9 Responses

1. In what context was it different?
   What is the current induction that you run and are you sure the comment wasn’t made in a positive light. We have recently re-written our whole induction and the same comment is made serveral times but in a positive way.

2. Feedback
   Wendy,
   One of the first things I would suggest is gather detailed feedback from new starters their experience of Induction Programmes at other Call Centre’s – good points, most valuable parts, worst bits and so on. I would also ask about delivery, content, trainer ability, exercises, level of interaction and is this system training or soft skill phone training?
   This will enable you to get an honest, all round view of Call Centre training practice and hopefully provide some new ideas that you can then incorporate into your programme.
   If you would like to contact me at Bsparks@awtxglobal.com I will be more than happy to talk you through previous Induction Programmes I have written and run at companies such as Egg PLC, Prudential, BAA and Pitney Bowes.
   many thanks and good luck
   Buffy Sparks

3. CALL CENTER PROGRAMS
   Hi,
   We produce and distribute wide varieties of training programs. I have here a program on call center/telephone sales and courtesy. If you like i can send you a free preview for you to evaluate. daniel@coastal.com.

4. Call centre training comparisons
   The comments you have received obviously indicates participation in other companies training methods and you should look upon that as a veritable gold mine of information!I would suggest you use their experience to refine your program by benchmarking yourself against your competitors performance. Find out how your training differs, get them to rate your program against the others (using a 1 low – 5 high basis is probably easiest), and finally what changes they would suggest you incorporate in yours to enable your program to score a high 5. You must look upon this information as priceless intelligence gathering and not critisism.
   Good luck!

5. Not necessarily a bad thing!
   As one of the previous posters mentioned this may be a positive comment! If however you are concerned that it is not then I would suggest asking your inductees to feedback on what was different/missing etc. I delivered inductions in a sales and customer service call centre environment for 5 years and re-wrote the induction programme so would be happy to share some ideas with you.

6. Organisational and personal values must align
   Hi Wendy

   I have spent the last several years researching a range of public sector call centres. What was very clear was the link between organisational values, personal values and individual performance. Two excellent theoretical models provide great insight into all organisational behaviour, and seem to polarise more clearly in CC’s than in the broader work environments. These references are:
   a) Treacy-Wiersema Value-Discipline model [operational excellence/customer intimacy/product leadership]&
   b) Hansen, Nohria & Tierney, “What’s your strategy for managing knowledge? ” Harvard Business Review March-April 1999 [personalisation vs codification]
   If the comments about being different are actually implied criticism, you will need to assess whether this is as a result of misalignment of the value sets of all stakeholders – including your own.
   Nev Schefe

7. Keep it real
   Wendy, I have worked as a trainer in a Call Centre environment for 7 years now. We have recently reviewed and rewritten our induction to make it more ‘real’. The key criticism we consistently received was that training was too nice and theory based. When the staff then hit the floor the culture change came as a shock. This of course had a knock on effect on Attrition.

   It is important to remember that the majority of learning in a call-centre role occurs ‘on the job’ Induction training should give all of the theory that is required to perform at a competent level in the first few weeks, with additional classroom training added at regular intervals to ‘top up’ their knowledge. Do not try and ram every last piece of information into the delegates during the induction training, this adversely affects information retention.

   Above all, keep it real. Incorporate as much of the job role into the training as possible, regular visits to the floor, listening in, roleplays and some form of ‘grad bay’ or model office environment for a while after theory training where the delegates take calls but with reduced targets and extra support.

   If you wish to contact me to discuss any further please feel free.

   spicton@rias.co.uk

8. Phone Delivered Training
   Hello Wendy
   Over the past 5 years, we have been delivering Phone Delivered Training to call and contact centres across the UK. It is a training method that is hugely effective yet saves time and money. If you would like to know more about about this approach and read about some recent case studies, please visit http://www.3ctraining.co.uk.
   Kind regards
   Hedda

9. Practice makes perfect
   I have been delivering call centre training for a number of years now, and in my experience keeping everything relevant to the campaign/calls that the Agents will hand helps a lot.
   As often as possible let the trainees hear recorded calls that illustrate the point you are making, or let them listen into the calls in the centre. If you have phones in the training rooms lots of role plays throughout the course helps too. The trainees usually start out a little flustered and embarrased at first but then grow into the idea of how benefical this exercise is.

   Hope this helps!