ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 - (Page 36)

EXPERT’S ANGLE LEARN IMPROVE BELONG To become an ICMI Member, please visit www.icmi.com/join than it should be. As agents enter either the transition period or the regular workforce, they will struggle to balance the numerous complex tasks required of them. The more traditional KBL training approach does not include those practicing techniques that have proven successful for the current top performers. The new agent may encounter customer inquiries, that — despite being among the top call types or inquiries — were not discussed during the training they received. The result will be a prolonged learning curve that pulls down the overall performance of the contact center, resulting in longer call times, fewer overall calls handled, lower first call resolution, and lower customer satisfaction ratings. icmi’s insight Second, there will be missed or reduced sales conversions in programs with cross-sell or up-sell expectations. Successful cross- and up-selling is a skill that requires indepth knowledge of the product or service offering, knowledge of the alternate market options, and an ability to build rapport and trust with the consumer. Unless the company is fortunate enough to find a natural salesperson during the recruiting process, the likelihood of a new agent being effective at cross- and up-selling within the first 30-60 days will be greatly reduced with knowledge-based training. Missed cross- and up-selling opportunities result in lower revenue for the organization, negatively impacting the bottom line. Third, poor training can lead to low levels of employee job satisfaction. As evidenced time and again in exit interviews and employee satisfaction surveys, “insufficient training” is a frequent cause of attrition and job dissatisfaction. Simply put, the less that people feel prepared to do their job, the more likely they will be to walk out the door. Rather than attack the problem at the source — training — some organizations become mired in an endless cycle of agent turnover, hiring more backfill employees only to put them through the same ineffective training. A BETTER ALTERNATIVE More training is not the answer. Senior management wants results — an ever shorter learning curve and a quicker return on the investment in training dollars. Companies must train and work smarter, better, and faster than ever before. The traditional KBL approach is too costly, takes too long, and often does not produce the results companies expect. Performance-based learning (PBL) is a new approach that’s gaining ground. In a PBL approach, agents learn by doing a task (performance) rather than reading about it or hearing someone speak about it. The hallmarks of PBL are targeted curricula, e-learning and advanced delivery technologies that provide agents with realistic training that is up-to-date and ongoing. The PBL approach connects knowledge to real-world contact center performance, with a curriculum and a classroom environment that are more engaging for the students. The curriculum blends different learning delivery methods, including instructor-led training, elearning, simulations, role-plays and performance support systems. During PBL training sessions, students use and learn skills that are needed to ensure their success on the job. Through role-playing, stu- Curriculum Transformation Tasks, not topics Real “floor” skills Complex role-play scenarios Performance assessments Integrated skills + knowledge Performance-Based Learning Delivery More frequent training events Training keyed to triggers Capture/deploy best practices Point-of-need/Time-of-need www.icmi.com | JANUARY 2008 36 http://www.icmi.com/join http://www.icmi.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 Contents Customer Care Technologies Ad Index Editor's Page Contact Center Spotlight People: Prehire Tests In The Center Strategy: Video Contact Centers Show Preview Operations: Knowledge Management Industry Research Contact Centers Face Today's Realities: A Case for Consolidation 2.0 Is Your Agent Training Process Evolving with the Role? The Key to Innovation Is Maintaining Your Strengths Becoming Strategic: Using Customer Contact Analytics to Empower the Contact Center's Role

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

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