What Are the Training Needs for Call Centers?

Training employees is imperative as it has a direct impact on a company's revenues.

Call center representatives broadly fall into one of two categories: agents who answer customers' questions at a customer care center and representatives who call potential customers to market a company's products to them. Both roles require that call center employees undergo an intensive training process to give them the critical traits they must possess to perform well on the job.

Communication

The basic job of a call center executive is to communicate with the customer. Many large companies outsource their call center functions to countries where English is not the native language, in an effort to keep costs low. Call center workers in these countries must receive special training in how to listen to callers and understand quickly and completely what callers are trying to say. Moreover, such foreign agents must learn how to speak in a neutral accent, or in an accent that residents of the country where the business is located can clearly understand them.

Irate Customers

A call center can receive thousands of calls every day, and each employee is likely to handle several calls from irate customers. Call center executives must learn how to deal with these types of calls in a diplomatic manner. Thorough training in answering mock calls or practice calls can help them to answer these calls confidently, without succumbing to stress or panic -- or anger.

Technology

Call center employees must be thoroughly trained in using computers, the Internet and any software that their company uses. Often, the call center employee may have to look for a solution while the customer is holding on the line, thus requiring agents to have more than a basic level of computer literacy.

Supervisory Review

After call center employees complete their basic training sessions and begin taking calls, supervisors must observe them for a few weeks. Such reviews enable superiors to identify the exact areas the employee may need further training or development in. Each individual has different skills and different areas for improvement, so this is very important.

References

• Centre of Applied Positive Psychology: What Call Centres Need to Learn About Training
• Call Centre Helper: 44 Call Centre Training Tips