Help.

The company I work currently record all calls, but will only use them if it's a compliance issue/complaint.

I run a helpdesk and really feel that we should be using the technology to train people i.e we aren't allowed to use the recorded cals for training purposes. As a result I have been charged with the task of producing a business justification/presentation for using calls for training purposes.

I really need to convince the board that this will be a great step forward for the whole company as we will be able to actually give people the opportunity to hear themselves and make thier own judgements instead of just taking our potentially subjective word for it. I would also like to mention that the whole basis for this wil be used as a carrot for progression and service excellence rather than a stick!

I would love to hear from people who have implemented a process for using calls for training purposes and would like to know what benefits especially against cost, it has brought your area or company.

I look forward to any responses....

Chris,

The best place to go for any justification/costing of training is your internal training dept, given you work for a large financial services company I assume you have one. They will be very conversant with costing training, they will also be able to justify it within the overall training/development strategy for the organisation which should help your case with the board.
You mention you think you need to play back recorded calls because you "really feel that you should be using technology". This is a common pitfall and I suggest that you haven't established if there is a training need to do this and what you hope to achieve from this i.e. can the same learning be achieved from other methods? Experience shows in this particular instance it can (case studies, recorded role plays, reading call transcripts, sitting next to colleagues) however perhaps it wont be as cost effect and in this particular scenario you will definitely identify specify calls and issues extremely (indeed only) relevant to your business and its day to day running. More importantly it might uncover new previously hidden issues. Again talk to training to identify specifically what you hope employees will learn - get them to conduct a training needs anaylysis, they will establish if there is a learning gap. They will be also able to tell you that Kolb's Experiential Learning cycle i.e. learning from your own experiences is one of the most widely accepted systematic learning cycles and is established best practice.
If (as many companies do) you say on your IVR that calls may be recorded for training purposes there are no Data Protection issues.
In short conduct a training needs analysis to establish your training need, design the training (recorded call may not be the optimum solution to deliver the required learning), deliver it and evaluate its results. If your current training methods are delivering the same learning (and its being implemented by staff) then there really is no need to use technology just for the sake of it, its simple cost effectiveness.
Training has come a long way since feeling something might work and then building a business case to support it, you wouldn't do it with product development so why do it with staff development? If you require further information or a training needs analysis conducted feel free to contact me on

Hello Chris,

Please take a look at our website www.click2coach.com. We have implemented Click2Coach within many call centres. If you would like to coach and train agents you'll need to record interactions and send those interactions including training back to the agents desktop.

With Click2Coach you can coach agents for succes and you can share best practice calls within your whole contact centre.

If you need more information, just drop me an email at marcod@click2coach.com

Chris

I previously worked for a large financial services organisation and encountered a similar problem.
We eventually implemented the use of recorde calls for coaching purposes which benefited the business and agents no end.
Contact me vie email: alligator.consultancy@btinternet.com

Hi Chris

As a company we specialize in this area and have implemented these solutions for contact centres who are looking for this type of tool for training & quality assurance
As an initial step we will carry out a lot of research and then produce a return on investment discussion document which has helped some major blue chip organisations to justify and implement this type of solution.
If you would like to call me my direct line is 0208 326 8247 or email john.n@businesssystemsuk.com

Kind Regards

John

Dear Michael, most companies don't use the recordings. Modern soft recording systems come with an array of software, that actually allows you to make use of the recording. For the past 3 years I have been working with developing a workable model. My results I have posted here :http://www.callcentres.com.au/call_center_improvement_series.htm
Recording combined with CTI captured information will probably be the new standard for Call centre/Help Desks - this will allow you to sort the calls according to Results - you can then listen to Very good calls and very bad calls. It opens a whole new world for improving call outcomes.
regards
Niels
Publisher of the call centre managers forum www.callcentres.com.au

Hi,

Hope I'm not too late with this post.

I've found recorded calls to be really useful in training.

For fresh trainees, most of the people who get in only have a vague idea about their eventual jobs and these recorded calls give them a slightly more specific idea of things that they can expect and things that could go right or wrong once they hit the floor.

It's also been extremely useful for me in team building where I pull out a team and get them to listen to a call that was particularly memorable in terms of quality.

I've found that the general cheer, morale and attitude of the team improves every time there is a public listening of a very good call.

