The Quality Monitoring Lifecycle shown in the figure below is a
critical model for designing or improving your quality
monitoring program.
When agents are hired, they enter into
the Quality Monitoring Lifecycle.
Agents immediately begin training. During
this training period, they are monitored closely for areas of weakness or skills gaps.
Once they have successfully completed the training, new agents are allowed to
handle calls. It is at this point that they enter the
monitoring loop where contacts are monitored on a regular basis.
Monitoring often immediately brings to light various
issues
and information that result in changes to
the current process or alterations in training methods.
Issues that relate to process and system improvements, revised training curriculum and
coaching are often easy to spot once quality monitoring commences. These and related
issues may be raised throughout the monitoring cycle and usually impact training and work
processes.
Feedback is the next step in the
lifecycle. Agents are given evaluations based on their monitored contacts.
Feedback goes to two major destinations: to the
agent
and to the system.
Agent feedback is an evaluation that directs the agent toward training or coaching
sessions in order to improve performance. The system benefits because group or process
issues come to the forefront. Often system changes are implemented, training or hiring is
altered, or the monitoring process itself is changed.
Once agents receive feedback, they enter training
and coaching sessions designed to improve
areas of weakness.
These training and coaching sessions are created to address common areas of weakness
and group issues. They also provide a way for agents to interact with superiors in a
non-threatening environment.
Summary
The quality monitoring lifecycle introduced in this tutorial is a
holistic approach to call monitoring. Using this
lifecycle
process, you will be able to examine and improve each of the key steps in your quality
assurance process. You will also be able to improve the
integration
of ordinary call monitoring with the other key functions in the call
center including training, hiring and IT (systems development).
The next three modules are designed to walk you through each step of the Quality
Monitoring Lifecycle. Each tutorial will cover a key point in the lifecycle. The modules
will answer basic questions and demonstrate how each step of the lifecycle is a part of
the overall monitoring process. Module 1 examines the 'monitor calls' step, including how,
when and who. Module 2 looks at 'agent feedback' both to the individual agent and to the
call center systems and performance. Module 3 discusses 'training and coaching' and the
important lessons that can be taken from your call monitoring program. A complete
description and guidelines for using the Lifecycle are available in the Quality Monitoring Toolkit.
