How can you align call center training with company values?

1 Assess the current alignment

Before you design or update your call center training program, it’s important to assess how well it aligns with your company values. To do this, you can conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, or observations with agents, managers, customers, and other stakeholders. Ask questions such as: what are the company values and how do you understand them? How do you apply the company values in your daily work? How do the company values influence communication style, problem-solving skills, and customer satisfaction? What are the gaps or challenges in aligning call center performance with the company values? What are the best practices or examples of aligning call center service with the company values? The answers to these questions can provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your current training program, as well as potential opportunities and threats for improvement.

2 Define the learning objectives

Based on the assessment results, you need to define the learning objectives for your call center training program. These objectives should be specific, measurable, and achievable outcomes that are aligned with both the company values and customer service competencies and skills. For instance, if one of your company values is innovation, you might want your agents to learn creative thinking and experimentation to find solutions for customer problems, use feedback and data to improve processes and tools, use technology and digital platforms to enhance customer experience, and utilize collaboration and teamwork to share ideas and best practices. To ensure the objectives are clear and realistic, you can use the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound).

3 Choose the training methods and materials

Once you have defined your learning objectives, you need to select the training methods and materials that will help you reach them. Training methods are the ways you deliver the training content, such as lectures, demonstrations, simulations, role-plays, games, quizzes, etc. Training materials are the resources you use to support the training content, such as manuals, videos, podcasts, slides, worksheets, etc. When choosing the training methods and materials that match your company values and customer service competencies and skills, consider using case studies and scenarios that reflect different customer backgrounds, needs, and preferences. Videos and podcasts featuring diverse voices and perspectives can also be beneficial. Additionally, slides and worksheets that use inclusive language and images as well as games and quizzes that challenge stereotypes and biases should be taken into account. Don't forget to factor in the learning preferences and styles of your agents as well as the availability and accessibility of the training methods and materials.

4 Evaluate the training outcomes

The last step in aligning your call center training with your company values is to evaluate the training outcomes. Evaluation is a process of measuring and analyzing the effectiveness and impact of the training program, using methods such as tests, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations. You should evaluate the training outcomes at different levels such as reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Comparing the training outcomes to the learning objectives and company values will help you identify areas of success and improvement. Finally, use the evaluation results to update and refine your training program accordingly.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?