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