a Customer?"The |
| High Schools (Part-Time Job Opportunities for | | | | Target Behavior you are looking to uncover is |
| Working Mothers of Students). Colleges, | | | | Customer Focus. Can this Candidate |
| Universities, & Technical Training Programs | | | | Demonstrate that they can go "Above & Beyond |
| (Part-Time Job Opportunities for Students). | | | | The Call of Duty" to ensure that Customer |
| Minority Organizations (Native Americans | | | | Requests are Handled Effectively - and with a |
| First Nations, Gay/Lesbian, New Immigrant | | | | Customer Service Orientation?STEP 6: Having |
| Support) Online Job Postings Virtual | | | | Your Candidates Experience a Job Preview - |
| Communities Job Fairs Outplacement Programs | | | | Depicting Day-to-Day Activities, |
| (Transferable Skills: i.e. Laid-Off Customer | | | | Responsibilities and the Environment of the |
| Service/Sales Staff). Unemployment Offices | | | | Call Center.The Goal of a Call Center Job |
| Welfare-to-Work ProgramsSTEP 3: Deploy an | | | | Preview is a Final Attempt to Sell the |
| In-Depth Telephone Screening Process - All of | | | | Candidate "In or Out" of the Job.You need to |
| your Recruiting Advertising should use as the | | | | Paint a Realistic Picture of the Company, |
| Call-to-Action a 24x7 Automated "Employment | | | | Call Center Environment, Hours, Flexibility, |
| Information Line"/Phone Screen which is then | | | | Management Style, Performance Expectations, |
| followed by a Structured Telephone | | | | etc.This can be done as easily as having |
| Interview.A 24x7 Automated "Employment | | | | Candidates Sit in the Call Center for a |
| Information Line"/Phone Screen Can Be As | | | | Period of Time to Form Their Own Opinion |
| Simple As An Extension on your Current Voice | | | | before Accepting or Declining the Job Offer |
| Mail System:"Hello ... and Thanks for Calling | | | | (**Check Your Local Labor Laws to See If |
| ... you've reached the 24 Hr. Employment | | | | Candidate Time Spent in a Call Center Preview |
| Information Line for the ABCXYZ Company.At | | | | by "Sitting In The Call Center" Qualifies as |
| ABCXYZ Company you will have the Opportunity | | | | "Paid Time".)There are also Software-Based |
| to Have Fun ... Make Good Money ... and | | | | Call Center Simulators that are available to |
| provide a Service that Our Customers Really | | | | give a Candidate the Ability to Accurately |
| Appreciate.You'll Earn a Guaranteed Base Wage | | | | Experience Call Center Work - such as |
| of $__/Hr ... Bonuses ... Get Training ... | | | | Referencing and Cross-Referencing Data and |
| and All the Support you'll need to | | | | Dealing with a Variety of Callers and |
| Succeed.We're Conveniently located Downtown | | | | Customer Service Scenarios. (**Used as part |
| ... with Easy Public Transit Access ... and | | | | of a Pre-Employment Process, Software-Based |
| there's Plenty of Parking nearby.To Succeed | | | | Call Center Simulators are Not Subject to |
| ... You'll need to be Confident ... | | | | Local Labor Law Interpretation as "Paid |
| Professional ... and have an Excellent | | | | Time".)During the Call Center Job Preview |
| Telephone Communication Style.To Take The | | | | Time, the Candidate should also be Encouraged |
| Next Step in Our Hiring Process ... at the | | | | to Speak "Off the Record" with Supervisors |
| Sound of the Tone ... Please Tell Us Your | | | | Team Leaders and Potential Coworkers.Done |
| Name ... and Please Spell Your Last Name.Also | | | | correctly, this Step will Help You Attract |
| ... Please Give Us Your Telephone Number ... | | | | People who Genuinely Want to Work in your |
| and the Best Time to Call You Back.And | | | | Call Center.STEP 7: Reference Verification - |
| finally ... Please Read Back to Us the Ad you | | | | (also Security Clearances / Drug Testing if |
