Does anyone here work in a call center?

[POPCITY]

I just have a quick question for anyone who works in a call center. We are having a disagreement at work. We have a very, very small call center, and one side wants to post the number of calls each agent takes each day where everyone can see it. They say it will be motivating to see just where you stand among your peers. The other side says that is private information that only the supervisor should see, and will cause *******, with the high volume people not feeling that the low volume ones are pulling their weight. I can see both sides, so I'm wondering, what do other call centers do?

 

[dispor]

Not in a call center, but I have worked in other high-production jobs. The best way is to only list individuals by their "codes". Ex. Operator #42 has x number of calls. But only using a code that only that operator knows. KWIM? That way everyone can see where they fall compared to the others. Aren't there monetary rewards for higher volumes? I would think that would be a motivator...

 

[plutotek]

I worked in a fairly large CC, where they would post numbers based upon individual pods/groups. Individuals weren't listed based on the reasons you stated. Individual performance (which is what that is) is a private matter for employee/management. Posting the individual scores could even result in the perception of a hostile work environment.

 

[MickeySP]

Really bad idea to post individual numbers. It will be divisive and creat alot of resentment among co-workers.

Some calls take longer than others so who is to say the person taking more calls is doing a better job than the one who has a time consuming issue.

Never worked a CC but a 911 center - speed has nothing to do with quality of work.

 

[bumbershoot]

I *hate* the quantity-based measuring systems. They are just absolutely rotten for people who tend to get complicated problems, and for people who follow-up, make sure to get all the info, etc etc.

I worked at amazon CS, and for whatever reason I rarely got the easypeasy simple stuff. I got the stuff that took ages on the phone, ages in research, ages in followup emails. The stuff that couldn't be done while taking the next call.

So my numbers were always low. My quality was right around 100%; the CEO would have LOVED my work. The managers, however, would ask me to lower the quality and up my quantity. That it was OK to not answer ALL of their questions, because someone else could take care of that.

Something like posting # of calls would be absolutely useless for me, because it wasn't indicative of the whole story.

I say, don't do that.

Or if you do do it, also have a wall for followup "kudos" emails from your customers, and see how many more the "quality" reps get over the quantity reps.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

We have a big screen that shows everyone's stats in real time. It shows who's on a call, who's not, who's on break. Current call length, average talk time and number of calls taken for the day. When someone leaves for the day, they drop off the screen. The monthly totals are never posted. Just what is happening in real time.

It's been like this for years and hasn't caused any issues as far as I know.

 

[canopynut66]

I just have a quick question for anyone who works in a call center. We are having a disagreement at work. We have a very, very small call center, and one side wants to post the number of calls each agent takes each day where everyone can see it. They say it will be motivating to see just where you stand among your peers. The other side says that is private information that only the supervisor should see, and will cause *******, with the high volume people not feeling that the low volume ones are pulling their weight. I can see both sides, so I'm wondering, what do other call centers do?

Have worked in call center for 30 years and the managers always want to do the floating scale or the total board of calls have seen it called so many things and to us in the call center was the 'trouble board" as it does cause ******* and of course are days some get more calls than others but it all evens out as any I have ever worked in were also on commision so WE wanted the calls as much as the next person. It gives supervisors something to do is what we all finally decided. Motivating? money is what motivated us. we are always recorded so managers know when were working and when were not also

 

[anniemae]

I think its a bad idea. It creates a competative atmosphere, and in my opinion would make people rush through calls to get the quantity over quality. I understand wanting to expose those who dilly dally and take too many breaks and put their phone on "unavailable" but maybe they could just assign numbers to everyone so it is anonymous.

Also, it makes people dislike those who are always in the lead, and those who are in the lead feel the others are not working hard enough where it may just be that some folks take longer, are more thorough, chat more with the customer etc.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I have worked in several, never has a company I worked for done such a thing. I have worked with high volume calls to! I have had the supervisors listen in on calls, that is just about it.
I do not think I would like that. I have always had high production in that area, and I have also had other sale jobs that it has caused others to be mad or upset that they have to compete so hard.
So someone like me, with high volume would not like others to see what I do, It does cause problems down the road!

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

Also, it makes people dislike those who are always in the lead, and those who are in the lead feel the others are not working hard enough where it may just be that some folks take longer, are more thorough, chat more with the customer etc.

right, this is what I mean. I have had people ticked off if I got a lead position or bonus due to high job performance and I have had a girl stalk me because of it.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My DH used to work as a manager in a call center environment. He said it's a very common practice to post stats for individual agents either by name or i.d. number (depending on the preference of the company). He said call length for each agent should average out over the day so, unless an agent is taking a different type of calls, call length shouldn't be a factor.

 

[tasha99]

They don't really even out though because people who are buck passers have faster calls than people who actually fix problems. I used to work for Royal Caribbean and there was one employee in my department who had amazing call times. The mystery was solved months later when her randomly taped call showed an appalling lack of customer service. I also knew people who would "accidentally" drop a call to up their stats.

 

[MinnieTink]

They don't really even out though because people who are buck passers have faster calls than people who actually fix problems. I used to work for Royal Caribbean and there was one employee in my department who had amazing call times. The mystery was solved months later when her randomly taped call showed an appalling lack of customer service. I also knew people who would "accidentally" drop a call to up their stats.

I agree. I have worked at a call center and have "subbed" as supervisor so I saw the numbers. There was not a huge variety of numbers for all but one. She is a complete "buck passer" and found every excuse not to complete her call. (this doesn't make sense to me as there is no public comparison or advantage to doing more calls) It is all about customer care/patient care quality not quantity.

 

[sbell111]

Among other things, I am responsible for a call center. We acknowledge the top individual performers and shift and provide retraining and discipline to under performers, but do not share everyone's individual numbers. Posting the individual numbers is a bad idea for many reasons; not the least of which is the fact that seeing how low the low performers are will disincentive the super high performers.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

I am a supervisor at a 911 center and have absolutely no interest in anything but knowing that each individual call is handled properly no matter if it takes 15 seconds or 15 minutes.

One day I can have ten times the number of calls as a colleague and know full well that I am having an easy day compared to my coworker who just happens to be getting the more complex calls. The number of calls taken has little to do with determining who is pulling his/her weight.

We do not post any statistical metrics but do review the numbers. A disporportionate amount of time is spent compiling and reviewing statistics but it is necessary for essential issues like defending our budget to government or justifying expenditures on upgraded equipment or staffing levels.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Because low volumes could result in an HR performance issue, nothing is ever posted

Ind agents are advised of their stats, but posting volumes pr other mettrics by individual? Never done (or should never be done )

 

[waltsgirl]

I work in a huge call center for a well known company. We post all stats and have for have 3 years. The agents see everything and we have had no issues. The only issue we ever have is when reporting is down or something and the numbers are not posted. People want to see them and don't like when they are not there.

 

[miinutes]

I don' t think it should be posted because you are basing this on each call taken and that would be unfair because where i worked i had calls that lasted 2 minutes and some that lasted as long as 1 hour it was tech support but you get the jeft of it. unfair practice

 

[kim929]

yes, for 5 yrs. Our numbers our posted daily for all to see. It's very competitive due to our bonuses being linked to our "numbers" not fun, because there are some of us that do everything we can to help our customer and loose out while others get big bonuses for basically doing nothing, but they took the most calls....

 

[OK!]

I've worked in several call centers and not a one posted individual stats. They were kept, sure, but were discussed during performance reviews between the CSR and manager and not made public. That worked well in all of those situations.