As far as Cost Vs. Benifit is concerned, when my team is feeling good they perform way above targets and thus my benifits far exceed whatever costs there are.

Hope this helps Chris.

Hi Chris

Can i also say that voice recording is also a good way of listening to what your customers are saying to you.
Even in a complaint call there is also the chance to learn from this for the future
And if i am not wrong you can use them to shape future advertising campaigns by trying to pick up what the customer wants.

Kind Regards

John Nutley

Hi!

A Call Centre is a platform that any organisation can use to interact with their customers.

An important part of the interaction is listening.

Before Call Centre was outsourced on contract, there would be a great scope for listening to what customers and prospective customers have to say, on the topic.

While outsourcing it is assumed that this aspect of due diligence has been taken into account.

Hence recorded calls are a great tool for the parent companies, for deciding on the next course of action.

The really prudent companies do call for recordings of the interaction, and Call Centre Team Managers in charge of this need to ensure that there a good mix of this sample that is provided.

Chris, take a look at your statement -" As a result I have been charged with the task of producing a business justification/presentation for using calls for training purposes."- in this light and define the training dimensions.

The bottom line is results and the occurrence of transactions.

Technology provides us with tools to be able to do a better job - and the onus is upon the users not get lost in the Technicality of the activity.

With reference to your statement "I would also like to mention that the whole basis for this would be used as a carrot for progression and service excellence rather than a stick!"

Today the focus is on the results - and the performance metrics.

Each of the activities that lead to results - need to be well defined - do it and you will find this whole exercise quite "fun & excitement" and I'd be quite willing to take this discussion further upon response so that this discussion helps all of us associated with Training in Call Centres to be able to define and act upon focus oriented and result oriented training for Business Development.

There has been a reasonably good discussion happening here. Thanks John for your pointer on listening to clients - it just got me going - and with the collective experience of Mark ( Hi! Mark).. thrown in this should be a thread worth referring back to quite often.

Mahidhar

Hi all!

Recently I was asked to find ways to keep records for 6 months from a UK based oursourcer. Is it possible? What is the cheap and best way of storing voice files for long?

Is there any difference between UK clients requirement from US clients?

Those who are experienced can throw more light on voice recording solutions and requirement.

Thanks.

Malick

As regards the law the following are current UK legislation in respect of the recording and use of telephone calls:


Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 ("RIPA")
Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice)(Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000 ("LBP Regulations")
Data Protection Act 1998
Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999
Human Rights Act 1998

Hope this is useful to someone.

Hi Chris

I have worked for several large financial services companies and we have always used call recording as part of our training/coaching. I guess my first question to you (or rather your company) is why they feel recorded calls should not be used as part of training and coaching?

Using recorded call

A. Allows the advisor/consultant to hear what they really do sound like on the telephone (and I’m sure we can all agree that we don’t sound how we think we sound) and is a great why for coaching areas such as tone, pitch and pace,
B. Get a true reflection of the advisors/consultants typical call (rather than “the performance call i.e. “I know you are listening to me so I’m going to do it correctly”),
C. If the advisor/consultant is doing something outstanding on a call/s you can get them to hear it for themselves (they may not know they are doing it),

As with everything in life there is a down side to coaching/training using recorded calls, such as: -

1. Giving the advisors/consultant a chance to listen to the call BEFORE providing feedback (i.e. you are going to have to take them off the phone in advance of the coaching session),
2. if coaching is given only by using recorded calls it leaves the opportunity to give instant feedback to the advisor/consultant immediately that could be given when coaching side by side,
3. The feedback on a call has to be given at the right time. There is no point giving feedback on something that has to be changed several weeks after the event,

My other concern is the old “using it as a stick to beat with” which would imply that either (a) the advisors/consultants or (b) the management team see coaching as a tool to beat with. This should NEVER be the case. A good coaching session (if done side by side or using recorded calls) should be used as a development tool and therefore, should highlight to an advisor/consultant what they are doing well as well as what needs to be developed. If the business view is it is used as a stick to beat or we use it to catch people doing things wrong, then there is a bigger issue to address.

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss further Chris, then drop me an email at neilwilkins@fsmail.net or leave another message at the forum and ill get back to you.

I trust this has been of some help?

Neil