Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

One of the classic questions facing call center managers is "Who should do QA?" Do you have the supervisor do it, or do you have a team of people who do nothing but QA? There is no easy answer and there a pros and cons to both choices.

One of the struggles facing supervisors is being able to separate management issues outside of a phone call from influencing your call analysis and coaching. If my CSR is a chronic problem on the team with regard to attendance, attitude and productivity – it’s easy to be hyper-critical of his call. Call analysis and coaching can easily become a convenient vehicle of discipline and objectivity is lost. That’s where calibration becomes a huge part of the checks and balances to keep call analysts honest.

Call analysts, no matter who they are, must be honest and objective. If the CSR did a great job, then you’ve got to give credit where credit is due.

Speaking of which, I have to be honest about my business travel experiences last week. I’ve been very critical of United Airlines and the decline of service I’ve chronicled over the past few years. Last week was the most pleasant, on-time set of business trips I’ve had in years. It was capped off by a dear gate agent (I can’t remember her name) who went the extra-mile to get me on the last seat of an early flight home. As I approached the gate as the last passengers were getting on, she told me to go ahead and she would take care of the paperwork later. It was clearly an inconvenience for her, but she saved me a leg and got me home early to be at my daughter’s end-of-the-year choir concert. Well done. One of my clients also commented that a recent business trip on United had been the most pleasant he’d ever experienced. We’ll see if the trend continues on my flights this week and next. I hope this points to a new, customer-centered wind blowing in the friendly skies.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and bcorreira