staff into a cohesive team will set the stage for a successful operation.
You will learn one of the most critical functions in the call center…workforce management, the art and science of getting the just-right number of staff in place to respond to customer contacts, meet service goals, and minimize costs.
Nothing more directly affects the service provided to customers or the bottom line of the operation. Everything hinges on developing an accurate forecast of the workload to be handled. With an accurate forecast, staffing needs can be determined and staff schedules created. Once the plan is in place, the daily management process focuses on executing the plan and adjusting for unforeseen changes. The overall result should be a consistently acceptable answer for callers and a fair and reasonable workload for the staff.
During this module, you will learn about human resources administration and workforce planning and management. You will take an in-depth look at performance management to include:
- steps of performance management
- defining performance standards
- quantitative standards
- qualitative standards
- technology management, including quality monitoring and recording
You will also learn about quality management, reporting and communications, financial management, and risk management.
Call Centers and the Law
In Module Two, you will learn about laws impacting the operation of a call center including the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), Federal Electronic Protection Act (ECPA), and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
Increase Productivity
In Module Three, you will learn ways to increase productivity in eight important areas:
1. recruiting
2. training best practices
setting up your training program
your trainers
evaluation and feedback
3. how to transition from training to production
4. establishing a coaching program
5. defining buying motives
6. prospecting
7. qualifying
8. customer-employee relationships
Conversation
In Module Four, you will learn about the different types of conversations we all use to function in everyday life. Different types of conversation are required in different situations. When attempting to converse, whether person to person or in a group or organization, it is essential to understand the different types of conversations and how they function.
Phone Etiquette
In Module Five, you will learn practicing proper telephone etiquette is the key to improving and maintaining a high level of sales and customer service. Knowing how to effectively and courteously answer the phone, initiate a controlled conversation, and resolve the issue with the customer saves time and increases customer satisfaction. Every business receives customer complaints through the telephone. Those who handle the complaints in a courteous and empathetic manner retain their customer base and gain new business through word-of-mouth referrals.
Tools
As in any profession, telemarketers and customer service representatives need some basic tools to practice their trade and measure their success. In Module Six, you will learn sales scripts can be an early training tool to get the novice marketer on the phone with a feeling they have something of value to say. Later, this script becomes personalized to each associate. Their word choice, sentence structure, and tone are their own, and they no longer need the script to speak.
Types of Questions
In Module Seven, you will learn six different types of questions: open, closed, ignorant redirection, positive redirection, negative redirection, and multiple-choice redirection. Knowing how to ask and answer each of these types of questions is vital to speaking successfully.
Benchmarking
In Module Eight, you will learn the importance of setting benchmarks is indisputable for those seeking long-term success. These are goals or plateaus at which a professional can see where they can reach a new achievement level. These benchmarks serve as cross-references to your company’s performance with that of other businesses in your field. It helps to see how you measure up against the competition in cost, quality, and time. Those that do the job better, faster, and less expensively are the ones that excel.
Goal Setting
In Module Nine, you will learn to achieve goals, and the goals must be well thought out and documented, hold not only a company accountable for its actions, but also give a visual presentation of what needs to be done, whether or not it has been attained, and if modification is necessary. For goal setting to be most effective, the goals must be SMART, and the company must remain focused and committed to achieving them.
Key Steps
In Module Ten, you will learn there is an admonition to not rest on your laurels. There are several factors that success depends on to gain and keep it. Many companies are learning the lesson the hard way that past achievements do not guarantee future success.
