Case Study: A Large Telecom Call Center

In the highly competitive telecommunications industry few things have greater impact on customer satisfaction than the performance of sales and service representatives.

The Client needed to establish a system to track and improve the individual performance of 2,400 Sales Representatives at 20 call centers and enhance overall customer satisfaction.

Solution

Maritz Research combined its technology and market research expertise with the performance improvement training and performance management technology of Maritz Learning to create a unique program for the Client that links customer feedback, internal quality audits, and a comprehensive performance improvement process. Key elements of the solution include:

Performance Measurement
The program incorporates true 360-degree feedback.

Customer surveys, self-assessments by sales representatives, and quality audits performed by supervisors are measured against company goals for the key competencies required of call center personnel, providing representatives and their supervisors an objective analysis of the representative’s performance.

Performance Improvement
The performance measurements for each representative are collected online and used to analyze gaps in performance, prescribe learning to improve deficiencies, and create Individual Development Plans to set goals for long term improvement.

Proven Technology for Program Management and Delivery
The system integrates Maritz Research’s eQuest^®‚ which tracks and reports customer satisfaction, with Maritz Learning’s proprietary technology, which delivers and manages the performance improvement processes.

Program Launch and Promotion
Maritz launched the system to call center employees, supervisors, and executives in two introductory Web seminars. Maritz developed a launch training kit for each call center that included a supervisor coaching guide and screen-by-screen user’s guide.

In addition, a series of monthly posters were developed that underscored the importance of the system and representative competencies.

Results

• Overall customer satisfaction ratings up from 68% to 77%.
• Satisfaction with call center representatives up from 70% to 76%.
• Supervisors and sales representatives have responded enthusiastically, noting that the program provides highly objective feedback and prescribes positive steps to continually improve performance. Replacing an auditing process many reps had viewed as subjective, the Maritz solution helped establish the common ground necessary for fruitful employee-supervisor relationships.