| are Responding to ... and Remember ... this | | | | required).These Best Practices Hiring Steps |
| is a Telephone Audition ... So give it Your | | | | are Easy to Deploy, Very Cost-Effective and |
| Best Shot!Here Comes the Beep ... So Give Us | | | | Highly Predictive of an Individual's |
| Your Name ... Your Telephone Number ... and | | | | Suitability for your Call Center Agent |
| Read Back the Ad.Good Luck in your Job Hunt | | | | Positions. They will allow you to Recruit, |
| ...Thanks for Calling."A 24x7 Automated | | | | Select and Hire New Call Center Agents who |
| "Employment Information Line"/Phone Screen | | | | fit your Employment Needs Better and Stay On |
| can also be as Sophisticated as an | | | | The Job Longer - leading to a Call Center |
| Interactive IVR System:"This Position | | | | Agent Workgroup that has More Experience and |
| requires you to Read ... Speak ... and | | | | is More Productive.Your Individual Call |
| understand English. Are you able to do | | | | Center Agent Productivity Will Go Up - Along |
| so?""Press 1 for YES ... Press 2 for NO""This | | | | With Your Customer Satisfaction Ratings - and |
| Position will require you to work | | | | Your Turnover Costs Will Go Down.I would be |
| Non-Traditional Hours ... including Evenings | | | | Happy to Prove to you - in Advance and at No |
| ... Weekends ... and Holidays. Do you wish to | | | | Charge - that these Best Practices Hiring |
| continue this Process?""Press 1 for YES ... | | | | Steps Will Work for your Call Center Team as |
| Press 2 for NO""This Position is Fast-Paced | | | | well.Please Don't Hesitate to Call/eMail me, |
| ... Structured ... and Requires that you have | | | | or to Find Out More Click Here => Filwood |
| the Ability to Multi-Task. For the Majority | | | | |
| of your Shift ... you will Remain at your | | | | Principal Consultant |
| Workstation ... while Assisting Callers and | | | | |
| Customers by Telephone. Your Performance will | | | | TeleSoft Systems |
| be Monitored and Measured ... to Ensure the | | | | |
| Highest Levels of Customer Service. Do you | | | | 604-986-4116 |
| wish to continue this Process?""Press 1 for | | | | |
| YES ... Press 2 for NO"You will Save Time and | | | | david_filwood@telesoftsystems.ca |
| Money using a 24 Hr. "Employment Information | | | | |
| Line"/"/Phone Screen by:- Reaching More | | | | Filwood is the Principal Consultant with |
| Applicants Faster. | | | | TeleSoft Systems a Call Center Improvement |
| | | | Consultancy based in Vancouver, BC.David has |
| - Recruiting Top Candidates Before Your | | | | 20 Plus Years of Call Center Management |
| Competition. | | | | Consulting Experience for Small-to-Medium |
| | | | Sized Government, Non-Profit and Diversified |
| - Building a Bigger Applicant Pool. | | | | Business Call Centers.David has been featured |
| | | | in Profit Magazine, TeleProfessional, |
| - Ensuring that Applicants have a Clear | | | | Connections, Call Center Times, InQueue and |
| Understanding of Important Job Requirements. | | | | The CBC as a Call Center Subject Matter |
| | | | Expert.David has also been a Featured Speaker |
| - Assessing Applicant's Ability to Follow | | | | at Call Center Industry Conferences such as |
| Basic Instructions. | | | | The Association of Teleservices International |
| | | | (ATSI), The Help Desk Institute (HDI), The |
| - Conducting "Voice Auditions" to assess an | | | | Canadian Call Management Association (CAM-X), |
| Applicant's "Telephone Personality". | | | | The Canadian Security Association (CANASA), |
| | | | and The Southern California Nortel Users |
| - Reducing time spent with Unqualified | | | | Association (INNMUG).David Filwood also sits |
| Candidates. | | | | on the Advisory Board of The National |
| | | | Association of Call Centers (NACC).How To |
| - Maximizing Applicant Buy-In and | | | | Hire Better Call Center Agents - Every Time! |
| Participation in your Hiring Process. | | | | |